"Funkytown"
Side A of US 7-inch vinyl single
Single by Lipps Inc.
from the album Mouth to Mouth
B-side"All Night Dancing"
ReleasedMarch 1980[1]
StudioSound 80 (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Genre
Length
  • 7:50 (album version)
  • 3:59 (single version)
LabelCasablanca
Songwriter(s)Steven Greenberg
Producer(s)Steven Greenberg
Lipps Inc. singles chronology
"Rock It"
(1979)		 "Funkytown"
(1980)		 "How Long"
(1980)
Music video
"Funkytown" on YouTube

"Funkytown" is a song by American disco-funk group Lipps Inc., released by Casablanca Records in March 1980. It was written and produced by Steven Greenberg and released as the second single from the group's debut studio album, Mouth to Mouth (1979).

"Funkytown" was met with immediate commercial success, reaching number one on various record charts in different countries including Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Israel, New Zealand, Spain, the United States and West Germany.[5][6][7] It quickly became the group's signature song, selling over eight million copies worldwide, making it their most successful song.[8]

Composition and lyrics

Composed in the key of C major,[9] "Funkytown" was written by Steven Greenberg and sung by Cynthia Johnson. The lyrics of the song pine for a metaphorical place that will "keep me movin', keep me groovin' with some energy", while Lipps Inc. members were dreaming of relocating from Minneapolis to New York City.[10]

Chart performance

In the United States, "Funkytown" entered the Billboard Hot 100 on March 29, 1980 and spent four weeks at number one, from May 31 to June 21, 1980. It also topped the Disco Top 60 chart for four non-consecutive weeks[7] and peaked at number two on the Hot Soul Singles chart for four weeks also, from May 24 to June 21, 1980.[11] "Funkytown" was first certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on May 23, 1980 and later Platinum on July 17, 1980. Billboard magazine ranked the song as the eighth most popular single of 1980. It is Lipps Inc.'s only US Top 40 hit single.[7]

Elsewhere, "Funkytown" was a number-one hit in countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and West Germany, and peaked at number two in Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.[12]

Music videos

"Funkytown" has at least two music videos. In one, an unidentified black singer lip synchs Johnson's vocals and some women dance in a pub. In another video, Doris D, who fronted Lipps Inc. in the Netherlands and West Germany, dances while lip synching the vocals.[13] Johnson claims on her website that she "was never asked to perform a video of 'Funkytown'".[14]

Legacy and impact

In 1997, DJ John Acquaviva listed "Funkytown" with his top ten tracks, saying "It's always been one of my favorite songs. It's got an amazing bassline that sounds great on a good system and people love it. Some people in Germany I know are reissuing it."[15] In 2009, VH1 ranked the song at number 37 on its list of the "100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 1980s".[16] In 2018, Time Out ranked it at number 44 on its list of "The 100 best party songs".

"Funkytown" expresses a simple, repetitive yearning for the pulse of a bigger city, goosed by a killer ten-note synth riff. "Gotta make a move to a town that's right for me", sings Cynthia Johnson in a robotic, vocoderized voice (a precursor to the Auto-Tune sound) before busting out an unmodified, soulful wail, pleading for a trip to the party destination of her dreams. Released in 1980, "Funkytown" came late to the disco party, but gave it a jolt of electricity.[17]

In 2018, ThoughtCo. ranked the song at number seven on its list of the "25 Best Dance Pop Songs of All Time".[18]

Track listing and formats

All tracks were written and produced by Steven Greenberg.

US 7-inch vinyl single (810 326-7)

A1. "Funkytown" – 3:57
B1. "All Night Dancing" – 3:09

Australian 12-inch vinyl single (6198 342)

A1. "Funkytown" – 7:46
B1. "All Night Dancing" – 8:18

Mexican 12-inch vinyl single (3027)

A1. "Funkytown" (Super Disco version) – 12:43
B1. "All Night Dancing" – 3:09

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[49] Platinum 100,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[50] 2× Platinum 300,000[51]
France (SNEP)[52] Gold 500,000*
Germany (BVMI)[53] Gold 500,000^
Mexico — 1,000,000[54]
United Kingdom (BPI)[55] Silver 250,000^
United States (RIAA)[56] Platinum 3,000,000[8]
Summaries
Worldwide — 8,000,000[8]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Pseudo Echo version

"Funkytown"
Single by Pseudo Echo
from the album Love an Adventure
B-side"Lies Are Nothing"
Released17 November 1986 (1986-11-17)[57]
Genre
Length4:54 (Australian single version/video mix)
3:40 (single version)
6:35 (Australian album version/dance mix)
Label
Songwriter(s)Steven Greenberg
Producer(s)Brian Canham
Pseudo Echo singles chronology
"Try"
(1986)		 "Funkytown"
(1986)		 "Take On the World"
(1987)
Music video
"Funkytown" on YouTube

In 1986, "Funkytown" was covered by Australian new wave band Pseudo Echo in rock form, including a guitar solo in the middle. It reached number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 and spent seven weeks at number one in Australia. Like Lipps Inc., it is Pseudo Echo's only US Top 40 hit single.

Track listing and formats

US 7-inch vinyl single (EMI 1883)

A1. "Funkytown" – 3:40
B1. "Lies Are Nothing" – 3:58

12-inch vinyl maxi single (ED 237) / (RCA 5217–7)

A1. "Funkytown" (Dance Mix) – 6:32
B1. "Funkytown" – 3:40
B2. "Lies Are Nothing" – 3:58

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1986–1987) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[19] 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[60] 13
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[61] 40
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[62] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[24] 12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[63] 1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[64] 2
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[65] 9
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[66] 11
UK Singles (OCC)[67] 8
US Billboard Hot 100[68] 6
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[68] 4
US Dance/Electronic Singles Sales (Billboard)[68] 1
US Cash Box Top 100[69] 12
West Germany (Official German Charts)[70] 16

Year-end charts

Chart (1986) Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)[71][39] 93
Chart (1987) Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)[39][72] 19
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[73] 17
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[74] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[75] 99
US Dance/Electronic Singles Sales (Billboard)[76] 37
Chart (1988) Rank
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[77] 18

Certifications and sales

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[78] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[79] Gold 10,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Nite, Norm N. (1985). Rock On: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock n' Roll : The Video Revolution, 1978-present. Harper & Row. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-06-181644-4.
  2. ↑ Huey, Steve. "Lipps, Inc. – Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  3. ↑ Pickow, Peter; Appleby, Amy (1988). The Billboard Book of Song Writing. Billboard Publications. p. 146.
  4. ↑ Breihan, Tom (March 25, 2020). "The Number Ones: Lipps, Inc.'s "Funkytown"". Stereogum. Retrieved July 15, 2023. ...but it does bridge eras in a similar way, connecting the dying embers of disco to the bleepy synthpop that was still taking shape in 1980... yet the song's chilly sparseness...look[s] forward into the coming synthpop explosion of the '80s.
  5. 1 2 "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7799a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Lipps Inc. – Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 1, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 "New Design". Billboard. Vol. 92, no. 38. September 20, 1980. p. 4. ISSN 0006-2510.
  9. ↑ "Funkytown by Lipps Inc. – Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. October 20, 2008. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  10. ↑ Swensson, Andrea (September 22, 2011). "50 cool facts about the Minnesota music scene". City Pages. Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  11. ↑ "The Billboard Hot R&B Singles: Week of May 24, 1980". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  12. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  13. ↑ Breihan, Tom (March 25, 2020). "The Number Ones: Lipps, Inc.'s "Funkytown"". Stereogum. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Stay Tuned for Cynthia's Book, From Funkytown to Higher Ground". Cynthiajohnson.net. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Jock On His Box" (PDF). Music Week, in RM (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). November 15, 1997. p. 4. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  16. ↑ Ali, Rahsheeda (May 2, 2013). "100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s". VH1. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  17. ↑ "The 100 best party songs". Time Out. March 8, 2018. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
  18. ↑ Lamb, Bill (May 1, 2018). "25 Best Dance Pop Songs of All Time". ThoughtCo. Archived from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  19. 1 2 "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1980's". World Charts. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  21. ↑ "UK, Eurochart, Billboard & Cashbox No.1 Hits". MusicSeek.info. Archived from the original on June 14, 2006.
  22. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Lipps Inc.". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 149. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 80's". InfoDisc (in French). Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  24. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Funky Town". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 92, no. 28. July 12, 1980. p. 51. ISSN 0006-2510.
  26. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved June 5, 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Funky town" in the "Titolo" field and press "cerca".
  27. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 22, 1980" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  28. ↑ "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  30. ↑ "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". VG-lista. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  31. ↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969–1989 Acts (L)". Rock.co.za. Archived from the original on April 26, 2011. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  32. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  33. ↑ "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  34. ↑ "Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  35. ↑ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MAY 31, 1980". Cash Box. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012.
  36. ↑ "Record World Singles" (PDF). Record World. May 31, 1980. p. 25. ISSN 0034-1622. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  37. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Lipps Inc – Funkytown" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  38. ↑ "National Top 100 Singles for 1980". Kent Music Report. January 5, 1981. Retrieved January 17, 2022 – via Imgur.
  39. 1 2 3 "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  40. ↑ "Jahreshitparade 1980" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  41. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1980" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  42. ↑ "RPM Top 100 of 1980 - December 20, 1980" (PDF).
  43. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1980" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  44. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1980" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  45. ↑ "End of Year Charts 1979". Recorded Music New Zealand. Archived from the original on August 24, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  46. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1980" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on July 29, 2010. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  47. ↑ "Top 100 Hits for 1980". The Longbored Surfer. Archived from the original on August 4, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  48. ↑ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1980". Cash Box. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012.
  49. ↑ Baker, Glenn A. (May 9, 1981). "Local Talent and the Indies: Scoring High on World and Home Courts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 93, no. 18. p. ANZ-23. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2021 – via World Radio History.
  50. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Lipps Inc – Funkytown". Music Canada.
  51. ↑ "Juno Album, Singles Data" (PDF). Billboard. January 24, 1981. p. 102. Retrieved January 13, 2023 – via World Radio History.
  52. ↑ "French single certifications – Lipps Inc. – Funkytown" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved November 25, 2021. Select LIPPS INC. and click OK. 
  53. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Lipps Inc.; 'Funkytown')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  54. ↑ "Mexico Hot For Lipps, Vice Versa" (PDF). Billboard. February 28, 1981. p. 52. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  55. ↑ "British single certifications – Lipps Inc – Funky Town". British Phonographic Industry.
  56. ↑ "American single certifications – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  57. ↑ "Singles: New Releases". Kent Music Report. November 17, 1986. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2019 – via Imgur.
  58. ↑ "Here's 100 great songs designed to be the soundtrack to your summer". News.com.au. December 13, 2014. Archived from the original on August 26, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  59. ↑ Sutton, Michael. "Pseudo Echo – Love an Adventure". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  60. ↑ "Pseudo Echo – Funky Town" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  61. ↑ "Pseudo Echo – Funky Town" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  62. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0847." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  63. ↑ "Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  64. ↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969–1989 Acts (P)". Rock.co.za. Archived from the original on August 11, 2003. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  65. ↑ "Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  66. ↑ "Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  67. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  68. 1 2 3 "Pseudo Echo – Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  69. ↑ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JULY 11, 1987". Cash Box. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012.
  70. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  71. ↑ "National Top 100 Singles for 1986". Kent Music Report. No. 650. December 1986. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via Imgur.
  72. ↑ "Australian Music Report No 701 – 28 December 1987 > National Top 100 Singles for 1987". Kent Music Report, via Imgur.com. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  73. ↑ "Top 100 Singles of '87". RPM. Vol. 47, no. 12. December 26, 1987. Archived from the original on September 18, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  74. ↑ "End of Year Charts 1987". Recorded Music New Zealand. Archived from the original on February 10, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  75. ↑ "Top 100 Hits for 1987". The Longbored Surfer. Archived from the original on June 13, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  76. ↑ "Top Dance Sales 12-inch Singles". Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 52. December 26, 1987. p. Y-30. ISSN 0006-2510.
  77. ↑ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1988". Rock.co.za. Archived from the original on April 4, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
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  79. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
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