Flash Light (song)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"Flash Light"
Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome
B-side"Swing Down Sweet Chariot"
ReleasedJanuary 28, 1978
Recorded1977
GenreFunk[1]
Length10:42 (extended 12" version)

5:46 (album version)

4:28 (single version)
LabelCasablanca NB 909
Songwriter(s)George Clinton/Bootsy Collins/Bernie Worrell
Producer(s)George Clinton
Parliament singles chronology
"Bop Gun (Endangered Species)"
(1977)
"Flash Light"
(1978)
"Funkentelechy"
(1978)

"Flash Light" is a song by

P-Funk groups and spent four months on the U.S. pop chart, peaking at No. 1 16.[3][2]

"Flash Light" (also called "Flashlight") is the final song on Parliament’s 1977 album Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome. The song finishes the album’s story of the group’s quest to defeat the evil Sir Nose d'Voidoffunk, coercing him to dance.

The track became Parliament's second certified million-selling single, following "

Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)".[4] "Flash Light" also gave Casablanca Records its first No. 1 R&B hit. In New Zealand, the song reached #3[5] and is ranked as the No. 8 hit of 1978.[5] "Flash Light" also charted in Canada (No. 24) and reached No. 3 on WLS-AM in Chicago.[6]

Background

The song's distinctive bass line is often attributed to

chromatic line with a meaty tone and a certain swagger, an approach that would spread through funk, new wave, electro, synth-pop and countless other iterations."[8]

Collins contributed to the track by handling drum duties while his elder brother

bar mitzvah party that Clinton had heard from a friend.[9]

Impact and legacy

"Flash Light" continued the

500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[2] The song was sampled by Salt-N-Pepa in their 1986 hit "I'll Take Your Man", and in 2018 by the City Girls for their version of the song. Hip-hop group Digital Underground sampled the song for their hit "Doowutchyalike
".

In popular culture

Clinton recorded a duet version of the song called "Flashlight (Spaceflight)" for the 1999 film Muppets from Space along with Bill Barretta as Pepe the King Prawn.[13]

The song was used in the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 credits, and was included in the film's soundtrack.[14]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1978) Peak
position
US Hot Soul Singles (Billboard)[15] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[16] 16

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[17] Gold 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Big Gigantic (September 20, 2016). "The 30 Best Funk Songs Ever". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c (April 7, 2011). "500 Greatest Songs of All Time", Rolling Stone. Retrieved on September 29, 2016.
  3. ^ Parliament Gold & Platinum albums and singles. RIAA Gold & Platinum database. Retrieved on September 29, 2016.
  4. ^ a b "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". THE OFFICIAL NZ MUSIC CHART.
  5. ^ "WLS Musicradio 89". Oldiesloon.com. 1978-05-20. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  6. ^ Pareles, Jon. (November 1, 2010) "Honoring the Moment When Music Met Moog," The New York Times. Retrieved on September 29, 2016.
  7. ^ Pareles, Jon. (June 24, 2016) "Bernie Worrell, Whose Keyboards Left an Imprint on Funk and Hip-Hop, Dies at 72", The New York Times. Retrieved on October 4, 2016.
  8. . (from original interview with George Clinton entitled, "Brother From Another Planet", (November, 1993)
  9. ^ Deggans, Eric (June 25, 2016). "Bernie Worrell: The Most Influential Keyboardist You've Probably Never Heard Of," NPR All Things Considered. Retrieved on October 4, 2016.
  10. ^ Avery, Justin (February 20, 2013). "Top 5 Most Sampled George Clinton Songs", Houston Press. Retrieved on October 4, 2016.
  11. ^ Rosen, Jody and Kelman, Ari Y. (December 21, 2010)."Song of Songs – 100 Best Jewish Songs," Tablet. Retrieved on October 5, 2016
  12. ^ "Muppets from Space (1999)". IMDb.
  13. ^ "New 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Clip: Rocket, Quill Fight Over Controls During Space Battle (Video)". www.thewrap.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-12.
  14. ^ "Parliament Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  15. ^ "Parliament Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  16. ^ "American single certifications – Parliament – Flash Light". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links