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.
Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication
Parliament Lyrics
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Baby do the throw down!
(x2)
Give the people what they want
When they want
And they wants it all the time
(x4)
Throw down!
(x2)
Give the people what they want (supergroovlastic)
When they want (prosifunkstication)
And they wants it all the time
Give the people what they need
When they need
And the need is yours and mine
Give the people what they want (heh heh!)
When they want
And they wants it all the time
Give the people what they need (in other words, it's the thumps bump)
When they need
And the need is yours and mine
Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication!
Throw down!
Baby do the throwdown!
Slow down!
Baby can you slow down?
Slow down!
Baby can you slow down?
Give the people what they want
When they want
And they wants it all the time
(x4)
Supergroovalsticprosifunkstication
In other words, it's the thumps bump
Give the people what they want
When they want
And they wants it all the time (throw down!)
Give the people what they need
When they need
And the need is yours and mine
Give the people what they want (supergroovalistic)
When they want (prosifunkstication)
And they wants it all the time
Give the people what they need
When they need
And the need is yours and mine
Throw down!
Baby do the throw down!!
(x2)
Throw down!
Baby can you throw down
(x2)
Give the people what they want (supergroovalistic)
When they want (prosifunkstication)
And they wants it all the time
Give the people what they want
When they want
And they wants it all the time
(x3)
Ha ha ha ha!
Give the people what they want
When they want
And they wants it all the time
(x2)
Give the people what they need
When they need
And the need is yours and mine
(x2)
Give the people what they want
When they want
And they wants it all the time
Supergroovalisticprosifunstication
Give the people what they want
When they want
And they wants it all the time
(x4)
The song "Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication" by Parliament is a call to action, urging the people to give in to their desires and engage in the funky, groovy lifestyle. The lyrics focus on the importance of satisfying the wants and needs of the people, framed within the context of funky music.
The repeated phrase "give the people what they want" is a mantra of sorts, reminding the listener that the point of music, and indeed, of life, is to indulge in what brings joy and pleasure. The line "and the need is yours and mine" suggests a communal desire for the euphoria provided by the groove.
The term "supergroovalisticprosifunkstication" is a made-up word that encapsulates the vibe of the song. It combines the words "groove," "prose," and "funk," all elements of the music that Parliament is known for. The repeated use of the term in the chorus gives the song an otherworldly quality, as if transporting the listener to a fantastical place of funkiness.
Overall, "Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication" is a celebration of the funkier side of life, encouraging people to let loose, dance, and indulge in the pleasures of the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Throw down!
Let's get the party started!
Baby do the throw down!
Everyone get involved and dance!
Give the people what they want
When they want
And they wants it all the time
People always want to have a good time and enjoy themselves, so let's keep the party going!
Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication!
It's all about the music and the vibe of the party!
Slow down!
Baby can you slow down?
Take a break from dancing and catch your breath!
Give the people what they need
When they need
And the need is yours and mine
Sometimes people just need a break, and we all have to take care of each other!
Ha ha ha ha!
We're having a great time!
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: W. COLLINS, G. SHIDER, B. WORRELL, GEORGE S CLINTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind