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.
Man's Best Friend
George Clinton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh-huh, AHH HAH! OH YES~!
Treat me bad, and I'll take it
Throw your ball I'll run and chase it
Fetch you the newwwwspaper
Treat me good, I'll do you tricks
I'm in need I'll catch a fix
Love me 'til I'm in your favor
I said a dog is man's best friend!
I said a dog is girl's best friend!
Oh a fox, can be foxy
And brother wolf, he's the guy
Shootin straight through the woods and ate, grandma
But a dog is a dog
Is a dog is a dog
Unlike the wolf who'd make a widow out of grandpa
I'm liable to save a life to you baby when you're lost out in the snow
I'll be like Santa Claus, so don't be dissin
Say you sho' can use some snow
Provin dog is man's best friend
Ohh milkbones for milk y'all
Make me stick my nose in there
And see who do I smell, ahahahaha!
Oooh! Uh-huh, uh-huh, AHH HAH YEAH~!
Pat my back, pat my back
Pat my back, I'm contented
Watch my tail and I will wag it
Fetch you the newwwwspaper
Extend your hand and I will lick it
Throw the stick I'll run and get it
For just a bone I'll be forever in your favor
Just let me go in the yard!
[x2:]
A dog is man's best friend
A dog is girl's best friend
And don't forget puppy love!
And remember, my bite is rough
Much worse than my bark
Ass patrol the dark, woof!
Tear the roof off!
[long instrumental solo]
Dog, is man's best friend, HIS BEST FRIEND!
Dog is a woman's best friend
I said dog, is man's best friend
[George Clinton:]
Extend your hand and I will lick it
Toss the stick I'll run and get it
Just a bone I'll be forever in your favor
Standing dog in the yard, GUARRRD~!
[x2:]
Oh we keep turnin ya on, keep turnin ya on
We, keep turnin ya on
Hey hey, OWWWWWWWWWW!
[transitions into Loopzilla]
The song "Man's Best Friend" by George Clinton is an ode to dogs and their loyalty to their owners. The lyrics speak about how dogs will do anything for their owner, even if they are treated badly. The first verse talks about how a dog will run and fetch anything that its owner desires, whether it be a ball or a newspaper. The second verse explains how a dog will go to great lengths to please its owner, even if it means catching a fix or performing tricks. The chorus then states that a dog is not just man's best friend but also a woman's.
The third verse compares dogs to other animals such as foxes and wolves, mentioning Little Red Riding Hood in the process. Clinton highlights how a dog will never turn against its owner and is always there to protect and save them. The bridge of the song talks about how a dog will lick its owner's hand, wag its tail, and do anything for just a bone. The song ends with a repeat of the chorus, emphasizing the loyalty of dogs to their owners.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh-huh, AHH HAH! OH YES~!
The song starts with excitement and enthusiasm.
Treat me bad, and I'll take it
Even if you treat me badly, I'll still be here for you.
Throw your ball I'll run and chase it
I'll do anything you want me to, even if it's just to chase a ball for you.
Fetch you the newwwwspaper
I'm happy to do small tasks for you, like fetching the newspaper.
Treat me good, I'll do you tricks
If you treat me well, I'll be happy to entertain you with some tricks.
I'm in need I'll catch a fix
If you need me, I'll do whatever it takes to help you.
Love me 'til I'm in your favor
If you love me and treat me well, I'll always be loyal to you.
I said a dog is man's best friend!
The song emphasizes that dogs are loyal and valuable companions to humans.
Oh a fox, can be foxy
Other animals can be cunning or attractive, but they can't be trusted like a dog can be.
And brother wolf, he's the guy
Wolves are wild animals and can pose a danger to humans, unlike dogs.
Shootin straight through the woods and ate, grandma
A reference to the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, where the wolf ate Little Red's grandmother.
But a dog is a dog
Dogs are loyal and trustworthy creatures that humans can rely on.
Is a dog is a dog
A repetition of the previous line to emphasize that dogs are consistent in their behavior.
Unlike the wolf who'd make a widow out of grandpa
While wolves can be dangerous, dogs are not a threat to humans and can even protect them.
I'm liable to save a life to you baby when you're lost out in the snow
Dogs can be trained as rescue animals and can help humans in dangerous situations.
I'll be like Santa Claus, so don't be dissin
A playful line indicating that dogs are willing to help and bring joy to humans, like Santa Claus.
Say you sho' can use some snow
Another playful line suggesting that dogs can help bring joy and happiness to humans.
Provin dog is man's best friend
The repeated refrain emphasizes that dogs are valuable and loyal companions to humans.
Ohh milkbones for milk y'all
A reference to the dog treat 'Milk-Bones'.
Make me stick my nose in there
Dogs can be easily lured by treats like milk-bones.
And see who do I smell, ahahahaha!
Dogs have a strong sense of smell and can quickly identify who has been around their treats.
Pat my back, pat my back
Dogs enjoy physical affection, like a pat on the back from their owners.
Pat my back, I'm contented
Dogs are content when they receive affection or attention from their owners.
Watch my tail and I will wag it
Dogs show their happiness by wagging their tails, and are happy to please their owners.
Extend your hand and I will lick it
Dogs show affection by licking their owner's hands.
Throw the stick I'll run and get it
Dogs love to play fetch and are eager to please their owners.
For just a bone I'll be forever in your favor
Dogs are easily pleased with small rewards like a treat, and will remain loyal to their owners.
Just let me go in the yard!
Dogs enjoy being outside and having freedom to move around.
And don't forget puppy love!
Dogs provide affection and love to their owners, much like the love between puppies and their mothers.
And remember, my bite is rough
While dogs can be gentle and loving, they are also capable of being protective and aggressive when necessary.
Much worse than my bark
Dogs can be louder and more intimidating when barking as a form of protection.
Ass patrol the dark, woof!
Dogs can be trained as guard dogs to protect their owners and patrol the area around their homes.
Tear the roof off!
A metaphorical expression of the power of dogs, who can be fierce protectors of their owners.
Dog, is man's best friend, HIS BEST FRIEND!
A repetition of the refrain to emphasize that dogs are valuable and loyal companions to humans.
Dog is a woman's best friend
Women can also benefit from the companionship and loyalty of dogs.
Extend your hand and I will lick it
Dogs show affection by licking their owner's hands.
Toss the stick I'll run and get it
Dogs love to play fetch and are eager to please their owners.
Standing dog in the yard, GUARRRD~!
A poetic expression of the vigilance and protective nature of dogs.
Oh we keep turnin ya on, keep turnin ya on
The song ends with a playful line about how dogs can bring joy and happiness to their owners.
We, keep turnin ya on
Dogs have a way of keeping their owners happy and entertained.
Hey hey, OWWWWWWWWWW!
A final expression of excitement and enthusiasm.
Contributed by Josiah L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.