The Best of 1979 Funk Music

Looking for the best of 1979 funk music? Look no further than this blog post. We’ve compiled a list of the top tracks from that year, so you can get your groove on.

The Birth of Funk

Funk music first came to prominence in the early 1970s with hits like James Brown’s “Super Bad” and Parliament’s “Flash Light.” The genre is a blend of soul, R&B, and African rhythms. Funk songs are often characterized by their groove-oriented basslines and drum beats, as well as their call-and-response vocal patterns. While the exact origins of funk are disputed, it is clear that the genre owes a debt to the music of the African diaspora.

George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic

The music of George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic was some of the most influential of the late 20th century. If you listen to any modern pop, hip-hop, or R&B, you’re likely hearing at least a little bit of Funkadelic. The group’s fusion of soul, rock, and psychedelic music was unlike anything that had come before, and it had a profound impact on the development of all three genres.

George Clinton began his musical career in the 1950s as a singer for doo-wop group The Parliaments. In the 1960s, he began experimenting with LSD and decided to form a new group, Parliament, that would reflect his new psychedelic sound. This “P-Funk” sound would come to dominate 1970s pop music, thanks in large part to Clinton’s innovative production techniques and his outrageous stage shows.

During their peak in the 1970s, Parliament-Funkadelic released a series of classic albums that are still revered today. These include Mothership Connection (1975), One Nation Under a Groove (1978), and Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome (1977). The group continued to release new music throughout the 1980s and 1990s, although they never achieved the same level of commercial success as they did in their 1970s heyday.

George Clinton is one of the most important figures in 20th century popular music, and his influence can still be heard in today’s hits. If you’re a fan of modern pop, hip-hop, or R&B, then you owe it to yourself to check out the work of George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic.

James Brown

Funk is a genre of music that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s. The term “funk” refers to a kind of earthy, Stamp-like music with a strong emphasis on the groove. Funk songs are often based on a repeating chord progression, which creates a “vamp” or “riff.” The lyrical content of funk songs is often based on themes of sex, drugs, and social issues.

One of the most important figures in the development of funk was James Brown. Brown was an African American singer, songwriter, and bandleader who rose to prominence in the 1960s with his groundbreaking soul and R&B recordings. Brown’s music was highly influential on the development of funk, and he is often credited as being the “Godfather of Funk.”

Other important figures in the history of funk include Parliament-Funkadelic, Sly and the Family Stone, Kool and the Gang, and George Clinton. Funk music reached its commercial peak in the 1970s with artists such as Rick James and Bootsy Collins achieving widespread popularity. The 1980s saw a decline in funk’s popularity, but the genre has experienced something of a renaissance in recent years with artists like Kendrick Lamar and Janelle Monae carrying on its legacy.

The Funk of 1979

Funk was a music genre that rose to popularity in the late 1970s. The genre is characterized by its funky beats and basslines. Some of the biggest funk hits of 1979 include “I Want Your Love” by Chic, “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now” by McFadden & Whitehead, and “Bad Girls” by Donna Summer. Let’s take a closer look at the best funk music of 1979.

Bootsy’s Rubber Band

In 1979, the funk band Bootsy’s Rubber Band released their album “The One Giveth, The Count Taketh Away”. The album’s title track became a huge hit, and the album itself is regarded as one of the best funk albums of all time. Bootsy’s Rubber Band was formed in 1976 by bassist Bootsy Collins, and also featured guitarists Phelps “Catfish” Collins and Frank Waddy, drummer Jerome Brailey, and keyboardist Joel Johnson. The band’s sound was a mix of Parliament-Funkadelic-style funk and James Brown-style R&B.

The Gap Band

Formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1967, The Gap Band was a mainstay of the 1970s and 1980s funk music scene. The band consisted of brothers Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson, who were all born into a musical family. Their father, Joe Wilson, was a Tulsa-based singer and their uncle, Maurice White, was the drummer for the famed soul group Earth, Wind & Fire. The Gap Band got their start performing at local clubs and high schools before being signed to Mercury Records in 1977.

The band’s first album, The Gap Band (1979), contained the hit singles “I Don’t Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops!)” and “Shakin’.” The follow-up album, Funkadelic Sound of The Gap Band (1980), featured the hits “Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)” and “Humpin’.” The band’s third album, Gap Band IV (1982), contained their biggest hit single, “You Dropped a Bomb on Me,” which peaked at #1 on the R&B chart and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The Gap Band continued to release albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including Live: Eastside Jam (1994) and Ain’t Nothin’ But A Party (1996). In 2008, the band was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.

Sly and the Family Stone

Sly and the Family Stone was an American funk band from San Francisco. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk, rock, and psychedelic music. Headed by singer-songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sly Stone, and containing several of his family members and friends, the band was known for its eclectic mix of musical styles drawing on soul, funk, pop, rock, and psychedelia. Its contributions to thegenre were considerable; Sly Stone’s sound was a major inspiration for George Clinton when he formed Parliament-Funkadelic.

The band’s classic line-up featured Stone (keyboards), Freddie Stone (guitar), Rose Stone (keyboards), Larry Graham (bass guitar), Jerry Martini (saxophone), and Cynthia Robinson (trumpet). In addition to these regular members, a number of other musicians joined the outfit at different times; most notably saxophonist Rusty Allen from 1971 onwards.

Sly and the Family Stone released four studio albums – A Whole New Thing (1967), Dance to the Music (1968), Life (1969) and There’s a Riot Goin’ On (1971) – which form the core of their output. These albums were commercial successes; Dance to the Music reached number 8 on the US Billboard 200 chart while There’s a Riot Goin’ On topped that chart for five weeks in 1972. The latter album also resulted in two hit singles: “Family Affair” (#1) and “Thank You for Talkin’ to Me Africa” (#39).

The Legacy of Funk

Funk is a genre of music that evolved out of soul and R&B in the late 1960s. The style is defined by a groove that is created by the interplay of the drums, bass, and guitar. The term “funk” can also be used to describe a feeling or vibe. The best funk songs of 1979 will get you up and moving.

The Impact of Funk on Hip Hop

Funk music had a huge impact on the development of hip hop. Funk was a very popular genre in the 1970s, and many of the most popular funk artists of that era, such as James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic, were hugely influential to the founders of hip hop. Hip hop pioneers like DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa often drew from funk tracks when creating their own music, and funk samples can be heard in countless classic hip hop tracks. The popularity of funk never really died down, and even today, many hip hop artists continue to sample from classic funk tracks or incorporate elements of funk into their own music.

The Influence of Funk on R&B and Soul

Funkadelic, Sly and the Family Stone, James Brown – these are just a few of the artists that popularized the genre of funk in the late 1960s and early 1970s. With its catchy beats and soulful lyrics, funk quickly rose to become one of the most popular genres of music. However, funk’s popularity was not limited to just the music industry – it also had a profound influence on other genres, particularly R&B and soul.

In the world of R&B, artists such as Michael Jackson and Prince were heavily influenced by funk. Jackson’s iconic Thriller album, for example, features several funk-inspired tracks, including “Billie Jean” and “Beat It”. Prince also drew heavily from funk on his groundbreaking album 1999, which includes the classics “Little Red Corvette” and “When Doves Cry”.

Similarly, soul artists like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye were also heavily influenced by funk. Wonder’s seminal album Talking Book features several tracks with a distinctly funky sound, including “Superstition” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”. Gaye’s classic album What’s Going On is also infused with a healthy dose of funk, particularly on the title track.

It is clear that without funk, R&B and soul would not be the same. The next time you listen to your favorite R&B or soul song, take a moment to think about the legacy of funk – you may be surprised at how much it has influenced your favorite artists.