Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)
Encyclopedia
"Give Up the Funk" is a funk
song
by Parliament
. It was released as a single
under the name "Tear the Roof off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)". It was the second single to be released from Parliament's 1976
album Mothership Connection
(following "P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)
"), and was the highest-charting single from the album, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart. With its anthemic sing-along chorus, it is one of the most famous P-Funk
songs. It also became Parliament's first certified million-selling single, going Gold in 1976.
The bass vocal at the beginning of the song is performed by Ray Davis
.
The three themes are stated briefly twice (8 bars each section), followed by a short (4-bar) break ("D"). With this exposition complete, Parliament explores each theme with greater interpretive freedom (beginning at 2:18). The A-Theme elaboration takes only 16 bars, after which the B-Theme is elaborated upon for 56 bars. During this elaboration, two new ideas are combined with the B-Theme (subthemes D and E):
The three main themes are rarely layered on top of each other. The C-Theme elaboration lasts only 8 bars, and is interpolated with the A-Theme (for 2 bars). With this development section complete, the three main themes are recapitulated (beginning at 5:18). A fadeout during this recapitulation ends the song with the B-Theme.
Aside from the song's form, another jazz-like element is the degree of interactivity among the musicians. The bass frequently responds to vocal gestures, and the bass and synthesizer frequently interact. Likewise, the drums interact with the pitched lines.
Two main contrasting vocal timbres are heard in this song. The "norm" (used in themes A, B and D) is a throaty, loud timbre with casual enunciation and somewhat microtonal/bent pitches. An "alternative" timbre (found in themes C and E) uses a mannered exaggerated enunciation, with very clear pitches.
As with many of Parliament's songs, a full ensemble sound is obtained using few players; the song relies mainly on bass guitar, one synthesizer, and a drum kit. (Guitar, synthesizer pad, and brass are heard subtlely.) Many different vocal ensembles are found, most occurring in groups.
, in which the '70s-inspired protagonist, played by Eddie Griffin
, drives around in a classic Cadillac
. In the 2006 movie Click, Adam Sandler
's character performs the song while dancing. "Give Up the Funk" also appears in the salon renovation scene in Beauty Shop
, the 1998 film Slums of Beverly Hills
, and the 2008 film Cloverfield
. It is also performed by Clinton and P-Funk in the 1994 film PCU
.
"Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)" has also been used in a number of TV commercials, including Moro
Nuts, MasterCard
's new "Back to School" campaign, Pringles
Potato Chips, and ads for the Honda Odyssey
.
The Seattle Mariners
play "Give Up the Funk" at Safeco Field
during home games, whenever one of the Mariners hits a home run. It is accompanied by flashing "Funk Blast" on the out-of-town scoreboard. This practice started during the 2006 baseball season.
The phrase "turn those mothers out" is sung repeatedly in the bridge to the song "Flovilla Thatch vs. The Virile Garbageman" by American ska
-funk rock
band the Cherry Poppin' Daddies
. This was an intentional homage to Parliament.
The song "Who Am I? (Whats My Name?)" by West Coast Hip-Hop artist Snoop Doggy Dogg features female vocalists recreating the "La la la" section. Indeed, many of the tracks from Snoop's debut "Doggystyle
" and many of the early production works from Dr. Dre
either sampled or recreated parts of many tracks from Parliament and its sister act Funkadelic
.
The song is performed in the twenty-first episode of the hit television series Glee
, "Funk
", by the entire cast.
This song is parodied by The Mighty Boosh
in the episode "The Legend of Old Gregg" where Parliament is centric to the episode's plot.
Compton
Rapper Tweedy Bird Loc
edited the intro & used it as an intro itself in his hit song "Coming Out The Cage" on his debut album '187 Ride By
'.
The song appears in the 2011 film "Moneyball" with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill.
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
by Parliament
Parliament (band)
Parliament was a funk band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Funkadelic, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
. It was released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
under the name "Tear the Roof off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)". It was the second single to be released from Parliament's 1976
1976 in music
-January–February:*January 5 – Former Beatles road manager Mal Evans is shot dead by Los Angeles police after refusing to drop what police only later determine is an air rifle....
album Mothership Connection
Mothership Connection
In 2003 the TV network VH1 named Mothership Connection the 55th greatest album of all time.In 2003, the album was ranked number 274 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time....
(following "P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)
P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)
"P. Funk " is a funk song by Parliament. It is the first track on their 1975 album Mothership Connection and was the first single to be released from the album. It was also released as the B-side of the album's second single, "Give Up The Funk ". It reached number 33 on the U.S...
"), and was the highest-charting single from the album, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart. With its anthemic sing-along chorus, it is one of the most famous P-Funk
P-Funk
P-Funk is a shorthand term for the repertoire and performers associated with George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic collective and the distinctive style of funk music they performed...
songs. It also became Parliament's first certified million-selling single, going Gold in 1976.
The bass vocal at the beginning of the song is performed by Ray Davis
Ray Davis (musician)
Raymond "Ray" Davis was the original bass singer and one of the founding members of The Parliaments, Parliament, and Funkadelic. His regular nickname while he was with those groups was "Sting Ray Davis". Aside from George Clinton, he was the only original member of the Parliaments not to leave the...
.
Analysis
The song is constructed using a jazz-influenced form. Three themes are stated at the beginning of the track:
A - "You've got a real type of thing" (usually using a syncopated bass line)
B - "We want the funk" (a chorus of sorts; the bass is usually a near-double of the vocals)
C - "La la la" (bass as in B-Theme)
The three themes are stated briefly twice (8 bars each section), followed by a short (4-bar) break ("D"). With this exposition complete, Parliament explores each theme with greater interpretive freedom (beginning at 2:18). The A-Theme elaboration takes only 16 bars, after which the B-Theme is elaborated upon for 56 bars. During this elaboration, two new ideas are combined with the B-Theme (subthemes D and E):
D - "We're gonna turn this mother out"
E - "Let us in we'll turn this mother out"
The three main themes are rarely layered on top of each other. The C-Theme elaboration lasts only 8 bars, and is interpolated with the A-Theme (for 2 bars). With this development section complete, the three main themes are recapitulated (beginning at 5:18). A fadeout during this recapitulation ends the song with the B-Theme.
Aside from the song's form, another jazz-like element is the degree of interactivity among the musicians. The bass frequently responds to vocal gestures, and the bass and synthesizer frequently interact. Likewise, the drums interact with the pitched lines.
Two main contrasting vocal timbres are heard in this song. The "norm" (used in themes A, B and D) is a throaty, loud timbre with casual enunciation and somewhat microtonal/bent pitches. An "alternative" timbre (found in themes C and E) uses a mannered exaggerated enunciation, with very clear pitches.
As with many of Parliament's songs, a full ensemble sound is obtained using few players; the song relies mainly on bass guitar, one synthesizer, and a drum kit. (Guitar, synthesizer pad, and brass are heard subtlely.) Many different vocal ensembles are found, most occurring in groups.
Appearances in media
"Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)" has been heard in a number of movies, including the opening and closing scenes of the film Undercover BrotherUndercover Brother
Undercover Brother is a 2002 American comedy film starring Eddie Griffin and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. The screenplay is by Michael McCullers and co-executive producer John Ridley, who created the original internet animation characters. It spoofs blaxploitation films of the 1970s as well as a...
, in which the '70s-inspired protagonist, played by Eddie Griffin
Eddie Griffin
Edward James "Eddie" Griffin, Jr. is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his sitcom, Malcolm & Eddie along with co-star, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and his role in the 2002 comedy film Undercover Brother as the film’s title character.-Early life:Griffin was born in Kansas City,...
, drives around in a classic Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
. In the 2006 movie Click, Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
's character performs the song while dancing. "Give Up the Funk" also appears in the salon renovation scene in Beauty Shop
Beauty Shop
Beauty Shop is a 2005 American comedy film, directed by Bille Woodruff. The film is a spin-off of the Barbershop film franchise, and stars Queen Latifah as Gina, a character which was first introduced in the 2004 film Barbershop 2: Back in Business...
, the 1998 film Slums of Beverly Hills
Slums of Beverly Hills
The Slums of Beverly Hills is a 1998 motion picture, written and directed by Tamara Jenkins. Its hero is a teenage girl struggling to grow up in a lower-middle-class family that moves every few months in the late 1970s....
, and the 2008 film Cloverfield
Cloverfield
Cloverfield is a 2008 American disaster-monster film directed by Matt Reeves, produced by J. J. Abrams and written by Drew Goddard.The film follows six young New Yorkers attending a going-away party on the night that a gigantic monster attacks the city...
. It is also performed by Clinton and P-Funk in the 1994 film PCU
PCU (film)
PCU is a 1994 comedy film. The film depicts college life at the fictional Port Chester University, and represents "an exaggerated view of contemporary college life...." The film is based on the experiences of writers Adam Leff and Zak Penn at...
.
"Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)" has also been used in a number of TV commercials, including Moro
Moro (chocolate bar)
Moro is the brand name of two different versions of chocolate bar made by Cadbury plc. One bar consists of nougat, biscuit and caramel filling and chocolate covering. The wrapper is blue, with the 'Moro' logo in yellow. It is available in Ireland...
Nuts, MasterCard
MasterCard
Mastercard Incorporated or MasterCard Worldwide is an American multinational financial services corporation with its headquarters in the MasterCard International Global Headquarters, Purchase, Harrison, New York, United States...
's new "Back to School" campaign, Pringles
Pringles
Pringles is a brand of potato and wheat based snacks originally developed by Procter & Gamble. Pringles are sold in more than 140 countries and have yearly sales of more than...
Potato Chips, and ads for the Honda Odyssey
Honda Odyssey (North America)
The Honda Odyssey is a minivan manufactured by Japanese automaker Honda since 1994.The Odyssey had originally been conceived and engineered in Japan, in the wake of country's economic crisis of the 1990s – which in turn imposed severe constraints on the vehicle's size and overall concept,...
.
The Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
play "Give Up the Funk" at Safeco Field
Safeco Field
Safeco Field is a retractable roof baseball stadium located in Seattle, Washington. The stadium, owned and operated by the Washington-King County Stadium Authority, is the home stadium of the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball and has a seating capacity of 47,878 for baseball...
during home games, whenever one of the Mariners hits a home run. It is accompanied by flashing "Funk Blast" on the out-of-town scoreboard. This practice started during the 2006 baseball season.
The phrase "turn those mothers out" is sung repeatedly in the bridge to the song "Flovilla Thatch vs. The Virile Garbageman" by American ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
-funk rock
Funk rock
Funk rock is a music genre that fuses funk and rock elements. Its earliest incarnation was heard in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s by acts such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience , Eric Burdon and War, Trapeze, Parliament-Funkadelic, Betty Davis and Mother's Finest. The 1990s were known for acts...
band the Cherry Poppin' Daddies
Cherry Poppin' Daddies
The Cherry Poppin' Daddies are an American band established in Eugene, Oregon, in 1989. Formed by Steve Perry and Dan Schmid , the band has experienced many membership changes over the years, with only Perry, Schmid and Dana Heitman currently remaining from the original line-up.The Daddies' music...
. This was an intentional homage to Parliament.
The song "Who Am I? (Whats My Name?)" by West Coast Hip-Hop artist Snoop Doggy Dogg features female vocalists recreating the "La la la" section. Indeed, many of the tracks from Snoop's debut "Doggystyle
Doggystyle
Doggystyle is the debut album from American rapper Snoop Dogg; released by Death Row Records on November 23, 1993. The album was recorded soon following the release of Dr. Dre's landmark debut album The Chronic , to which Snoop Dogg contributed significantly. His musical stylizations for the album...
" and many of the early production works from Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
either sampled or recreated parts of many tracks from Parliament and its sister act Funkadelic
Funkadelic
Funkadelic was an American band most prominent during the 1970s. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
.
The song is performed in the twenty-first episode of the hit television series Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
, "Funk
Funk (Glee)
"Funk" is the 21st episode of the American television series Glee. The episode was written by series creator Ian Brennan and directed by Elodie Keene. It premiered on the Fox network on June 1, 2010 and was watched by 9 million viewers. In "Funk", New Directions is intimidated by rival glee club...
", by the entire cast.
This song is parodied by The Mighty Boosh
The Mighty Boosh
The Mighty Boosh is a British comedy troupe featuring comedians Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding. Developed from three stage shows and a six episode radio series, it has since spawned a total of twenty television episodes for BBC Three and two live tours of the UK, as well as two live shows in the...
in the episode "The Legend of Old Gregg" where Parliament is centric to the episode's plot.
Compton
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
Rapper Tweedy Bird Loc
Tweedy Bird Loc
Rodney Johnson better known by his stage name Tweedy Bird Loc, is an American rapper from Compton, California. Tweedy and producer Ronnie Phillips organized hip hop project Bloods & Crips, collaboration between Bloods and Crips gang members...
edited the intro & used it as an intro itself in his hit song "Coming Out The Cage" on his debut album '187 Ride By
187 Ride By
Track listing# "Fu'k the South Bronx" # "Fu'k Y'all" # "What's Really Goin On"...
'.
The song appears in the 2011 film "Moneyball" with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill.