Jump to content

Funkytown

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Synthwave.94 (talk | contribs) at 18:42, 6 May 2016 (rv unsourced changes). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For other uses, see Funkytown (disambiguation).

"Funkytown"
Song
B-side"All Night Dancing"

"Funkytown" is a song by American band Lipps Inc., which appears on their 1979 debut album, Mouth to Mouth. It was released as a single in March 1980. Written by Steven Greenberg and sung by Cynthia Johnson, the song expresses the singer's pining for a metaphorical place that will "keep me movin', keep me groovin' with some energy".

It was written while the band lived in Minneapolis with dreams of moving to New York.[3] It entered the Billboard Hot 100 on March 29, 1980 and spent four weeks at No. 1, beginning May 31. It also hit No. 1 on the Dance chart in the spring of 1980.[4]

The single held a unique record for reaching number one in 28 countries, more than any other single release until Madonna's "Hung Up" reached number one in 41 countries in 2005. It reached the top spot in the United States, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, the Netherlands, and Australia, among many others.[5] It also reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom,[6] Sweden, and on the US R&B chart. The song was Lipps Inc's only US Top 40 hit.[4]

Track listings

7" single

  1. "Funkytown" – 4:00
  2. "All Night Dancing" – 3:09

12" single

  1. "Funkytown" – 7:51
  2. "All Night Dancing" – 3:09

Charts and certifications

Order of precedence
Preceded by Australian Kent Music Report number-one single
August 4, 1980 – August 11, 1980 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Canadian RPM 100 Singles number-one single
July 12, 1980 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
"Il jouait du piano debout" by France Gall
 French number-one single
August 15, 1980 – August 22, 1980 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Austrian number-one single
August 1, 1980 – September 1, 1980 (6 weeks) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
"Der Nippel" by Mike Krüger
 German number-one single
June 30, 1980 – September 1, 1980 (10 weeks)
Preceded by
"Xanadu" by Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra
 Norwegian number-one single
34/1980 – 35/1980 (2 weeks)
Preceded by Eurochart Hot 100 number-one single
June 19, 1980 – July 31, 1980 (7 weeks)
Belgian Ultratop 50 Flanders number-one single
June 14, 1980 – June 21, 1980 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by
Belgian VRT Top 30 Flanders number-one single
June 21, 1980 (1 week)
Preceded by Dutch Top 40 number-one single
May 31, 1980 – June 14, 1980 (3 weeks)
Single Top 100 number-one single
June 7, 1980 – June 28, 1980 (4 weeks)
Preceded by New Zealand number-one single
July 13, 1980 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Locomotion" by Ritz
Preceded by Swiss number-one single
June 15, 1980 – July 27, 1980 (7 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Donna musica" by Collage
Preceded by US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
May 31, 1980 – June 21, 1980 (4 weeks) 		Succeeded by
US Cash Box number-one single
May 31, 1980 – June 28, 1980 (5 weeks) 		Succeeded by
US Record World number-one single
May 31, 1980 – June 21, 1980 (4 weeks)
Preceded by
"And the Beat Goes On" / "Can You Do the Boogie" / "Out the Box" by The Whispers
"High on Your Love" / "Hot Hot (Give It All You Got)" by Debbie Jacobs
 US Billboard Hot Disco Singles number-one single
(with "All Night Dancing")
March 8, 1980 – March 15, 1980 (2 weeks)
March 29, 1980 – April 5, 1980 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"High on Your Love" / "Hot Hot (Give It All You Got)" by Debbie Jacobs
"Stomp!" by The Brothers Johnson

Pseudo Echo version

"Funkytown"
Song
B-side"Lies Are Nothing"

In 1986, "Funkytown" was covered by Australian band Pseudo Echo, who gave the song a different sound, less of early 1980s electronica and more of a late 1980s rock-infused dance sound, including a guitar solo in the middle. Pseudo Echo's version spent seven weeks at no. 1 in Australia (Lipps Inc.'s was at no. 1 for only two weeks in Australia), and was also a no. 6 US hit in July of the following year, and in August a no. 1 hit in Canada. Despite Pseudo Echo's rock-like arrangement, on the 12" single issue of this version, the song is labelled as "Funkytown (Dance Mix)". Mirroring Lipps Inc's experience, Pseudo Echo's version was that group's only US Top 40 hit. This version of "Funky Town" by Pseudo Echo was played in the 1987 sequel comedy film Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise.

Music video

The music video is a very basic, low-budget typical 1980s video that features the band with their instruments on a lighted, smoke-filled set "performing" the song to a backing track.[45]

Track listings

7" Single

  1. "Funkytown" – 3:40
  2. "Lies Are Nothing" – 3:58

Charts

Preceded by Australian Kent Music Report number-one single
December 22, 1986 – February 2, 1987 (7 weeks) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Canadian RPM 100 Singles number-one single
August 15, 1987 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by New Zealand number-one single
March 8, 1987 – April 12, 1987 (6 weeks) 		Succeeded by

TV shows

  • In the Malcolm in the Middle episode Rollerskates, Hal uses "Funkytown" to teach Malcolm to skate.[61]
  • This song is played in the second season episode nine of the British drama Skins (E4), when the character Cassie, played by Hannah Murray, dances this song. The song is also included in the Official Soundtrack for season 2 of Skins.[62]
  • The song was also featured in the 229th episode of the hit TV sitcom Friends (The One Where the Stripper Cries, season 10, episode 11).[63]
  • In the South Park episode Towelie, Towelie played the tune to "Funkytown" on the keypad to get into a secret base after getting high.[64]
  • In the 7th episode of the first season of Gotham, entitled "Penguin's Umbrella", Victor Zsasz's phone rings, with "Funkytown" as his ringtone.[65]

Movies

Commercials

  • Nissan has used the song for its commercials.[72]
  • French company Areva has made use of the song for its commercials.[73]
  • Volkswagen used it for its 1997 Jetta commercial.[74]

Video games

Miscellaneous

See also

References

  1. ^ Huey, Steve. "Lipps, Inc. – Artist Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  2. ^ Pickow, Peter; Appleby, Amy (1988). The Billboard Book of Song Writing. Billboard Publications. p. 146.
  3. ^ Swensson, Andrea (September 22, 2011). "50 cool facts about the Minnesota music scene". City Pages. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Lipps Inc. – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1980's". World Charts. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  8. ^ "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  9. ^ "Radio 2 Top 30 : 21 juni 1980" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  10. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7799a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  11. ^ Template:Wayback. MusicSeek.info. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  12. ^ "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 80" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  13. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Funky Town". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  14. ^ "Billboard Hits Of The World". Billboard. 92 (28): 51. July 12, 1980. ISSN 0006-2510.
  15. ^ a b "I singoli più venduti del 1980" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  16. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Lipps Inc. - Funkytown" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  17. ^ "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  18. ^ "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  19. ^ "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". VG-lista. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  20. ^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (L)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  21. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  22. ^ "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  23. ^ "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  24. ^ Template:Wayback. Cash Box magazine. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  25. ^ Template:Wayback. Record World. Geocities.com. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  26. ^ a b c "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  27. ^ "Jahreshitparade 1980" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  28. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1980" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  29. ^ "Top Singles - Volume 34, No. 6, December 20, 1980". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  30. ^ "TOP – 1980" (in French). Top-france.fr. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  31. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1980" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  32. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1980" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  33. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1980" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  34. ^ "Top 100 Hits for 1980". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  35. ^ Template:Wayback. Cash Box magazine. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  36. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Lipps Inc – Funkytown". Music Canada.
  37. ^ "Les Singles en Or" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  38. ^ "French single certifications – Lipps Inc. – Funkytown" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  39. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Lipps Inc.; 'Funkytown')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  40. ^ "British single certifications – Lipps Inc – Funky Town". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Funky Town in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  41. ^ "American single certifications – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Recording Industry Association of America.
  42. ^ "Funky Town / Lies Are Nothing". Rate Your Music. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  43. ^ Sutton, Michael. "Pseudo Echo – Love an Adventure". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved June 26, 2013. The cover of Lipps Inc.'s disco classic "Funkytown" was their only U.S. hit from Love an Adventure, and it was sadly misrepresentative of the album's stylish, hook-loaded dance rock.
  44. ^ "Pseudo Echo: Love An Adventure". Digital Audio and Compact Disc Review. 4. WGE Pub.: 57 1987. Can you sing along to Lipps Inc.'s 1980 disco hit "Funkytown" and keep a straight face? Pseudo Echo can, which leads one to wonder how anyone can take this Australian quartet seriously, even with the success of their second American release, Love An Adventure. Like Wang Chung, Mr. Mister, and The Outfield, Pseudo Echo is spearheading the "corporate new-wave" movement
  45. ^ Pseudo Echo - Funkytown. YouTube.
  46. ^ "Pseudo Echo – Funky Town" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  47. ^ "Pseudo Echo – Funky Town" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  48. ^ "Radio 2 Top 30 : 12 september 1987" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  49. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0847." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  50. ^ "InfoDisc : Tous les Titres par Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "Pseudo Echo" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  51. ^ "Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  52. ^ "FUNKY TOWN – Pseudo Echo" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  53. ^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (P)". Rock.co.za. John Samson. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  54. ^ "Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  55. ^ "Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  56. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  57. ^ a b c "Pseudo Echo – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  58. ^ Template:Wayback. Cash Box magazine. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  59. ^ "Top Singles – Volume 47, No. 12, December 26, 1987". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  60. ^ "Top 100 Hits for 1987". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  61. ^ "Malcolm: Season 1, Episode 13 – Rollerskates (30 Apr. 2000)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  62. ^ "Skins 2 - Various Artists". Last.fm. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  63. ^ "Friends: Season 10, Episode 11 – The One Where the Stripper Cries – Rollerskates (5 Feb. 2004)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  64. ^ "Towelie (Season 5, Episode 8) – Full Episode Player – South Park Studios". South Park Studios. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  65. ^ Mancuso, Vinnie (March 11, 2014). "'Gotham' Reference Guide 1×7: Take Me to Funky Town". The New York Observer. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  66. ^ Phares, Heather. "Original Soundtrack – Shrek 2". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
  67. ^ "Contact (1997) – Soundtracks". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  68. ^ "The Dictator (2012) – Soundtracks". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  69. ^ "Hollywood Homicide (2003) – Soundtracks". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  70. ^ Hendrix, Grady (April 8, 2005). "Sometimes a Movie Is Like a Miracle". [[[The New York Sun]]. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  71. ^ "Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise (1987) – Soundtracks". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  72. ^ "Nissan Altima Commercial – USA "Funky Town"". YouTube. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  73. ^ "Lipps Inc dans le Spot TV de Areva" (in French). Musiquedepub.tv. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  74. ^ "1997 VW Jetta Commercial - Lost in America". YouTube. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  75. ^ "Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA Track Listing". IGN. August 24, 2006. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
  76. ^ "Dance Central (2010 Video Game) Soundtracks". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  77. ^ "Only in this spectacle can Iran get funky". National Post. Postmedia News. February 11, 2006. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Funkytown&oldid=718965922"