He was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina, grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey, and currently resides in Tallahassee, Florida. In Plainfield, he ran a barber salon, where he straightened hair, and soon formed a doo wop group, inspired by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, called The Parliaments. Despite initial commercial failures, The Parliaments eventually found success under the names Parliament and Funkadelic in the seventies (see also P-Funk). This article focuses on Clinton's solo efforts after 1981.
Beginning in the early 1980's, Clinton recorded several nominal "solo" albums, although all of these records featured contributions from P-Funk's core musicians. The primary reason for recording under his own name was legal difficulties, due to the complex copyright and trademark issues surrounding the name "Parliament" (primarily) and Polygram's purchase of his former label (as part of Parliament), Casablanca Records. In 1982, Clinton signed to Capitol Records as a solo artist and as the P-Funk All-Stars, releasing Computer Games that same year. "Loopzilla" hit the Top 20 R&B charts, followed by "Atomic Dog," which reached #1 R&B, but peaked at #101 on the pop chart. In the next four years, Clinton released three more studio albums (You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish, Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends and R&B Skeletons in the Closet) as well as a live album, Mothership Connection (Live from the Summit, Houston, Texas) and charting three singles in the R&B Top 30, "Nubian Nut," "Last Dance," and "Do Fries Go with that Shake." This period of Clinton's career was marred by multiple legal problems (resulting in financial difficulties) due to complex royalty and copyright issues. In 1985 he was recruited by the Red Hot Chili Peppers to produce their album Freaky Styley, because the bandmembers were huge fans of George Clinton and Funk in general. Though Clinton's popularity had waned by the mid 1980s, he experienced something of a resurgence in the early 1990s, as many rappers cited him as an influence and began sampling his songs. Alongside James Brown, George Clinton is considered to be one of the most sampled musicians ever.
In 1989, Clinton released The Cinderella Theory on Paisley Park, Prince's record label. This was followed by Hey Man... Smell my Finger. Clinton then signed with Sony 550 and released T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M. (The Awesome Power Of A Fully Operational Mothership) in 1996, having reunited with several old members of Parliament and Funkadelic.
In the 1990s, Clinton appeared in films such as Graffiti Bridge (1990), Good Burger (1997) and PCU (1994). Most recently he appeared as the voice of The Funktipus, the DJ of the Bounce FM station in the 2004 video game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Rapper Dr. Dre sampled most of his beats to create his G-Funk music era.
"You're Thinking Right" - the theme song for The Tracey Ullman Show, was written by Clinton.
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This is not the soundtrack composer George S. Clinton who did Mortal Kombat etc.
The big Pump
GEORGE CLINTON Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pumpin´ it with a big pump (x4)
You´re my lover yes you are
Shining brighter than the brightest star
You turn me on so naturally
Your heavenly body only I can see
People are sayin´ baby you´re so smart
Feelin´ like a frog and I wanna jump
Got to do your body with the big pump
Pumpin´ it with a big pump (x4)
You´re been shootin´ this crossbow
It´s the chance to dance and fall in love, move your torso
Don´t be afraid to shake that, back
Move your rump to the pump track
Get your back up off the wall
Get with the bass that pumps
Ya jumps ´cause you got to dig the stroke
It´s no joke, ´cause the groove´s all that
Move your body baby ´cause you know it´s fat in a club after house
Doin´ the pump is sure to move the wallflowers
You´re up now it´s time to get down
If you got a bad foot, use the good foot like James Brown
Let the rhythm improve your step, swing your partner
And if you can´t swing with that, it´s all in the technique
But this beat´s so fat you look good with two left feet
So feel the heartbeat with the bump
´Cause you know you dig the big pump
You dig the big pump
Dig the big pump
Break it down
If I could make you dig this philosophy
Then I´d be doin´ better than the ones before me
I´m feelin´ like a frog and I need to jump
Talkin´ ´bout doin´ that body up
Talkin´ ´bout doin´ that body up
Talkin´ ´bout doin´ that body up with the big pump
With the big pump, good God
Pumpin´ it with a big pump (x4)
Under a thick brick house Judy with a booty that´s fat
And I´ll show you how to skin the cat
Yeah ´cause I´m diggin´ the format
I ain´t layin´ my game till I get you to the welcome mat
As we dance the horizontal
When I´m in the skins baby I´m hittin´ Lotto
´Cause I likes the humpty hump
I´m up for the down stroke with the big pump
Pumpin´ it with a big pump (x4)
The lyrics of the song “The Big Pump” by George Clinton is about the pleasures of dancing and moving your body to the music. The song speaks about how music can move people and how dancing to the beat can feel like a workout. It is all about feeling the rhythm and letting the music take you away.
The song begins with the chorus “Pumpin´ it with a big pump” repeated four times, which immediately sets the tone for the song. The lyrics then speak about how the person the song is addressed to is the lover of the singer and how they turn him on naturally. The verse talks about how people are saying that the person is smart and how their mind is like a work of art. The singer then follows up by saying that he feels like a frog and wants to jump and do the body with the big pump, which is symbolic of sexual intercourse.
The song then moves on to another verse talking about how people should not be afraid to move their body to the music and how the rhythm can improve one's step. The lyrics tell people to do the pump and move their body to the beat until even the wallflowers start moving. The singer says that even if people have a bad foot, they should use the good foot like James Brown. Finally, the song ends with a verse about how the singer wants to get the person addressed to dance the horizontal dance.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby yeah
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
Pumpin´ it with a big pump (x4)
Using a powerful and energetic movement or force to drive the music and dancing forward
You´re my lover yes you are
Acknowledging the intimate and romantic relationship between the singer and their partner
Shining brighter than the brightest star
Comparing their partner's radiance and beauty to the most brilliant celestial object
You turn me on so naturally
Describing how the attraction between the artist and their partner is effortless and authentic
Your heavenly body only I can see
Expressing the singer's devotion and intense admiration for their partner's physical form
People are sayin´ baby you´re so smart
Acknowledging the intelligence and wit of the singer's partner, as well as the admiration they receive from others
Picture your mind it´s a work of art
Describing the abstract and intellectual beauty of the artist's partner's thoughts and ideas
Feelin´ like a frog and I wanna jump
Expressing the artist's excitement and desire to move and dance
Got to do your body with the big pump
Adding to the earlier description of pumping with a big pump, this line encourages the artist's partner to join in the energetic dancing and movement
You´re been shootin´ this crossbow
Metaphorically describing the way the singer's partner moves and dances, emphasizing their precision and accuracy
It´s the chance to dance and fall in love, move your torso
Encouraging the listener to embrace the romantic and sensual side of dancing while also urging them to move their body in sync with the music
Don´t be afraid to shake that, back
Encouraging the listener to feel confident and shake their back in time with the music
Move your rump to the pump track
Instructing the listener to dance to the rhythmic bass of the music
Get your back up off the wall
Urge to the listener to stop being shy and start dancing
Get with the bass that pumps
Advising the listener to follow the rhythm of the music, which is driven by the bass
Ya jumps ´cause you got to dig the stroke
Encouraging the listener to jump and dance energetically, emphasizing the importance of feeling and enjoying the music
It´s no joke, ´cause the groove´s all that
Emphasizing the importance of the music's rhythm and energy to the dancing experience
Move your body baby ´cause you know it´s fat in a club after house
Encouraging the listener to dance and move their body because it is a positive physical experience, particularly in a club or party setting
Doin´ the pump is sure to move the wallflowers
Describing how the energetic and fun dancing style of 'the pump' is likely to encourage even shy people to join in and dance
You´re up now it´s time to get down
Urging the listener to stop being passive and join the energy and vitality of the crowd
If you got a bad foot, use the good foot like James Brown
Referencing the famous musician James Brown to encourage the listener to dance no matter what, even if they have an injury or limitation
Let the rhythm improve your step, swing your partner
Encouraging the listener to embrace the rhythm and flow of the music to improve their dance moves and interact with their partner
And if you can´t swing with that, it´s all in the technique
Acknowledging that dancing can be challenging and it takes practice, but with the right technique and effort anyone can learn
But this beat´s so fat you look good with two left feet
Expressing the power and energy of the music is such that the listener can enjoy dancing even if they don't have perfect form or technique
So feel the heartbeat with the bump
Encouraging the listener to feel the energy and rhythm of the music deeply and physically
´Cause you know you dig the big pump
Reinforcing the idea of the big pump as a joyful and exuberant way to dance to the music
If I could make you dig this philosophy
Reflecting the artist's desire to share their love of dancing and the big pump with others
Then I´d be doin´ better than the ones before me
Citing a general ambition to be a successful and effective teacher or leader
Talkin´ ´bout doin´ that body up
Recalling the earlier lines encouraging listeners to get up and dance
With the big pump, good God
Reinforcing the idea that the big pump is a joyful and energetic way to dance to the music
Under a thick brick house Judy with a booty that´s fat
Using vivid imagery to describe a voluptuous woman in a humorous and playful manner
And I´ll show you how to skin the cat
Referencing an athletic move that requires flexibility and coordination, suggesting the artist's confidence and skill as a dancer
Yeah ´cause I´m diggin´ the format
Expressing appreciation for the musical format and genre in which the artist is dancing
I ain´t layin´ my game till I get you to the welcome mat
Asserting the singer's flirtatious and romantic intentions, emphasizing their goal to connect with their partner physically and emotionally
As we dance the horizontal
Using a playful euphemism to describe sexual activity with their partner
When I´m in the skins baby I´m hittin´ Lotto
Comparing sexual intimacy with winning the lottery or achieving good fortune, suggesting the value and importance of physical intimacy
´Cause I likes the humpty hump
Referencing a popular dance from the same musical era, suggesting the singer's enthusiasm for dancing and physical intimacy
I´m up for the down stroke with the big pump
Using wordplay to connect the physical movements of dancing and sexual intimacy with the musical rhythm of the big pump
Contributed by Tyler A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.