Funkytown

"Funkytown" is a song by the band [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipps_Inc. Lipps Inc.], with Cynthia Johnson as lead singer. It appears on their 1979 debut album, Mouth to Mouth, and was released as a single in March 1980. Written by Steven Greenberg, 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, Minnesota 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[4]  in the spring of 1980.

The single held a unique record for reaching number one in 28 countries, more than any other single release until Madonna's "Hung Up" hit 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. "Funkytown" is often considered to be one of the last massive hits of the disco genre. The song was Lipps Inc's only US Top 40 hit.[4]



Contents
[hide]  *1 Track listings  ==Track listings[ edit] == 7" single
 * 2 Charts and certifications
 * 2.1 Weekly charts
 * 2.2 Year-end charts
 * 2.3 Certifications and sales
 * 3 In popular culture
 * 3.1 TV shows
 * 3.2 Movies
 * 3.3 Commercials
 * 3.4 Video games
 * 3.5 Miscellaneous
 * 4 Controversies
 * 5 Cover versions
 * 5.1 Pseudo Echo version
 * 5.1.1 Music video
 * 5.1.2 Track listings
 * 5.1.3 Charts
 * 5.1.3.1 Weekly charts
 * 5.1.3.2 Year-end charts
 * 5.2 Other cover versions
 * 6 References
 * 7 External links

12" single
 * 1) "Funkytown" — 4:00
 * 2) "All Night Dancing" — 3:09

==Charts and certifications<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ==In popular culture<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ===TV shows<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === ===Movies<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === ===Commercials<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === ===Video games<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === ===Miscellaneous<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === ==Controversies<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 1976, an amendment was made to the Copyright Act that permits authors to terminate grants of copyright assignments and licenses that were made on or after January 1, 1978. Under Section 203 of the Copyright Act, artists may reclaim ownership of a work's copyright no earlier than 35 years after the grant was executed. However, artists may give notice of their intent to terminate as early as 25 years after the grant had been executed.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-55" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[55]  In 2006, Steven Greenberg became the first American songwriter to file "notice of termination" under this act, in regard to Funkytown and the album it is a part of.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-56" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[56]  Because the song was released in 1980, the earliest that Greenberg would actually have the copyright returned to him is in the year 2015. So far, Casablanca's successor (Universal Music Group) has had little to say on the matter. Their stance legally has been that the song was a "work for hire" which are not protected under the copyright amendment, with Greenberg playing the role of the employee. As the first major hit to be reviewed for termination, many artists across the country are eagerly awaiting the outcome. ==Cover versions<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ===Pseudo Echo version<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">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 by "Funky Town" by Pseudo Echo was played in the 1987 sequel comedy film Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise. ====Music video<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==== <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">The music video is a very basic, low-budget video that features the band with their instruments on a lighted, smoke-filled set "performing" the song to a backing track.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-59" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[59] ====Track listings<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==== <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">7" Single
 * 1) "Funkytown" — 7:51
 * 2) "All Night Dancing" — 3:09
 * The TV show Sabrina the Teenage Witch is set in a universe in which the popularity of the song never waned.
 * In the Malcolm in the Middle episode Rollerskates, Hal uses "Funkytown" to teach Malcolm to skate.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-42" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[42]
 * In the Futurama episode Amazon Women in the Mood, Morbo sings "Funkytown" for a karaoke performance in a restaurant aboard a space liner.
 * 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.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-43" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[43]
 * The song is referenced in The Simpsons' episode Colonel Homer when Homer tells country singer Lurleen Lumpkin: "I can't get your song out of my mind. I haven't felt this way since Funky Town."
 * In the TV series Parenthood episode S4E02 "Left Field", Kristina and Adam use "Funkytown" in their cell phone calendars as code for scheduling sex.
 * The song was also featured in the 229´s episode of the hit TV sitcom Friends (The One Where the Stripper Cries, season 10, episode 11).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-44" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[44]
 * In the South Park episode Towelie, Towelie played the tune to "Funkytown" on the keypad to get into a secret base after getting high.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-45" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[45]
 * The song is featured in several the films, among them Shrek 2,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-46" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[46]  Disaster Movie, History of the World, Part I and Alvin and the Chipmunks, Contact,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-47" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[47]  The Dictator,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-48" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[48]  Selena, Hollywood Homicide,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-49" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[49]  Revenge of the Nerds 2,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-50" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[50]  amongst others.
 * The song appeared in the second trailer of Wreck-It Ralph Doing a party with the Nicelanders and Fix-It Felix. In the movie itself, The song was changed from Funkytown to Celebration by Kool & the Gang.
 * In the 1996 comedy film Brain Candy featuring The Kids in the Hall, a new antidepressant drug creates a side effect in some users, causing them to constantly live in a detached state remembering the happiest moment in their lives. One of the patients taking the drug during tests, an overweight middle-aged woman, constantly lives in her memory of herself as a young, attractive blonde woman dancing to "Funkytown" at a hip disco.
 * Funkytown has been heard in each of Areva's commercials since 2004, from "Energy Experts" (2004) up to "Energy : One Powerful Story" (2011).
 * It is used on The Pink Panther commercial.
 * "Funkytown" appeared on a Martha Speaks commercial.
 * Large international corporations like Volkswagen, Nissan,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-51" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[51]  McDonalds, or FedEx/Kinko have used the song for their commercials.
 * The song is featured in the video games Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-52" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[52]  the US version of Beatmania<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="line-height:1;font-size:10.9090909957886px;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed], March Madness (2006) and Rayman Raving Rabbids 2.
 * Funkytown was also used in the video game for the movie Shrek 2.
 * The song as performed by Lipps Inc. also appears on the soundtrack of the 2010 video game Dance Central.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-53" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[53]
 * The 1980s version by Lipps Inc. is the official song for the Yahoo “Lung Cancer Support Family” Group.
 * The Iranian Delegation to the 2006 Winter Olympic Games had the song played during their entrance to the opening ceremonies.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-54" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[54]
 * The song is referenced in The Thick of It, when Steve Fleming irritably threatens to take Malcolm Tucker 'down to Funky Town', much to Malcolm's amusement.
 * Christian rapper Luis "Funky" Marrero named his label after this song.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="line-height:1;font-size:10.9090909957886px;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]
 * The main riff in the song is reminiscent of 1971's "The Changeling" by The Doors.
 * In Italy, the song is known because of a case of acoustic pareidolia, sometimes mistaken for a subliminal message. The first sentence Gotta make a move to a town that’s right for me sounds similar to an Italian sentence: Caro amico mio, culattone, aspettami. This can be translated as: My dear friend, faggot, wait for me.
 * "Funkytown" is the name of a popular theme camp at the annual Burning Man festival.

====Charts<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==== {| class="multicol" role="presentation" style="font-size:13.63636302948px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:20.3636360168457px;border-collapse:collapse;padding:0px;border:0px;width:1213.63635253906px;background:transparent;"
 * 1) "Funkytown" — 3:40
 * 2) "Lies Are Nothing" — 3:58
 * style="width:605.284057617188px;vertical-align:top;"|

=
Weekly charts<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] =====
 * style="width:604.375px;vertical-align:top;"|

=
Year-end charts<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ===== ===Other cover versions<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 1980, it was covered by the Spanish group Parchís. This cover is possibly the first cover of the song. It was recorded as a result of the song's popularity as the main song of the Vuelta a Españathat year. The cover is completely in Spanish with the exception of the name "Funkytown".
 * }

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">The same year, Swedish group Flamingokvintetten covered the same song for their album Flamingokvintetten 11. Like the Parchís cover, the only English word in the song is "Funkytown".

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 1981, it was included by SNK in their licensed game Fantasy, released by Rock-Ola.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 1984, the British post-punk band The 012 covered it at about double the original speed on rock instruments, under the title "Funkytown People", on their album Let's Get Professional. The performance is sloppy, with blurry, atonal guitar playing, and singer/guitarist Kif Kif Le Batter (real name Keith Dobson) throws in lots of asides putting the song down. After The 012 split up, Dobson formed World Domination Enterprises, and re-recorded the song under its proper title for their 1988 album Let's Play Domination. This performance is noticeably tighter than The 012's and the lyrics are played straight this time (although Dobson interprets "with some energy" as "It's Saturday"), but the guitar style remains the same. A "Let's Go Mix" of the song is included on World Dom's 1989 split remix/live album Love from Lead City.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 1992, Danish singer/DJ Master Fatman covered it on his debut album, Hail Hail.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 1995, it was covered by Tejano singer Selena during her last televised concert. The song was later included on the Selena film soundtrack album.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 1997, French Industrial metal Treponem Pal covered this song in their "Higher" album.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 2005, Robyn Hitchcock covered it on Obliteration Pie, an album released in Japan.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 2007, it was covered by Alvin and the Chipmunks in the live-action/CGI film adaptation (this same version can also be heard in the video game based on the 2009 sequel). Their version peaked at number 86. It was also used in the video game Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 by Ubisoft for the music rhythm games.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">The same year, French singer Lorie sampled the music of "Funkytown" for a remixed version of her hit single "Je Vais Vite"; it became "Je Vais Funky". A video was also made to promote the mix.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 2009, Swedish group Alcazar released a cover of "Funkytown", included on their album Disco Defenders.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 2010, the song was included in the video game Just Dance 2 as a cover version exclusive to the Best Buy Special Edition. It was also later included on Just Dance: Summer Party.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In 2011, Colombian singer Fanny Lú used the main synth riff and part of the vocal melody from "Funkytown" in the song "Te Amo, Te Amo" on her album Felicidad y Perpetua. In the same year, a sample of the song's verse was used in the lyrics of Super Junior members Donghae and Eunhyuk's second duo song, "Oppa, Oppa".

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">The band Strangefolk would cover Funkytown, playing it between their song "So Well" usually.