Funkytown

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This page is about the single by Lipps Inc. For the single by Namie Amuro, see Funky Town.
"Funkytown"
"Funkytown" cover
Single by Lipps Inc
B-side(s) All Night Dancing
Released 1980
Genre Disco
Length 3:58
Label Casablanca Records
Writer(s) Steven Greenberg
Producer(s) Steven Greenberg

"Funkytown" is a 1980 song by the disco band Lipps Inc. The song expresses the pinings for a metaphorical place "that keeps me movin', keeps me groovin' with some energy" and is considered by many to be one of the last hit songs of the disco era.

The song was recorded in August 1979. The Minneapolis-based band consisted of Cynthia Johnson (singer), Terry Grant (bass), Ivan Rafowitz (keyboards), Peter Johnson (keyboards), Bobby Vandell (drums), Bobby Schnitzer (guitar), and Steven Greenberg (producer/writer). "Funkytown" reached the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and went platinum the following month. The group continued to record until 1985 with a changing line-up but never saw the success they did with their first hit. The song quickly came to symbolize the energetic, experimental Twin Cities music scene.

The song was a worldwide hit reaching number one in the United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, Spain and West Germany. "Funkytown" reached #2 in the United Kingdom Singles Chart in May 1980.

In 1987, it was covered by Australian band Pseudo Echo, who gave the song a different direction, moving away from the early eighties' electronica towards later eighties' rock, including a guitar solo in the middle. Pseudo Echo's version spent seven weeks at number one in Australia, (Lipps Inc's was #1 for only two weeks in Australia), and was also a top-ten US hit in July of that year. Pseudo Echo also never achieved great success with their other releases. Somewhat ironically, this meant that Funkytown has the honour of being a one-hit wonder twice.

Funkytown was remixed by the Belgian alternative rock band Soulwax in its track "NY Lipps", released on the album Nite Versions in 2005.

Funkytown was used in Areva's cel-shaded animation advertising spots.

[edit] In popular culture

Preceded by
"Call Me" by Blondie
Billboard Hot 100 number one single
May 31, 1980
Succeeded by
"Coming Up (Live at Glasgow)" by Paul McCartney and Wings

[edit] External links