Lipps, Inc. (pronounced like "lip sync") was a studio pop/rnb band formed i… Read Full Bio ↴Lipps, Inc. (pronounced like "lip sync") was a studio pop/rnb band formed in 1979 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. The group is best known for their second hit single "Funkytown" (often alternatively labeled as "Funky Town") in 1980.

The group's lead-singer was Cynthia Johnson, and the rest of the group consisted of a changing group of session musicians. One of them was guitarist David Rivkin AKA David Z. who later on produced, mixed and wrote for many others and worked closely with Prince. Steven Greenberg wrote and produced most of the group's music.

Lipps, Inc. achieved popularity during the end of the disco era at the late 1970s and early 1980s and had one major international pop hit. "Funkytown" spent four weeks at number one on both the Hot 100 and on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts in the United States and was awarded a platinum record soon after its release. It reached number two in the United Kingdom and not only was a hit throughout the world back then, but also continuous to play an important role in today´s pop-culture (used in several movies, TV series, commercials, etc.).
Further singles failed to match their initial success (their only other Hot 100 entry was their debut single "Rock It", which peaked at #64 in 1979), however they had more dance club hits throughout the 1980s, including the Ace cover How Long in 1981, which reached #4 on the U.S. dance chart.

The group ceased recording after the album "4" in (1985), by then lead-singer Cynthia Johnson had already left the group and had been replaced by another singer that however couldn´t replace Johnson´s unmistakable lead vocals.

A rock version of "Funkytown" was covered by the Australia group Pseudo Echo in 1987 on their album Love An Adventure and reached the top of the charts there. "Funkytown" is one of the songs of the Shrek 2 movie soundtrack. The song "Funkytown" has had popular recognition again recently due to a mash-up of it with Soulwax's dance track NY Excuse appearing on the Soulwax remix album Nite Versions. The track is titled NY Lipps.

Steven Greenberg's son Neil has been on MTV's Made performing as a rapper as 'The Blizzard'. In that episode Greenberg made several appearances as well.

Hold Me Down
Lipps Inc. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hold me down
don't let me go
need your lovin',
need your lovin'
hold me down
hold me down

i need your lovin'

i need your lovin'
i need your love, ooh
i need your lovin'
i need your lovin'
i need your lovin', ohh-ooh-yeah-yeah

Hold me down
don't let me go
need your lovin',
need your lovin'
hold me down
hold me down

i need your lovin'
i need your lovin'
i need your love, ooh
i need your lovin'

i need your lovin'
i need your lovin', ohh-ooh-yeah-yeah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Lipps Inc.'s song Hold Me Down are a plea for love and affection. The singer is asking their lover to hold them down and not let them go, stating that they need their lover's affection to feel complete. The repetition of "need your lovin'" emphasizes the importance of the lover's presence and highlights the desperation of the singer's plea. The phrase "hold me down" serves as a double entendre. On one hand, it means to physically hold the singer down and keep them close, while on the other hand, it means to emotionally lift the singer up and provide them with the stability they need.

The urgency in the singer's voice and the repetitive nature of the lyrics create a sense of longing and desperation. It is evident that the singer is deeply attached to their lover and cannot imagine life without them. The phrase "hold me down" could also potentially carry a negative connotation, implying that the singer feels trapped or suffocated by their lover's affection, but this is never explicitly stated in the lyrics. Overall, the song is about the intense desire for love and connection, and the fear of losing it.

Line by Line Meaning

Hold me down
I want you to keep me close and not let me drift away.

don't let me go
Please don't release me, I want to stay by your side.

need your lovin',
I have a strong desire for your affection and attention,

need your lovin'
I crave your love and affection, it's a necessity for me.

hold me down
Please keep me close, don't let me go.

hold me down
Keep me secure, don't let me drift away.

i need your lovin'
I have an intense longing for your love and attention.

i need your lovin'
Your love and attention is vital for my happiness.

i need your love, ooh
I have a strong desire and hunger for your affection.

i need your lovin'
I desire and urgently require your love and attention.

i need your lovin'
Your love and attention are what I deeply crave and long for.