Parliament was originally The Parliaments, a doo-wop group based out of George Clinton's Plainfield, New Jersey barber shop. The name was soon abandoned due to legal issues with Revilot and Atlantic Records, and most of the same people recorded under the name Funkadelic, which consisted of The Parliaments' backing musicians. Billy "Bass" Nelson is credited with creating the name Funkadelic. He also switched from 6-string guitar to bass, creating room for his childhood friend Eddie Hazel to join the group. Soon, Parliament was created in addition to Funkadelic and the two bands consisted of essentially the same people, though both released albums under their respective names.
The legal problems with the name "The Parliaments" were resolved in 1970, and Clinton signed all of Funkadelic to Invictus Records under the name Parliament, releasing Osmium ("The Breakdown" reached #30 on the R&B charts in 1971) but the name Parliament was then abandoned for some time, as Funkadelic was much more successful.
In the early 1970s, Bernie Worrell, Bootsy Collins and Catfish Collins joined Funkadelic, which released five albums by 1974. With only moderate success, Funkadelic signed with Casablanca Records as Parliament, releasing "Up for the Down Stroke" (off the album of the same name) which reached #10 on the R&B charts but peaked at #63 Pop. The song was the biggest hit of P Funk's career. 1975 saw the release of Chocolate City, which also enjoyed moderate success; the title track reached #24.
With the ensuing albums, Parliament became one of the most respected bands on the 1970s, and are now recognized as one of the forefathers of funk music. Of particular interest are the spacey themes of Starchild, Sir Nose and other recurring characters from multiple albums.
Of particular note is the landmark album Mothership Connection, an amalgam of many '70s themes and the tight "popular" funk sound which was both more commercially viable (particularly in the black community) and more readily emulated by the numerous artists capitalizing on the popularity of funk's mainstream cousin: disco. Artists such as the BeeGees, the Commodores and Kool and the Gang repackaged many of Parliament's innovations into radio-ready pop hits and upon the mass acceptance of disco culture as portrayed in Saturday Night Fever, millions of suburban Americans were able to boogie-oogie-oogie safely protected from exposure to the urban dance scene's multi-ethnic, sexually diverse and cocaine-fueled celebration.
In the early 1980s, with legal difficulties arising from the multiple names used by multiple groups, as well as a shakeup at Casablanca Records, George Clinton dissolved Parliament and Funkadelic as recording and touring entities. Parliament/Funkadelic morphed into P-Funk. New audiences were fueled in the '90s due to extensive sampling by hip hop DJs and producers, including beats used in The Chronic and Cypress Hill's debut album.
A variety of bands evolved in their own right out of the main two bands - they included Bootsy's Rubber Band, The Brides of Funkenstein, Parlet, Mutiny, The Horny Horns, and Quazar.
George Clinton subsequently worked with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Reformed in January 2018, the first new Parliament release in 38 years was "I'm Gon Make U Sick O'Me", which features the rapper Scarface. A new Parliament album, Medicaid Fraud Dogg, was released in May 2018.
Funkin' For Fun
Parliament Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey, yeah
Ha
I got to go
Got to leave
Something's missing
That I need
Whatever it is
That's burdening my mind
I know mother will understand, yeah
I know she knows that I'm still the same man
They say bring up a child in the way he shall go
And he shall not depart
And I know when they said it, it turns my heart
Hey, hey, hey, hoo
Guy, guy guy guy guy
Don't worry
Don't!
Worry 'bout me (Don't worry)
I'm just funkin' around
For fun
When you see my mother
Don't!
Worry 'bout me (Tell her don't worry)
I'm just funkin' around (ai, ai)
For fun
Oh, nothing could compare
To my mother, nah, nah, nah, because I know she cared, yeah
I got to find my own way around
Hey, hey, I got to get down, yeah
Guy, guy guy guy guy
Don't worry
Don't!
Worry 'bout me (don't worry)
I'm just funkin' around
For fun
Don't!
Worry 'bout me (don't worry)
I'm just funkin' around
For fun
When you see my mother
Hey, if you have a chance to see my father, my brother
Just tell 'em, that everything's all right
Hey, anytime
You find people assemble in the same place
Funkin' around
Everything's all right
Hey, hey
I don't think you heard me (coo coo ca choo) (say what)
Hey, whoo (coo coo ca choo)
Oww, whoa, ay, hoo!
If you see my mother (When you see my mother)
Tell her I'm all right
Tell her I'm all right
Just funkin' around
For fun
When you see my mother
Tell her I'm all right
I'm just funkin' around
For fun
When you see my mother
Tell her I'm all right (tell her you saw me and everything's all right)
I'm just funkin' around
For fun
Let's funk around
Hey!
Funk me, baby
Let's funk around
Hey
If you see my mother
Tell her I'm all right
Tell her I'm all right
Just funkin' around
For fun
Yeah, ah, ah, ah ooh!
If you see my mother
Tell her I'm all right
Tell her I'm all right
Just funkin' around
For fun
When you see my mother
Tell her I'm all right
Tell her I'm all right
Just funkin' around
For fun
When you see my mother
Tell her I'm all right
Tell her I'm all right
Just funkin' around
For fun
Having a good time
I'm funking around for fun
I'm having a good, good good time, yeah
Playing my guitar
Funking around for fun
Giving up the P.Funk
Ahh, the Bomb
When you see my mother
Tell her I'm all right (tell her everything's all right)
Tell her I'm all right
Just funkin' around
For fun
If you see my mother
Tell her I'm all right
Just funkin' around
For fun
If you see my mother
Tell her I'm all right (the P.Funk)
Tell her I'm all right (the bomb)
Just funkin' around
For fun
Oww!
The lyrics to Parliament's song, Funkin' For Fun, are about the singer's need to find something that's missing in his life. He is confident that his mother will understand and knows that she knows he is still the same man. The song contains various repetitions of telling the listener not to worry about him, that he is just funkin' around for fun. Throughout the song, he emphasizes that he is okay, and he's just trying to have a good time.
The singer wants to find his own way around and get down, which can be interpreted as a message to let loose and enjoy life. He asks the listener to tell his mother, father, and brother everything is alright when they see them. The song ends in a playful manner with the singer funking around for fun while playing his guitar.
One possible interpretation of these lyrics is that the singer is experiencing some sort of identity crisis, and he needs to figure out who he is and what he wants to do. He is assuring his loved ones that he is okay and that he is just having some fun while figuring things out. The chorus that repeats "Don't worry about me, I'm just funkin' around for fun" can be seen as a way for the singer to release any concern his family may have for him and let them know that he is in control of his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, hooo!
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm through sounds
Hey, yeah
Starting the song with an energetic greeting
Ha
Adding a playful interjection
I got to go
Feeling the urge to leave
Got to leave
Leaving the current situation behind
Something's missing
Feeling incomplete
That I need
Seeking what is missing
I need to find it
Exploring new avenues to discover what is missing
Whatever it is
Referring to the missing element as undefined
That's burdening my mind
Feeling weighed down by the missing piece
I know mother will understand, yeah
Having faith in the mother's ability to empathize and support
I know she knows that I'm still the same man
Assuming that mother knows the singer's true self, despite any changes in behaviour
They say bring up a child in the way he shall go
And he shall not depart
And I know when they said it, it turns my heart
Reflecting on the phrase 'train up a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it', and feeling a mix of emotions
Don't worry
Asking someone to not worry about the singer's well-being
Don't!
Emphasising the importance of the previous statement
Worry 'bout me (Don't worry)
Repeating the previous statement in a shortened form
I'm just funkin' around
Giving a reason for the singer's behaviour
For fun
Clarifying the intention behind the singer's actions
When you see my mother
Don't!
Worry 'bout me (Tell her don't worry)
I'm just funkin' around (ai, ai)
For fun
Repeating the previous statements in a different context, directed towards the mother
Oh, nothing could compare
To my mother, nah, nah, nah, because I know she cared, yeah
Expressing the love and appreciation for the mother
I got to find my own way around
Hey, hey, I got to get down, yeah
Acknowledging the need to find one's own path and to take action
Hey, hey
Adding a emphatic interjection
Guy, guy guy guy guy
Calling out to someone or a group of people
Hey, whoo
Another playful interjection
If you see my mother
Tell her I'm all right
Just funkin' around
For fun
Repeating the previous statements with slight variations
Let's funk around
Hey!
Funk me, baby
Let's funk around
Hey
Inviting someone to join in on the fun and music-making
Giving up the P.Funk
Ahh, the Bomb
Letting go of a certain style or sound, to explore new sounds
Having a good time
I'm funking around for fun
I'm having a good, good good time, yeah
Playing my guitar
Funking around for fun
Reiterating the purpose and the joy of the singer's actions
Tell her I'm all right (tell her everything's all right)
Tell her I'm all right
Just funkin' around
For fun
Concluding the song by repeating the previous statements
Oww!
End the song with an expressive interjection
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Garry Marshall Shider, George Jr. Clinton, Glenn La Monte Goins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@raybrown2811
Respect to George for putting spotlight on this exceptionally talented individual
@davinwatson5314
Bigfoot, George let you go off at the end of this testimonial masterpiece!
My GOD........Glenn was superb✌🏾♥️
@chuckluck3172
Great song Glen great vocals
@tedhudgines8802
One of, If not the Best Funk vocalist of all times. I don’t think anyone could do it like Glenn Goans. A voice never to be forgotten. Glenn could pull you up out of your seat. Make you raise your hands, wave your arms to the grove, and fall backwards in the liquid grave ! Oh yes . He brought the Spirit and Power of Gospel filled vocals to a Funk Band ! No One Did It Better !
@aaronalmon344
Never be another singer like the awesome Glenn Goins!!! R.I.P.
@JimWilderZJMPOPPOP
A Glenn Goins masterpiece! Great song... R.I.P. my brother, my friend !!
@ctwilyums6372
+Jimi Wilder Glen Goins vocals on "Handcuffs" are outta this world.He's overlooked in this band too often.
@chrisedwards3214
ct wilyums that's because he was in a group with too many people and wasn't nobody gonna be above George and bootsy hell bootsy was the best known
@johnbarrett7611
+ct wilyums Not by me he ain't. The sweet Chariot swung down and took Glenn to Funk heaven far too soon . Rest in P Mr Goins and all other deceased Funkateers .
@ericbutler8712
Plainfield NJ baby.