Mothership Connection
Parliament
1975
Album Summary
Mothership Connection is the fourth album by American funk band Parliament, released on December 15, 1975 on Casablanca Records. This concept album is often rated among the best Parliament-Funkadelic releases, and was the first to feature horn players Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley, who had previously backed James Brown in the J.B.'s. Mothership Connection became Parliament's first album to be certified gold and later platinum. The Library of Congress added the album to the National Recording Registry in 2011, declaring "The album has had an enormous influence on jazz, rock and dance music."
WikipediaI was not ready for these levels of Funk. My Funkometer EXPLODED and I got Funk particles (Funkocules) all over my room.
This album! I think a person either has to be not into funk music at all or just dull as dishwater to not like this album. It is 38 and a half minutes of pure fun from start to finish. Blasting this in the car yesterday turned a normally frustrating traffic-filled drive into a joyous trip where the usual bad drivers around me couldn't even remotely get under my skin. THAT is the power of funk!
Funk just does something to me that no other genre can do. 15 seconds in and my erection was bursting out of my shorts. 2 minutes in and I was wanking at such a rate that I thought I was going to catch fire. By the end of the album I was broken, crying with happiness, exhausted, delirious and totally overwhelmed. 5 stars and a raging boner for this one. Amen brother!
A story problem: If a Parliament record averages 100bpm, and has a runtime of 38 minutes, how many involuntary head bobs will the listener experience? (The answer is 7600, because you'll listen to the whole thing twice). My personal enjoyment: 4.5/5 Did it belong on this list: 5/5
Incredible album. It feels like the music is unfolding in real time not necessarily as a live show, but as an all encompassing experience. George Clinton's futuristic vision is pervasive and engaging. The personnel on this album are the very best at what they do. This might be the definitive funk album.
Extraordinary, extraterrestrial, talented musicians (the drums are particularly superb) play toe-tapping funk jams with a unique style and swagger. Ingenious.
George Clinton makes a type of funk that is explicitly a character of the genre. It is exaggerated compared to the likes of Curtis Mayfield and Sly & The Family Stone. Parliament brings phatter beats, wonkier bass, and an explosive personality to the vocals. It's so good! Of course, we have to pay respect to Bootsy Collins in the band for bringing awesome bass skills to this funk. This carries over from his significant work with James Brown, making for a truly funky sound. Also worth noting Bernie Worrell's work on the synthesizers, who would go on to work with the Talking Heads on Speaking in Tongues and live album Stop Making Sense. Clearly, a star-studded lineup coming together brought together to just record some fun songs. And they are great! Okay that's it. Go listen :)
Fun, fun, fun (or should I say funk, funk, funk?). The only track I disliked was "Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples" because there was some weird deep warbling synthesizer sound that was making my stomach twist. Aside from that, this was just freakin' fun to listen to, particularly Mothership Connection (Star Child), which I've heard sampled a ton ("Swing down sweet chariot, stop, let me ride"), and of course Give Up the Funk which is an awesome classic. Favorite line of the album: "Can you imagine Doobie in your funk?"
Incredible. Very rarely can an album be all over the place yet thematically consistent. As for this listener, whether one pays attention or not, Mothership Connection and its tractor-beam appeal invokes the sort of positive indifference that may in fact resemble a perfect album. Fun, energetic, yet brilliantly executed, there is just something about this record that balances tongue-in-cheek silliness along with intelligent blink-and-you-miss-it profundities.
i am positively blown away! i wish i could have experienced how groundbreaking this album was in 1975. this album takes you on a delightful journey, starting with introductions in "p-funk". i can't get over how many genres and instruments they crammed into seven songs. the amount of fun contained in this album... i just had so much fun listening, and i listened to this album a lot today. i can't wait to listen to it again. let us also take a moment to appreciate this absolutely funkadelic album cover. it is so seventies but i don't care. love those platform wedges.
Funktastic voyage for sure. I now get why George Clinton is an oft-cited musical influence. I can hear everything from the Commodores to Bruno Mars in this album. A little too decadent at times but some cool stuff. I found myself laughing at the storyline and personas within P-Funk (like listening to the Ladies Man narrate a song). Sometimes that got annoying later in the album. The underlying beats on both Mothership Connection and Unfunky UFO were super cool. Sometimes it felt like the album blended together too much, but I wonder if he/they were going for seamless.
Yes a great album. Fun. Skillfully played. Non pretentious. Relentlessly groovy. There's just not a single misstep. Totally cool album. 5 stars
Always been a huge fan of Give Up the Funk, what an epic TUNE! So nice to hear the whole album, it's wall to wall bangers. Really enjoyed listening today! I'm sure this album had a huge influence on a few different areas of music, I could hear this in a lot of dance music. It's such good vibes. I love that they were trying to shock people by "putting Black people in outer space" it's a great statement but sad that this was considered shocking at the time.
Now this is the definition of funk. If you're not movin' and groovin' to this album, your pulse should be checked. Apparently based on Geoge Clinton's vision of the future where black astronauts interact with alien worlds. The names of some of these songs alone make this album great: "Supergroovalisticprosifunstication", " Night of the Thumpasorous Peoples." The Library of Congress added this album to the National Recording Registry for its enormous influence on jazz, rock and dance music. Just in the short time that I've been doing this 1001 challenge, I've heard the influence of Parliament and particularly this album in every hip-hop/rap album that I've listened to. Not only there, a few of these songs reminded me of the late 70's/early 80's Talking Heads. Not to mention the soon-to-be disco era. I'm sure I'll hear it in other areas as I go along. For me, it's Bootsy Collin's bass which really lays the groovy and funky foundation for Parliament songs. But, there is a lot more going here on with horns, keyboards, synthesizers, multiple singers and psychedelic, jazzy-sounding guitars. Of particular note, are the synthesizers/keyboards which add weird sounds, noises and a backdrop which definitely solidifies the whole outer space album concept. Not a bad song here. 7 altogether. To me, some of them stray into jam band territory with their extended jams. The album also has their most recognizable song "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)." This was a lot of fun.
A few weeks ago, I heard Funkadelic’s “One Nation Under a Groove” and thought it was one of the best parties captured on record. It turns out that George Clinton wasn’t even matching his own efforts from three years earlier. “Mothership Connection” is a rip-roaring, all-singing, all-dancing and by all accounts seminal album in the evolution of funk. I’m ashamed of not having heard it until now, but I’m making up for lost time by repeating it again… and again. The best party tracks are the most famous: “P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)” and “Give Up The Funk” are both so impeccably put together. I’d heard much of the music across the record sampled in Dr Dre’s “The Chronic” (where they were the highlights) so it was a great experience hearing them all in full. The sci-fi overtones are brought in throughout as a campy way without ever feeling trite or forced. There’s just the right amount of synth lines in the mix without letting it feel too dated or kitsch, and the rest is just pure horny goodness… In “Unfunky UFO”, the band channel Sky and the Family Stone with a slightly harder-edged riff, and a delectable “yeah yeah yeah” refrain beaming its way down the minor scale. “Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples” closes on an amazing nonsense singalong refrain. Even “Handcuffs”, bearing perhaps the most questionable lyrical content, has a killer accompaniment which it’s near-impossible not to enjoy. If you aren’t bopping along, you’ve been funked all the way into a black hole. It’s early days but each time I’ve listened to this album, it’s been impossible not to be grinning away, with the sense of experiencing a true classic.
If you’re not rating this 5 stars…what are you even doing with your life?
Kalle: 1. Paska joo vittu meta biisi 2. Damn töi loppuosa tää alkaa olla iha decent 3. Vktuttaa ei enää vktuta tää genre En jaksa rate jokainen biisi mutta toi Night of the thumpasorus peoples hauska toi lead instrumentti 3:14 miten sitä voi seurata ilman seuraamatta mitään muuta, koska se kaikkimmuu on soinut kokoajan samana The Bumps Bump siisti moni instrumenttinen alku Handcuffs Best lyrics
I really dislike funk but parliament are undeniably good at making it. It’s repetitive and there’s all this chat in the songs. It’s a great example of a classic from my second least favourite genre. I danced a bit during the first track, despite myself.
We want the funk. Give up the funk. Best track: Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)
Phenomenal album from start to finish. Opening track is high energy and it doesn't let you all album. Great grooves, basslines, arrangements. Killer album.
Is it possible to not have a good time listening to this album? Nonstop groovin’ from start to finish and it’s infectious. Favorite track(s): “Unfunky UFO” and “Give Up the Funk”
Mocny pretendent do obecnie najczarniejszego albumiku listy, czyli koncepcyjny albumik o kosmicznych murzynach, wyglada na ciekawy pomysl, a brzmi jeszcze lepiej biarac pod uwage kto jest za niego odpowiedzialny, bo parliamentowa banda, a raczej funkodelicowo-parliamentowa to superband na miare mozliwosci kulturowych post nixonowskich murzynskich gett lat 70, wiec tak jak dawniej byly bandy jazzowe ktore graly w 40 osob jak u mingusa, tak przyszla pora na przenesienie tej skali do swiata funkowego rocka, nie bede sie rozpisywal na temat murzynow kosmicznych, bo jest to tylko niewielka czesc uniwersum zbudowanego na przestrzeni albumikow bandy, na co trzeba zwrocic uwage to minimalizm jesli chodzi o overdubing, to jest zywa muzyka taka jaka by moglaby byc grana live stad takie potezne rozmaiary bandowe, ludzie do klaskania, tupania oraz operowania instrumentalami i syntezatorem klawiszowym jak przysstalo na funk, ale nie jest to syntezator w twoja twarz jak to zazwyczja bywa, mastermindem ktory takze udzielal sie wokalnie byl George Clinton funkowa wersja Mingusa wymieszanego z Sun Ra, nie chodzi mi tylko o kosmiczne koncepty, ale o to jak muzyka jest zywa, jak kazde dobre dzielo artystyczne albumik byl inspoiracja dla kolejnych murzynskich wieszczy lat 90, gdzie sample z niego mozemy znalesc po obu stronach USA, czy to u dr dree i snoopa lub wu tangow, malo jest materialow ktore mialy wplyw na instrumentalne brzmienie rapu lat 90, jesli musze wybrac cos na plejliste to wrzucane unfunky ufo oraz star childa, jesli nie mam juz tego na dodanego, ale plyta ma tylko 38 minut, wiec jesli odpala sie, to zazwyczaj cala plyta jest sluchana
5/5 - Having never listened to Parliament, this was excellent - I see why they are in the same vein as James Brown; a fun listen
Fantastic funk. Really made my day when I listened to this on my way to work
Impossible to listen to and not bob your head constantly. Absolute banger.
Just a fun, funky album. At least one of these songs I’ve played in the Ravens Band. Really refreshing to hear.
Great album. Listened to it three times already and will be listening to it a lot more!
Still waiting for We-Funk to give me back control of my radio, but I ain’t complaining. 10/10 a classic. Thank you Dr. Dre for keeping George Clinton and the P-Funkers funkin in everyone’s ear holes even after their hay day.
Outrageously funky (perhaps too much so for me at points- when that ultra low squelching synth whatever it is gets going in Thumpasaurus it feels like something drilling into my spine). Genius, anyway.
A classic, pure and simple. It is tight, fun, and packed with exploration, groove, and FUNK.
George Clinton and Bootsy Collins at their Phunky Interstellar best. A great album, this band are just so much FUN (Ky) they clearly love music for music sake. Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley are brilliant on this album. Love "P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)" and "Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication" Bootsy funky Bass a highlight throughout. This album justifiably on the list.
Oh man, this is five stars straight up. In my opinion the greatest funk album ever! Psychedelic, sci-fi and seriously funky.
Legendary. Also super influential for '90s west coast hip hop. No G-funk without P-funk.
A total journey from beginning to end. Also, unknowingly setting up the future of hip-hop music too.
This album is amazing. You can feel the band having fun while creating a masterpiece of funk music. Every band member contribution is worth noting.
This album shaped the funk genre and is the foundation for so much hip hop that would come out years later. So good.
I’m the last person to have the right to label something as cool, but this is cool. Enough funk to ricochet pension month around in the dance floor
Oh yeah getting funked up. I like the more psychedelic sound of Funkadelic a bit more but this Parliament album is there finest.
All phunked up and ready to funk :) does not get better - influenced everything that came after. makes everything better
Day 4: This album was amazing, I thought I was being too harsh with previous reviews but, an album or genre will just click. This deserves every right to be in must hear albums.
Classique pour moi, get funked up, starchild. Des souvenirs de jeunesse avec dr dre the chronic. Un 5 pour funkmaster legend georges clinton.