The Funk Music of the 80s You Need to Know
The Funk Music of the 80s You Need to Know is a great blog for music lovers. It covers all the great funk bands of the 80s and their music.
The Birth of Funk
Funk music originated in the mid-1960s with James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good)” and Sly and the Family Stone’s “There’s a Riot Goin’ On.” The sound was a response to the over-produced, polished sound of Motown and other pop music of the time. Funk songs were stripped down, with fewer instruments and a more raw sound. The rhythm was also African-influenced, with a heavy emphasis on the ” groove.”
James Brown and the Birth of Funk
There is no dispute that James Brown is the Godfather of Soul, but he is also widely considered the architect of funk music. To understand the birth of funk, it is important to first understand what came before it.
In the early 1960s, James Brown was already a well-established star with a string of hit singles and albums. His music was based on a simple, repetitive groove that was easy to dance to. This groove was created by his band, which included some of the most talented musicians in the world.
As the years went by, James Brown began experimenting with new sounds and rhythms. He would often take a simple groove and add new elements to it, such as odd time signatures or extended vamps. This new style of music became known as funk.
Funk was originally created as a way to make people dance, but it quickly began to be used in other genres of music. Funk tracks were often used as the basis for hip hop and disco songs. The genre also had a major impact on rock music, particularly in the 1970s when bands like Parliament-Funkadelic and Sly and the Family Stone rose to prominence.
Today, funk is widely considered one of the most important genres in popular music. Its influence can be heard in everything from R&B to pop to electronic dance music. And it all started with James Brown and his groundbreaking band.
George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic
In the late 1960s, Clinton formed the Parliament-Funkadelic collective, a hybrid group that blended elements of R&B, soul, and psychedelic rock. The Parliament-Funkadelic collective had a rotating membership of over 30 musicians, and Clinton served as both the leader and producer for the group. The collective released a string of acclaimed albums throughout the 1970s, including Funkadelic (1970), Maggot Brain (1971), and One Nation Under a Groove (1978).
In the 1980s, Clinton began working with Prince and appearing on several of his albums, including 1999 (1982) and Around the World in a Day (1985). Clinton also worked with other pop and R&B artists during this time, including Madonna, Tony! Toni! Tone!, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
In the 1990s, Clinton resumed his work with Parliament-Funkadelic and released several more albums with the group. He also continued to collaborate with other artists, including Deee-Lite, Snoop Dogg, and Fatboy Slim.
George Clinton is a legendary figure in funk music. He first came to prominence in the 1970s with his work in Parliament-Funkadelic, a collective that blended elements of R&B, soul, and psychedelic rock. In the 1980s, Clinton began working with Prince and appearing on several of his albums. He has also collaborated with many other artists over the course of his career, including Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Dogg, Fatboy Slim, and Deee-Lite.
The Mainstreaming of Funk
In the 1980s, funk music became more popular and mainstream. It was a decade of political turmoil around the world, and music was a way to express that. Funk music was a way to dance and have fun despite the difficult times.
Funkadelic’s “One Nation Under a Groove”
In 1978, Funkadelic released their tenth studio album, One Nation Under a Groove. The album was a huge success, peaking at number four on the Billboard 200 and selling over one million copies. It is often cited as one of the greatest funk albums of all time.
“One Nation Under a Groove” is the title track from the album. The song is an anthem for the funk movement and features a catchy bass line and lyrics that encourage listeners to get down and groove. The song became a hit, reaching number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has been sampled by numerous artists over the years, including Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, and De La Soul.
The Gap Band’s “Outstanding”
While the majority of funk hits in the ‘80s came from George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic collective and Prince’s phenomenal Minneapolis sound, there was also a strong showing from California. The three Wilson brothers – Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert – better known as The Gap Band, were putting out some of the tightest, funkiest jams of the decade.
The Gap Band’s 1982 album “Gap Band IV” yielded the timeless classic “Outstanding.” The song showcases everything that made The Gap Band great – Charlie Wilson’s silky smooth vocals, catchy hooks, and a funky bassline that will make your body move against your will. Even if you don’t know the song by name, you’ve definitely heard it before – it’s been sampled by everyone from Jermaine Dupri to Snoop Dogg. It’s a true party starter, and an essential piece of ‘80s funk history.
The New Wave of Funk
Though it’s roots are in the 60s, Funk as we know it today began to take shape in the early 70s with bands like Parliament Funkadelic and Sly and the Family Stone. By the mid-70s, Funk had become a staple in the African-American community and began to cross over into the mainstream with artists like George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and James Brown. The 80s saw Funk evolve further with the advent of digital music production and the rise of Hip Hop. Here are some essential Funk tracks from the 80s.
Zapp’s “More Bounce to the Ounce”
One of the earliest and most well-known examples of the new funk sound came from Roger Troutman and his group Zapp. Their biggest hit, “More Bounce to the Ounce,” was released in 1980 and is a perfect example of the style that would come to dominate the genre. The song’s signature sound is a heavily synthesized bassline that throbs underneath a catchy melody and Troutman’s signature vocoder vocals. The song also features a classic drum machine groove that would become a staple of 80s funk.
Prince’s “Kiss”
“Kiss” is a song composed, produced, and performed by American musician Prince. It was released as the lead single from his 1986 album, Parade, and reached number one on both the US and UK charts in February 1987. The song displays Prince’s trademark guitar work and has been described as “one of his most accessible songs”.
The Legacy of Funk
The Funk phenomenon of the 80s was unlike any other style of music of its time. Funk was a mixture of African-American music styles such as Soul, R&B, and Jazz. The music was often sexually suggestive and sometimes political. The artists often used showmanship and outrageous costumes to dazzle their fans. The 80s was the golden age of Funk music and many of the artists from that era are still iconic today.
Bootsy Collins’ “The One Giveth, the Count Taketh Away”
Funk musician Bootsy Collins released “The One Giveth, the Count Taketh Away” in 1980 as part of his album The One Giveth, the Count Taketh Away. The song is a call to arms for funk lovers everywhere, with Bootsy urging listeners to “keep the faith” and “keep on dancin’ ” no matter what.
Despite its optimistic message, the song also contains a sense of loss and nostalgia for the golden age of funk music, which was already beginning to fade by the time Collins released this album. In the opening lines of the song, Bootsy laments that “the count” (a reference to George Clinton’s famous alter ego) has been taken away, leaving only “the one” (Bootsy himself) to keep the funk alive.
While “The One Giveth, the Count Taketh Away” is certainly not the most well-known song fromBootsy’s catalogue, it is nonetheless an important part of his legacy as one of the most influential funk musicians of all time.
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Give It Away”
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Give It Away” is one of the most iconic and well-known funk songs of the 80s. The song was released as a single in 1991 and became a huge hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song’s simple, catchy hook and powerful bassline made it an instant classic, and it remains one of the band’s most popular songs to this day.
