Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)

Last updated
"Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)"
Tearsucker.jpg
UK picture sleeve for the single "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)"
Single by Parliament
from the album Mothership Connection
B-side "P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)"
ReleasedApril 1976
Recorded1975
Genre Funk [1]
Length3:39 (Single version)
5:45 (Album version)
Label Casablanca
856
Songwriter(s) Jerome Brailey
George Clinton
Bootsy Collins
Producer(s) George Clinton
Parliament singles chronology
"P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)"
(1976)
"Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)"
(1976)
"Mothership Connection (Star Child)"
(1976)

"Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)" is a funk song by Parliament. It was released as a single under the name "Tear the Roof off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)". It was the second single to be released from Parliament's 1975 album Mothership Connection (following "P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)"). With its anthemic sing-along chorus, it is one of the most famous P-Funk songs. It also became Parliament's first certified million-selling single, going Gold in 1976. [2]

Contents

The bass vocal at the beginning of the song is performed by Ray Davis.

Single version

The single version begins without the "tear the roof off the sucker" intro.

Chart performance

"Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)" was the highest-charting single from the album, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart. [3]

Samples and covers

The phrase "turn those mothers out" is sung repeatedly in the bridge to the 1990 song "Flovilla Thatch vs. The Virile Garbageman" by American ska-funk rock band the Cherry Poppin' Daddies. This was an intentional homage to Parliament.

In 1991, Ecuadorian rapper Gerardo Mejía sampled the chorus on "We Want The Funk", from the album "Mo Ritmo", adding rap lyrics. It peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Compton rapper Tweedy Bird Loc edited the intro & used it as an intro itself in his hit song "Coming Out The Cage" on his 1992 debut album '187 Ride By'.

The 1993 song "Who Am I? (Whats My Name?)" by West Coast Hip-Hop artist Snoop Doggy Dogg features female vocalists recreating the "La la la" section. Indeed, many of the tracks from Snoop's debut 1993 album Doggystyle and many of the early production works from Dr. Dre either sampled or recreated parts of many tracks from Parliament and its sister act Funkadelic.

The song is one of many cover songs the accordion-based comedy rock band Those Darn Accordions have performed live.

The phrase "...turn this mother out" from Parliament's "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)" is repeated in the bridge of MC Hammer's song "Turn This Mutha' Out" released on his 1988 album "Let's Get It Started".

The American television series Glee covered the song in the season one episode "Funk".

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Clinton (funk musician)</span> American singer, songwriter and record producer

George Edward Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and bandleader. His Parliament-Funkadelic collective developed an influential and eclectic form of funk music during the 1970s that drew on Afrofuturism, outlandish fashion, psychedelia, and surreal humor. He launched his solo career with the 1982 album Computer Games and would go on to influence 1990s hip-hop and G-funk.

G-funk, short for gangsta funk, is a sub-genre of gangsta rap that emerged from the West Coast scene in the early 1990s. The genre was heavily influenced by the synthesizer-heavy 1970s funk sound of Parliament-Funkadelic, often incorporated through samples or re-recordings. It was represented by commercially successful albums such as Dr. Dre's The Chronic (1992) and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle (1993).

<i>The Chronic</i> 1992 studio album by Dr. Dre

The Chronic is the debut studio album by the American hip hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre. It was released on December 15, 1992, by his own record label Death Row Records and distributed by Interscope Records. Recording sessions took place in Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood.

<i>Doggystyle</i> 1993 studio album by Snoop Dogg

Doggystyle is the debut studio album by American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg. It was released on November 23, 1993, by Death Row and Interscope Records. The album was recorded and produced following Snoop's appearances on Dr. Dre's debut solo album The Chronic (1992), to which Snoop contributed significantly. The West Coast style in hip-hop that he developed from Dre's first album continued on Doggystyle. Critics have praised Snoop Dogg for the lyrical "realism" that he delivers on the album and for his distinctive vocal flow.

The Sequence was an American female hip–hop trio from Columbia, South Carolina, who formed in 1979. The Sequence is noted as the first female hip hop trio signed to the Sugar Hill Records label in the late–1970s and early–1980s. The group consisted of Cheryl Cook, known as "Cheryl The Pearl", Gwendolyn Chisolm, known as "Blondy", and lead singer and rapper Angie Stone, known as Angie B, who were all high school friends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flash Light (song)</span> 1978 single by Parliament

"Flash Light" is a song by funk band Parliament, written by George Clinton, Bernie Worrell, and Bootsy Collins and released in January 28, 1978 on the album Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome. It was the first #1 R&B hit by any of the P-Funk groups and spent four months on the U.S. pop chart, peaking at #16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gin and Juice</span> 1994 single by Snoop Dogg

"Gin and Juice" is a song by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on January 18, 1994, as the second single from his debut album, Doggystyle (1993). The song was produced by Dr. Dre and contains an interpolation from Slave's "Watching You" in its chorus and a sample from George McCrae. Tony Green created its bassline; additional vocalists on the song include Dat Nigga Daz, Jewell, Heney Loc, and Sean "Barney" Thomas. "Gin and Juice" peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. It earned a gold certification from the RIAA and sold 700,000 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drop It Like It's Hot</span> 2004 single by Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell

"Drop It Like It's Hot" is a song by American rapper Snoop Dogg featuring fellow American musician Pharrell Williams. It was released on September 27, 2004, as the lead single from Snoop Dogg's seventh studio album, R&G : The Masterpiece (2005). The song was produced by the Neptunes. It is regarded as an iconic song, with Snoop performing the chorus and the second and third verses while Pharrell performs the first verse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang</span> 1993 single by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg

"Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" is a song by American rapper Dr. Dre, featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Dogg, on Dre's debut solo album, The Chronic (1992). As the album's first single it reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 20, 1993, behind "Informer" by Snow, outperformed The Chronic's other singles, "Fuck wit Dre Day ", which peaked at number 8, and "Let Me Ride", which peaked at number 34. The single also reached number 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and was a number 31 hit in the UK. Its music video was directed by Dr. Dre himself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerome Brailey</span> American drummer

Jerome Eugene "Bigfoot" Brailey is an American drummer, best known for his work with P-Funk, which included the bands Parliament, Funkadelic, and numerous related projects. Brailey is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let Me Ride</span> 1993 single by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg

"Let Me Ride" is a song by rapper and producer Dr. Dre, released in 1993 as the third and final single from his debut studio album, The Chronic. It experienced moderate success on the charts, until it became a massive hit when Dre won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for the song during the Grammy Awards of 1994. The chorus is sung by Ruben and Jewell, and Snoop Dogg raps the line "Rollin' in my 6-4" and appears in some background vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Check Yo Self</span> 1993 single by Ice Cube featuring Das EFX

"Check Yo Self" is the third and final single from American rapper Ice Cube's third solo album, The Predator. It was released on July 13, 1993, and features New York City rappers Das EFX. It topped both the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap charts while also reaching number 20 on the Hot 100 chart. The song retains two main versions, the original and a remix which utilizes the same beat as Grandmaster Flash's "The Message", titled "Check Yo Self ". The original mix includes a sample from the intro of the Beastie Boys' track "The New Style", which uses the phrase "check it" throughout the chorus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What's My Name? (Snoop Doggy Dogg song)</span> 1993 single by Snoop Doggy Dogg

"Who Am I? " is the debut solo single by American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg, released on November 11, 1993, as the debut single from his first album, Doggystyle (1993), with the record labels Death Row and Interscope Records. The song, produced by Dr. Dre, features samples and interpolations from George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" in its chorus and throughout, the bass line from Funkadelic's Knee Deep and an interpolation from Parliament's "Give Up the Funk " in its bridge. The song's intro contains a sample from the Counts' "Pack of Lies." A vocal sample from Parliament's "P. Funk " can be heard throughout.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Next Episode</span> 2000 single by Dr. Dre

"The Next Episode" is a single by American rapper-producer Dr. Dre, released in 2000 as the third single from his second studio album, 2001 (1999). The track features Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, and Nate Dogg, but only Snoop Dogg is credited. It is a sequel to Dre and Snoop's famous single "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" from the former's debut album, The Chronic.

<i>Funk Upon a Rhyme</i> 1994 studio album by Kokane

Funk Upon a Rhyme is the sophomore studio album by American recording artist Kokane. It was released in 1994 through Ruthless Records with distribution by Relativity Records. Recording sessions took place at the Edge Studio and Echo Sound in Los Angeles, California. Production was handled by Cold 187um with executive production by Eazy-E. The album features contributions from Janine, Nicki and Tha New Funkateers on background vocals, Cold 187 um on keyboards and vocals, Mike Smooth on guitar and keyboards, Mike "Crazy Neck" Sims on guitar, with guest appearances from Dirty Red, Tha Alkaholiks, Black Hole Of Watts, and Above The Law.

<i>Lets Get It Started</i> (album) 1988 studio album by M.C. Hammer

Let's Get It Started is the second studio album, and first major-label debut, by American rapper MC Hammer. It was released via Capitol Records and EMI Records on September 28, 1988. The album was produced by Hammer and Felton Pilate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">That's That</span> 2006 single by Snoop Dogg

"That's That" is the second single by Snoop Dogg from the album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment. The song was the first single taken from the album in the United Kingdom, however the single only achieved notable success in the U.S., where it reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song samples the melody played in the 1988 film Coming to America during the bathroom scene when Eddie Murphy gets washed by female servants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Wanna Rock (Snoop Dogg song)</span>

"I Wanna Rock" is the third official single from American rapper, Snoop Dogg's tenth studio album, Malice n Wonderland. It was released digitally on iTunes on November 17, 2009, after the second single "That's Tha Homie". The song was produced by Scoop DeVille and mixed by Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg released it on a mixtape titled "I Wanna Rock" on November 23. The song was confirmed by BBC Radio 1 to be released in the UK on March 15, 2010 but is now listed as "Coming Soon".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Undercova Funk (Give Up the Funk)</span> 2002 single by Snoop Dogg featuring Mr. Kane, Bootsy Collins, Quaze and Fred Wesley

"Undercova Funk (Give Up the Funk)" is a song by American rapper Snoop Dogg featuring Mr. Kane, Bootsy Collins, Quaze and Fred Wesley. It was released in May 2002 as the single for the soundtrack to the 2002 film Undercover Brother on the record label Hollywood Records. The song samples "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)" by Parliament, which Bootsy Collins was a part of. The music video was directed by Gregory Dark and features Eddie Griffin, Denise Richards, and Aunjanue Ellis, all of whom appear in the film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snoop Dogg (What's My Name Pt. 2)</span> 2000 single by Snoop Dogg

"Snoop Dogg (What's My Name II)" is the follow-up for one of the first singles released by rapper Snoop Dogg, "Who Am I? (What's My Name?)." It was also the only CD single released from his fifth album, Tha Last Meal. The music video is directed by Chris Robinson. It was produced by Timbaland and briefly features Dr. Dre, who is sat on a couch portrayed as a pimp with Snoop Dogg. Nate Dogg and Lady of Rage provide vocals in the chorus.

References

  1. Big Gigantic (September 20, 2016). "The 30 Best Funk Songs Ever". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  2. RIAA Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - Parliament Singles Archived 2012-07-13 at archive.today , Retrieved 2009-07-16
  3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 450.