Prong was founded in 1986 by singer/guitarist Tommy Victor (then a soundman at New York City's renowned CBGB's). With bassist Mike Kirkland (formely of NYHC band Damage and doorman at CBGB’s) and ex-Swans drummer Ted Parsons, Prong released two independent CDs that were noted for their brutal hardcore sound.
Epic Records saw the band's potential and signed them in 1989. Prong's major label debut album Beg to Differ, was released in 1990.
In the following year, Kirkland left the band and was replaced by Ex-Flotsam and Jetsam bassist Troy Gregory. Prong issued their fourth release Prove You Wrong which saw the band experiment with programming and electronic samples while still retaining an aggressive yet melodic sensibility.
By 1994, Troy Gregory was out of the band and was replaced by Paul Raven (bassist) and John Bechdel (keyboard), both from Killing Joke and Murder, Inc. The new line up released Cleansing (Prong’s 5th major release). With a strong industrial sound that still managed to be hard and heavy, Cleansing contained songs that are still considered Prong classics ("Broken Peace" and "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck") and is Prong’s most successful release to date. The videos for these two songs became staples of MTV’s legendary Headbangers Ball.
Prong's sixth album Rude Awakening was released in 1996. The album was not as successful as the last three albums. Shortly thereafter Parsons left the band to join Godflesh. Tommy Victor left New York and moved to Los Angeles. As the band Prong sat idle, Tommy Victor worked with legends of the rock world, including Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, celldweller and Glenn Danzig.
In 2002, Victor re-formed Prong with bassist Brian Perry, drummer Dan Laudo and guitarist Monte Pittman (Madonna). In 2002, after a 42-show American tour that was recorded for a live CD (100% Live, Locomotive Music) Prong entered the studio and recorded a new CD titled Scorpio Rising which was received with mixed responses.
Victor played on and off again with Glen Danzig from 1998 -2005 in between time with Prong. His final goal of playing and writing on a Danzig record was met with Circle of Snakes in 2004.
Prong released a live 2-disc DVD in 2005 entitled "The Vault" which features performances from the Hulstsfred and With Full Force festivals and a full show in Amsterdam. This disc has Mike Longworth on bass as well, who later replaced Perry. As a result of the drum performance on Scorpio Rising , band members Tommy Victor and Monte Pittman decided a change needed to be made. This resulted in the firing of Dan Laudo and the enlistment Aaron Rossi, who used to be in the bands Strife (Victory Records), Shelter (Century Media Records), John 5 (Shrapnel Records), and Ankla (Bieler Bros. Records)
Victor and Raven joined Ministry in 2005 to write and tour in support of their album Rio Grande Blood (2006). They were nominated for a Grammy in 2007 for the song Senior Peligro in the "Best Metal Performance" category. The two also appear on Ministry's follow up album The Last Sucker (2007), although in a more limited capacity.
On June 4th, 2007, Prong posted a MySpace bulletin stating that they were recording in El Paso, Texas. The band left Locomotive Music, and were signed to Al Jourgensen's 13th Planet Records, who released their latest album Power of the Damager on October 2, 2007.
The band embarked on the "Slicing Across America" and "Slicing Across Europe" tours supporting Power of the Damager in 2007 and early 2008. Joining Tommy Victor in the current live membership of the band is bassist Monte Pittman and drummer Aaron Rossi.
Paul Raven died of an apparent heart attack in his sleep on October 20, 2007 at the age of 46. He was recording with French recording artists Treponem Pal on their new album with Ted Parsons at the time of his death.
Aaron Rossi was joining Ministry as their new drummer on the "C U LaTour" which started in March 2008.
In February 2008, Headbanger's Ball premiered the video "Power Of The Damager".
Cut Rate
Prong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got something I want to show you
Now y'all heard of the popcorn, y'all heard of the dog
You heard about all your other dances
But now there's a brand new dance that's going around
I want to show you exactly what I'm talking about
I'm talking about the funky chicken, y'all ready?
You raise the left arm up and your right arm too
Let me tell you just what to do, start both of 'em to flapping
Start your feet to kicking, that's when you know
You doin' the funky chicken
Slick and spasm, you put both arms up, across your face
You knees start wiggling, all over the place
You flap your arms and your feet start kicking
Then you know you doin' the funky chicken
Oh, I'm feeling it now, I feel so unnecessary
This is the kind, this is the kind of stuff
To make you feel like you want to do something nasty
Like waste some chicken gravy on your white shirt
Right down front, here we go y'all
You work both arms and you work both feet
Use a dab of gravy, you right on the beat
You flap your arms and your feet start kicking
Then you know, you doin' the funky chicken
Doin' the funky chicken, y'all
Doin' the funky chicken, y'all
Doin' the funky chicken, y'all
...
Prong's song Cut-Rate features lyrics from Rufus Thomas' "Do the Funky Chicken" and is a cover of the classic dance song. The lyrics of the song are focused on describing the dance, how to do it, and how it makes you feel. With a humorous tone, the lyrics encourage the listener to participate in the dance and let loose, making a mess and having fun. The lyrics also play with the idea of being unnecessary and doing something considered foolish or inappropriate, like wasting chicken gravy on a shirt.
The song's lyrics have a light-hearted and fun vibe, with the catchy repetition of "Doing the funky chicken, y'all" encouraging listeners to join in the dance. The use of the word "unnecessary" also adds to the humor of the song and makes it feel like a playful and frivolous activity. The lyrics are reminiscent of classic dance songs from the 60s and 70s, with an emphasis on getting up and moving your body.
Line by Line Meaning
Y'all come on in now, come right on down front
The song beckons the listeners to join in and be part of the experience.
I got something I want to show you
The song's narrator promises to introduce listeners to something new and exciting.
Now y'all heard of the popcorn, y'all heard of the dog, You heard about all your other dances
The song acknowledges other popular dances but suggests that this new one will surpass them in terms of popularity.
But now there's a brand new dance that's going around, I want to show you exactly what I'm talking about
The song introduces the funky chicken dance as a recent trend that listeners might be interested in learning.
You raise the left arm up and your right arm too, Let me tell you just what to do, start both of 'em to flapping, Start your feet to kicking, that's when you know, You doin' the funky chicken
The song describes the basic steps of the funky chicken dance as a series of arm and leg movements.
Slick and spasm, you put both arms up, across your face, You knees start wiggling, all over the place, You flap your arms and your feet start kicking, Then you know you doin' the funky chicken
The song emphasizes the energetic quality of the funky chicken dance and encourages listeners to let loose and move with abandon.
Oh, I'm feeling it now, I feel so unnecessary, This is the kind, this is the kind of stuff, To make you feel like you want to do something nasty, Like waste some chicken gravy on your white shirt
The song suggests that the funky chicken dance is so exciting that it might cause listeners to do impulsive or unexpected things, such as spilling food on their clothes.
Right down front, here we go y'all
The song encourages listeners to join in and dance at the front of the group.
You work both arms and you work both feet, Use a dab of gravy, you right on the beat
The song suggests that listeners can incorporate food or other props into the funky chicken dance if they wish.
You flap your arms and your feet start kicking, Then you know, you doin' the funky chicken
The song repeats the basic steps of the funky chicken dance and reinforces the idea that anyone can do it with a little practice.
Doin' the funky chicken, y'all, Doin' the funky chicken, y'all, Doin' the funky chicken, y'all
The song repeats the chorus to reinforce the name of the funky chicken dance and encourage listeners to continue dancing.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PARSONS, RAVEN, VICTOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind