Computer Games (album)

Last updated

Computer Games
George Clinton-Computer Games (album cover).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 5, 1982
Recorded1981–1982
StudioThe Disc Ltd., East Detroit; United Sound Systems, Detroit
Genre Funk, electro-funk
Length40:09
Label Capitol
Producer George Clinton
George Clinton chronology
Computer Games
(1982)
You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish
(1983)
P-Funk collective chronology
The Electric Spanking of War Babies
(1981)
Computer Games
(1982)
Urban Dancefloor Guerillas
(1983)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Spin Alternative Record Guide 8/10 [4]
The Village Voice A [5]

Computer Games is the debut album by American funk musician George Clinton, released by Capitol Records on November 5, 1982. Though technically Clinton's first "solo" album, the record featured most of the same personnel who had appeared on recent albums by Parliament and Funkadelic, both formally disbanded by Clinton in 1981. Conceived in the aftermath of a period marked by financial and personal struggles for Clinton, Computer Games restored his popularity for a short time before P-Funk fell victim to renewed legal problems and scant label support in the mid-1980s.

Contents

According to Glenn Kenny of Trouser Press , after the end of his Parliament-Funkadelic collective, Clinton's album was titled as a "nod to the burgeoning wave of techno-funk that was beginning to overtake almost every other form of dance music; rather than reject the new technology, he adapted it here in his own unique way". [6]

The single "Loopzilla" hit the top 20 of the R&B charts, followed by "Atomic Dog" which reached No. 1 R&B but peaked at No. 101 on the pop chart.

The album was listed by Slant Magazine at #97 on its list of the "Best Albums of the 1980s". [7]

Track listing

  1. "Get Dressed" (George Clinton, Bootsy Collins) – 3:41 (released as a single-Capitol 5222)
  2. "Man's Best Friend/Loopzilla" (Clinton, Kenneth Gambrell, Garry Shider, David Spradley) – 12:51 (released as a 12" single-Capitol 8556)
  3. "Pot Sharing Tots" (Clinton, Walter Morrison) – 3:45
  4. "Computer Games" (Clinton, Morrison) – 6:46
  5. "Atomic Dog" (Clinton, Shider, Spradley) – 4:47 (released as a single-Capitol 5201 and 12" single-Capitol 8556)
  6. "Free Alterations" (Darryl Clinton, Clinton) – 4:20
  7. "One Fun at a Time" (Clinton, Morrison) – 4:29

Personnel

Technical

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1982–1983)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [8] 40
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [9] 3

Year-end charts

Chart (1983)Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [10] 8

Notes

  1. Birchmeier, Jason. "Computer Games – George Clinton". AllMusic . Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  2. Milward, John (April 28, 1983). "Computer Games". Rolling Stone . Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  3. DeCurtis, Henke & George-Warren 1992.
  4. Weisbard & Marks 1995.
  5. Christgau, Robert (December 28, 1982). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  6. Kenny, Glenn. "TrouserPress.com :: George Clinton". Trouser Press . Retrieved on 2009-08-05.
  7. "The 100 Best Albums of the 1980s".
  8. "George Clinton Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  9. "George Clinton Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  10. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1983". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.

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 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 would have an influential effect on subsequent funk, post-punk, hip-hop, and techno artists of the 1980s and 1990s, while their collective mythology would help pioneer Afrofuturism.

<i>Uncle Jam Wants You</i> 1979 studio album by Funkadelic

Uncle Jam Wants You is a concept album by American funk rock band Funkadelic. It was released by Warner Bros. Records in 1979, and was later reissued on CD by Priority Records. It was produced by George Clinton under the alias Dr. Funkenstein. It is the first Funkadelic album since America Eats Its Young in 1972 not to sport a cover illustrated by Funkadelic artist Pedro Bell, though Bell did provide artwork for the album’s back cover and interior. Uncle Jam Wants You was the second Funkadelic album to be certified gold. The album peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

<i>The Electric Spanking of War Babies</i> 1981 studio album by Funkadelic

The Electric Spanking of War Babies is the twelfth studio album by the American funk rock band Funkadelic, released in April 1981 on Warner Bros. Records. The title is an allusion to the Vietnam War and baby boomers. Sly Stone contributed to the recording sessions, singing lead vocals on "Funk Gets Stronger ".

<i>Play Me or Trade Me</i> 1980 studio album by Parlet

Play Me or Trade Me is the third and final studio album by the P-Funk spin off act Parlet. The album was released by Casablanca Records in 1980 and was produced by George Clinton and Ron Dunbar. Like many albums released by the label during this year, it would be totally ignored in terms of promotion due to the label being bought by Polygram Records. The vocal line up for this album remained the same as the previous album. Play Me or Trade Me failed to enter on the Billboard R&B album charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(Not Just) Knee Deep</span> 1979 single by Funkadelic

"(Not Just) Knee Deep" is a song by the American funk band Funkadelic written by George Clinton. The song was released as a single for their album Uncle Jam Wants You (1979).

<i>Trombipulation</i> 1980 studio album by Parliament

Trombipulation is the ninth album by the funk band Parliament. It was released by Casablanca Records. It was the last album of original material produced by the group for 38 years, until Medicaid Fraud Dogg in 2018. Unlike previous Parliament albums, George Clinton did not serve as sole producer of the album, as other P-Funk figures assisted in producing individual tracks. Bassist Bootsy Collins emerged as the principal musician on this album, playing virtually all of the instruments on a number of tracks. The track "Let's Play House" was sampled by the hip-hop group Digital Underground for their single "The Humpty Dance".

<i>You Shouldnt-Nuf Bit Fish</i> 1983 studio album by George Clinton

You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish is the second studio album by American funk musician George Clinton released in 1983 by Capitol Records. The album reached No. 18 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)</span> 1978 single by Parliament

"Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)" is a song by funk band Parliament. The track was released from their 1978 album, Motor Booty Affair. The song describes being compelled to learn to swim despite the persistent fear of water and drowning, comparing it to the reluctance to dance.

<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>Urban Dancefloor Guerillas</i> 1983 studio album by P-Funk All-Stars

Urban Dancefloor Guerillas is the debut album of funk band the P-Funk All-Stars, released in 1983 on Uncle Jam Records. The album features an amalgamation of various alumni from the bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both of which were disbanded by 1981. It is the only studio album credited solely to the P-Funk All-Stars, as opposed to other albums that are credited to George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars. The songs on Urban Dancefloor Guerillas were produced by a variety of members of the P-Funk musical collective including Clinton, Garry Shider, Walter Morrison, Sylvester Stewart, and Bootsy Collins.

<i>Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends</i> 1985 studio album by George Clinton

Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends is the third studio album by George Clinton. It was released in 1985 by Capitol Records. Though it wasn't as successful as Computer Games, Clinton's first solo album, Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends received favorable reviews among critics. While many former P-Funk musicians are featured on the album, it also features collaborations with more contemporary performers such as Doug Wimbish, Steve Washington, and keyboardist Thomas Dolby.

<i>R&B Skeletons in the Closet</i> 1986 studio album by George Clinton

R&B Skeletons in the Closet is the fourth solo album by Parliament-Funkadelic leader George Clinton. It was released in April 1986 by Capitol Records and was the last album that Clinton would record for the label. Recording sessions for the album utilized a small cadre of P-Funk musicians including Bootsy Collins, Garry Shider, and DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight, as well as the debut recorded appearance of former Miss America Vanessa L. Williams on the opening track "Hey Good Lookin'". R&B Skeletons in the Closet was produced by Clinton, Steve Washington, Shider, and Andre Jackson.

<i>Testing Positive 4 the Funk</i> 1993 studio album by George Clinton Family Series

Testing Positive 4 the Funk is the fourth installment of the George Clinton Family Series collection. The album was released in 1993 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 U.K. This collection is noted for the inclusion of tracks such as a re-recording of "Live Up " which was originally recorded by the soul quartet, The Fantastic Four. The track marked the debut of P-Funk vocalist Glenn Goins.

<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".

<i>Go Fer Yer Funk</i> 1992 studio album by George Clinton Family Series

Go Fer Yer Funk is the first installment of the George Clinton Family Series collection. The album was released in 1992 by P-Vine Records in Japan, and then was released the next year by AEM Records in the U.S. and Sequel Records in the U.K.. The Family Series was designed to present previously unreleased recordings done by various bands in the Parliament-Funkadelic musical stable. The first CD is notable in that it features the title cut "Go Fer Yer Funk" which originally featured a collaboration between P-Funk and Funk legend James Brown.

<i>First Ya Gotta Shake the Gate</i> 2014 studio album by Funkadelic

First Ya Gotta Shake the Gate is the fourteenth and final studio album by American funk rock band Funkadelic. The album was released by The C Kunspyruhzy in 2014 and consists of newly recorded material.

<i>Live...Capitol Theatre 1978</i> 2017 live album by Parliament-Funkadelic

Live...Capitol Theatre 1978 is a three-CD live album by the American funk band Parliament-Funkadelic. The album was released in the UK in November 2017 by the RoxVox label. The CD features the band performing at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey, on November 6, 1978, during their "One Nation/Anti-Tour". The liner notes feature a transcription of a December 7, 1978 article about Parliament-Funkadelic from Jet magazine.

References