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Funkytown

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B-side
  
"All Night Dancing"

Genre
  
Disco funk

Writer(s)
  
Steven Greenberg

Released
  
1980 (1980)

Label
  
Casablanca

Length
  
4:00 (single version) 7:50 (extended 12" version)

"Funkytown" is a song by American disco act Lipps Inc. from their debut album Mouth to Mouth (1979). It was released as the album's lead single in 1980.

Contents

"Funkytown" held a unique record for reaching the number one spot 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.

Background and composition

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.

Chart performance

"Funkytown" entered the US Billboard Hot 100 on March 29, 1980 and spent four weeks at number one, beginning May 31. It also hit the number one spot on the disco chart in 1980. It also reached no. 2 in the United Kingdom, Sweden, and on the U.S. soul chart. The song was Lipps Inc's only American Top 40 hit.

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

Pseudo Echo version

In 1986, "Funkytown" was covered by Australian band Pseudo Echo, who gave the song a different sound, with a guitar solo in the middle of their version. 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. 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.

Track listings

7" Single (EMI 1883)

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

12 / Maxi (ED 237) / (RCA 5217-7)

  • Side A "Funky Town" (Dance Mix) - 6:32
  • Side B "Funkytown" – 3:40
  • Side B "Lies Are Nothing" – 3:58

    • TV shows

  • In the Malcolm in the Middle episode Rollerskates, Hal uses "Funkytown" to teach Malcolm to skate.
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • In the South Park episode Towelie, Towelie played the tune to "Funkytown" on the keypad to get into a secret base after getting high.
  • In the 7th episode of the first season of Gotham, entitled "Penguin's Umbrella", Victor Zsasz's phone rings, with "Funkytown" as his ringtone.

    • Movies

  • The song is featured in the films Love on Delivery (1994) and Shrek 2 (2004).

    • The song appears in the movie "Selena" (1997) as a disco medley.

    Commercials

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

    • Video games

  • The song is featured in the 2006 video games Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova and Beatmania, both part of Konami's Bemani franchise.
  • The song as performed by Lipps Inc. also appears on the soundtrack of the 2010 video game Dance Central.

    • Miscellaneous

  • The Iranian Delegation to the 2006 Winter Olympic Games had the song played during their entrance to the opening ceremonies.

    • References

    Funkytown Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA