Funkytown
"Funkytown" | ||||
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Single by Lipps Inc. | ||||
from the album Mouth to Mouth | ||||
B-side | "All Night Dancing" | |||
Released | March 1980[1] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | Casablanca | |||
Songwriter(s) | Steven Greenberg | |||
Producer(s) | Steven Greenberg | |||
Lipps Inc. singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Funkytown" (TopPop, 1982) on YouTube |
"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 second single in 1980.
"Funkytown" reached the top spot in the United States, West Germany, Canada, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, the Netherlands, and Australia, among many others.[4][5][6]
Background and composition[]
Written by musician, composer, and record producer 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". Steven wrote the song while the band was living in Minneapolis with dreams of moving to New York.[7] ¨Funkytown¨ is written in the key of C major.[8]
Music videos[]
At least two music videos exist for "Funkytown". In one, a black singer miming Johnson's vocals and some women dance in a pub. In another, Debbie Jenner, who served as the face of Lipps Inc. in the Netherlands and West Germany, dances while miming Johnson's vocals.[9] Johnson says on her website she "was never asked to perform a video of 'Funkytown.'"[10]
Chart performance[]
"Funkytown" entered the US Billboard Hot 100 on March 29, 1980, and spent four weeks at number one, from May 31 to June 21, 1980. It also hit the number one spot on the disco chart in 1980.[6] It also reached no. 2 in the United Kingdom,[11] and Sweden, as well as on the U.S. soul chart.[12] The song was Lipps Inc's only American Top 40 hit.[6]
Impact and legacy[]
VH1 ranked the song at number 36 in their list of the 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 1980s in 2009.[13]
Time Out listed the song number 44 in their list of The 100 best party songs in 2018, adding:
(…) 'Funkytown' expresses a simple, repetitive yearning for the pulse of a bigger city, goosed by a killer ten-note synth riff. 'Gotta make a move to a town that's right for me,' sings Cynthia Johnson in a robotic, vocoderized voice (a precursor to the Auto-Tune sound) before busting out an unmodified, soulful wail, pleading for a trip to the party destination of her dreams. Released in 1980, 'Funkytown' came late to the disco party, but gave it a jolt of electricity.[14]
ThoughtCo placed the song at number 7 in their list of "25 Best Dance Pop Songs of All Time" in 2018.[15]
Track listings[]
7" single
- "Funkytown" – 4:00
- "All Night Dancing" – 3:09
12" single
- "Funkytown" – 7:51
- "All Night Dancing" – 3:09
Charts and certifications[]
Weekly charts[]
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Year-end charts[]
All-time charts[]
Certifications and sales[]
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Pseudo Echo version[]
"Funkytown" | ||||
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Single by Pseudo Echo | ||||
from the album Love an Adventure | ||||
B-side | "Lies Are Nothing" | |||
Released | November 17, 1986[51] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | Steven Greenberg | |||
Producer(s) | Brian Canham | |||
Pseudo Echo singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Funkytown" on YouTube |
In 1986, "Funkytown" was covered by Australian band Pseudo Echo as a rock song, which included a guitar solo in the middle. Pseudo Echo's version reached no. 6 on the US Hot 100 chart and spent seven weeks at no. 1 in Australia. Mirroring Lipps Inc's experience, Pseudo Echo's version was that group's only US Top 40 hit.
Track listings[]
7" single (EMI 1883)
- "Funkytown" – 3:40
- "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
Charts[]
Weekly charts[]
Chart (1986–1987) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[16] | 1 |
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[54] | 13 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[55] | 40 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[56] | 1 |
Ireland (IRMA)[20] | 12 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[57] | 1 |
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[58] | 2 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[59] | 9 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[60] | 11 |
UK Singles (OCC)[61] | 8 |
US Billboard Hot 100[62] | 6 |
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[62] | 4 |
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[62] | 1 |
US Cash Box[63] | 12 |
West Germany (Official German Charts)[64] | 16 |
Year-end charts[]
Chart (1986) | Rank |
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Australia (Kent Music Report)[33] | 93 |
Chart (1987) | Rank |
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Australia (Kent Music Report)[33] | 19 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[65] | 17 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[66] | 1 |
US Billboard Hot 100[67] | 99 |
US Top Dance Sales 12-inch Singles[68] | 37 |
Chart (1988) | Rank |
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South Africa (Springbok Radio)[69] | 18 |
Certifications[]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada)[70] | Gold | 50,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[71] | Gold | 10,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Nite, Norm N. (1985). Rock On: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock n' Roll : The Video Revolution, 1978-present. Harper & Row. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-06-181644-4.
- ^ Huey, Steve. "Lipps, Inc. – Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
- ^ Pickow, Peter; Appleby, Amy (1988). The Billboard Book of Song Writing. Billboard Publications. p. 146.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Ultratop.be – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7799a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f "Lipps Inc. – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
- ^ Swensson, Andrea (September 22, 2011). "50 cool facts about the Minnesota music scene". City Pages. Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "Funkytown by Lipps Inc. – Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. October 20, 2008. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (March 25, 2020). "The Number Ones: Lipps, Inc.'s "Funkytown"". Stereogum. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- ^ "Stay Tuned for Cynthia's Book, From Funkytown to Higher Ground". Cynthiajohnson.net. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "The Billboard Hot R&B Singles: Week of May 24, 1980". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
- ^ Ali, Rahsheeda (May 2, 2013). "100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s". VH1. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
- ^ "The 100 best party songs". Time Out. March 8, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ^ Lamb, Bill (May 1, 2018). "25 Best Dance Pop Songs of All Time". ThoughtCo. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1980's". World Charts. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "UK, Eurochart, Billboard & Cashbox No.1 Hits". MusicSeek.info. Archived from the original on June 14, 2006.
- ^ "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 80's". InfoDisc (in French). Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Funky Town". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
- ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 92 no. 28. July 12, 1980. p. 51. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 22, 1980" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". VG-lista. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969–1989 Acts (L)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MAY 31, 1980". Cash Box. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012.
- ^ "Record World Singles" (PDF). Record World. May 31, 1980. p. 25. ISSN 0034-1622. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Lipps Inc – Funkytown". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- ^ "Jahreshitparade 1980" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1980" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- ^ "Top 100 Singles". RPM. Vol. 34 no. 6. December 20, 1980. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ "TOP – 1980". Top-france.fr (in French). Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1980" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1980" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- ^ "End of Year Charts 1979". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1980" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits for 1980". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- ^ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1980". Cash Box. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012.
- ^ "Hot 100 Turns 60". Billboard. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Lipps Inc – Funkytown". Music Canada.
- ^ "Les Singles / Titres Certifiés "Or"". InfoDisc (in French). Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Lipps Inc.; 'Funkytown')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "New Design". Billboard. Vol. 92 no. 38. September 20, 1980. p. 4. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "American single certifications – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
- ^ "Singles: New Releases". Kent Music Report. November 17, 1986. Retrieved December 3, 2019 – via Imgur.
- ^ "Here's 100 great songs designed to be the soundtrack to your summer". News.com.au. December 13, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ Sutton, Michael. "Pseudo Echo – Love an Adventure". AllMusic. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0847." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969–1989 Acts (P)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Pseudo Echo – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
- ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JULY 11, 1987". Cash Box. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- ^ "Top 100 Singles of '87". RPM. Vol. 47 no. 12. December 26, 1987. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ "End of Year Charts 1987". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits for 1987". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- ^ "Top Dance Sales 12-inch Singles". Billboard. Vol. 99 no. 52. December 26, 1987. p. Y-30. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1988". Rock.co.za. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Music Canada. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
- ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
External links[]
- 1979 songs
- 1980 debut singles
- 1986 singles
- Lipps Inc. songs
- Pseudo Echo songs
- Casablanca Records singles
- Songs about New York City
- Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
- Cashbox number-one singles
- Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
- Single Top 100 number-one singles
- European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
- Number-one singles in Australia
- Number-one singles in Austria
- Number-one singles in France
- Number-one singles in Germany
- Number-one singles in Israel
- Number-one singles in New Zealand
- Number-one singles in Norway
- Number-one singles in Spain
- Number-one singles in Switzerland
- RCA Records singles
- RPM Top Singles number-one singles
- Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one singles