Black Music History Pt. 7

In celebration of Black History Month, the Ear Candy Update intends to celebrate landmark recordings by black artists that have shaped the collective consciousness, mentality, and sense of cool the world over. Next, Funkadelic's "One Nation Under a Groove."

"Gettin' down just for the funk of it."

What a perfect manifesto; just for the funk of it. That's the only reason we require. George Clinton, the premier pilot of the Mothership, had a feeling, a damn good feeling, that by transcending politics, race, religion and so on, we could escape earthly nonsense. But how to do that? How to transcend all these mortal entrapments? 

Bring them all together under a groove. To do that we'd need a groove so wide you can't get around it, so low you can't get under it, and so high you can't get over it.

If you're going to attempt this mighty feat, you're going to need, as the band put in their liner notes to the album, a Main Invasion Force. 

This would necessitate the following elements:

• Two Throbbasonic Funkgeetarists
• One Banjo'd Muthaplucker
• One Avatarian
• Two Keybo' Dans & Synthezoidees
• Three Rotofunkie Drum & Percussionatin' Thumpdans
• Three Bass Thumpasaurians
• Twelve Funkadelic Blamgusta Vocaloids (Voices For Da Nation!)

George and the Funkadelic crew lived in their own world, straddling the Time/Space continuum in the most liberating way possible. The premise is not so simple, but the effect is sure. Play the widest, lowest, highest funk imaginable and humankind would free their minds and their asses would follow. It's truly the highest calling. Music bonds and unites us, and George Clinton knows this. That was the intent. No one can listen to this and be in a foul mood. I defy you to try. 

There are political leanings here, but not overtones. The overtone is all about your bottom and shaking it freely without apology. One must pledge allegiance to the funk in all its forms. "Grooveallegiance" tells us that. One cannot forget to free your mind - that's a crucial piece of this, understated as it may be - and "Lunchmeataphobia ('Think! It Ain't Illegal Yet')" is the cornerstone of this philosophy. 

Cut, sampled, and stolen outright, this record remains the fundamental (or should that read funkamental) cornerstone of the West Coast G-Funk era. Even Prince is on the record as saying "I need George." Their presence looms large in the music of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jamiroquai, Outkast, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, the Commodores, The Meters, Rage Against the Machine, Fishbone, and David Fucking Bowie. 

They gave us a chance to let it all go before the Mothership returned to its home planet. I hope we haven't missed our ride.

"Here's our chance to dance our way out of our constrictions."