Funkadelic (album)
| Funkadelic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Funkadelic | ||||
| Released | May 11, 1970 | |||
| Genre | Funk, psychedelic soul, psychedelic rock[1] | |||
| Length | 46:37 | |||
| Label |
Westbound W-2000 | |||
| Producer | George Clinton | |||
| Funkadelic chronology | ||||
| ||||
Funkadelic was the debut album by the American funk band Funkadelic, released in 1970 on Westbound Records. The album showcased a strong bass and rhythm section, as well as lengthy jam sessions, future trademarks of the band. The album contains two remakes of songs from The Parliaments, an earlier band featuring George Clinton: "I Bet You" and "Good Old Music".
"Mommy, What's a Funkadelic?" and "What is Soul" contained the beginnings of Funkadelic's mythology, namely that "Funkadelic" and "the Funk" are alien in origin but not dangerous.
"I Got a Thing, You Got a Thing, Everybody's Got a Thing" was particularly notable for a guitar solo by Rare Earth's Ray Monette. "I Bet You" was later covered by the Jackson 5 on their album ABC, and sampled by the Beastie Boys for their song "Car Thief". In more recent years The Red Hot Chili Peppers have combined the main riff of "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic?" and certain parts of the lyrics from "What Is Soul?" in live shows, a version appears as a B-Side on their 2002 single "By the Way".
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   link |
| Robert Christgau | (C+) link |
| Julian Cope | (favorable) link |
| Pitchfork Media | (9.0/10) link |
| Rolling Stone |  link |
| Spin | (9/10) link |
Track listing
Side one
- "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic?" (George Clinton) - 9:04
- "I Bet You" (Clinton, Patrick Lindsey, Sidney Barnes) - 6:10 (released as a single: Westbound 150)
- "Music for My Mother" (Clinton, Eddie Hazel, Billy Nelson) - 5:37 (released as a single: Westbound 148)
- "I Got a Thing, You Got a Thing, Everybody's Got a Thing" (Clarence Haskins) - 3:52 (released as a single: Westbound 158)
Side two
- "Good Old Music" (Clinton) - 7:59
- "Qualify and Satisfy" (Clinton, Nelson, Hazel) - 6:15
- "What Is Soul" (Clinton) - 7:40
2005 CD reissue bonus tracks
- "Can't Shake It Loose" (Clinton, Barnes, Joanne Jackson, Rose Marie McCoy) - 2:28
- "I Bet You" (Clinton, Lindsey, Barnes) - 4:10
- "Music for My Mother" (Clinton, Hazel, Nelson) - 5:17
- "As Good as I Can Feel" (Clinton, Haskins) - 2:31
- "Open Our Eyes" (Leon Lumpkins) - 3:58
- "Qualify and Satisfy" (Clinton, Nelson, Hazel) - 3:00
- "Music for My Mother" (Clinton, Hazel, Nelson) - 6:14
Alternate 45 versions and non-album b-sides.
Track 8: Recorded in 1969 and scheduled as Westbound W 159
Track 9: Westbound W 150
Track 10: Westbound W 158
Track 11: Recorded in 1969 and scheduled as Westbound W 149
Track 12: Westbound W 150
Track 13: (45 version) Westbound W 150
Track 14: (Instrumental 45 version) Westbound W 159
Tracks 8-11, 14 are mono recordings.
Personnel
Note: Exact records of all personnel on all songs have been lost.
- George Clinton: vocals
- Eddie Hazel: lead guitar, vocals on "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic?" and "I Bet You"
- Lucius "Tawl" Ross: rhythm guitar, vocals on "Music for My Mother"
- Ramon "Tiki" Fulwood: drums on "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic", "I Bet You", "I Got a Thing", "Good Old Music", and "Qualify and Satisfy"
- Billy "Bass" Nelson: bass on "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic?" and "I Got a Thing"; vocals on "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic?" and "Music for My Mother"
- Ray Monette: guitar on "I Got a Thing"
- Bob Babbitt: bass on "I Bet You"
- Mickey Atkins: organ on "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic?"
- Bernie Worrell: organ on "I Got a Thing"
- Earl Van Dyke: keyboards on "I Bet You"
- Brad Innis: drums on "Music for My Mother"
- Gasper Lawal: conga on "Music for My Mother"
- Herb Sparkman: lead vocals on "Music for My Mother"
- Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins: lead vocals on "I Got a Thing"
- Calvin Simon: lead vocals on "Qualify and Satisfy"
- Additional vocals by Ray Davis, Grady Thomas and some unknown female vocalists
Later Samples
- "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic?"
- "Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa" by De La Soul from the album De La Soul Is Dead
- "Two to the Head" by Kool G Rap & DJ Polo from the album Live and Let Die
- "I Bet You"
- "Total Kaos" by EPMD from the album "Unfinished Business"
- "Car Thief" by the Beastie Boys from the album "Paul's Boutique"
- "Dark Skin Girl" by Del The Funky Homosapien from the album "I Wish My Brother George Was Here"
- "A Penny for My Thoughts" by Common from the album Can I Borrow a Dollar?
- "Music for my Mother"
- "Remember the Name (Funkadelic remix)" feat. Styles of Beyond by Fort Minor from the mixtape "Fort Minor: We Major"
- "Good Old Music"
- "Jimbrowski" by Jungle Brothers from the album "Straight out the Jungle"
- "Kinda I Want To" by Nine Inch Nails from the album "Pretty Hate Machine"
- "Safe From Harm" by Massive Attack from the album "Blue Lines"
- "Young Black Male" by 2Pac from the album 2Pacalypse Now
- "Intro" by Nas from the album Street's Disciple
- "A Message to the Feds, Sincerely, We the People" by Nas from the album Street's Disciple
- "D.O.C. And The Doctor" by The D.O.C. from the album "No One Can Do It Better"
- "What Is Soul"
- "Three Sixteens" by UGK from the album "Super Tight"
Focus On Funkadelic
In conjunction with the release of Funkadelic, Westbound Records circulated a promotional single called "Focus On Funkadelic" to radio stations. The single features six snippets of tracks from the LP.
