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Rating: Before listening to this record, boasting a cultural bravado that normally isn't mine, I was certain of having a more than good knowledge of the funk genre.
The misunderstanding arose from the fact that this label was often associated with the music of one of the bands I loved the most during my adolescence, the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I convinced myself that this habit, far from being the result of the usual procedure of boxing bands into a musical-label genre, actually reflected and with good approximation a certain congruence between the Red Hot's style and the proper dictates of "funk", this mysterious creature.
Needless to say I was wrong. And how. Sure, it’s undeniable that the early works of the "Peppers" (particularly "Freaky Stiley" but also the following ones, albeit to a much lesser extent) sound very funk. But funk properly said is a different thing. Very different.
Here, this "One Nation Under A Groove" of '76 is the best possible answer to the question "what is funk". This means everything, even if it actually says nothing. And one thing needs to be clarified immediately: this absolutely isn't the album to listen to if you’re approaching the genre for the first time. In that case, to avoid being irreparably traumatized, it would be better to start with more mainstream artists, James Brown for example, certainly less extreme and more attentive to catchiness and immediacy of the melodies.
The average length of the songs, around six minutes, offers a first powerful argument to my thesis. On the other hand, more than the minutes, it is the intrinsic complexity of the pieces that makes listening to the album really tough for an inexperienced ear. Skewed rhythm to the point of being unbelievable, formidable bass lines (think of the splendid "Groovallegiance"), guitars that screech everywhere with shrill solos on the edge of bearability (always for a virgin ear, that is..), bizarre vocal performances, sometimes choral, other times spoken, other times reduced practically to mere buzzing, as in the case of the unpronounceable "Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad (The DooDoo Chasers)", which, as the length of the name seems to suggest, spreads over more than 10 minutes of pure funky delirium.
In these pieces it is quite evident how catchiness is sacrificed in favor of complexity and often excessive experimentation. Think again of the rockish "Lunchmeataphobia (Think, It Ain't Illegal Yet!)", supported by an almost hard-rock riff (!!!). Certainly, in this "wild forest" there are also more "orthodox" tracks, capable of hitting at first listen; the bouncy "Into You" with its syncopated rhythm, or the very amusing "Who Says A Funk Band Can't Play Rock!", quite famous by the way, are examples. But evidently, they represent an exception, not the rule.
A separate note deserves the two instrumental pieces that close the album, "P.E. Squad, Doo Doo Chasers ('Going All-The-Way Off' Instrumental Version)" and "Maggot Brain", the latter a reinterpretation of the piece of the same name that already appeared on the "Maggot Brain" album of '71. Both create truly unique atmospheres, in their own way evocative, that go beyond the "simple" high-spiritedness of the previous pieces. Technically speaking, the guitar solo in "Maggot Brain", although not particularly different from the one already heard in the other "version", is memorable and ranks among the 100 most beautiful guitar solos in history.
In conclusion, from personal experience, I recommend consuming this record in small doses, the smaller the less experienced the ear is. If, however, you are already a fan of the genre, then you will find it immediately irresistible.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 One Nation Under a Groove (07:28)
So wide can't get around it
So low you can't get under it
(So low you can't get under it)
So high you can't get over it
(So high you can't get over it)
Da-yee do do do do do do
This is a chance
This is a chance
Dance your way
Out of your constrictions
(Tell sugah)
Here's a chance to dance our way
out of our constrictions
Gonna be freakin'!
Up and down
Hang up alley way
With the groove our
Only guide
We shall all be moved
Ready or not here we come
Gettin' down on the one which
We believe in
One nation under a groove,
gettin' down just for the funk
(Can I get it on my good foot)
Gettin' down just for the funk of it
(Good God)
'bout time I got down one time
One nation and we're on the move
Nothin' can stop us now
(Aye aye aye aye aye)
Feet don't fail me now
Give you more of what you're funkin' for
Feet don't fail me now
Do you promise to funk?
The whole funk, nothin' but the funk
Ready or not here we come
Gettin' down on the one which we believe in
Here's my chance to dance my way
Out of my constrictions
(Do do dee oh doo)
(Do do dee oh doo)
(You can dance away)
Feet don't fail me now (ha ha)
Here's a chance to dance
Our way out of our constrictions
Gonna be groovin' up and down
Hang up alley way
The groove our only guide
We shall all be moved
Feet don't fail me now (ha ha)
Givin' you more of what you're funkin' for
Feet don't fail me now
Here's my chance to dance my way
out of my constrictions
Givin' you more of what you're funkin' for
(Feet don't fail me now)
(Feet don't fail me now)
Do you promise to funk, the whole funk,
nothin' but the funk
One nation under a groove
Gettin' down just for the funk of it
One nation and we're on the move
Nothin' can stop us now
Nothin' can stop us now
One nation under a groove
Gettin' down just for the funk of it
One nation and we're on the move
Nothin' can stop us now
Nothin' can stop us now
One nation under a groove
Gettin' down just for the funk of it
One nation and we're on the move
Nothin' can stop us now
Do you promise to funk?
Do you promise to funk?
Hah
Do you promise to funk, the whole funk?
One nation under a groove
Gettin' down just for the funk of it
(Here's my way to dance my way out)
Gettin' down just for the funk of it
One nation
And we're on the move
Nothin' can stop us now
Do you promise to funk, the whole funk?
You can't stop us now
Givin' you more of what you're
Funkin' for
02 Groovallegiance (07:00)
'Bout that time
They asked me where was I going
Ya know
I, said, well
You have to be reasonable
So you know
I've never been away from home before
And, uh, besides
They gave me a good deal
And I think that, uh
Funkadelica is
You know, the nation,
Uh, you know, I would like to, live under
(What in the world is this boy talking about?)
Pledge a groovallegiance to the funk
The United Funk of Funkadelica
Uh, dey funk, well dey funk, today funk
Of da United Funk of Funkadelica
I pledge groovallegiance to the flag
Of funky, funky, funkadelica, yeah
(What)
Who
With the united funk we can fly!
For if our cause was unjust
We couldn't bring this funk to you.
So we feel that it's a must
It is something we should do
Let me take you by the hand
And spread the funk across the land
It's not hard to understand
Headin' for the master plan...
Pledge a groovallegiance to the funk
(Oh yeah)
The United Funk of Funkadelica
Oh Yea-Hoo
Dey do do do da funk
Do da funk-de e de dee
Pardon me, but I can tell
We know each other very well
Take my funk and let it grow
And then we'll funk some more
Please come on, come all to the funk
Let your feelings grow as one
Join this nation, you will see
That we can make you free
Dip-Dip de-diddy-de-dep-dee
Pledge a groovallegiance to the funk
The United Funk of Funkadelica
Do dey, do dey funk?
Oh yeah
Do dey funk
Un, hum
So if you just take the time
You'd see we need to draw the line
When we do I'm sure you'll find
That we come to free your mind
Oh yeah
Do-doop--doop do-do-wow
Doobie-doobie-doop-do-wow
Do you promise to funk, the whole funk and
Nothing but the funk
Go funk-um
04 Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad (The Doo-Doo Chasers) (10:46)
(--Chanted, repeated after each line--)
The world is a toll-free toilet
Our mouths neurological assholes
And psychologically speaking
We're in a state of mental diarrhoea
Talking shit a mile a minute
Or in a state of constipated notions
Can't think of nothin' but shit
And in this world of stinkin' futures,
Shitty memories,
Constipated 19 now-nows
Emerges from the hiney of your head
The Doo-Doo Chasers
The Promentalshitbackwashpsychosisenemasquad
The prune juice of the mind
The Doo-Doo Chasers
Friends of roto-rooter
Bringing you music to get your shit together by
The band in the tidy bowl of your brain
(What was that long word again? Promental-?)
Promentalshitbackwashpsychosisenemasquad
A musical bowel movement
Designed to rid you of moral diarrhoea
Social bullshit
Crazy doo-doo
Mental poops
They call us the unflushables
One swipe a clean wipe
(Go flush it, fellas!)
And what's cause of all of this shit?
What is the source of food for thought?
Ego-munchies
Images(?) doggie bags
A my burger with I sauce on it
A me burger with I sauce on it
A myself sandwich
A personal burger
A Hamburger
And a glass of constricted cola
Out to lunch with lunch meat
The fear of being eaten by a sandwich
The Promentalshitbackwashpsychosisenemasquad
The Doo-Doo Chasers
Friends of roto-rooter
Music to clean your shit by(?)
Low calorie logic
Muscle brains
Skinny brains
Count the calories of your thoughts
Funk, Confucius says
Like Chinese laxatives
Sweet and sour bowel movements
And in this world of stinky memories
Spanking memories
Shitty futures
19 now nows-constipated-like
Where is the Doo-Doo Chaser?
The prune juice of the mind
The band in the tidy bowl of your brain
Bringing you music to put your shit together by
Funk, the pee preparation
The prune juice of the mind
A mental musical bowel movement
Groovalax
One swipe a clean wipe
And with no extra charge
A psychological turd remover
A neurological enema
Holy Shit
(let me try one-crap)
Corpolites(?)
Prehistoric doo doo
Helping you get your shit together
[Backstage at a Funkadelic rehearsal
We bring you the doo doo chasers]
(Which one is George Clinton?)
Out to lunch with lunch meat, once again
The fear of being eaten by a sandwich
Lunchville
Where lunch is a nice time of day at least twice a week
And Fried Ice Cream is a reality
And Fried Ice Cream is a reality
And Fried Ice Cream is a reality
And Fried Ice Cream is a reality!
And Fried Ice Cream is a reality!
And Fried Ice Cream is a reality!
And Fried Ice Cream is a reality!
(Which one is George Clinton?)
Fried Ice Cream is a reality!
Fried Ice Cream is a reality!
Fried Ice Cream is a reality!
Fried Ice Cream is a reality!
Fried Ice Cream is a reality!
Fried Ice Cream is a reality!
Fried Ice Cream is a reality!
Fried Ice Cream is a reality!
Fried Ice Cream is a reality!
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