Funkytown
Encyclopedia
"Funkytown" is a 1980 disco hit song by the disco
band Lipps Inc.
The song expresses the singer's pining for a metaphorical place that will "keep me movin', keeps me groovin' with some energy". It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100
and Dance charts in 1980, also reaching number 1 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Australia and The Netherlands. It reached No. 2 in the UK, Sweden and on the U.S. R&B chart. "Funkytown" is often considered to be one of disco's last stands. It was Lipps Inc's only U.S. Top 40 hit.
12" Single
, who gave the song a different sound, less of early eighties' electronica
and more of later eighties' rock, including a guitar solo
in the middle. Pseudo Echo's version spent seven weeks at No. 1 in Australia, (Lipps Inc.'s was at No. 1 for only two weeks in Australia), and was also a No. 6 US hit in July of the following year and in August a No. 1 hit in Canada. Curiously, despite Pseudo Echo's rock-like arrangement, on the 12" single issue of this version, the actual song is labelled as Funkytown (Dance Mix).
. This cover is possibly the first cover of the song. It was recorded as a result of the song's popularity as the main song of the Vuelta a España
that year. The cover is completely in Spanish with the exception of the name Funkytown.
In 1981, it was included by SNK
in their licensed game Fantasy
, released by Rock-Ola
.
In 1984, the British post-punk band the 012 covered it at about double the original speed on rock instruments, under the title "Funkytown People," on their album Let's Get Professional. The performance is sloppy, with blurry, atonal guitar playing, and singer/guitarist Kif Kif Le Batter (real name: Keith Dobson) throws in lots of asides putting the song down. After the 012 split up, Dobson formed World Domination Enterprises
, and re-recorded the song under its proper title for their 1988 album Let's Play Domination. This performance is noticeably tighter than the 012's and the lyrics are played straight this time (although Dobson interprets "with some energy" as "It's Saturday"), but the guitar style remains the same. A "Let's Go Mix" of the song is included on World Dom's 1989 split remix/live album Love from Lead City.
In 1995, it was covered by Tejano
singer Selena
during her last televised concert. The song was later included on the Selena
film soundtrack album
.
In 2007, it was covered by Alvin and the Chipmunks
in the live-action/CGI film adaptation
(this same version can also be heard in the video game
based on the 2009 sequel
)]). Their version peaked at No. 86. It was also used in the video game Rayman Raving Rabbids 2
by Ubisoft
for the music rhythm games.
The same year, French singer Lorie
sampled the music of "Funkytown" for a remixed version of her hit single "Je Vais Vite"; it became "Je Vais Funky". A video was also made to promote the mix.
In 2009, the Swedish group Alcazar released a cover of "Funkytown", included on their album Disco Defenders
.
In 2011, Colombian singer Fanny Lú
used the main synth riff and part of the vocal melody from "Funkytown" in the song "Te Amo, Te Amo" on her album Felicidad y Perpetua.
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
band Lipps Inc.
Lipps Inc
Lipps Inc. was a studio band that achieved two significant hits, "Funkytown", in 1980 and "Designer Music", in 1981.The group was formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota by Steven Greenberg, who wrote and produced all of the group's music, and who also played several musical instruments...
The song expresses the singer's pining for a metaphorical place that will "keep me movin', keeps me groovin' with some energy". It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and Dance charts in 1980, also reaching number 1 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Australia and The Netherlands. It reached No. 2 in the UK, Sweden and on the U.S. R&B chart. "Funkytown" is often considered to be one of disco's last stands. It was Lipps Inc's only U.S. Top 40 hit.
Music video
In the music video, Lipps Incorporated. is dancing in a disco. Another music video shows other women dancing to the song.Track listings
7" Single- Funkytown 4:00
- All Night Dancing 3:09
12" Single
- Funkytown 7:51
- All Night Dancing 3:09
Charts
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs | 1 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 2 |
| German Singles Chart | 1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 1 |
| Belgian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 1 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 1 |
| Australian Singles Chart | 1 |
In popular culture
- The Iranian DelegationIran at the 2006 Winter OlympicsIran competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Two athletes represented Iran in the 2006 Olympics, one in alpine skiing and one in cross-country skiing.-Competitors:- Alpine:Men- Cross-country:Men-External links:*...
to the 2006 Winter Olympic Games had the song played during their entrance to the opening ceremoniesOlympic Games ceremonyOlympic Games ceremonies were an integral part of the Ancient Olympic Games. Some of the elements of the modern ceremonies harken back to the Ancient Games from which the Modern Olympics draw their ancestry. An example of this is the prominence of Greece in both the opening and closing ceremonies...
. - Featured in the video games Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVADance Dance Revolution SuperNOVADance Dance Revolution SuperNova is an arcade game in the Dance Dance Revolution series of music video games. It was produced by Konami and released through Betson Enterprises. The game was released in Europe on April 28, 2006, followed shortly by the North American release on May 15...
and the US version of BeatmaniaBeatmania (North America)beatmania, also known colloquially as beatmania or BMUS to distinguish it from the original arcade game beatmania, is the first version of the music video game beatmania IIDX to be released in the United States...
. - Featured in the films Shrek 2Shrek 2Shrek 2 is a 2004 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film, produced by DreamWorks Animation and directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon. It is the second installment in the Shrek film series and the sequel to 2001's Shrek...
, Disaster MovieDisaster MovieDisaster Movie is a 2008 parody film. It is written and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, and stars Carmen Electra, Kim Kardashian, Matt Lanter, Nicole Parker, Crista Flanagan, Vanessa Minnillo, and Ike Barinholtz...
, History of the World, Part IHistory of the World, Part IHistory of the World, Part I is a 1981 comedy film written, produced, and directed by Mel Brooks. Brooks also stars in the film, playing five roles: Moses, Comicus the stand-up philosopher, Tomás de Torquemada, King Louis XVI, and Jacques, le garçon de pisse...
and Alvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the Chipmunks (film)Alvin and the Chipmunks is a 2007 comedy film directed by Tim Hill. Based on the animated series of the same name, the film stars Jason Lee, David Cross, and Cameron Richardson with the voices of Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, and Jesse McCartney. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox and...
. - ChristianChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
rapper Luis "Funky" MarreroLuis "Funky" MarreroLuis Marrero, Sr better known as singer Funky is a Puerto Rican rapper in the genre of Hip-Hop and Reggaeton Christian music with the highest coverage in Latin America and the United States. He is considered one of the best interpreters of their musical genre of Christian music...
named his label after this song. - In the South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
episode Towelie, Towelie played the tune to "Funkytown" on the keypad to get into a secret base after getting high. - In the Malcolm in the MiddleMalcolm in the MiddleMalcolm in the Middle is an American television sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Network. The series was first broadcast on January 9, 2000, and ended its six-and-a-half-year run on May 14, 2006, after seven seasons and 151 episodes...
episode Rollerskates, Hal uses "Funkytown" to teach Malcolm to skate. - Funkytown has been heard in each of ArevaArevaAREVA is a French public multinational industrial conglomerate headquartered in the Tour Areva in Courbevoie, Paris. AREVA is mainly known for nuclear power; it also has interests in other energy projects. It was created on 3 September 2001, by the merger of Framatome , Cogema and...
's commercials since 2004, from "Energy Experts" (2004) up to "Energy : One Powerful Story" (2011). - The main riff in the song is similar to that of "The Changeling" by The Doors.
- It's used on The Pink PantherThe Pink Panther (2006 film)The Pink Panther is a 2006 American comedy film and a reboot of The Pink Panther film series. In this film, Inspector Jacques Clouseau is assigned to solve the murder of a famous soccer coach and the theft of the famous Pink Panther diamond. The film also stars Kevin Kline, Jean Reno, Emily...
commercial. - "Funkytown" appeared on a Martha SpeaksMartha Speaks (TV series)Martha Speaks is an animated children's television sitcom based on the 1992 children's book of the same name by Susan Meddaugh about a talking dog named Martha , who is owned by ten-year-old Helen Lorraine...
commercial. - In the FuturamaFuturamaFuturama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
episode Amazon Women in the MoodAmazon Women in the Mood"Amazon Women in the Mood" is the first episode in season three of Futurama. It originally aired in North America on February 4, 2001.-Plot:...
, Morbo sings "Funkytown" for a Karaoke performance in a restaurant aboard a space liner. - This song is played in the second season episode nine of the British drama Skins (E4), when the character Cassie, played by Hannah MurrayHannah MurrayHannah Murray is an English actress, best known for playing Cassie Ainsworth in the E4 teen drama Skins from 2007 to 2008.-Career:...
, dances this song. The song is also included in the Official Soundtrack for season 2 of Skins. - In ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the song is known because of a case of achoustic pareidoliaPareidoliaPareidolia is a psychological phenomenon involving a vague and random stimulus being perceived as significant. Common examples include seeing images of animals or faces in clouds, the man in the moon or the Moon rabbit, and hearing hidden messages on records played in reverse...
, sometimes mistakenSoramimior ; is a Japanese term for homophonic translation of song lyrics, that is, interpreting lyrics in one language as similar-sounding lyrics in another language...
for a subliminal message. The first sentence Gotta make a move to a town that’s right for me sounds similar to an Italian sentence: Caro amico mio, culattone, aspettami. This can be translated as: My dear friend, faggot, wait for me.
Pseudo Echo version
In 1986, "Funkytown" was covered by Australian band Pseudo EchoPseudo Echo
Pseudo Echo are an Australian New Wave band formed in 1982 in Melbourne. The original line-up consisted of Brian Canham , Pierre Gigliotti , Tony Lugton and Anthony Argiro . A later line-up included James Leigh and his brother, Vince Leigh...
, who gave the song a different sound, less of early eighties' electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
and more of later eighties' rock, including a guitar solo
Guitar solo
In popular music, a guitar solo is a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. Guitar solos, which often contain varying degrees of improvisation, are used in many styles of popular music such as blues, jazz, rock and metal styles such...
in the middle. Pseudo Echo's version spent seven weeks at No. 1 in Australia, (Lipps Inc.'s was at No. 1 for only two weeks in Australia), and was also a No. 6 US hit in July of the following year and in August a No. 1 hit in Canada. Curiously, despite Pseudo Echo's rock-like arrangement, on the 12" single issue of this version, the actual song is labelled as Funkytown (Dance Mix).
Music video
In the music video Pseudo Echo playing the song live at a concert in front of many spectators.Charts
| Chart (1986/87) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 6 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
4 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 8 |
| German Singles Chart | 16 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 13 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 11 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 9 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 1 |
| Australian Singles Chart | 1 |
Other cover versions
In 1980, it was covered by the Spanish group ParchísParchís
Parchís is a Spanish board game of the Cross and Circle family. It is an adaptation of the Indian game Pachisi.Parchís was a very popular game in Spain at one point, and it is still popular. Since it uses dice, Parchís is not usually regarded as an abstract strategy game like checkers or chess...
. This cover is possibly the first cover of the song. It was recorded as a result of the song's popularity as the main song of the Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
that year. The cover is completely in Spanish with the exception of the name Funkytown.
In 1981, it was included by SNK
SNK
SNK is a former name of SNK Playmore, a Japanese video game company . This may also refer to:* SNK European Democrats* SNK Union of Independents* Southeast Airlines ICAO code...
in their licensed game Fantasy
Fantasy (video game)
Fantasy is a 1981 Action/Adventure arcade game developed by Rock-Ola which featured only a joystick and no buttons for the player to interact with .The game featured a rendition of the popular "funkytown" song....
, released by Rock-Ola
Rock-Ola
The Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corporation was, along with Wurlitzer, a top maker of jukeboxes. The company, which originally made slot machines, scales and pinball machines, was founded in 1927 by Coin-Op pioneer David Cullen Rockola....
.
In 1984, the British post-punk band the 012 covered it at about double the original speed on rock instruments, under the title "Funkytown People," on their album Let's Get Professional. The performance is sloppy, with blurry, atonal guitar playing, and singer/guitarist Kif Kif Le Batter (real name: Keith Dobson) throws in lots of asides putting the song down. After the 012 split up, Dobson formed World Domination Enterprises
World Domination Enterprises
World Domination Enterprises were an English indie rock band, who were active in the 1980s. The band mixed elements of indie rock, post-hardcore , and dub.World Domination Enterprises' sound was defined by their atonal guitar...
, and re-recorded the song under its proper title for their 1988 album Let's Play Domination. This performance is noticeably tighter than the 012's and the lyrics are played straight this time (although Dobson interprets "with some energy" as "It's Saturday"), but the guitar style remains the same. A "Let's Go Mix" of the song is included on World Dom's 1989 split remix/live album Love from Lead City.
In 1995, it was covered by Tejano
Tejano
Tejano or Texano is a term used to identify a Texan of Mexican heritage.Historically, the Spanish term Tejano has been used to identify different groups of people...
singer Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...
during her last televised concert. The song was later included on the Selena
Selena (film)
Selena is a 1997 American biographical drama film about the life and career of the late Tejano music star Selena, a recording artist who was well known in the Mexican-American and Hispanic communities in the United States and Mexico before she was shot to death at the age of twenty-three.The movie...
film soundtrack album
Selena (soundtrack)
Selena: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the film, Selena, starring Jennifer Lopez and featuring unreleased songs by Selena, including "Where Did the Feeling Go?", "Only Love", "Is It the Beat?" and "Disco Medley"...
.
In 2007, it was covered by Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
in the live-action/CGI film adaptation
Alvin and the Chipmunks (film)
Alvin and the Chipmunks is a 2007 comedy film directed by Tim Hill. Based on the animated series of the same name, the film stars Jason Lee, David Cross, and Cameron Richardson with the voices of Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, and Jesse McCartney. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox and...
(this same version can also be heard in the video game
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (video game)
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel is a video game based on the movie of the same name. Voices are provided by Ross Bagdasarian Jr. and Janice Karman reprising their respective roles.- Song List :All of the songs from both the Wii and DS version...
based on the 2009 sequel
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Betty Thomas. The film stars Zachary Levi, David Cross, Jason Lee, and the voices of Justin Long, Jesse McCartney, Matthew Gray Gubler, Christina Applegate, Amy Poehler, and Anna Faris...
)]). Their version peaked at No. 86. It was also used in the video game Rayman Raving Rabbids 2
Rayman Raving Rabbids 2
Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 is the second installment of the Rayman Raving Rabbids party franchise, in which the Rabbids attempt to invade Earth and have set up headquarters near a local shopping mall. Players have the option to play as a Rabbid or as Rayman, who has disguised himself as a Rabbid to...
by Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
for the music rhythm games.
The same year, French singer Lorie
Lorie
Laure Pester, professionally known as Lorie, is a French singer. Her fame can be attributed to producer, songwriter and composer Johnny Williams and her father–manager Dominique Pester...
sampled the music of "Funkytown" for a remixed version of her hit single "Je Vais Vite"; it became "Je Vais Funky". A video was also made to promote the mix.
In 2009, the Swedish group Alcazar released a cover of "Funkytown", included on their album Disco Defenders
Disco Defenders
-Special Edition:This version is a re-release published the 18th November 2009 and includes two new tracks, One Two Three Four and Last Christmas instead of Jump Straight into the Fire and Put the Top Down...
.
In 2011, Colombian singer Fanny Lú
Fanny Lu
Fanny Lucía Martínez Buenaventura , known professionally as Fanny Lú, is a Colombian singer-songwriter and actress from Santiago de Cali, Colombia.-Early life:...
used the main synth riff and part of the vocal melody from "Funkytown" in the song "Te Amo, Te Amo" on her album Felicidad y Perpetua.