# The funk of 40 000 years

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funk-of-40-000-years/1002262
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 30, 2024, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funk-of-40-000-years/1002262 "2024-05-30T09:08:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Danger\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Danger\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danger_Man)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2024, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funk-of-40-000-years/1002262/1 "2024-05-30T09:08:27Z")

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Are there two meanings here. Does it both refer to the funk music style and the smell, or is it just the smell?

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### Author: ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2024, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funk-of-40-000-years/1002262/2 "2024-05-30T10:04:10Z")

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Since it’s paired with the line _the foulest stench is in the air_, obviously it is _at least_ about smell.

Does it also refer to music? Well, it’s in a song about horror movies whose video features dancing zombies. That sort of corny pun seems right up MJ’s alley, though we’ll never know since 15 years ago he ceased producing any sort of funk (of the musical variety, at least).

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### Author: ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2024, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funk-of-40-000-years/1002262/3 "2024-05-30T10:51:59Z")

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What still smells funky after 40,000 years?

It must be that funky music, white boy.

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### Author: ![Borborygmi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/borborygmi/32/217_2.png) [@Borborygmi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Borborygmi)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2024, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funk-of-40-000-years/1002262/4 "2024-05-30T17:04:25Z")

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It’s weird the random conversations that stick with you from school. I remember a junior high friend of a friend parsing the lyrics to “Thriller” and upon getting to the ‘funk of 40,000 years’ bit, pausing, and then perfectly deadpanning ‘that’s a lot of funk’.

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### Author: ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funk-of-40-000-years/1002262/5 "2024-05-30T17:37:10Z")

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I just liked hearing Vincent say, “Y’alls neighborhood.”