Uncle Jam Wants You

Uncle Jam Wants You
Studio album by Funkadelic
Released	September 29, 1979
Recorded	1978-1979
Genre	Funk
Length	41:47
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	George Clinton
Professional reviews
The reviews parameter has been deprecated. Please move reviews into the “Reception” section of the article. See Moving reviews into article space. Allmusic link Blender link Robert Christgau (B+) link Rolling Stone (favorable) 1979 Rolling Stone 2004
Funkadelic chronology
One Nation Under a Groove (1978) Uncle Jam Wants You (1979) Connections & Disconnections (1980)

Uncle Jam Wants You is the eleventh studio album by American funk band Funkadelic. It was originally released by Warner Bros. Records on September 21, 1979, and was later reissued on CD by Charly Groove Records and Priority Records. It was produced by George Clinton under the alias Dr. Funkenstein. It is the first Funkadelic album since America Eats Its Young in 1972 not to sport a cover illustrated by Funkadelic artist Pedro Bell, though Bell did contribute some interior artwork.

Significance

In some ways, Uncle Jam Wants You (a reference to the "Uncle Sam wants you!" US Army recruitment posters) is a more militant sequel to the group's previous album, One Nation Under a Groove. Whereas that album described an ideal country ruled by Funk, "Uncle Jam" actually attempts to provoke the conversion into Funkadelia. Its purpose is also (as the cover claims) to "rescue dance music from the blahs."

The cover art depicts George Clinton in a Huey Newton-Black Panthers pose, reflecting the more martial lyrical themes of the album. The album features the band's last big hit single "(Not Just) Knee Deep", an edited version of which went to number one on the Billboard Black singles charts. This album had a very profound influence on the West Coast hip hop scene especially the legendary DJ organization known as Uncle Jamm's Army.

Reception

• Allmusic.com "Uncle Jam Wants You takes not merely a more daring musical approach but a more forthright political stance".

• Rolling Stone (10/3/02, p. 106) - 4 stars out of 5 - "The home of 'Freak Of The Week' (which launched a thousand g-funk songs)."

Track listing

1. "Freak of the Week" (G. Clinton, P. Bishop, D. McKnight)
2. "(Not Just) Knee Deep" (G. Clinton, Jr.)
3. "Uncle Jam" (G. Clinton, G. Shider, B. Worrell, W. Collins)
4. "Field Maneuvers" (D. Clinton, D. Clinton)
5. "Holly Wants to Go to California" (G. Clinton, B. Worrell)
6. "Foot Soldiers (Star Spangled Funky)" (G. Clinton., J. Vitti)

Personnel

Funkadelic Rescue Dance Band (as given in the liner notes):

• Axe Force:
  • Fret Commanders Michael "Kidd Funkadelic" Hampton, Gary "DooWop" Shider, Eddie "Maggot Brain" Hazel
• Keyboard Battlecruisers:
  • Bernie (U.S.S. Woo!) Worrell, J.S. Theracon
• Uncle Jam's Drum and Wiggle Corps:
  • Tyrone "Speedfeet" Lampkin, Larry Fratangelo
• Bass Anti-Flam Units:
  • Rodney "Skeet" Curtis, Cordell "Boogie" Mosson
• Vocal Assault & Funkatition Team:
  • Uncle Jam Clinton, Gary "DooWop" Shider, Larry "Sir Nose" Heckstall, Sheila Horn, Ron "Prophet" Ford, Jeanette McGruder, Dawn Silva, Michael "Clip" Payne, Greg Thomas, Ray "Stingray" Davis

Additional Musicians:

• Guitars:
  • William Collins, Dewayne McKnight, Glen Goins
• Bass:
  • Billy Bass Nelson, William Collins, Jeff Bunn
• Keyboards:
  • Junie Morrison, Gary Hudgins, Gerome Rogers
• Drums:
  • Tiki Fulwood, William Collins, Dennis Chambers
• Background Vocals:
  • Linda Brown, Jessica Cleaves, Mallia Franklin, Philippe Wynne, Lige Curry, James Wesley, Greg Boyer, Gerome Rogers

External links

• Uncle Jam Wants You at Discogs
• the Motherpage