Sometimes a vinyl single's B-side was just an afterthought, something to fill the second side. Though in some cases, the B-side can prove to be a career-making track like it was for Tyrone Davis' million-selling "Can I Change My Mind." For Pittsburgh rock band Wild Cherry, the B-side served both purposes. Their hard rock sound was being rejected by disco-loving patrons of the 2001 club that they performed at. After one show, lead singer Robert Parissi suggested to the band that they put out a cover record of the Commodores' "I Feel Sanctified" and that the B-side be an original song. Drummer Ron Beitle quipped that song should follow the advice of the patrons' shouts of "play that funky music, white boy" (a phrase that became a part of pop culture/comedic slang). Sensing an idea for a song, Parissi quickly scribbled down the phrase on a bar order pad. Cleveland recording engineer Ken Hammond suggested that the drums and bass for "Play That Funky Music" be mixed up front, something that rock music did rarely at that time with the one notable exception being David Bowie's "Fame." Carl Maduri and Mike Belkin, owners of Epic-distributed Sweet City Records, suggested that the B-side become the A-side. Written and produced by Robert Parissi, "Play That Funky Music" sold over two million copies, topped the R&B charts for two weeks and the pop charts for three weeks in fall 1976.
Play That Funky Music Lyrics
Hey do it now yeah hey
Yeah, there was a funky singer
Playin' in a rock and roll band
And never had no problems yeah
Burnin' down one night stands
And everything around me, yeah
Got to stop to feelin' so low
And I decided quickly, yes I did
To disco down and check out the show
Yeah they was
Dancin' and singin' and movin' to the groovin'
And just when it hit me somebody turned around and shouted
Play that funky music white boy
Play that funky music right
Play that funky music white boy
Lay down that boogie and play that funky music till you die
Till you die, oh till you die
I tried to understand this
I thought that they were out of their minds
How could I be so foolish (How could I)
To not see I was the one behind
So still I kept on fighting
Well, loosing every step of the way
I said, I must go back there (I got to go back)
And check to see if things still the same
Yeah they was dancin' and singin' and movin' to the groovin'
And just when it hit me somebody turned around and shouted
Play that funky music white boy
Play that funky music right
Play that funky music white boy
Lay down the boogie and play that funky music till you die
Till you die, ya
Till you die
(Gonna play that electified funky music, yeah)
(Hey, wait a minute)
Now first it wasn't easy
Changin' Rock and Roll and minds and things were getting shaky
I thought I'd have to leave it behind
But now its so much better (it's so much better)
I'm funking out in every way
But I'll never lose that feelin' (no I won't)
Of how I learned my lesson that day
When they were dancin' and singin' and movin' to the groovin'
And just when it hit me somebody turned around and shouted
Play that funky music white boy
Play that funky music right
Play that funky music white boy
Lay down the boogie and play that funky music till you die
Till you die
Oh' till you die
They shouted play that funky music
(Play that funky music)
Play that funky music
(You Gotta keep on playin' funky music)
Play that funky music
(Play that funky music)
Play that funky music
(Come and take you higher, ya)
Play that funky music white boy
Play that funky music right, ya
Play that funky music white boy
Play that funky music right
Play that funky music white boy
Play that funky music right
I’m a huge 50s, 60s 70s music fan!
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