Customer Reviews

One Nation Under a Groove

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's all here: the popping bass, the whistles, synth. effects, James Brown exclamations, and Sly Stone background vocals. From the opening classic, "One Nation Under a Groove" to the last (strange) track, this is one of the all time funk greats. (Prince, you must have been listening.)

George Clinton produces and figures prominently as vocalist and as producer (or, in his words: "Flakatankical Megadrastic Cranium of Brainburstative Ying-Yang Intergravitation; Stone Funk Overlord"). (Say whut?) The CD also features legendary bassist Bootsy Collins.

Many classics on this CD: Along with "One Nation...," there's the reggae-inflected "Groovallegiance," and the plea for inter-genre brother and sister-hood: "Who Says A Funk Band Can't Play Rock?" And rock they do: guitarists Gary Shider and Mike Hampton surprise as they pay homage to Jimi Hendrix (and the Isley Brothers) especially on side 2. The tone, speed, and power consistently rock; there's even a little imitation of Jimi's vocals. Beyond the fun verbal bombast (e.g., the song "Prominental**itbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad") is some incredible music equal to anything of the era. This is the real thang!

I although I was born in 1976, I remember hearing this record in my house as long as I can remember myself. This funk-rock classic shows that a funk band can play rock (and be commercial)without coming off as wack. I especially love "Promentalshitwashbackpsychosisenemasquad" and "Think, It Ain't Illegal Yet" for their trashy rock sound and the high-brow, jazzy "Grooveallegiance". The title track ain't too bad either! Thanks George, Bootsy, Junie, Bernie, Gary, etc. for this funk masterpiece!

I love the whole P-funk culture and especially Clinton's playful and witty socio-political comment. There is nothing here as outrageously avant-garde as Parliament's spectacular "Flashlight" and in general, this album's subdued tone makes it more soul-funk than rock-funk. Besides the title track, I really love Groovallegiance with its lovely harmonies, interweaving voices, hypnotic melody and the subtle way it insinuates itself into the brain-grooves: "Let me take you by the hand/ And spread the funk across the land/ It's not hard to understand/ Heading for the master plan/ Pledge a groovallegiance to the funk/ The United Funk of Funkadelica/ Oh yea-hoo/ Dey do do do da funk/ Do da funk-de ee de dee!" Seeing this band, or preferably the whole Parliafunkadelicment-thang live, must have been a memorable experience!

This was good music back in the day and still is today. A MUST BUY.

one nation has been sampled to death this whole cd rocks too bad clinton could'nt rekidle his flame in the 90's but still the funk ain't dead yet george goes into phrases galore on pe squad with the last phrase being fried ice cream is a reality if you don't knpw what fried ice cream is it's cooked up cocaine someone singing backup if i could i'd love you more than powder i could be wrong a weird cut which is normal for george and the true funkateers and mike hampton rocks

Now I was born in 1973, it doesn't matter. I remeber being a shorty in the fall of '78, playing with legos when this one dropped. Every heavy brother in America in this day and age should go pick up this CD. My older cousins had the album, so when I would visit their houses in my teenage years the Funkadelic albums would catch my eye. It was soooo weird, yet so gratifying. My album review starts off by saying, in my thirteen years listening deeply in the funk, This album and Mothership Connection are the most complete works of art that this squad had done. What I like about this album is that there are no three-minute songs and the harmonies are tight. Check out Into You, Groovealleigance, Cholly, damn the whole album is the bomb!

It is still blowing my head! I am 35 so I've grew up with rock,soul, disco, funk, etc., but this is not the kind of music you would hear on the radio. George Clinton and his guys surely influenced most of the biggest musicians after them.(i.e. Prince, T.Heads, etc.) Title track :(funky)haunts you, "Groovallegiance": is sexy soul, "Who Says a Funk Band...": rocks at its best, "Promental...E. Squad": yes, they play psychedelia too, "Into You": sex again. "Cholly": syncopated dance funk, etc. This album should be in the essentials of categories: rock, soul, hip-hop, alternative, etc. Go, buy it!, you won't regret. P.S. It sounds like recorded today, musical and technically.

I`m going to go out on a limb here,but i do believe that this might be one of the 25 greatest albums in recorded history.The title track is STILL the best groove i have ever heard.Why am i still listening to this funk-rock titan after 20 years? Why are Amazon reviewers continuosly rating it 5 stars? The answer is simple.Start with the timeless,magical musicianship of `WHO SAYS A FUNK BAND CAN`T PLAY ROCK`? Unstopable beats that are almost primal in their infectiousness.Couple George Clinton`s creative genius for complex orchestrations of funk and vocals with deep roots in the best traditions of soul,r&b,and rock.THIS IS THE ULTIMATE MUSIC FOR YOUR HEAD AND FEET!!

Eddie Hazel was the best and Funkadelic was all about him with that axe of his. Maggot Brain,Cosmic Slop and Who say a funk band can't play rock and roll are truly some of the best lead guitar to be played. Funkadelic can also make you shake the booty of you with songs like One Nation Under a Groove. I love this Group.

As a big Funkadelic fan, it pains me to say it, but there isn't a single album by them that I can give five stars to. I know, I know, Hall Of Fame, huge influence, etc. etc. but no matter what, every Funkadelic album has at least two tracks you don't listen to ever! (the two you hate may not be the same as the two I hate, thats what makes Funkadelic "Great" I guess)... Whereas Parliament crafted three straight, consistent, fully realized classics, Funkadelic never displayed that kind of consistent brilliance. That said, I still slightly prefer Funkadelic (even though Parliament earned some 5 star reviews while Funkadelic did not) because when Funkadelic is good, they are GOOOOOOD. This album is a textbook example. The title track is irresistable, one of the best tracks of all time by anyone. "Groovallegiance" is a personal favorite of mine (listen for Rodney "Skeet" Curtis, who displays astonishing chops on the bass) and "Cholly" is a very catchy number with a typically cool Gary Shider lead vocal. "Lunchmeataphobia" contains a delightfully sinister "B" section that I just can't get enough of. It is one of those riffs that makes me giggle with delight because it is so cartoonish. The contributions of Walter "Junie" Morrison are crucial to this album. He enlivens the funk mob following the departure of Glen Goins, and he is all over this album, vocally, instrumentally and as a writer. Morrison's whacky humor was perfect for the group. Those are the high points. The low points are "Doo Doo Chasers" which is INCREDIBLY long and is only good if you LOVE George Clinton's endless jive (the shortended instrumental track "P.E. Squad" is better, because the music is pleasant enough) ... "Into You" is just not a good song, despite Ray Davis getting a chance to sing a bit of lead... and, here's a bit of Sacrilege for you diehards, do we need "Maggot Brain" again??? Guess what, the original is the most overrated, dragging, boring guitar freakout ever recorded! There, I said it! And let me further defy the gods: I actually prefer Mike Hampton playing it here to Eddie Hazel's original! HA! But I still dont need any more "Maggot Brain"... I needed to say it. Like all Funkadelic albums, the best moments are DIVINE and make it worth getting. Buy this album for those glorious moments that make it all worthwhile.