Funkytown Explained

Funkytown
Type:	Single
Artist:	Lipps Inc.
Album:	Mouth to Mouth
B-Side:	All Night Dancing
Released:	March 11, 1980^[1]
Studio:	Sound 80 (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Genre:	Minneapolis sound^[2] disco^[3] funk^[4] synth-pop^[5]
Length:	7:50 (album version) 3:59 (single version)
Label:	Casablanca
Producer:	Steven Greenberg
Prev Title:	Rock It
Prev Year:	1979
Next Title:	How Long
Next Year:	1980

"Funkytown" is a song by American disco-funk group Lipps Inc., written and produced by Steven Greenberg and released by Casablanca Records in March 1980 as the second single from the group's 1979 debut studio album Mouth to Mouth.

The track was met with immediate commercial success, reaching number one on various record charts in different countries including Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Israel, New Zealand, Spain, the United States and West Germany. It quickly became the group's signature song, selling over eight million copies worldwide and becoming their most successful song.^[6]

Composition and lyrics

Sung by lead vocalist Cynthia Johnson, the tune features the narrator pining for a metaphorical place that will "keep me movin', keep me groovin' with some energy", while Lipps Inc. members were dreaming of relocating from Minneapolis to New York City.^[7] Sheet music for the song is in the key of C major.^[8]

Chart performance

In the United States, "Funkytown" entered the Billboard Hot 100 on March 29, 1980 and spent four weeks at number one, from May 31 to June 21, 1980. It also topped the Disco Top 60 chart for four non-consecutive weeks and peaked at number two on the Hot Soul Singles chart for four weeks also, from May 24 to June 21, 1980.^[9] "Funkytown" was first certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on May 23, 1980 and later Platinum on July 17, 1980. Billboard magazine ranked the song as the eighth most popular single of 1980. It is Lipps Inc.'s only US Top 40 hit single.

Elsewhere, "Funkytown" was a number-one hit in countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and West Germany, and peaked at number two in Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Music videos

"Funkytown" has at least two music videos. In one, an unidentified black woman lip synching Johnson's vocals dances with some women in a pub. In another video, Doris D, who fronted Lipps Inc. in the Netherlands and West Germany, dances while lip synching the vocals.^[10] Johnson's website claims that the singer "was never asked to perform a video of 'Funkytown".^[11]

Legacy and impact

In 1997, DJ John Acquaviva listed "Funkytown" with his top ten tracks, saying "It's always been one of my favorite songs. It's got an amazing bassline that sounds great on a good system and people love it. Some people in Germany I know are reissuing it."^[12] In 2009, VH1 ranked the song at number 37 on its list of the "100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 1980s".^[13] In 2018, Time Out ranked it at number 44 on its list of "The 100 best party songs".

In 2007, Ubisoft remade this song for the game Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 covered by Franck Chapelat.

In 2018, ThoughtCo. ranked the song at number seven on its list of the "25 Best Dance Pop Songs of All Time".^[14]

Track listing and formats

All tracks were written and produced by Steven Greenberg.

US 7-inch vinyl single (810 326-7)

A1. "Funkytown" – 3:57

B1. "All Night Dancing" – 3:09

Australian 12-inch vinyl single (6198 342)

A1. "Funkytown" – 7:46

B1. "All Night Dancing" – 8:18

Mexican 12-inch vinyl single (3027)

A1. "Funkytown" (Super Disco version) – 12:43

B1. "All Night Dancing" – 3:09

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
Argentina (Prensario)^[15]	9
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[16]	1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[17]	1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[18]	2
France (IFOP)^[19]	1
Italy (Musica e dischi)^[20]	5
South Africa (Springbok Radio)^[21]	5
Spain (Promusicae)^[22]	1
US Billboard Hot 100^[23]	1
US Disco Top 60 (Billboard) (with "All Night Dancing")	1
US Hot Soul Singles (Billboard)	2
US Cash Box Top 100^[24]	1
US Record World^[25]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1980)	Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)	9
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[26]	4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[27]	3
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[28]	14
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[29]	5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[30]	10
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[31]	7
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[32]	2
US Billboard Hot 100^[33]	8
US Cash Box Top 100^[34]	10

Pseudo Echo version

Funkytown
Cover:	Funkytown Pseudo Echo.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Pseudo Echo
Album:	Love an Adventure
B-Side:	Lies Are Nothing
Released:	^[35]
Length:	4:54 (Australian single version/video mix) 3:40 (single version) 6:35 (Australian album version/dance mix)
Producer:	Brian Canham
Prev Title:	Try
Prev Year:	1986
Next Title:	Take On the World
Next Year:	1987

In 1986, "Funkytown" was covered by Australian new wave band Pseudo Echo in rock form, including a guitar solo in the middle. It reached number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 and spent seven weeks at number one in Australia and six weeks at number one in New Zealand. Like the original song by Lipps Inc., Pseudo Echo's version of the track is the band's only US Top 40 hit single.

Track listing and formats

US 7-inch vinyl single (EMI 1883)

A1. "Funkytown" – 3:40

B1. "Lies Are Nothing" – 3:58

12-inch vinyl maxi single (ED 237) / (RCA 5217–7)

A1. "Funkytown" (Dance Mix) – 6:32

B1. "Funkytown" – 3:40

B2. "Lies Are Nothing" – 3:58

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1986–1987)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)^[36]	2
US Billboard Hot 100^[37]	6
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)	4
US Dance/Electronic Singles Sales (Billboard)	1
US Cash Box Top 100^[38]	12

Year-end charts

Chart (1987)	Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)	19
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[40]	17
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[41]	1
US Billboard Hot 100^[42]	99
US Dance/Electronic Singles Sales (Billboard)^[43]	37

Certifications and sales

See also

• List of one-hit wonders in the United States
• List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1980s
• Lists of number-one singles (Austria)
• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1980
• List of number-one dance singles of 1980 (U.S.)
• List of Cash Box Top 100 number-one singles of 1980
• List of number-one singles of 1980 (Canada)
• List of number-one singles of 1987 (Canada)
• List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1980
• List of European number-one hits of 1980
• List of number-one singles of 1980 (France)
• List of number-one hits of 1980 (Germany)
• List of number-one singles from the 1980s (New Zealand)
• List of number-one songs in Norway
• List of number-one singles of the 1980s (Switzerland)

Notes and References

1. Book: Nite, Norm N. . Norm N. Nite . 1985 . Rock On: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock n' Roll : The Video Revolution, 1978-present . 189 . . 978-0-06-181644-4.
2. Billboard Staff. The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List. . October 19, 2023. February 11, 2024. The Minneapolis Sound jam that makes moving to another city sound about 10000x more fun than it is in practice, and proof that disco didn’t go the way of the dodo as soon as the calendar turned to 1980..
3. Web site: Steve . Huey . Lipps, Inc. – Artist Biography . . June 26, 2013 .
4. Book: Peter . Pickow . Amy . Appleby . 1988 . The Billboard Book of Song Writing . Billboard Publications . 146.
5. Web site: Tom . Breihan . The Number Ones: Lipps, Inc.'s "Funkytown". . March 25, 2020 . ...but it does bridge eras in a similar way, connecting the dying embers of disco to the bleepy synthpop that was still taking shape in 1980... yet the song’s chilly sparseness...look[s] forward into the coming synthpop explosion of the ’80s.. July 15, 2023.
6. New Design . . September 20, 1980 . 92 . 38 . 4 . 0006-2510 .
7. News: Andrea . Swensson . 50 cool facts about the Minnesota music scene . . September 22, 2011 . July 28, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150710075808/http://www.citypages.com/music/50-cool-facts-about-the-minnesota-music-scene-6653411 . July 10, 2015.
8. Web site: Funkytown by Lipps Inc. – Digital Sheet Music . Musicnotes.com . 20 October 2008 . 3 June 2021 .
9. Web site: The Billboard Hot R&B Singles: Week of May 24, 1980 . Billboard . May 16, 2017 . March 30, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180330051220/https://www.billboard.com/charts/r-b-hip-hop-songs/1980-05-24 . live.
10. Web site: Tom . Breihan . The Number Ones: Lipps, Inc.'s "Funkytown" . . March 25, 2020 . September 7, 2020 . September 10, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200910124640/https://www.stereogum.com/2077732/the-number-ones-lipps-inc-s-funkytown/franchises/columns/the-number-ones/ . live.
11. Web site: Stay Tuned for Cynthia's Book, From Funkytown to Higher Ground . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20210225133731/http://cynthiajohnson.net/bio . February 25, 2021 . March 17, 2021 . Cynthiajohnson.net.
12. Jock On His Box. Music Week, in RM (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). November 15, 1997. 4. September 20, 2022.
13. Web site: Rahsheeda . Ali . 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s . . May 2, 2013 . October 8, 2018 . July 30, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170730134511/http://www.vh1.com/news/1243/100-greatest-one-hit-wonders-of-the-80s/.
14. Web site: Bill . Lamb . 25 Best Dance Pop Songs of All Time . . May 1, 2018 . October 6, 2018 . live . October 6, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181006075519/https://www.thoughtco.com/best-dance-pop-songs-4147273.
15. Argentina - Top 45s. Cash Box. 42 (scroll to page 268). 5 July 1980. 12 May 2024.
16. Book: Kent, David . David Kent (historian) . 1993 . . illustrated . Australian Chart Book . . 0-646-11917-6. n.b. The Kent Report chart was licensed by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) from mid-1983 until 19 June 1988.
17. Web site: UK, Eurochart, Billboard & Cashbox No.1 Hits . MusicSeek.info . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060614052109/http://musicseek.info/no1hits/1980.htm . June 14, 2006.
18. Book: Pennanen, Timo. Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021. 2021. Lipps Inc.. 149. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. Helsinki. July 2, 2022. fi.
19. Web site: Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 80's . InfoDisc . May 16, 2016 . live . April 23, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160423100000/http://www.infodisc.fr/Chanson_Number1_80.php . fr.
20. Web site: Classifiche . . it . June 5, 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Funky town" in the "Titolo" field and press "cerca".
21. Web site: South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969–1989 Acts (L) . Rock.co.za . July 28, 2013 . live . April 26, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110426161312/http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_%28L%29.html.
22. Book: Salaverri, Fernando . September 2005 . Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 . 1st . Fundación Autor-SGAE . Spain . 84-8048-639-2 . es.
23. Web site: Lipps Inc. – Awards . . May 31, 2013 . dead . May 1, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130501000332/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lipps-inc-mn0000243932/awards.
24. CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MAY 31, 1980 . . September 15, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120915070855/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19800531.html . July 10, 2014 . dead .
25. Record World Singles . . May 31, 1980 . 25 . 0034-1622 . September 23, 2017 .
26. Web site: Jahreshitparade 1980 . Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien . July 10, 2014 . live . October 14, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131014174716/http://www.austriancharts.at/1980_single.asp . de.
27. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1980 . Ultratop. Hung Medien . July 10, 2014 . live . March 21, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190321100333/https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1980 . nl.
28. Web site: RPM Top 100 of 1980 - December 20, 1980.
29. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1980 . . July 10, 2014 . live . March 30, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190330120825/https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1980 . nl.
30. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 1980 . Single Top 100. Hung Medien . July 10, 2014 . live . March 24, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190324103121/https://www.dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1980&cat=s . nl.
31. Web site: End of Year Charts 1979 . Recorded Music New Zealand . May 16, 2016 . live . August 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180824034312/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/?chart=3869.
32. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1980 . Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien . July 10, 2014 . live . July 29, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100729114343/http://hitparade.ch/year.asp?key=1980 . de.
33. Web site: Top 100 Hits for 1980 . The Longbored Surfer . July 10, 2014 . live . August 4, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140804122754/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts/1980.
34. The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1980 . . September 15, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120915071244/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1980YESP.html . July 10, 2014 . dead .
35. Web site: Singles: New Releases . 644 . November 17, 1986 . . . December 3, 2019 . live . December 19, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211219090045/https://imgur.com/NhK5UOd.
36. Web site: South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969–1989 Acts (P) . Rock.co.za . July 28, 2013 . live . August 11, 2003 . https://web.archive.org/web/20030811074221/http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(P).html.
37. Web site: Pseudo Echo – Awards . . May 31, 2013 . dead . December 19, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211219090046/https://www.allmusic.com/search/artists/pseudo+echo.
38. CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JULY 11, 1987 . . October 6, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121006043446/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19870711.html . July 10, 2014 . dead .
39. National Top 100 Singles for 1986. Kent Music Report. 650. December 1986. Imgur. 24 January 2023.
40. Top 100 Singles of '87 . . 47 . 12 . December 26, 1987 . May 16, 2016 . live . September 18, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160918125233/http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.0920&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.0920.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.0920.
41. Web site: End of Year Charts 1987 . Recorded Music New Zealand . May 16, 2016 . live . February 10, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150210184811/http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/?chart=3876.
42. Web site: Top 100 Hits for 1987 . The Longbored Surfer . July 10, 2014 . live . June 13, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140613093946/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts/1987.
43. Top Dance Sales 12-inch Singles . Billboard . December 26, 1987 . 99 . 52 . Y-30 . 0006-2510 .
44. Web site: Top 20 Hit Singles of 1988 . Rock.co.za . May 1, 2019 . live . April 4, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180404191808/http://www.rock.co.za/files/sahits_1988.html.