"Too Funky" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Single by George Michael | ||||
from the album Red Hot + Dance | ||||
B-side | "Crazy Man Dance" | |||
Released | 1 June 1992 [1] | |||
Genre | Dance-pop | |||
Length |
| |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | George Michael | |||
Producer(s) | George Michael | |||
George Michael singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Too Funky" on YouTube |
"Too Funky" is a song written and performed by English singer and songwriter George Michael and released by Columbia Records in the United States and Epic Records elsewhere in 1992. The song was Michael's final single for his recording contract with Sony Music before he started legal action to extricate himself from it.
"Too Funky" had been initially earmarked for a follow-up to the album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 but Michael shelved the idea, instead donating it, along with two other songs, to the project Red Hot + Dance (1992), which raised money for AIDS awareness. Michael subsequently donated the royalties to the same cause. The song never appeared on any of Michael's studio albums, although later it was included on his first solo collection, Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael (1998), and in the 2017 reissue of Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, which also included the two other songs from Red Hot + Dance and its B-side "Crazy Man Dance", all of which were recorded for the aborted follow-up of the 1990 album. It reached number one in Denmark and became a top-10 hit in several regions, including Europe, Australia, and North America.
Lyrically, the song is a basic, animalistic plea for sexual activity.[ citation needed ] An Anne Bancroft line from the 1967 film The Graduate ("I am not trying to seduce you... Would you like me to seduce you? Is that what you're trying to tell me?") appears in the intro of the song and is repeated during the final crescendo. The song then ends with a sample from an episode of the Tony Hancock sitcom Hancock called "The Radio Ham", spoken by actress Annie Leake ("Would you stop playing with that radio of yours? I'm trying to get to sleep"). The song's synth hook quotes the hook from Jocelyn Brown's 1984 hit "Somebody Else's Guy". [2]
Scottish Aberdeen Press and Journal commented, "George obviously having a go at trying to get into the dance scene with this too-funky number which rings of Bobby Brown and Michael Jackson." [3] Larry Flick from Billboard felt that the singer "works up an impressive sweat amid a swirling array of funk-driven guitars and keyboards, adding, "This bears all the marks of a well-deserved multiformat smash." [4] A reviewer from Cashbox declared the song as a "simple, funky dance send-up". [5] Amy Linden from Entertainment Weekly called it a "slinky, disco-fever-redux hit". [6] Irish Evening Herald found that the "steamy" single is about a "big build-up to a seduction", "but it's got a depressing end. Some things never change, but we can definitely tell you that although George's hair is shorter these days, he's still got the same beard." [7] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report stated that Michael "delivers just the type of sound a lot of longtime fans were hoping for. He rides this groove with a sexy undercurrent reinforced by sampling the voice of Anne Bancroft seducing Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate . [8]
Dennis Hunt from Los Angeles Times viewed it as a "sizzling" new dance track, stating that "Too Funky" "ranks with his best and is an indication that he should focus on dance music". [9] The Stud Brothers of Melody Maker said it's "George doing a rumbustuous Karaoke Prince, the extravagant minimalist backing coming courtesy of many of the world's highest-paid session musicians. Which is all weirdly endearing." [10] Pan-European magazine Music & Media described it as a "funky and catchy number, underpinned by a persistent keyboard pattern". [11] Alan Jones from Music Week named it Pick of the Week, writing, "Released 10 years to the week after George made his recording debut with the instantly successful 'Wham Rap', it's a muscular, mid-tempo urban dance contender bass-based with some nice piano fills. George groupies, dance fans and casual record buyers alike will warm to it, with obvious chartresults." [12] David Quantick from New Musical Express called it "a plonking, KC and the Sunshine Band pastiche with a few hooks but nothing else". [13] Victoria Segal from NME said, "A consummate narcissist—"I'd love to see you naked, baby... maybe tonight, if that's alright", he intones coolly on the staccato seduction of 'Too Funky'." [14] Bunny Sawyer from Smash Hits gave the song four out of five, praising it as "a fab stomp-along beat...a triumphant return to form". [15]
"Too Funky" reached number four on the UK Singles Chart in 1992 [16] and became that year's most played record in Europe.[ citation needed ] As of October 2017, the single sold 168,000 copies in UK. [17] In the US, the single debuted at number 41 on Billboard Hot 100, reaching its peak position of number ten in its ninth and tenth weeks. [18] It sold more than 500,000 copies, being certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). [19] In Australia, "Too Funky" became the biggest gainer song ever in the top 50 of the Australian ARIA Singles Chart when it jumped from number 50 to number eight (42 places), before reaching its peak position at number three. [20] "Too Funky" held this record until 2009, when "3" by Britney Spears rose from number 50 to number seven (43 places). In Canada, "Too Funky" peaked at number six on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. [21]
Fashion designer Thierry Mugler and Michael directed the video for "Too Funky". [22] Mugler designed and created the costumes for the models in the song's accompanying music video, [23] which shows Michael in one- to three-second appearances as a director filming a number of supermodels on the catwalk at a fictitious runway show, a concept similar to the one he used in the video for his 1990 single "Freedom! '90". The models who appeared in the video are Eva Herzigova, Linda Evangelista, Nadja Auermann, Emma Sjöberg, Estelle Hallyday, Shana Zadrick, Tyra Banks, Beverly Peele and Connie Fleming (a.k.a. Connie Girl). [24] Actresses Julie Newmar and Rossy de Palma, and the performance artists Joey Arias and Lypsinka are also shown. A "making of" video was also created.
The video's concept was written by Jeff Beasley after attending a benefit fashion show held by Mugler several months before in Los Angeles. Beasley worked at Propaganda Films, the production company where David Fincher directed "Freedom! '90"—the supermodel video on which "Too Funky" is based. Originally the same models from Fincher's video were going to be used, namely Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, and Tatjana Patitz. Mugler decided, however, that he wanted new models and only kept Evangelista for the project. The video was produced by Beasley and filmed by Mike Southon. A rare "alternate edit" of the video includes several male models, including eventual Grey's Anatomy star Justin Chambers and Oscar-nominated actor Djimon Hounsou, who was discovered by Mugler in Paris, and sometimes can be found online.
In 2012, Porcys listed the song at number 62 in their ranking of "100 Singles 1990–1999". [25] In 2017, BuzzFeed ranked "Too Funky" number 60 in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s". [26] In 2020, Slant Magazine placed it at number 55 in their list of "The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time". [27]
|
|
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [75] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
United Kingdom | — | 168,000 [17] |
United States (RIAA) [19] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"The Best Things in Life Are Free" is a duet between American singers Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson, recorded for the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced soundtrack to the 1992 American film Mo' Money, starring Damon Wayans. The song was composed by Jam, Lewis, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch. The song was released as the soundtrack's lead single on May 12, 1992, by Perspective Records and A&M Records. Additionally, the song was remixed by David Morales, Frankie Knuckles, and CJ Mackintosh. The duet became a major hit in several countries, peaking at number two in Australia and the United Kingdom, number six in Ireland and New Zealand, number eight in Canada and Germany, and number 10 in the United States. Its music video was directed by Paris Barclay, but didn't feature Vandross and Jackson. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
"Something Got Me Started" is a song by British soul and pop band Simply Red, released in September 1991 by East West Records as the first single from their fourth album, Stars (1991). It was released in several forms: a 7-inch single, a 12-inch single, and a CD single, that includes a remix by Perfecto.
"I'm Your Man" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released in 1985 on Epic Records in the UK and most of the world, and Columbia Records in the US. It was written and produced by George Michael.
"Outside" is a song by English singer-songwriter George Michael, released on 19 October 1998 as the lead single from his first greatest hits album, Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael (1998). It was released through Epic Records and reached number two on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Michael's most recent UK top-three hit. In Greece, Hungary, and Spain, the song peaked at number one. The song's music video, directed by Vaughan Arnell, shows couples of various sexual orientations engaging in lewd public activities while Michael, dressed as a police officer, dances in a public toilet, referencing his arrest for cottaging in April 1998.
"Fastlove" is a song by English singer-songwriter George Michael, released on 22 April 1996 by Virgin Records in the United Kingdom and by DreamWorks Records in the United States as the second single from his third album, Older (1996). Written by Michael, Patrice Rushen, Freddie Washington and Terri McFaddin and produced by Michael and Jon Douglas, the song interpolates Rushen's 1982 single "Forget Me Nots".
"I Wanna Be With You" is a song by American singer Mandy Moore. It was released on April 3, 2000, as the lead single from Moore's reissue of the same name (2000) and as a single from the soundtrack to the 2000 film Center Stage. The song received positive reviews from critics. It peaked at number 24 in the United States Billboard Hot 100, becoming Moore's first and only top 30 single in the US. The song also peaked at number 13 in Australia and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). The music video for the song, directed by Nigel Dick, shows Moore singing the song to her love interest in a dance studio.
English singer-songwriter George Michael's releases consist of five studio albums, two compilation albums, one extended play, 44 singles, six promotional singles, 36 music videos, and five video albums. In his career, Michael sold an estimated 100 million to 125 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling artists of all time.
"The Power of Love" is a pop song co-written and originally recorded by American singer-songwriter Jennifer Rush in 1984. It was released in December 1984 by CBS Records as the fifth single from her debut album, Jennifer Rush (1984), and has since been covered by Air Supply, Laura Branigan, and Celine Dion.
"Sittin' Up in My Room" is a song by American recording artist Brandy. It was written and produced by Babyface and recorded by Norwood for the soundtrack of the 1995 film Waiting to Exhale, starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett. The song was among five of the album's singles and peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, seeing Norwood's furthest commercial success on the chart at that time. The bass intro is similar to that of the riff performed by bassist Larry Graham, of Sly and the Family Stone, on their hit "Thank You ", and its remix featuring LL Cool J contains a sample of "Haven't You Heard" by Patrice Rushen.
"Give It Up, Turn It Loose" is a song by American R&B/pop vocal group En Vogue, released as the fourth single from their second album, Funky Divas (1992). The song's title is a reference to the 1969 James Brown song "Give It Up or Turnit a Loose". Released on November 12, 1992 by Eastwest Records, the single reached number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 16 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, and number 22 on the UK Singles Chart. It was written and produced by Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster, and features Maxine Jones on lead entirely. The music video was directed by Marcus Nispel. In 1994, the song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
"Misled" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion for her third English-language studio album, The Colour of My Love (1993). It was released as the second single from the album on 11 April 1994 by Columbia Records/Epic Records. The song was written by Peter Zizzo and Jimmy Bralower and produced by Ric Wake. "Misled" topped the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and reached number four in Canada. It also peaked at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart and number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its music video was directed by Randee St. Nicholas.
"My Love Is for Real" is a song by American singer and songwriter Paula Abdul with backing vocals from Israeli singer Ofra Haza. It was released on May 30, 1995 by Virgin and Captive, as the first single from Abdul's third studio album, Head over Heels (1995). Intended as Abdul's comeback single, "My Love Is for Real" reached number one in Hungary and the top 20 in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, but it stalled outside the top 20 in the United States, peaking at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, and failed to make a major impact in Europe. The song's music video was directed by Michael Haussman.
"If You Love Me" is a song by American R&B group Brownstone, released on October 24, 1994, by MJJ Music and Epic Records. It is the second single from their debut album, From the Bottom Up (1995). The song was written by Gordon Chambers, Nichole Gilbert, and Dave Hall, and features a sample from "Spellbound" (1990) by American rapper K-Solo. "If You Love Me" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1996 but lost to "Creep" by TLC.
"Don't Talk Just Kiss" is a song by English pop trio Right Said Fred, released in November 1991 by Tug Records as the second single from their debut album, Up (1992). The song was written by Richard Fairbrass, Fred Fairbrass and Rob Manzoli, and produced by Tommy D. It features uncredited duet vocals by American R&B and dance music singer Jocelyn Brown, although she appears in the accompanying music video, which was directed by James Le Bon. The single reached number three in the United Kingdom in December 1991 and became a top-10 hit in several international territories. "Don't Talk Just Kiss" was released in the United States in February 1992, peaking at number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number eight on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart.
"Rocks" is a song by the Scottish rock band Primal Scream that came out in 1994 with the release of Give Out But Don't Give Up, which was the group's fourth studio album. This track was the first indication of the band's evolution in musical genre, contrasting with the approaches utilized in Primal Scream's previous album, titled Screamadelica, which had gotten released in 1991 and featured dance-related leanings. "Rocks" featured a more bluesy hard rock approach akin to arena-friendly songs of the past, being inspired by British artists such as T. Rex, the Rolling Stones, and Faces.
"Star People '97" is a song by British singer-songwriter George Michael, released as the fifth single from his third studio album, Older (1996). It was written and performed by George Michael and released by Virgin Records in the United Kingdom and DreamWorks Records in the United States. The lyrics make reference to the materialism and frivolity of certain (unspecified) people in show business, suggesting that those behaviours are derived from some insecurity or a bad childhood. The single version is titled "Star People '97", on most issues, because the track was re-recorded for the single release.
"As" is a song written and performed by American singer and musician Stevie Wonder from his eighteenth album, Songs in the Key of Life (1976). The song was released in October 1977 by Tamla and reached number 36 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Black Singles chart. It gets its name from the first word of its lyrics.
"I Will Love Again" is a song by Canadian-Belgian singer Lara Fabian. It was released as the second single of her self-titled album in 2000 and was her first English single. The song was written by Mark Taylor and Paul Barry and was produced by Taylor and Brian Rawling.
"Live and Learn" is a song by American new jack swing group Joe Public, released in March 1992 by Columbia as the second single from their self-titled debut album (1992). The song was a success, peaking at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, number three in the Netherlands and New Zealand, and number 10 in Belgium. It was ranked number 16 on Complex magazine's list of the "25 Best New Jack Swing Songs of All Time".
"Fired Up!" is a song by American house music duo Funky Green Dogs, also known as Murk. Written and produced by group members Ralph Falcon and Oscar Gaetan, the track's vocals are performed by Pamela Williams. "Fired Up!" was released on September 2, 1996, as the lead single from Funky Green Dogs' debut album, Get Fired Up (1996). Music critics responded positively to the song, praising its hook and tribal sound. The song became a number-one hit on the US Billboard Maxi-Singles Sales chart, the Canadian RPM Dance chart, and the Ultratop 50 chart of Belgium's Flanders region. It also reached the top 20 in the United Kingdom and in Belgium's Wallonia region.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)