With the international success of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ single Uptown Funk (for valid and obvious reasons–an incredible beat, catchy verses, hooks and a chorus) I was astonished that this genre was being praised as a newfound form of pop; a form of pop that rises far above our never-ending stream of blaseé singles. Good news kids: this genre has been around for more than half a century and was incredibly popular for its time. Groups like Funkadelic/Parliament pushed the boundaries of funk and music itself. Groovy yelps, general  noise, and colloquial dialogue superimposed over beats (think Uptown Funk but better) that make you bob your head relentlessly emanate from the only way to listen to this genre–vinyl.
My point? I love that the masses are eating up Uptown Funk, but what I’m asking of you is, while you appreciate Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars for their creativity and originality, remember that groups like Funkadelic and men like George Clinton (lol) then deserve excessive praise. Their outlandishness and fearlessness drove a culture that invented a form of dance, assisted disco, and brought a race together once again over their art form.
To prove my point, here are a few songs that will doubtlessly induce a copious amount of neck movements, shimmying, and a smile you can’t conceal as you strut across the Diag. Also, play some of these at a party and your friends will think you’re not only “super cool” but eclectic and hopefully a li’l jazzy too.
- Dr. Funkenstein – Parliament
- Funkentelechy – Parliament
- Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off This Sucker) – Parliament
- It’s Alright – Graham Central Station
- So Goes The Story – Eddie Hazel
- In The Stone – Earth Wind & Fire
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