"Da Funk" is an instrumental track by French electronic music duo Daft Punk,initially released as a 12-inch single in May 1995 by Soma and Virgin and later included on their debut album,Homework (1997). Prior to its inclusion on the album,"Da Funk" received little attention and was limited to 2,000 copies. The song and its accompanying music video directed by Spike Jonze are considered classics of 1990s house music.[3] It went on to sell 30,000 copies in 1997. A reversed clip of the song was also released on Homework as "Funk Ad",which is the final track on the album.
Daft Punk produced "Da Funk" after listening to American G-funk records:the bass was composed using a Roland TB-303 synthesizer. A siren was originally going to be the riff before later being replaced to reflect the style the duo were going for. They wanted to make a song in the style similar to that of gangsta rap and electro. Bangalter also stated that the song's melody is meant to be reminiscent of Italian producer and composer Giorgio Moroder. The song received acclaim from music critics and has been listed as one of the greatest dance songs of all time by Rolling Stone.
Background
"Da Funk" was initially released as a 12-inch single on 8 May 1995 under the Soma Quality Recordings label,with the B-side "Rollin' &Scratchin'".[4][5] The pressing was limited to 2,000 copies and was "virtually ignored" according to a Muzik magazine feature at the time. The single received a boost in popularity when the Chemical Brothers incorporated it into their live shows. Subsequently,the British duo's song "Life Is Sweet" was remixed by Daft Punk for a single release in August 1995.[6] The track also received early support from veteran BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Nightingale.[7]
Daft Punk eventually signed with Virgin Records after a bidding war amongst several labels. "Da Funk" was re-released in early 1997 by Virgin with the B-side[8] "Musique",a track that later appeared on the anthology Musique Vol. 1 1993–2005. The duo's debut album Homework features "Da Funk" as well as a reversed excerpt titled "Funk Ad". Daft Punk expressed that they wanted to make the album balanced by distributing tracks evenly across each of the four vinyl sides.[9] The Homework release of "Da Funk" sold 30,000 copies.[10]
Composition
In an interview with Fredrik Strage for Swedish magazine Pop #23,Bangalter said that "Da Funk" was made after listening to American G-funk for weeks. He stated that the duo wanted to make a song in the style of gangsta rap. They tried to "murk [...] sounds" as much as possible. However,Bangalter said that "no one has ever compared it to hip hop." According to him,the melody and the synthesizers used in the song are reminiscent of music producer Giorgio Moroder and genres such as electro.[11]
The riff was originally a siren sound,but was changed to reflect the "gangsta rap" aesthetic they were trying to achieve. The bassline was created with a Roland TB-303 synthesizer[12] Bangalter purchased in 1993. He had created several patterns with the 303 beforehand:"When we were looking for a bassline,we listened to some of [the] ones I'd already programmed and took the one that fit best."[6] Da Funk is written in the key of G minor,[13] and composed with a tempo of 111 beats per minute.[14]
Critical reception
Larry Flick from Billboard described the track as a "wriggling instrumental combination of cutting-edge electronic dance and Cameo-styled funk".[15] Andy Beevers from Music Week's RM Dance Update rated it five out of five,adding that "this single is a bit of a refresher for those who have been wondering why there is so much hype surrounding the French duo." He explained further,"'Da Funk' still sounds incredibly fresh with its huge distorted synth riffs,thumping rhythm and scratchy guitar mashed up to create a mutant disco gem."[16]
Andy Crysell from NME wrote,"Two young Parisians abduct the insane lovechild of a one-night stand shared by Hardfloor's fittest 303s and a '70s superfly jam to devise a title track rich in troubled funk and wiggly acid and a flip of murderous hammering house."[17] Dave Fawbert from ShortList declared it as "sensational",stating that it "manages to combine about six different outrageously funky parts over the top of an unyielding,solitary,bass note. When the 303 finally kicks in,it's electro ecstasy."[18] David Sinclair from The Times commented,"Another rave standard goes overground."[19]
Music video
The protagonist Charles in the music video for "Da Funk"
"What was special was seeing the streets of New York City react in real time to the character of Charles the Dog Boy as if he was real. Because of the location and the nature of how it was put together, aside from a few knowing smiles, most people just accepted it as reality and that was kind of amazing. Half the people totally ignored Charles, as if he was just any other character on the streets, and that was part of what made it so magic. I was laughing to myself all the time."
The track's music video was directed by Spike Jonze in February 1997 and titled Big City Nights. It focuses on the character Charles (Tony Maxwell, drummer of the band That Dog), an anthropomorphic dog in a leg cast with a crutch. Charles, who has lived in New York City for only one month, is shown walking around with a boombox blasting "Da Funk" at a high volume. His hobbled walk is mocked by a pair of children. He is turned down when he attempts to participate in a public survey. His boombox annoys a bookseller on the sidewalk from whom Charles buys a paperback novel titled Big City Nights.
Charles meets a woman named Beatrice (Catherine Kellner), who was once his childhood neighbor. They agree to have dinner together at her home, traveling by way of a city bus. Beatrice boards the bus, but Charles is startled by a sign stating "NO RADIOS". As he is unable to turn off his boombox (which is earlier indicated to have a broken/missing volume button) he reluctantly remains at the bus stop, as the bus drives off with Beatrice. Although the video has drawn several interpretations, Bangalter has stated that the music video has no story or meaning.[21]
Impact and legacy
The prominent French club magazine Coda named "Da Funk" the number one single with 33 percent of the vote.[6] In 2003, Q ranked it number 670 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever".[22] In September 2010, Pitchfork Media included the song at number 18 on their "Top 200 Tracks of the 90s".[3] In 2011, it was featured in the video games Top Spin 4 and Ubisoft's Just Dance 3.[23][24] Same year, Slant Magazine listed it at number 93 in their ranking of "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s".[25]
In 2012, NME listed it in their "100 Best Songs of the 1990s", at number eight.[26] In 2021, Mixdown featured "Da Funk" in their list of "The 13 most iconic TB-303 basslines of all time".[12] In 2022, Classic Pop ranked it number 17 in their list of the top 40 dance tracks from the 90's.[27] Same year, Rolling Stone ranked "Da Funk" number 23 in their list of "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time".[28]
↑ Pitchfork Staff (28 September 2022). "The 150 Best Albums of the 1990s". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2023. The singles are among the most potent dance music gateway drugs we've got: One moment you're digging "Around the World" [with its] hooky persistence and "Da Funk"...
↑ James, Martin. French Connections: From Discotheque to Discovery. London, United Kingdom: Sanctuary Publishing Ltd., 2003. pg 273. ( ISBN1-8607-4449-4)
↑ Beevers, Andy (1 February 1997). "Hot Vinyl"(PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p.10. Archived(PDF) from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
↑ Crysell, Andy (13 May 1995). "Groove Check". NME. p.23.
↑ "Top National Sellers"(PDF). Music & Media. Vol.14, no.18. 3 May 1997. p.22. Archived(PDF) from the original on 23 August 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
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