Chakachas "Jungle Fever" probably deserves some consideration, although I dont think it was more popular than "Pick Up the Pieces" in the big picture. Also Deodato's "Also Sprach Zarathustra" was a massive hit, although I guess you could call it more jazz than funk. And just to add my two cents, AWB don't get the respect they deserve because of their unfortunate name plain and simple. AWB > TOP
a couple more. are we including disco? if so: Love's Theme, Fifth of Beethoven, and a song that I would argue is definitely more popular today than PutP: DA HUSTLE.
I wouldn't count disco - I intentionally left out "TSOP" for this reason, although both that and "The Hustle" seem bigger than "P.U.T.P.". But the funk factor is lower.
also, what about including songs that are technically classified as jazz, but are really funk, i.e. "Chameleon." super popular.
I think it counts, but I don't believe it overtakes the AWB track, as far as pure familiarity.
Deodato's "Also Sprach Zarathrustra" and Dennis Coffey's "Scorpio" are definitely up there, as far as recognizability. There have been thousands of funk instrumentals that were hits, on both the pop and soul charts. But as far as songs that ENDURE..."Jungle Fever" by the Chakachas was a hit, but fell out of the canon a long time ago. Great song, but I never hear it on oldies stations.
Is "Pick Up The Pieces" the most popular funk instrumental of all time? I would say; YES. it's not a cover. the melody is instantly recognizable. it's likely to be played. it reached number 1. followed by ****"Jungle Boogie", ----the repetitous vocals make this border line not instrumental---as jungle jazz never gets played *commercially* followed by possibly in any order: Hip Hug Her---this is a 'funky instrumental, but not a 'funk' instrumental. apache (ever since 'snatch' had it playing on every commercial) More Bounce---vocals, the culmination of pfunk into a mostly instrumental. cissy strut----not likely to be played , but likely to be recognized, and in terms of a 'funk' band, the most SUPERIOR, popular instrumental in terms of originality (GUARANTEED that it/the meters influenced any/all of AWB music, but so did, JB, KandTheG.
Soul Makossa was/is bigger IMO based on the number of times it was covered.
finelikewine"ONCE UPON A TIME, I HAD A VINYL." http://www.discogs.com/user/permabulker 1,416 Posts
does "Soul Makossa" count?
it was big, but do you think it is THAT big?
(operative words: "was," "is")
I'm not sure, in 1973 it "only" reached #35 in the billboard charts BUT at one point there where 9 cover versions of it in the charts at the SAME time, according to wikipedia.
Is "Pick Up The Pieces" the most popular funk instrumental of all time? I would say; YES. it's not a cover. the melody is instantly recognizable. it's likely to be played. it reached number 1. followed by ****"Jungle Boogie", ----the repetitous vocals make this border line not instrumental---as jungle jazz never gets played *commercially* followed by
I'm not sure, in 1973 it "only" reached #35 in the billboard charts BUT at one point there where 9 cover versions of it in the charts at the SAME time, according to wikipedia.
There's a reason for that.
Manu Dibango's original wasn't available in the States for a few months there - it was only available as an import. But it was catching on in the NYC dance clubs (and possibly on Frankie Crocker's radio show), so naturally all these session musicians and labels had the same idea and released all these half-assed covers around the same time.
Then Atlantic stepped in, released Manu's original Stateside, and squashed the competition.
The record was massive back then, but when's the last time you heard it on oldies radio?
When I think of what the best-known funk instrumental is, I'm not just considering any old funk instro that made the Top 40. I'm thinking more in terms of whether Becky and her mom would recognize it in 2009. That's why there ain't much f*cking with "Pick Up The Pieces" and "Jungle Boogie," in that order. There are other contenders, but AWB and Kool have positions #1 and #2 on lockdown.
When I think of what the best-known funk instrumental is, I'm not just considering any old funk instro that made the Top 40. I'm thinking more in terms of whether Becky and her mom would recognize it in 2009. That's why there ain't much f*cking with "Pick Up The Pieces" and "Jungle Boogie," in that order. There are other contenders, but AWB and Kool have positions #1 and #2 on lockdown.
Yeah, I think this should definitely be the operating principle when talking about "the most popular funk instrumental of all time". Overall popular longevity.
PutP and Jungle Boogie definitely all the way at the top, although I think The Hustle is still open for debate. I'd say Becky knows The Hustle even better than PutP, but does it truly count as funk? tough call.
Clearly, none of the other good options hold a candle to these in terms of Becky factor.
When I think of what the best-known funk instrumental is, I'm not just considering any old funk instro that made the Top 40. I'm thinking more in terms of whether Becky and her mom would recognize it in 2009. That's why there ain't much f*cking with "Pick Up The Pieces" and "Jungle Boogie," in that order. There are other contenders, but AWB and Kool have positions #1 and #2 on lockdown.
Yeah, I think this should definitely be the operating principle when talking about "the most popular funk instrumental of all time". Overall popular longevity.
PutP and Jungle Boogie definitely all the way at the top, although I think The Hustle is still open for debate. I'd say Becky knows The Hustle even better than PutP, but does it truly count as funk? tough call.
Clearly, none of the other good options hold a candle to these in terms of Becky factor.
Do The Hustle is DISCO.
finelikewine"ONCE UPON A TIME, I HAD A VINYL." http://www.discogs.com/user/permabulker 1,416 Posts
When I think of what the best-known funk instrumental is, I'm not just considering any old funk instro that made the Top 40. I'm thinking more in terms of whether Becky and her mom would recognize it in 2009. That's why there ain't much f*cking with "Pick Up The Pieces" and "Jungle Boogie," in that order. There are other contenders, but AWB and Kool have positions #1 and #2 on lockdown.
Yeah, I think this should definitely be the operating principle when talking about "the most popular funk instrumental of all time". Overall popular longevity.
PutP and Jungle Boogie definitely all the way at the top, although I think The Hustle is still open for debate. I'd say Becky knows The Hustle even better than PutP, but does it truly count as funk? tough call.
Clearly, none of the other good options hold a candle to these in terms of Becky factor.
When I think of what the best-known funk instrumental is, I'm not just considering any old funk instro that made the Top 40. I'm thinking more in terms of whether Becky and her mom would recognize it in 2009. That's why there ain't much f*cking with "Pick Up The Pieces" and "Jungle Boogie," in that order. There are other contenders, but AWB and Kool have positions #1 and #2 on lockdown.
Yeah, I think this should definitely be the operating principle when talking about "the most popular funk instrumental of all time". Overall popular longevity.
PutP and Jungle Boogie definitely all the way at the top, although I think The Hustle is still open for debate. I'd say Becky knows The Hustle even better than PutP, but does it truly count as funk? tough call.
Clearly, none of the other good options hold a candle to these in terms of Becky factor.
Do The Hustle is DISCO.
No, it's muzak or easy listening.
U might not like the song but that shit was BIG when it came out. And real Disco heads danced to it regardless of what it came to represent down the line.
Comments
And just to add my two cents, AWB don't get the respect they deserve because of their unfortunate name plain and simple. AWB > TOP
I wouldn't count disco - I intentionally left out "TSOP" for this reason, although both that and "The Hustle" seem bigger than "P.U.T.P.". But the funk factor is lower.
I think it counts, but I don't believe it overtakes the AWB track, as far as pure familiarity.
Deodato's "Also Sprach Zarathrustra" and Dennis Coffey's "Scorpio" are definitely up there, as far as recognizability. There have been thousands of funk instrumentals that were hits, on both the pop and soul charts. But as far as songs that ENDURE..."Jungle Fever" by the Chakachas was a hit, but fell out of the canon a long time ago. Great song, but I never hear it on oldies stations.
Good call. I wouldn't put it at #1 (as far as Famous Funk Instrumentals go), but it'd have to be in the Top 20.
Cause on the west coast....
it was big, but do you think it is THAT big?
(operative words: "was," "is")
I would say;
YES.
it's not a cover. the melody is instantly recognizable. it's likely to be played. it reached number 1.
followed by ****"Jungle Boogie", ----the repetitous vocals make this border line not instrumental---as jungle jazz never gets played *commercially*
followed by possibly in any order:
Hip Hug Her---this is a 'funky instrumental, but not a 'funk' instrumental.
apache (ever since 'snatch' had it playing on every commercial)
More Bounce---vocals, the culmination of pfunk into a mostly instrumental.
cissy strut----not likely to be played , but likely to be recognized, and in terms of a 'funk' band, the most SUPERIOR, popular instrumental in terms of originality (GUARANTEED that it/the meters influenced any/all of AWB music, but so did, JB, KandTheG.
Soul Makossa was/is bigger IMO based on the number of times it was covered.
I'm not sure, in 1973 it "only" reached #35 in the billboard charts BUT at one point there where 9 cover versions of it in the charts at the SAME time, according to wikipedia.
"Scorpio"
There's a reason for that.
Manu Dibango's original wasn't available in the States for a few months there - it was only available as an import. But it was catching on in the NYC dance clubs (and possibly on Frankie Crocker's radio show), so naturally all these session musicians and labels had the same idea and released all these half-assed covers around the same time.
Then Atlantic stepped in, released Manu's original Stateside, and squashed the competition.
The record was massive back then, but when's the last time you heard it on oldies radio?
When I think of what the best-known funk instrumental is, I'm not just considering any old funk instro that made the Top 40. I'm thinking more in terms of whether Becky and her mom would recognize it in 2009. That's why there ain't much f*cking with "Pick Up The Pieces" and "Jungle Boogie," in that order. There are other contenders, but AWB and Kool have positions #1 and #2 on lockdown.
Yeah, I think this should definitely be the operating principle when talking about "the most popular funk instrumental of all time". Overall popular longevity.
PutP and Jungle Boogie definitely all the way at the top, although I think The Hustle is still open for debate. I'd say Becky knows The Hustle even better than PutP, but does it truly count as funk? tough call.
Clearly, none of the other good options hold a candle to these in terms of Becky factor.
Do The Hustle is DISCO.
No, it's muzak or easy listening.
U might not like the song but that shit was BIG when it came out.
And real Disco heads danced to it regardless of what it came to represent down the line.
But I couldn't call it funk. Too polished for that.
Its not Funk.
Agreed that The Hustle isn't funk.
DO NOT AGREE that The Hustle is not hot. That tune is hot.
we'll agree to disagree!
Trivia note: the male voice on the Three's Company theme is Ray Charles.
Not the black singer/pianist/genius, but the "other," white Ray Charles.