Funkadelic
hey friends,
my golden birthday is tomorrow (7/29). i figured we’d celebrate the occasion together by revisiting an album released in July. today, we’re listening to Funkadelic’s Standing on the Verge of Getting it On. this album made its debut on July 10, 1974.
while researching, i noticed that many of Funkadelic’s albums were released in July. not sure if this was by happenstance, or if it’s related to the band’s ringleader George Clinton being born in July himself (on the 22nd to be exact).
my vinyl copy is a rare first pressing that i picked up at Kudzu Antiques in Decatur, GA for $20 — you can note the difference in the spelling of “Red Hot Momma” on the album’s track list, compared to the way “Mama” is spelled on streaming.
this album is full of the standard funk fare that one should expect from the Parliament-Funkadelic discography. it’s a heady, psych rock adventure that’s just under 40 minutes long. the heavy reliance on guitar and the far out lyrics make this a fun listen. however, i did find “Jimmy Got A Little Bit of Bitch in Him” a bit cringe, which is bound to happen if you approach older art with a modern context and worldview.
overall, i’m glad i stumbled upon this album when i did. in my collection, i also have a Funkadelic tee with the album art for Maggot Brain. you can see it featured in the TikTok vid below.
i’d also recommend watching the documentary Tear the Roof Off: The Untold Story of Parliament Funkadelic for deeper insight into the musical collective’s journey. thankfully, it doesn’t attempt to sanitize the band’s troubled history — which would be antithetical to the funkiness of it all anyway. one of my favorite parts is how they highlight the unsung women who were involved in the group’s success. check it out on Tubi or Freevee!
that’s all i’ve got for you today.1 i’ll be back next week with the end of the month playlist <3
well, actually here’s a reminder to play Beyoncé’s Renaissance this weekend on its 1 year anniversary. but for real, that’s all for now!