Due to legal difficulties between Clinton and Revilot, The Parliaments' label, the name was abandoned in favor of Funkadelic, which consisted of the same group of people (that is, both the former Parliaments and their back-up band, now both combined in the name "Funkadelic"). The group signed to Westbound in 1968.
The group's self-titled debut album, Funkadelic, was released in 1970. The credits listed organist Mickey Atkins plus Clinton, Fulwood, Hazel, Nelson and Ross, though the actual recording also included several uncredited sessionmen then employed by Motown, as well as Ray Monette (of Rare Earth) and Bernie Worrell.
Bernie Worrell was officially credited starting with Funkadelic's second album, 1970's Free Your Mind... and Your Ass Will Follow, thus beginning a long collaboration between Worrell and Clinton (who had been friends for quite a while). Worrell would go on to produce many Parliament and Funkadelic albums, as well as play keyboard on albums by other members of P Funk.
After the release of Maggot Brain in 1971, Bootsy Collins and Catfish Collins joined the group. The brothers would go on to become major contributors to the P Funk sound. In 1972, this new line-up released America Eats Its Young, but many members left the group after that, due to internal squabbles, plus Hazel spending a year in jail for drug possession and assault and Tawl Ross experiencing a bad LSD trip and/or speed overdose, while Billy Bass quit due to financial concerns. Michael Hampton, a seventeen-year-old guitar prodigy, replaced Hazel.
1975 brought Funkadelic to Warner Brothers, and saw the release of Hardcore Jollies in 1976. The same year, Westbound released a compilation of archived tracks titled Tales of Kidd Funkadelic, which did significantly better than Hardcore Jollies and included "Undisco Kidd", a R&B Top 30 single. In 1977, Westbound capitalized on the success of Tales of Kidd Funkadelic by releasing The Best of the Early Years. Funkadelic recorded and released its magnum opus, One Nation Under a Groove in 1978. The title track spent six weeks at #1 on the R&B charts, while Parliament was enjoying success with "Flash Light" and "Aqua Boogie."
As the 1980s wore on, legal difficulties arising from the multiple names used by multiple groups, as well as a shakeup among Parliament's record label, Parliament and Funkadelic disintegrated. George Clinton recorded several solo albums (sometimes under the name George Clinton & the P-Funk Allstars).
Filmmaker Yvonne Smith of Berkeley, California-based Firelight Media produced Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove, a full-length documentary about the groundbreaking group, which aired on PBS in 2005.
ALSO......
Though it often took a back chair to its sister group Parliament, Funkadelic furthered the notions of black rock begun by Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone, blending elements of '60s psychedelia and blues plus the deep groove of soul and funk. The band pursued album statements of social/political commentary while Parliament stayed in the funk singles format, but Funkadelic nevertheless paralleled the more commercial artist's success, especially in the late '70s when the interplay between bands moved the Funkadelic sound closer to a unified P-Funk style.
In the grand soul tradition of a backing band playing support before the star takes the stage, Funkadelic began life supporting George Clinton's doo wop group, the Parliaments. After having performed for almost ten years, the Parliaments had added a rhythm section in 1964 -- for tours and background work -- consisting of guitarist Frankie Boyce, his brother Richard on bass, and drummer Langston Booth; two years later, the trio enlisted in the Army. By mid-1967, Clinton had recruited a new backing band, including his old friend Billy "Bass" Nelson (born January 28, 1951, Plainfield, NJ) and guitarist Eddie Hazel (born April 10, 1950, Brooklyn, NY). After several temporary replacements on drums and keyboards, the addition of rhythm guitarist Lucius "Tawl" Ross (born October 5, 1948, Wagram, NC) and drummer Ramon "Tiki" Fulwood (born May 23, 1944, Philadelphia, PA) completed the lineup.
The Parliaments recorded several hits during 1967, but trouble with the Revilot label backed Clinton into a corner. He hit upon the idea of deserting the Parliaments' name and instead recording their backing group, with the added vocal "contributions" of the former Parliaments -- same band, different name. Billy Nelson suggested the title Funkadelic, to reflect the members' increased inspiration from LSD and psychedelic culture. Clinton formed the Funkadelic label in mid-1968 but then signed the group to Detroit's Westbound label several months later.
Released in 1970, Funkadelic's self-titled debut album listed only producer Clinton and the five members of Funkadelic -- Hazel, Nelson, Fulwood, and Ross plus organist Mickey Atkins -- but also included all the former Parliaments plus several Motown sessionmen and Rare Earth's Ray Monette. Keyboard player Bernie Worrell also appeared on the album uncredited, even though his picture was included on the inner sleeve with the rest of the band.
Worrell (born April 19, 1944, Long Beach, NJ) was finally credited on the second Funkadelic album (1970's Free Your Mind...and Your A** Will Follow). He and Clinton had known each other since the early '60s, and Worrell soon became the most crucial cog in the P-Funk machine, working on arrangements and production for most later Parliament/Funkadelic releases. His strict upbringing and classical training (at the New England Conservatory and Juilliard), as well as the boom in synthesizer technology during the early '70s, gave him the tools to create the horn arrangements and jazz fusion-inspired synth runs that later trademarked the P-Funk sound. Just after the release of their third album, Maggot Brain, P-Funk added yet another big contributor, Bootsy Collins. The throbbing bass line of Collins (born October 26, 1951, Cincinnati, OH) had previously been featured in James Brown's backing band, the J.B.'s (along with his brother, guitarist Catfish Collins). Bootsy and Catfish were playing in a Detroit band in 1972 when George Clinton saw and hired them.
The Clinton/Worrell/Collins lineup premiered on 1972's America Eats Its Young, but soon after its release several original members left the camp. Eddie Hazel spent a year in jail after a combination drug possession/assault conviction, Tawl Ross left the band for medical reasons relating to an overdose of LSD and speed, and Bill Nelson quit after more financial quarrels with Clinton. Funkadelic hired teenaged guitar sensation Michael Hampton as a replacement, but both Hazel and Nelson would return for several later P-Funk releases.
Funkadelic moved to Warner Bros. in 1975 and delivered its major-label debut, Hardcore Jollies, one year later to lackluster sales and reviews. The same year, Westbound raided its vaults and countered with Tales of Kidd Funkadelic. Ironically, the album did better than Hardcore Jollies and included an R&B Top 30 single, "Undisco Kidd." In 1977, Westbound released The Best of the Early Years while Funkadelic recorded what became its masterpiece (and arguably the best P-Funk release ever), 1978's One Nation Under a Groove.
During the most successful year in Parliament/Funkadelic history, Parliament hit the charts first with "Flash Light," P-Funk's first R&B number one. "Aqua Boogie" would hit number one as well late in the year, but Funkadelic's title track to One Nation Under a Groove spent six weeks at the top spot on the R&B charts during the summer. The album, which reflected a growing consistency in styles between Parliament and Funkadelic, became the first Funkadelic LP to reach platinum (the same year that Parliament's Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome did the same). In 1979, Funkadelic's "(Not Just) Knee Deep" hit number one as well, and its album (Uncle Jam Wants You) reached gold status.
At just the point that Funkadelic appeared to be at the top of its powers, the band began to unravel. As is sometimes the case, commercial success began to dissolve several old friendships. In 1977, original Parliaments members Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas had left the P-Funk organization to record on their own. In early 1981, they hit the R&B charts with a single called "Connections and Disconnections," recorded as Funkadelic. To confuse matters more, the original Funkadelic appeared on the charts at the same time, with the title track to The Electric Spanking of War Babies.
During 1980, Clinton began to be weighed down by legal difficulties arising from Polygram's acquisition of Parliament's label, Casablanca. Jettisoning both the Parliament and Funkadelic names (but not the musicians), Clinton began his solo career with 1982's Computer Games. He and many former Parliament/Funkadelic members continued to tour and record throughout the '80s as the P-Funk All Stars, but the decade's disdain of everything to do with the '70s resulted in critical and commercial neglect for the world's biggest funk band, especially one which in part had spawned the sound of disco. During the early '90s, the rise of funk-inspired rap (courtesy of Digital Underground, Dr. Dre, and Warren G.) and funk rock (Primus and Red Hot Chili Peppers) re-established the status of Clinton & co., one of the most important forces in the recent history of black music. ~ John Bush, Rovi
Uncle Jam
Funkadelic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All you inductees fall out and form some kinda line or something
I want all you young ladies to stick your chests out
And get your hips to move!
'Cause Uncle Jam wants you to join his army!
Come on, y'all
I know it's early, but you gotta get down.
I'm a soldier, in the army, of Uncle Jam
Come on and work out in that foxhole.
Ain't no need to get dirty, but you can get down
This is the army with the mission to rescue dance music from the blahs
We're not gonna do it by fighting--Get up! Get down!
Uncle Jam wants you to funk with him
La da dee da dee dee dee dee da
You said you'd be ready, if he called on you
Now he's a righteous kind of leader
Just demanding funk and groove from you
Get down
I see you out there in that field, riding on that 88, feeling ok haHEY!
So you want to dance? You've got to join Uncle Jam's army.
Pick your feet up
Come on y'all
If you want to dance? You've got to join Uncle Jam's army.
Alright you mugs- this is Uncle Jam's army, see?
And we're on groove maneuvers, see
I don't want nobody sweatin' til I tell ya
You gotta you gotta you got to
Marching in the foxhole
All right you mugs, so you want to dance?
This is Uncle Jam's army, and we're on groove maneuvers, see
You've got to join Uncle Jam's army
Just marching to the groove, honey
Got it going on the good foot
Gotta get on up
Happy feet, happy foot, happy time
Marching in this army
Marching in this army, see
Rescuing dance music from the blahs
Rescuing dance music from the blahs
Wake up!
Come on, y'all
Now here's where we start steppin'
Like we ought to do.
You've got to join Uncle Jam's army
Wear those colors that make you look like you belong
Hey boy, cut your hair!
Come give it to me
March to the left, right, march to the left
On and rock now, funky, y'all, come on and rock now
March to your left, it's funky now? to the tune of Jam
Get it honey
I know you're groovin' when you're movin' now, come on
And get funky with your Uncle, baby
I'm your thrill sergeant!
Uncle Jam wants you to funk with him
La da dee da dee dee dee dee da
If he calls on you
Allright you mugs, so you want to dance, hey?
Uncle Jam wants you! Uncle Jam wants you!
I - I don't think ya heard me
Uncle Jam wants you Uncle Jam wants you to funk with him
Come on, I said he wants you
He wants you to jam with him
Hey boy, whatcha doing sweatin' over there
Didn't I tell ya, ya ain't supposed to be sweatin', boy?
You-You-You You gotta you gotta you got to
You got to make me feel good
Oh there's something coming over me
I think I'll join, join the army
Sacrificing everything but the beat
Sometimes we got to fall in the foxhole called life
And I look up, and I don't see nobody trying to help me out
Ohh, I feel good tonight
Now that was allright,
But some of you all ain't doin' what you're supposed to do
I just see a few hands clapping out there
Uncle Jam's army, here- yeah.
Disturbing the peace at the bridge of the river quiet.
Marching in the name of the groove.
No AWOP-absent without the P.
Uncle Jam's army here-so you want to dance?
This is booty do your duty time.
We're soldiers on booty patrol.
And I'm your thrill sergeant
And he's your thrill sergeant.
Gonna keep you on your toes, cause Uncle Jam wants you
To do what you're supposed to do, and join his army!
All right you mugs, one more time!
I see you there marching in a foxhole
But there's one thing I want to say to you
Gotta reel it up and turn it round and round
So you want to dance, eh?
Let me hear you say it loud and proud!
Feeling good? Let me knock on wood
Disturb the peace at the bridge of the river quiet
Loud and proud!
On to the left right, on to the one
On to the left right, on to the left
All right you mugs, so you want to dance, eh
It's on the one!
All right you mugs, pick 'em up
It's on the one!
March to the left
The song "Uncle Jam" by Funkadelic encourages people to join Uncle Jam's army, which is not a military army but an army of funk dancers. Uncle Jam wants to rescue dance music from the "blahs" and demands that his army maintains funky grooves. The song features a call and response between Uncle Jam and his army, with Uncle Jam calling for people to join his army and get their hips moving. The lyrics also suggest that Uncle Jam is a leader who requires his army to sacrifice everything but the beat. The song conveys a sense of urgency and urges people to march and groove to the tune of Jam. The overall message is that funk music is the solution to the boring and dull music that dominates the airwaves.
Line by Line Meaning
All right,
Let's get started with the mission.
All you inductees fall out and form some kinda line or something
Everyone needs to get up and form a line to join the army.
I want all you young ladies to stick your chests out And get your hips to move!
Women, show your confidence and dance.
'Cause Uncle Jam wants you to join his army!
We are recruiting you for Uncle Jam's army.
Come on, y'all I know it's early, but you gotta get down. Go on and rock, Sue, rock!
It may be early, but we need to start dancing.
I'm a soldier, in the army, of Uncle Jam
We are all soldiers in this army.
Come on and work out in that foxhole. Ain't no need to get dirty, but you can get down
Let's dance, even if we don't do it in a literal foxhole.
This is the army with the mission to rescue dance music from the blahs. We're not gonna do it by fighting--Get up! Get down!
Our mission is to bring lively dancing back to the music world.
Uncle Jam wants you to funk with him La da dee da dee dee dee dee da
We're recruiting you to join Uncle Jam and dance in a fun way.
You said you'd be ready, if he called on you Now he's a righteous kind of leader Just demanding funk and groove from you
You promised to dance when Uncle Jam calls you out.
Get down I see you out there in that field, riding on that 88, feeling ok haHEY!
Let's dance and have fun, even if we do it out in the field.
So you want to dance? You've got to join Uncle Jam's army. Pick your feet up
If you want to dance, become a part of the army.
Alright you mugs- this is Uncle Jam's army, see? And we're on groove maneuvers, see
We are part of Uncle Jam's army and we move to the groove.
I don't want nobody sweatin' til I tell ya You gotta you gotta you got to Marching in the foxhole
Don't start sweating yet, we're just getting started.
All right you mugs, so you want to dance? This is Uncle Jam's army, and we're on groove maneuvers, see You've got to join Uncle Jam's army Just marching to the groove, honey Got it going on the good foot Gotta get on up Happy feet, happy foot, happy time
Join us and march to the beat with joy.
Marching in this army Marching in this army, see Rescuing dance music from the blahs
We march and dance to rescue music from being dull.
Wake up! Now here's where we start steppin' Like we ought to do. Wear those colors that make you look like you belong Hey boy, cut your hair! Come give it to me
Let's start dancing and dressing nicely.
March to the left, right, march to the left On and rock now, funky, y'all, come on and rock now March to your left, it's funky now? to the tune of Jam Get it honey I know you're groovin' when you're movin' now, come on
Let's march in rhythm and groove.
And get funky with your Uncle, baby I'm your thrill sergeant! If he calls on you
Join us to dance and move to the rhythm. I am your enthusiastic leader.
Allright you mugs, so you want to dance, hey? Uncle Jam wants you! Uncle Jam wants you! I - I don't think ya heard me Uncle Jam wants you Uncle Jam wants you to funk with him
If you want to dance, join Uncle Jam's army. Our leader is looking for those who loves to move.
Come on, I said he wants you He wants you to jam with him Hey boy, whatcha doing sweatin' over there Didn't I tell ya, ya ain't supposed to be sweatin', boy? You-You-You You gotta you gotta you got to You got to make me feel good Oh there's something coming over me I think I'll join, join the army Sacrificing everything but the beat Sometimes we got to fall in the foxhole called life And I look up, and I don't see nobody trying to help me out Ohh, I feel good tonight
Come and dance with us! Don't worry about sweating, it's normal to dance. We dance to feel good. Sometimes in life, we have to make sacrifices for the things we love, like dancing.
Now that was allright, But some of you all ain't doin' what you're supposed to do I just see a few hands clapping out there Uncle Jam's army, here- yeah
Although we had fun dancing, some people didn't participate enough.
Disturbing the peace at the bridge of the river quiet. Marching in the name of the groove. No AWOP-absent without the P.
We march and dance in a joyful mood. There is no absent here because everyone is dancing.
Uncle Jam's army here-so you want to dance? This is booty do your duty time. We're soldiers on booty patrol. And I'm your thrill sergeant
If you want to dance, you are in the right army. Let's dance as if it's our duty. Our mission is to protect the rhythm and groove. I am still your enthusiastic leader.
Gonna keep you on your toes, cause Uncle Jam wants you To do what you're supposed to do, and join his army!
Stay focused and prepared, our leader wants you to be part of the team and dance too.
All right you mugs, one more time! I see you there marching in a foxhole But there's one thing I want to say to you Gotta reel it up and turn it round and round
Come on let's dance again! We might be dancing in a foxhole but it doesn't matter. Let's move and turn constantly.
So you want to dance, eh? Let me hear you say it loud and proud! Feeling good? Let me knock on wood
If you want to dance, declare it! Let's celebrate if we're feeling good.
Disturb the peace at the bridge of the river quiet Loud and proud! On to the left right, on to the one On to the left right, on to the left
Let's make some noise and dance without a care. We march and dance with pride and in rhythm.
All right you mugs, so you want to dance, eh? It's on the one! All right you mugs, pick 'em up March to the left
If you are ready to move, let's do it! Let's follow the rhythm and march to the left.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Garry Marshall Shider, George Bernard Worrell, George Clinton Jr., Philippe Wynn, William Earl Collins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ALFJAMXA James
Incredible song. Phillipe Wynne's short time with the Funkadelic is sooooo underrated. An incredible time in funk music that can never be duplicated. 🤘🏾🤘🏾🤘🏾🤘🏾
DLCOrganization
Underrated by default, mostly because it's widely known.
The majority of those who DO know Phillippe Wynne was involved
with Parliament Funkadelic are the ones who know the story of
Uncle Jam Records -- of which THIS SONG was ultimately a prelude to.
Jay Skywalker
🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
thad g
A song about joining a funk army with a drill sergeant and a platoon of singers harmonizing over a funky bassline with the two lead singers trading vocal riffs. 40 years later it still sounds fresh and funky. Funkadelic needs to be in the Smithsonian. 6:48
OLA JAY
That bass is like 8 day old collard greens...just stank! Straight FUNKY! Make it talk!!
Bryan Jefferson
Bootzilla!!!
3kingkool
This is the most advanced funk bass in the history of both universes.
reliableandrew
True funk soldiers LIVE for comments like yours 3kingkool!
George Moore
3kingkool that’s Bootsy Collins funking on bass 👌
In The Mix Radio
3kingkool true