Flash Light (song)
| "Flash Light" | |
|---|---|
 German picture sleeve for the single "Flash Light" |
|
| Single by Parliament | |
| from the album Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome | |
| B-side | "Swing Down Sweet Chariot" |
| Released | February 1978 |
| Format | Vinyl 7" 45 rpm |
| Recorded | 1977 |
| Genre | P-Funk |
| Length |
10:42 (extended 12-inch (300 mm) version) |
| Label | Casablanca NB 909 |
| Writer(s) | George Clinton/Bootsy Collins/Bernie Worrell |
| Producer | George Clinton |
| Certification | Gold (RIAA) |
"Flash Light" is a song by funk band Parliament, released in December 1977 on the album Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome. It was the first #1 R&B hit by any of the P-Funk groups and reached #16 on the Pop charts.[1] The song is frequently played at United States sporting events. The track became Parliament's second certified million selling single, following "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)".[2]
The song's distinctive bass line is often attributed to Bootsy Collins and was originally written for him. However, the line was actually performed by Bernie Worrell on 3 connected Minimoog synthesizers.[3] Collins still contributed to the track by handling drum duties. Lead vocals were by bandleader George Clinton, while Bootsy's older brother Catfish Collins played rhythm guitar. "Flash Light" continued the "Fake the Funk/Your nose will grow/Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk" concept that began with Bootsy's Rubber Band's "The Pinocchio Syndrome". The success of "Flash Light" would greatly influence not only funk music, but also new wave and hip-hop.
In 2004 Rolling Stone ranked "Flash Light" #199 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
[edit] Appearances in other media
- Played in the 1998 movies Can't Hardly Wait and How Stella Got Her Groove Back
- Played during the credits in the 1999 movie Muppets From Space
- Played in the 2001 movie How High
- Played in the 2005 movie Roll Bounce
- Played in the movie "Set It Off"
- Played in the King of The Hill episode "The Fat and the Furious"
- Played in an episode of The Bernie Mac Show (Go Bernie, It's Your Birthday-6/22/2004)
- Played during the segment Entertainment News on The Hardline
- Played in an episode of Everybody Hates Chris
- Played in the 2003 video game True Crime: Streets of LA
- Played in the American Dad! episode The Phantom of the Telethon
- Currently used as background track during daily "E-News" segment on radio show The Hardline on KTCK
[edit] Sampled For
- Rapper Tupac sampled the song in "Let Them Thangs Go" from his "R U Still Down? (Remember Me)" album.
- Rap group Digital Underground uses samples of "Flash Light" in the songs "Doowutchyalike", "Danger Zone", and "Rhymin on the Funk" from their Sex Packets album, and in "Arguin' on the Funk" from This is an EP Release.
- The band Brand Nubian made a self-tribute song called "Brand Nubian" which interpolated a small fragment of both beat and lyrics from this song (the other song they sampled was "Rigor Mortis" by Cameo).
- Rapper Snoop Dogg made a song named "Stoplight" on his album, Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$, which has samples from "Flash Light". The skit "W Ballz" on his album Doggystyle also references the ending refrain of the song with a similar refrain using different lyrics.
- Rapper Del tha Funkee Homosapien used samples from "Flash Light" in the song "Sunny Meadowz" on his album I Wish My Brother George Was Here.
- Rapper Redman used samples from "Flash Light" on "So Ruff" from the album Whut? Thee Album.
- Chilean funk band Los Tetas included samples, played at slow tempo, in the song "Primavera" from the album La Medicina.
- Rapper Mac Dre used a similar bass line in the song "California Livin" On the album "Young Black Brother". He also claims to listen to the "extended version" of "Flashlight" on his song "Genie of the Lamp"
- A remix was released including verses by rappers Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes, and Ol' Dirty Bastard, titled "Flashlight (The Groovemaster's Remix)."
- Rapper Little Bruce sampled a vocal (hada dadi dadada) from "Flash Light" in his song "Mobbin' In My Old School". (the other song sampled is "The Funky Worm" by The Ohio Players)
[edit] References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 450.
- ^ RIAA Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - Parliament Singles, Retrieved 2009-07-16
- ^ NY Times - Honoring the Moment When Music Met Moog
| Preceded by "It's You That I Need" by Enchantment |
Billboard Hot Soul Singles number-one single March 4–25, 1978 |
Succeeded by "Bootzilla" by Bootsy's Rubber Band |
