I also feel the Stevie Wonder, but mine is Superstition. I was first introduced to it as a child, on Sesame Street. Check out the kid rocking out around 4:15. I don’t care if you’re an imaginary elephant, that is a hell of an awesome performance.
Oh, and I have this clip bookmarked of a hip-hop track (“All About The Music” by Z-Trip) put over a dancing scene by Al Minns and Leon James doing the Charleston. Very cool how perfectly the beats and the dance moves synchronize, overlaid with over 30 years in between.
…OK, so it’s probably video-edited to fit, but it’s still cool.
Check out this guy playing Superstition all by himself, on the acoustic guitar. You can hear the sax and the horns and everything in your head. I lied - now I want to stick with the acoustic guitar, but that’s what I want to play on it.
It’s hard to beat Up for the Down Stroke by Parliament, from the album of the same name.
I also enjoy The Goose from that album, although it’s not really traditional funk. Any song that has the line “I’m as happy as a monkey with a peanut machine” deserves all the acclaim it can get.
I love all the songs mentioned - make my funk the p-funk; I wants to get funked up!
No surprise if you know my tastes from previous threads, but **Prince ** deserves a mention here. If you’ve never heard Housequake, off of Sign o’ The Times, you really, really should. “Shut up already - damn!”
Also, a mention of the **Isley Brothers ** is required - their mid-70’s stuff is so hardcore and funky. **Fight the Power ** is both amazing funk and a great statement; **Voyage to Atlantis ** is beyond cool, and **Go For Your Guns ** has the biggest, thickest 70’s synthy lines you can imagine (is that a clavinet?) with Brother Ernie doing his best Jimi Hendrix on top of it…
If we’re not going to be limited to actualy Funkadelic songs, let me also recommend:
The Ohio Players
Curtis Mayfield (transitioning from soul to funk - a great artist who will be sorely missed)
Bobby Womack (along the same lines as Curtis Mayfield)
James Brown “Live at the Apollo” (perhaps the greatest live album of all time)
The Bar-Kays (early funk)
Early Earth Wind and Fire (amazing show if you can catch them)
Rufus (with Chaka Khan)
War