Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music | The Story Behind The Song | Top 2000 a gogo
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- Rob Parissi of Wild Cherry tells the story behind 'Play That Funky Music'. A short documentary by Top 2000 a gogo from 2015 (Dutch Public Television).
This guy has been cashing checks because of that song for over 40 years! Way to go!
That's what happens when you invest your windfall instead of spending it on hookers and blow.
@@nlx78 what's the story of Boney M?
@@nlx78 Absolutely. Mariah wrote that Xmas song, because unlike many other Pop/R&B divas she has been writing her own stuff since day 1. So, just imagine what she is cashing in not only for that song alone but for most of her entire catalog...
I ain't gonna hate. He lives out by the bay and drives a LATE MODEL corvette and is still married to his wife. Life is certainly good . I wish that was my life.
@Free Speech It is a good song!
That band looked like they were loving every second of it!
It definitely is one of the most iconic funky and catchy songs, ever created. I was about 8 when it came out and I easily gravitated to it because I couldn't believe what i was hearing. It was controversial at the time to hear the words "play that funky music WHITE BOY", but it was so damned cool and FUNKY, that we blacks just jumped onboard. Simply because we got it. We were never mad about. We loved it, because we all always said it anyways. LOL Whenever we heard blue eyed soul singers music. We welcomed it. AWB (Average White Band) was one of the most funky and soulful white bands ever and we loved them and embraced them, just like we did with Wild Cherry.
He must still own the publishing rights or he's just a good business man if he's still making money off one 40+ yr. old song. Props to him for not getting ripped off.
His name is on the record because he wrote it. That's usually good for at least 10% of each sale of it.
that song has been played, sampled and adapted into movies, video games and many recording artists have done covers(which if you are smart you make them pay a small bit for each time its played.) of this song. It also still gets air time on radio stations and every time he gets some of that cash. So yeah doubt he is hurting any.
@@jackwest3282 it's not about being smart there are copyright rules and when making a cover the people who wrote the music and lyrics get paid.
ASCAP royalties baby! Writers share and maybe publishers share as well.
Yes indeed, its the gift that keeps on giving.
This song is timeless! In 2005, I was doing disaster relief in MS. thru the ARC after Katrina hit. A friend wanted to go to a club at night to relax, & he wanted to sing for us. At the club, the DJ played, Play That Funky Music. We began to dance & next to me, was a very short & very heavy young black man. He was smiling & grooving, so I started dancing with him. As a small, petite white girl, I began to draw attention to us. I looked at the guy but he didn't care bout the onlookers, so I didn't either! We boogied to this song & I'll never forget the fun we had!
One of the biggest one hit wonders in history
One of the top 5..I STILL LOVE IT!!!
Together with Black Betty from Ram Jam
@@TheDreamtheaterlover Ah, Black Betty by Ram Jam or Spiderbait is a cover of Leadbelly's song from the 30's.
But that voice, the cool, the jive, the nuance! Pure gold!
Yes, and the guitar solos are pretty hot too.
This song will never get old
I remember very well when the song came out. It was definitely different and when we first began to hear it everyone thought they were Black. I was 23 and the Disco clubs were popping up everywhere then. Those days seem almost a blur now.
@@spaceghost8995 because he said in the interview black club goers were saying that to the band at the time...
@@spaceghost8995 lol, I am not sure if they are idiots....but you are absolutely right!
I always thought they were black too. I always imagined it as coming from the perspective of someone in a club hearing someone else shout out to a white DJ to "play that funky music". Though he says in the lyrics that he's a singer, it also says he decided to "check out the show." which I took to mean he was a spectator, not as it turns out a white singer they're calling too. Even watching this video my brain can not compute that that vocal is coming out of that person.
@@labyfan1313 - They all sound that way, listen again. I would think any really good singer could probably do that.
@jimmy baker ... *REALLY!* You actually thought they were black? I bet you thought The Bee Gees were black also! 🙄
I was fortunate enough to see Wild Cherry in person In May 1976. Believe it or not, they played at the 1976 Canon McMillan High School in Canons urg, PA. From the moment I heard them that night they became one of my all time favorite bands. They are so under-rated, it kills me that people call them one-hit wonders. I bought their albums and there are so many songs the could/should have been hits. Hold On, Closest thing to my Mind, Don’t go near the Water, Try a Piece of My Love. I could go on. Rob Parisi had such a unique voice. They were a great cover band also as I still can remember them playing Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” at prom.
That's what happens when you are the composer and get the publishing rights. One great hit song can feed you forever really well. Lesson to all artists that don't understand the "music" business. Ownership is everything.
Prince, James Brown and a lot of the older ones who understood the business was trying to tell the younger ones about ownership.
@@Bookfigures1 Prince. What a tragic loss to prescription drugs supplied by yes people.
@@Bookfigures1 Prince knew from a very young age what he wanted to do with his life and started getting educated about the music business as a teenager. He was also fortunate to have people at the jumping-off point of his career who believed in him and steered him in the right direction, getting him his publishing rights at the very beginning. He played that very well by writing and producing his own songs in countless numbers.
Whole career from one song. Yacht, chihuahuas, and retirement in Florida. Wow.
Nofrackingzone 2.0 same with Eagles :)
Dont forget the trophy wife! :P
@Nofrackingzone 2.0 - ......and garnered 2 Grammy Nominations also: Best New Artist and Best R&B Performance by a duo or a Group.
@@octavius8562 Agree! The Eagles had a ton of hits...can't even Wild Cherry to the Eagles.
@@luniquepierre4513 The Eagles were the ONE band our parents and all the kids could agree on when traveling together in the car.
I always wanted to play this song in cover bands I had been in but I couldn't get anyone else on board with it. I still think it's the best disco song of that era.
Agreed, but it's not really disco, it's funk.
And just how long did those cover bands last, Randy?
Not long would be my guess!
I was a freshman in college in '76 and I heard this song the first time at a frat party. Heard it thousands of times since.
I love the song because of the tongue and cheek lyrics.....hilarious and a great funk song too....tout pour plaire.
1976 and is still a big hit. You hear at Weddings now and everybody gets up to dance. Im sure he got royalties from Vanilla Ice when he used it for Play that funky music in 1990.
The guitar solo has always been one of my top two or three favorites of all time.
And that bass line! *SWOON!* (Yes, I was the girl who always dated the bass players.)
This song came from a diffrent planet, to raise the vibration of this planet
I love, " Play that Funky Music..White Boy!" Ever since it was played on the radio at work. We had the vibe..in our nursing home kitchen..making good food for our residents..Thank you! Always my A+ Song #1 ! So different. I liked this video! ❤ Laura from NH
My son is a very gifted musician and was involved in everything music in high school. He played the bass, bass clarinet, clarinet, tuba and barisax. I bought him a birthday card one year with this song in it. It kind of became his anthem!
Now that's the way to do it... one smash hit, & retire! Still a classic of the 70's.
Saw them live in 1976, they were touring with the Isley Brothers.
loose screws I did too !!
lol...thats a strange lineup for a show.
TelecasterGod not really, “ Play That Funky Music “ was one of the hottest R&B/Soul/funk songs , and they opened for one of the hottest R/B/Soul/Funk bands...
Shock true, but once it made the R/B Soul charts, which it did many times, it became an R&B/Soul/Funk record with heavy airplay on R/B-Soul radio stations . And the Isley Brothers played everything, R/B, Soul, Funk and Rock and later Hip Hop/ Soul ...
GREAT song...I was in high school (in Chicago) when it came out...Had quarter partys back then an that song was played at least 3 times a night...Also was in heavy rotation on the black radio stations...They were called Blue Eyed Soul music
Hall & Oates were the "original" Blue-Eyed Soul band, IMO. But there used to be quite a lot of blue-eyed soul music back in the 60's and 70s because soul, funk, disco, R&B and rock were all based on the same blues and jazz roots. It was by FAR, the BEST musical era in world history.
@@calichef1962 I believe that title belonged to Bobby Hatfield and Bill Medley...the Righteous Brothers...
This guy and
Sir Mix-A-Lot
(Baby Got Backs)
has to be the
happiest dudes
on the planet.
Both of them
are mega rich
30+ years later
off of one song.
@The SPIRITLIGHT Surround yourself with before you go off calling people names, learn to understand he wasn't comparing the 2 songs...he simply starsd that both Sir Mix A Lot and Robert Parissi have benefited in a huge financial way all because of just one mega hit...and because of it they'll be paid happily for the rest of their lives....has nothing to do with the style and class of music, this is about making sure you're getting duly paid for the work you put out to the public....
Sorry, but you come off sounding too woke for your own good...try taking a long nap before standing on your soapbox of self righteousness on attacking people for having their own opinions...at the end of the day, music is music, BOTH songs are timeless classics that still get people ON THE FLOOR and that's all there is to it...and I'll forever keep going there in the name of what I know and stand on....have yourself a wonderful day and be blessed and highly favoured in the name of the Almighty Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ...😎🤟
Might as well add Norman Greenbaum still raking it in from 'Spirit In The Sky'.
Best decade EVER!
YOUUUU BETCH YA 7 DEEZ BABY
Now you can imagine how good those musicians was, this band look like rock band, but they played funky too, impressive to me, 🇨🇺👍
This song will be played 100 years from now.
Wow. Now I know where he is now! Amazing what a song will do!
That song was recorded right up the road from me...at Suma Recording Studios on Vrooman Rd. in Painesville, Ohio. It's a house just off the freeway back in the woods...great recording quality!
@Pops Fereal YES! My neck of the woods!
Jack fm radio is still playing this song it brings back so many good memories..
Funkin brilliant
A song that will never, ever get old!
thanks for still playing in my home town
This song rocks the room. epic.
love that song rob thanks.
1 of the all times great👍
I think they boldly sneaked in "f**ckin' music" in a few spots.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought I heard that.
Oh...that would never happen!
I always thought he says it at the end.
Whether he did or not, WE sure did !
Yes, and easily replace 'white boy' with 'Right Bob!' :)
This song has an indelible etching in my memory, growing up 60s Richmond California Harry Ells high school, my brother and I are in PE, getting out of the showers this song is on the radio my brother with nothing but a towel is standing on top of 6' lockers breaking down to Play that Funky Music. It was a new release I new it was written for my brother. He has alot of Viking in his soul, he is one funky white boy a real good soul. Good story, songs are miricles.
70s Music !!!! The Best I ve Heard !!!!
I WANT TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY THATS PEACEFUL MIXED AND LOVING WITH MUSIC LIKE THIS AGAIN
Always loved this song...I'm in my mid 50s and still crank this up when I'm in my cars....
I just cranked that tune full blast a day or two ago!!!!! Sound of a generation
one of the best songs ever penned
I wish I had a dollar for every time I've danced to this song🎸🎶
Noone AnybodyKnows I wish I had a dollar for every time my band played this song. Oh wait. I did.
I remember when the song first came out. Young as I was (I was just a child in the 1970s), I already understood the difference between the "sounds" of popular music genres. I even understood that rock 'n' roll was different from the funky sound of disco. So when I first heard the song, the first two lines already cued me to expect the singer to sound "black" for the rest of the song, as was the practice for disco / funk at that time.
I always thought they were black! I remember when it came out and how much I liked that song. It wasn’t until a couple years after, I found out they were white. To this day, that song is on my iPhone play list. Classic!!
Assuming he's still benefitting from it, he must be grateful to all the singers and writers, Black and White, who before him got a raw deal and abused by greed and thank those who fought for new just contracts.
Man Wild Cherry had many good songs off this album. I am surprised "What in the Funk" never made it big.
I remember when it hit the radio. Loved it then.... but I also Loved it when they used this song In the Pentium advertisement back in the early 90s. Good to see life has treated them nicely! 🥰
The baritone sax in this song is so underrated!
Laughing all the way to the bank. It's a great funk song even now.
The whole album was very good electrified funk. they toured with the Isley brothers back in 1976 and I was there. Unfortunately disco went very big and the funk died in the late 70's.
@Shock You misunderstood me. Funk will always be around. I meant the recording industry pushed disco in the late seventies and killed the funk. there was a little funk in the early eighties, but Rap came on strong about that time then a little R&B, But that hard hittin' raw funk of the early to mid seventies pretty much was pushed aside.
Hell, it's even on the playlist at our high school baseball field!
This would make a great movie
FABULOUS SONG EVEN NOW...WILL LIVE FOREVER
Many swore lead singer was a black for the longest time! A worthy compliment!😊
I was 11 years old when that song came out and now I know what the words meant, what a great song!!
My favorite and sister's #1dance song of all time any time I wore out that album twice ❤️ Wild Cherry 🍒 Funky White Boys Forever 🎵🎶🎙️🎸🎼
Funny this just popped up on my YT feed. I just heard this song at dinner tonite on the Muzak, and I remarked, I wish I had a dollar for every time I've played this tune the last 40 years.
So happy for you!!
IT HURTS ME TO MY SOUL THAT I LOVE MUSIC LIKE THIS AND BAM BUFFALO !!!! COME ON MAN WE JUST WANNA PARTY AND BE AMERICANS AND DANCE AND BE PEACEFUL
Great Song!
I still love this song.
“Bleekscheet” is a great word.
Living the dream. Excellent.
Was always a fun one to sing & play
Great song.
I love a great comeback story
Still the greatest song.
That song is a groovy hip scene! You should have seen me buck dancin to this tune!
YAAAY!! Put this on & ALWAYS gets the party hoppin'!!!
Timeless boogie!
Damn great song!
Timeless Funk is still funky...
Great song, NEVER GETS OLD. That’s the things today that kids miss, when you hear Earth, Wind & Fire, The Eagles, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Maze, Average White Band, Zepplin, ELO, The Bar-Kay’s, etc, the songs stand the test of time. Today, not so much, total crap
Lol, it's really sad when somebody who doesn't listen to modern music pretends to have a valid opinion about it. Just enjoy your old stuff and shut the fuck up about modern music since you don't bother following it. There's good artists, but you don't have a clue because you just want to pretend it's all pop music. LMAO at your stupid ass.
@@jamescarter3196 I think you're the one living in the past. It is a fact that what you hear on the radio is mostly the product of computer algorithms. This is why it all sounds so similar. Western music theory is the fraternal twin of physics and with computer automation available in the last two decades, pop music is essentially no more than computer output performed by humans. See "Pop Music Automation" in Wikipedia. The part of melody generation and Markov Chains should be especially interesting. It is interesting to me since I study linear algebra.
One good song......and a the right contract.
I hadn’t ever heard of any musicians not only booking their own bands, sing/guitar, look and sound that good and not get ripped off...
What a cool, happy guy
This is a great story!
He's right. Had he listened to all those advising him, the record would have bombed.
He had vision. And good for him he became successful
Looks like he played that funky music All the way to the bank!
I was in high school at the time this was a big hit. It would have never been a hit without the lyrics “play that funky music white boy”. We had allot of racism back than, and all the black people loved that song because of that part. Sad but true. Another big hit at that time was “Black Magic Woman” by Santana, my black friends thought it was a tribute to black women. Not that it was about a “Black Magic” woman (a witch). I remember how I laughed about that misconception.
wow great story!
OMG a couple brothers dared them to play some funky music
🤣🤣
Yes it is still a major dance song at Weddings.
...oh...my...god...real...music...[flashback beginning...]...
Love those 70's afros
Jew-fro.
Die ondertiteling..doet me denken aan de 80's, toen deden ze dat nog wel eens bij nummers op tv..vreselijk haha!
This music is better than the crap on the radio
Still catchy today
when me released frum prison in sewer falls, sodak. i was bar photographer for the Mocomba club. Wolf man, and many ol faves did disco ball, light show with slides of customers//happy ones paid, or is made copies for regulars. i danced like travolta in white bell bottoms. thanx...
Pretty cool
wow...bravo!
it's such a brash bold in your face song and I'm not surprised it's still popular. I thought their song "Electrified Funk" was just as good.
Maybe the greatest one hit wonder ever
Bad ass song!
Seen you guys in Pittsburgh.
At LaStalla lounge.
The one time dad was glad to be wrong 😀
The first record i ever bought :)