I think this song is pure gold. It’s a P-Funk masterpiece, chock full of rhythm, and practically sweating funky dance-ability.
Bootsy Collins was one of the most significant figures of the P-Funk movement, probably second only to George Clinton, with whom he played in the Parliament-Funkadelic super-group.
Clinton actually co-produced the album, acting as a mentor (along with James Brown) to Bootsy.
The song is built on a solid foundation of an absolute world class bassline. The rhythm section as a whole is quite slow, with a stepping feel. The bassline and clap roll from one to another in a supremely smooth, jivey way.
As with many funk songs, there’s a host of other elements that drop in from time to time. The horns poke and prod rather than dominate, and the guitar riffs are mainly in the background.
Bootsy’s singing is offbeat and funny, in his particular style. It works perfectly on a song like this, which simmers rather than boils.
The song feels confident and moves with a swagger that foreshadows the later hip hop movement. The song was actually used for Eazy E’s song “We Want Eazy” in 1988, and the production is barely even touched.
The song was released on the seminal 1977 album of the same name, which is a stone cold classic and has received rave reviews.
Fantastic!