The band's long career has seen them successfully adopt many different musical genres; including glam pop, power pop, electronic dance music and mainstream pop. Despite these many styles, a recognizable "Sparks sound" remains throughout, and they have enjoyed a large cult following since their first releases. Sparks have been highly influential on the development of popular music, in particular on the late 1970s scene, when in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder (and Telex subsequently), they reinvented themselves as an electronic pop duo, and abandoned the traditional rock band line up. In contrast to the esteem in which they are held by such peers as Depeche Mode, New Order, Morrissey and They Might Be Giants, who all cite Sparks as a major influence, their almost constantly changing styles and unique visual presentations have sometimes seen them dismissed as a novelty act.
The 2002 release of Lil' Beethoven, their self-described "genre-defining opus", and 2006's Hello Young Lovers (their 20th studio album) have brought Sparks renewed critical and commercial success, and seen them continue to "steer clear of pop conventions."
The 2021 documentary film 'The Sparks Brothers', directed by Edgar Wright, has renewed interest in the band for a new audience.
Let's Get Funky
Sparks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And she was young and so lean
And she smelled like a smalltown church
But she looked like a queen
And I walked up and asked her name
And she gave me a stare
So I said will you marry me
She just brushed at her hair
So she ate lunch with me
Then she held out a greasy hand
Rubbed the grease on my knee
Maybe she's taken a vow of silence
Maybe she's from some quiet island
Or maybe she's scared of big city life, I don't know
Maybe she's had a difficult life
Oh c'mon baby just a word
Just a syllable or two
Take your pick, say a word
Any word at all will do
"Let's get funky"
Well she's moved in with me, I guess
We get funky a lot
But she still doesn't say a lot
Still she knows what she wants
The lyrics of Sparks's song "Let's Get Funky" tell the story of a young woman who arrives in a new town on a Greyhound bus. The singer of the story, who appears to be a man, is immediately struck by her appearance and asks for her name. She remains silent but agrees to have lunch with him. Despite their different worlds, he is immediately attracted to her and proposes marriage. She brushes off his proposal but instead rubs her greasy hand on his knee, a gesture that hints at her true intentions.
The song hints at the mystery surrounding the woman, who remains silent throughout most of the story. It is unclear whether she is intentionally mute, from a remote island, or simply intimidated by city life. The singer is willing to overlook her silence and any potential baggage from her past because he is so drawn to her physical presence. They begin a physical relationship that is described as "funky," but she still remains relatively quiet. The final line of the song acknowledges that she knows what she wants, even if she doesn't express it verbally.
Overall, the lyrics to "Let's Get Funky" explore the tension between physical attraction and verbal communication. The singer is willing to overlook his partner's silence because he is so attracted to her physical presence. At the same time, her silence creates a sense of tension and uncertainty that makes their relationship intriguing and mysterious.
Line by Line Meaning
She arrived on a Greyhound bus
She came to town on a Greyhound bus
And she was young and so lean
She was youthful and slender
And she smelled like a smalltown church
She had a distinct smell akin to that of a local church
But she looked like a queen
However, she had the regal and elegant demeanor of a queen
And I walked up and asked her name
I approached her and asked her for her name
And she gave me a stare
She made eye contact with me and gave me an intense look
So I said, will you marry me
As a joke, I asked her if she will marry me
She just brushed at her hair
She nonchalantly brushed her hair to acknowledge my comment, but didn't take it seriously
She looked hungry and knew I was
She appeared famished and was aware that I also needed food
So she ate lunch with me
She had lunch together with me
Then she held out a greasy hand
She extended her oily hand towards me
Rubbed the grease on my knee
And wiped the oil off her hand onto my knee
Maybe she's taken a vow of silence
Perhaps, she has opted to remain quiet
Maybe she's from some quiet island
Maybe she comes from a serene island
Or maybe she's scared of big city life, I don't know
Or maybe she is intimidated by urban living, I'm not sure
Maybe she's had a difficult life
It's possible that she had a challenging life
Oh, c'mon baby just a word
Come on, say at least a single word
Just a syllable or two
How about one or two syllables?
Take your pick, say a word
Pick any word and just say it
Any word at all will do
I don't care what word you choose
Let's get funky
Finally, she says something and suggests that we get funky
Well she's moved in with me, I guess
She has come to live with me, I suppose
We get funky a lot
We indulge in a lot of funky activities
But she still doesn't say a lot
Despite living together, she still speaks very little
Still she knows what she wants
However, she has a clear idea of what she desires
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RONALD D MAEL, RUSSELL CRAIG MAEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Scheherazade
A great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Aeroflot
This song is amazing.
Philip Kassabian
on Irreplaceable
Sparks is an absolutely fantastic band.
Philip Kassabian
on It's Educational
An absolutely great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on The Calm Before the Storm
A great and fantastic Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Perfume
A very catchy and great Sparks song.