The Best of Funk Music from 1970
Contents
Looking for some of the best funk music from 1970? Check out our blog for a great selection of tracks that will get you grooving!
Introduction
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-1960s when African American musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of soul music, jazz, and rhythm and blues (R&B). Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground.
During the 1970s, funk bands such as James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic helped to redefine R&B and pop music. Brown’s widely recognized hits “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” and “Funky Good Time” show the clear influence of funk in both their titles and their sound. Other popular funk songs from the 1970s include George Clinton’s “Flash Light,” Parliament’s “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker),” Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Shining Star,” and Kool & the Gang’s “Celebration.”
While funk began as a predominantly African American genre, it has since been taken up by musicians of all backgrounds and has had a significant impact on popular culture. Thanks in part to its catchy rhythms and danceable beats, funk has been incorporated into genres as diverse as disco, hip hop, pop, rock, and even heavy metal. If you’re looking to get your groove on, any one of these funk songs from the 1970s is sure to do the trick.
The Birth of Funk
Funk music originated in the late 1960s, with bands like James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic leading the way. Funk is a style of music that is characterized by a heavy groove and often contains elements of soul, R&B, and even hip-hop. If you’re a fan of funk music, then you’re in for a treat. In this article, we’ll be counting down the best funk songs from 1970.
George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic
Clinton formed the group in 1968 in Plainfield, New Jersey, with several musicians who would later form the core of Parliament-Funkadelic. Clinton signed them to a deal with Westbound Records, and the group released their debut album, Funkadelic, in 1970. The album was a critical and commercial success, reaching number 31 on the Billboard 200 and spawning the hit single “I Got a Thing, You Got a Thing, Everybody’s Got a Thing”.
James Brown
James Brown is often credited with being the founding father of funk music. In the early 1970s, he took the sound of soul music and added a more rhythmic, danceable beat. This new style of music caught on quickly, and soon other artists were creating their own versions of funk.
Some of the most popular funk songs from this era include “Super Bad” by James Brown, “Flash Light” by Parliament-Funkadelic, and “Pick Up the Pieces” by Average White Band. These songs are still beloved by funk fans today, and they continue to influence the sound of modern funk music.
The Godfathers of Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the late 1960s. It is a style of music that is characterized by a strong groove and a heavy bass line. Some of the best funk music was created in the 1970s by artists like Parliament-Funkadelic, James Brown, and Sly and the Family Stone.
Sly and the Family Stone
Sly and the Family Stone was an American rock, soul, and funk band from San Francisco, California. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk, 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’s top-selling songs include “I Want to Take You Higher” (1969), “Everyday People” (1968), and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” (1969).
The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Two of its members, saxophonist Jerry Martini and trumpeter Cynthia Robinson, are also inductees of the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame.
The Meters
The Meters are an American funk band formed in 1965 by Zigaboo Modeliste, George Porter Jr., Leo Nocentelli and Art Neville. The band performed and recorded their own music from the late 1960s until 1977 and played an influential role as backing musicians for other artists, including Dr. John, Lee Dorsey, Robert Palmer and The Rolling Stones.
The Meters produced three charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 including “Cissy Strut” and “Look-Ka Py Py”. In 1968 they were the backing band on “Be My Lady” by Archie Bell & The Drells which reached number 19 on the US pop charts. The same year they released their debut album “look-KA py py” which was ranked number 37 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
After a brief hiatus in 1970, the band reformed with new member Cyril Neville and released two more studio albums “Struttin’” (1970) and “Rejuvenation” (1974) before disbanding again in 1977.
The Funky Sound of the 1970s
Funk music originated in the early 1970s, and is a style of music that is characterized by a strong bass line and drums. Funk music is often referred to as “groove music” because of the way it makes you want to move your body. The best of funk music from the 1970s will get you moving and grooving all night long!
Kool and the Gang
Kool and the Gang is an American band formed in 1964 by brothers Robert “Kool” Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis Thomas, Ricky Westfield, George Brown, Charles Smith, Tommy Cox, and Arthur support from Ray Parker Jr., Clifford Adams, Amir Bayyan, Randy Muller, Khalis Bayyan and James “J.T.” Taylor. The Gang has undergone many changes in personnel and has released 28 studio albums.
The group was founded in Jersey City, New Jersey by brothers Kevin Bell (bass guitar) and Ronald Bell (saxophone). They were later joined by Ricky Westfield (keyboards), Charles Smith (guitar), Dennis Thomas (drums) and George Brown (percussion). The seven members met while they were all students at Lincoln High School in Jersey City. Initially they performed jazz standards before moving on to R&B and soul covers.
Earth, Wind, and Fire
Formed in Chicago in 1969, Earth, Wind, and Fire was one of the most popular bands of the 1970s. The group’s sound was a mix of soul, funk, andAfrican music. Earth, Wind, and Fire’s hits included “Shining Star,” “Sing a Song,” and ” Serpents .”
Conclusion
Funk music enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, thanks to bands like Jungle Brothers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Outkast. If you’re a fan of funk, then you’ll definitely want to check out these essential albums from the genre’s golden era.
