Parliament is an American funk band formed in the late 1960s by George Clin… Read Full Bio ↴Parliament is an American funk band formed in the late 1960s by George Clinton as part of his Parliament-Funkadelic collective. Less rock-oriented than its sister act Funkadelic, Parliament drew on science-fiction and outlandish performances in their work. The band scored a number of Top 10 hits, including the million-selling 1976 single "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)", and Top 40 albums such as Mothership Connection (1975). Clinton dissolved the band in the early 1980s. 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.
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.
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.
This Is The Way We Funk With You
Parliament Lyrics
This is the way we sing for you, aha
(Hmm, we'll sing for you all day and night
Oh yeah)
This is the way we dance for you, aha
(Ooh, we'll dance for you and make it right)
This is the way we play for you, aha
(Ha ha ha)
But this is how we'll funk with you, aha
Now, there's an old man that
Lives on a hill, huh
He won't funk but his old lady will, mercy
(You must give up the funk)
Hmm, this is the way we move on you, aha
Hey, like a stick of butter
Melts all over you
(But this is how we funk with you)
Ah, hey you must give up the funk
Funk me, please funk me
I want you to funk me
Funk me, please funk me (You funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
I, I, this is the way we play with you, aha
This is the way we dance with you, aha
(But this is how we funk with you)
That little bitty girl up on a hill
She won't funk but her little sister will
And I'll do it (You must give up the funk)
Funk me, please funk me
I want you to funk me
Funk me, please funk me
(You funk me good, hey hey)
Funk me (Funk me) , please funk me (Funk me)
I want you to funk me
(I want you to funk me)
Funk me, please funk me (You funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me, yeah)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(This is the way you funk with me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good (Funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I wish you would)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Come on, funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I wanna move on you)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I wanna groove on you)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Oh, funk me good, girl)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Ah, you know to funk me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Somebody's soul funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Funk me good, girl)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Hey) oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Would you?)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I said I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me, hey)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me, funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Good, funk me, baby)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Oh, funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Don't you know? Don't you know?)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I know you're able)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I know you're able, girl)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me, ha)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Now I want you to funk me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(If this is the way, yeah)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Funk me good) oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Funk me, take this, take that)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Take this, take that)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Take that, take this
But you know you've got to
Funk with me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Ah hey) oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Funk with me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Take this, take that)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Take that, take this
Don't you know you've
Got to funk with me good, girl? yeah)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(yeah) oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(yeah)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want to funk ya, ha)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me good)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me, funk with me good
Girl)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Funk with me good)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Come on, funk on me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Groove on me, dance with me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Sing with me, play with me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Come on, funk me good)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good (Funk me)
(Hmm, we'll sing for you all day and night
Oh yeah)
This is the way we dance for you, aha
(Ooh, we'll dance for you and make it right)
This is the way we play for you, aha
(Ha ha ha)
But this is how we'll funk with you, aha
Now, there's an old man that
He won't funk but his old lady will, mercy
(You must give up the funk)
Hmm, this is the way we move on you, aha
Hey, like a stick of butter
Melts all over you
(But this is how we funk with you)
Ah, hey you must give up the funk
Funk me, please funk me
I want you to funk me
Funk me, please funk me (You funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
I, I, this is the way we play with you, aha
This is the way we dance with you, aha
(But this is how we funk with you)
That little bitty girl up on a hill
She won't funk but her little sister will
And I'll do it (You must give up the funk)
Funk me, please funk me
I want you to funk me
Funk me, please funk me
(You funk me good, hey hey)
Funk me (Funk me) , please funk me (Funk me)
I want you to funk me
(I want you to funk me)
Funk me, please funk me (You funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me, yeah)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(This is the way you funk with me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good (Funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I wish you would)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Come on, funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I wanna move on you)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I wanna groove on you)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Oh, funk me good, girl)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Ah, you know to funk me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Somebody's soul funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Funk me good, girl)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Hey) oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Would you?)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I said I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me, hey)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me, funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Good, funk me, baby)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Oh, funk me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Don't you know? Don't you know?)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I know you're able)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I know you're able, girl)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me, ha)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Now I want you to funk me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(If this is the way, yeah)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Funk me good) oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Funk me, take this, take that)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Take this, take that)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Take that, take this
But you know you've got to
Funk with me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Ah hey) oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Funk with me good)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Take this, take that)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Take that, take this
Don't you know you've
Got to funk with me good, girl? yeah)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(yeah) oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(yeah)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want to funk ya, ha)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(I want you to funk me good)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(I want you to funk me, funk with me good
Girl)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Funk with me good)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Come on, funk on me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Groove on me, dance with me)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good
(Sing with me, play with me)
Don't you know you've got to funk with me?
(Come on, funk me good)
Oh, funk me oh, funk me good (Funk me)
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Edward Hazel, George Bernard Worrell, George Jr. Clinton, Glenn La Monte Goins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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