Chocolate City (album)

Last updated

Chocolate City
ParliamentChocolateCityalbumcover.jpg
Studio album by
Parliament
ReleasedApril 8, 1975
Genre Funk [1]
Length36:42
Label Casablanca
Producer George Clinton
Parliament chronology
Up for the Down Stroke
(1974)		Chocolate City
(1975)		 Mothership Connection
(1975)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Blender Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [3]
Christgau's Record Guide B [1]
MusicTapStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Pitchfork Media (7.8/10) [5]
PopMatters (favorable) [6]
Rhapsody (favorable) [7]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [8]

Chocolate City is the third album by the funk band Parliament, released in 1975. It was a "tribute to Washington D.C.", [9] where the group had been particularly popular. The album's cover includes images of the United States Capitol, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial in the form of a chocolate medallion, as well as sticker labeled "Washington DC". The album was very popular in the capital city, selling 150,000 copies alone there.

Contents

Track listing

Side One

  1. "Chocolate City" (George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell) – 5:37 (released as a single-Casablanca 831)
  2. "Ride On" (Clinton, Collins, Worrell) – 3:34 (released as a single-Casablanca 843)
  3. "Together" (Clinton, Collins, Worrell) – 4:07
  4. "Side Effects" (Clinton, Collins, Ahneua Hilson) – 3:13
  5. "What Comes Funky" (Clinton, Collins, Worrell) – 2:23

Side Two

  1. "Let Me Be" (Clinton, Vivian Lewis) – 5:37
  2. "If It Don't Fit (Don't Force It)" (Clinton, Garry Shider, Worrell) – 2:07
  3. "I Misjudged You" (Clinton, Ernie Harris, Fuzzy Haskins) – 5:14
  4. "Big Footin'" (Clinton, Haskins, Shider) – 4:50 (released as the B-side to "Ride On")

A 2003 CD reissue of Chocolate City contained three bonus tracks, including alternate mixes of "If It Don't Fit (Don't Force It)" and "I Misjudged You" and the previously unreleased song "Common Law Wife". [10]

Personnel

Music

Chocolate City features the classic P-Funk lineup with George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, and Eddie Hazel. The Brecker Brothers, Michael and Randy, joined the band as did vocalist Glenn Goins. Prakash John plays bass on several tracks. This album also marks the beginning of the pivotal songwriting team of George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and Bernie Worrell, a partnership that would last until the 1978 release Motor Booty Affair .

The album is full of the uptempo funk that the band would be known for as well as the vocal harmonies of The Parliaments. "Let Me Be" draws on jazz as well as gospel influences. "Together" is a remake of "Together in Heaven" by Bootsy, Phelps, and Gary. Glen Goins makes his debut P. Funk performance on "Big Footin'".

Chart performance

Chocolate City reached number 18 on the Billboard soul LP charts in 1975 and reached No. 91 on the album charts. "Chocolate City", the title track and first single, reached No. 24 on the black chart and No. 94 on the Billboard Hot 100 while "Ride On" the second single reached No. 64 on the black chart. [11]

"Chocolate City" theme

The album takes its name from the term "Chocolate City," which had been used to describe Washington, D.C. where blacks had been becoming a majority through migration (as explained in the cover notes included with one recent CD release of the album). The term had been used by Washington's black AM radio stations WOL-AM and WOOK-AM since the early 1970s to refer to the city. Bobby "The Mighty Burner" Bennett, a DJ on WOL, told The Washington Post in 1998 "Chocolate City for me was the expression of D.C.'s classy funk and confident blackness." [12]

George Clinton used the concept in the title track, characterizing the black population's proliferation in American inner cities as a positive development, in contrast to concerns over White flight. The lyrics of the song refer to several such "chocolate cities" but focuses on D.C.: "There's a lot of chocolate cities around/We got Newark, we got Gary/Someone told me we got L.A./ And we're working on Atlanta / But you're the capital C.C." [13] There is also a reference to Chocolate City's "vanilla suburbs", which he asks God to bless in-kind.

Clinton's lyrics referred to Chocolate City as "my piece of the rock" as opposed to the "40 acres and a mule" that slaves were promised after the Civil War.

The lyrics also reflected Clinton's thanks for the capital's strong support for P-Funk, further shown by the album cover showing the Lincoln Memorial and the United States Capitol, rendered in melting milk chocolate.

Other tracks on the album reflecting the influence of Washington are "Let Me Be" drawing from 1970s D.C. gospel and "I Misjudged You" a homage to The Unifics, a Washington R&B ballad group. [14]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: P". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved March 10, 2019– via robertchristgau.com.
  2. ↑ Allmusic review
  3. ↑ Blender review [ dead link ]
  4. ↑ "MusicTap review". Musictap.net. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  5. ↑ Pitchfork Media review Archived February 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ Kessler, Jordan. "PopMatters review". Popmatters.com. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  7. ↑ Schennault (January 1, 1975). "Rhapsody review". Rhapsody.com. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  8. ↑ Rolling Stone review Archived December 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ "'Up for the Down Stroke', 'Chocolate City' and 'Mothership Connection'". Pitchfork .
  10. ↑ Original track listing from Allmusic.com. Additional tracks in pop matters album.
  11. ↑ All chart listings from Billboard published on Allmusic.com.
  12. ↑ Carroll, Kenneth (February 1, 1998). "Reflections on Chocolate City: The Meanings of Funk". The Washington Post.
  13. ↑ Avila, Eric (2004). Popular Culture in the Age of White Flight. University of California Press. p. 5. ISBN   0-520-24121-5.
  14. ↑ "Popmatters Review". June 11, 2003.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament-Funkadelic</span> American funk music collective

Parliament-Funkadelic is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their eclectic style has drawn on psychedelia, outlandish fashion, and surreal humor. They have released albums such as Maggot Brain (1971), Mothership Connection (1975), and One Nation Under a Groove (1978) to critical praise, and scored charting hits with singles such as "Tear the Roof Off the Sucker" (1975) and "Flash Light" (1978). Overall, the collective achieved thirteen top ten hits in the American R&B music charts between 1967 and 1983, including six number one hits. Their work has had an influential effect on subsequent funk, post-punk, hip-hop, and techno artists of the 1980s and 1990s, while their collective mythology has helped pioneer Afrofuturism.

<i>America Eats Its Young</i> 1972 studio album by Funkadelic

America Eats Its Young is the fourth studio album and the first double album by Funkadelic, released in May 1972. This was the first album to include the whole of the House Guests, including Bootsy Collins, Catfish Collins, Chicken Gunnels, Rob McCollough and Kash Waddy. It also features the Plainfield-based band U.S., which consisted of guitarist Garry Shider and bassist Cordell Mosson, on most of the tracks. Unlike previous Funkadelic albums, America Eats Its Young was recorded in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and in the UK. The original vinyl version contained a poster illustrated by Cathy Abel. The bottom of the poster features the first widespread appearance of the Funkadelic logo, which would appear on the cover of their next album Cosmic Slop.

<i>Hardcore Jollies</i> 1976 studio album by Funkadelic

Hardcore Jollies is the ninth studio album by the funk rock band Funkadelic, released on October 29, 1976 by Warner Bros. Records, their first album to be issued on a major label. It is dedicated to "the guitar players of the world." Originally, the first side of the album was called "Osmosis Phase 1" and the second side was "Terribitus Phase 2." Hardcore Jollies was released one month after Funkadelic's final album for Westbound Records, Tales of Kidd Funkadelic, which was recorded during the same sessions.

<i>Tales of Kidd Funkadelic</i> 1976 studio album by Funkadelic

Tales of Kidd Funkadelic is the eighth studio album by the band Funkadelic, released in September 1976. It was their final album on the Westbound record label. The tracks were recorded during the same sessions as their first release for Warner Bros. Records, Hardcore Jollies; which was released a month later. Two tracks from Tales of Kidd Funkadelic, the single “Undisco Kidd” and the party anthem “Take Your Dead Ass Home!” have been staples in the band’s live performances since the album’s 1976 release, and can be heard on the 1977 Parliament concert album Live: P-Funk Earth Tour. The album opener “Butt-To-Buttresuscitation” and the song “I’m Never Gonna Tell It” were included in the band’s live shows during the early 2000s. The song "Let's Take It to the People" has been sampled by hip-hop band A Tribe Called Quest for their song "Everything Is Fair", on their album The Low End Theory.

<i>Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome</i> 1977 studio album by Parliament

Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome is the sixth studio album by the American funk band Parliament, released in 1977.

<i>Pleasure Principle</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Parlet

Pleasure Principle is the debut album by the female P-Funk spin off group Parlet. The album was released in 1978 by Casablanca Records and was produced by P-Funk leader/producer George Clinton. Parlet consisted of Mallia Franklin, Debbie Wright, and Jeanette Washington. The album features heavy involvement from the P-Funk musical collective.

<i>The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein</i> 1976 studio album by Parliament

The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein is the fifth album by funk band Parliament, released on July 20, 1976. The album is notable for featuring horn arrangements by ex-James Brown band member, Fred Wesley. The album charted at #3 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart, #20 on the Billboard pop chart, and became Parliament's second album to be certified gold. Two singles were released off the album, "Do That Stuff", which charted at #22, and "Dr. Funkenstein" which charted at #43.

<i>Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs</i> 1977 studio album by Eddie Hazel

Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs is the debut album by Parliament-Funkadelic lead guitarist Eddie Hazel. The album was released on July 25, 1977. It was Hazel's only album until his death in 1992, when it was followed by several posthumous releases.

<i>Up for the Down Stroke</i> 1974 studio album by Parliament

Up for the Down Stroke is an album by the American funk band Parliament. It was the band's second album, and their first to be released on Casablanca Records. The album was released on July 3, 1974. Its title track was Parliament's first chart hit and remains one of the most well-known P-Funk songs. The album also contains a funk reworking of The Parliaments' song "(I Wanna) Testify" under the title "Testify". The original title of the album was Whatever Makes Baby Feel Good, and the cover featured group leader George Clinton hovering over a woman in distress, sporting a black wig and monster-type gloves.

<i>Live: P-Funk Earth Tour</i> 1977 live album by Parliament

Live: P-Funk Earth Tour is a live double album by Parliament that documents the band's 1977 P-Funk Earth Tour. The performances include songs from Parliament's albums through The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein as well as songs from the Funkadelic repertoire. The album is made up of portions of two performances from January 1977 at the Oakland Coliseum Arena and the Los Angeles Forum.

Children Of Production ia an innovative derivative of P-Funk.

<i>Ahh... The Name Is Bootsy, Baby!</i> 1977 studio album by Bootsys Rubber Band

Ahh... The Name Is Bootsy, Baby! is a funk album by Bootsy's Rubber Band, released on January 15, 1977. It reached number one on Billboard's Top R&B/Soul albums chart, the first P-Funk release to achieve this goal. The album was produced by George Clinton and William "Bootsy" Collins and arranged by Bootsy and Casper.

<i>All the Woo in the World</i> 1978 studio album by Bernie Worrell

All The Woo In The World is the debut funk album by Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell, released in 1978 by Arista Records. The album was produced by Bernie Worrell and P-Funk leader George Clinton and features various P-Funk alumni including Garry Shider, Bootsy Collins, Junie Morrison, Billy Bass Nelson, and Eddie Hazel.

<i>Funk or Walk</i> 1978 studio album by Brides of Funkenstein

Funk or Walk is the debut album by the Brides of Funkenstein, released on Atlantic Records in September 1978. The album was produced by George Clinton with the exception of the album's first single "Disco To Go" which was written and produced by Clinton and Bootsy Collins. The Brides of Funkenstein consisted of Lynn Mabry and Dawn Silva, who were members of Sly and the Family Stone prior to joining P-Funk. Funk Or Walk earned Mabry and Silva a Record World Award for Best New Female Artists and Best New R&B Group in 1979. The song was originally performed live by Bootsy's Rubber Band. To this day, the P-Funk All Stars continue to play "Disco To Go" in their live concerts. The Brides of Funkenstein also toured and recorded with Parliament/Funkadelic around this same time.

<i>A Blow for Me, a Toot to You</i> 1977 studio album by Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns

A Blow for Me, a Toot to You is a 1977 album by funk musician Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns featuring Maceo Parker.

<i>George Clinton: The Mothership Connection</i> 1998 video by George Clinton; Parliament-Funkadelic

George Clinton: The Mothership Connection is a DVD released in 1998 and then reissued in 2001, featuring George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic. The DVD features a concert performed by Parliament-Funkadelic at The Summit in Houston, Texas on October 31, 1976. The DVD documents the beginning of famed P-Funk Earth Tour, which would run for almost two years.

<i>P Is the Funk</i> 1992 studio album by George Clinton Family Series

P Is the Funk is the second installment of the George Clinton Family Series collection. The album was released in 1992 by P-Vine Records in Japan, and then was released later in the same year by AEM Records in the United States and Sequel Records in the United Kingdom. The album contains notable tracks such as the first song ever recorded by the Brides of Funkenstein entitled "Love Is Something" featuring P-Funk lead guitarist Eddie Hazel, as well radio commercials for the Ultra Wave album by Bootsy Collins.

<i>Plush Funk</i> 1993 studio album by George Clinton Family Series

Plush Funk is the third installment of the George Clinton Family Series collection. The album was released in 1993 by P-Vine Records in Japan, and then was released the next year by AEM Records in the United States and Sequel Records in the United Kingdom. The CD features the track "May Day (S.O.S)", which was an outtake from the Funkadelic album "The Electric Spanking of War Babies".

<i>A Fifth of Funk</i> 1993 studio album by George Clinton Family Series

A Fifth of Funk is the fifth and final installment of the George Clinton Family Series collection by Parliament-Funkadelic collective members. The album was released in Japan in 1993 by P-Vine Records, and later in the same year by AEM Records in the United States and Sequel Records in the United Kingdom. The compilation's producer and P-Funk leader George Clinton gives his final thoughts about the tracks on the album, as well as his feelings on the entire Family Series project, for A Fifth of Funk's final track. The title is a play on words of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, as well as Walter Murphy's 1976 disco hit "A Fifth of Beethoven".

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.