02/01/2026
THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
TODAY IS THE 72ND BIRTHDAY OF DAWN SILVA.
THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
26-Funkadelic-One Nation Under a Groove.
1978-Number 9 single.
Best Bit-At 1.04. Funkadelic had just finished playing a gig in Washington DC when two young girls approached George Clinton’s car and told him it was the best concert that they had ever seen, they said ‘It was like one nation under a groove.’ The girls in question were called LaTanya and Darlene, their names appear in the credits on Funkadelic’s critically acclaimed Album ‘One Nation Under a Groove.’
‘One Nation Under a Groove’ is also the title track of the 10th studio Album released by the American Funk/Rock band Funkadelic (see also best songs 340) in September 1978. The song was co-written by the bands members George Clinton, Walter Morrison, (1954-2017) and Garry Shider, (1953-2010) with the production credited to Clinton. George Clinton was born on July 22nd, 1941, in Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States, he is a pioneering figure in the genre of Funk Music. He will be best remembered for forming two bands concurrently, the Funk band ‘Parliament,’ (see also best songs 612 and 143) and the Funk/Rock band Funkadelic. The songs other two writers were Walter ‘Junie’ Morrison, who was born on June 28th, 1954, in Dayton, Ohio, United States, he died on January 21st, 2017, at the age of 62, his death was reported the following month, but the details remained private. Prior to joining ‘Parliament-Funkadelic’ in 1977, he had been a member of the ‘Ohio Players,’ (see also best songs 506) and after leaving them in 1974 he released the first three of his seven solo studio Albums. In total Morrison issued seven solo studio Albums between 1975-2004. Garry Marshall Shider was born on July 24th, 1953, in Plainfield, New Jersey, United States, he died from cancer of the brain and lungs on June 16th, 2010, at the age of 56. Shider who had known Clinton since his teenage years became an official member of the ‘Parliament-Funkadelic’ collective in 1971. In 1997 Morrison and Shider, and 15 other members of the group were inducted into ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.’
The discography of Funkadelic includes 13 studio Albums released between 1980-2014, and 25 singles issued between 1969-1981. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart,’One Nation Under a Groove’ was their only top 40 hit, when reaching Number 28, while in the UK, the song also remains their only charting single. In the guise as ‘Parliament’ many of the same musicians also played on the 10 studio Albums released under that name between 1970-2018, there were also 20 singles issued between 1971-2018. On Billboard two of those singles reached the top 20, while they never charted in the UK.
Having decided that ‘One Nation Under a Groove’ would make a great title for a song, George Clinton has explained how he came up with some of the songs other wonderful catchphrases.’So high you can’t get over it, so low you can’t get under it” was used by the Temptations in ‘Psychedelic Shack,’ but it actually goes back much earlier, to Gospel. I also took a catchphrase used by the Mantan Moreland chauffeur character in the Charlie Chan movies, when he was ready to run from the ghost: ‘Feet, don’t fail me now!’ And the line ‘Dance your way out of your constrictions,’ is about people’s hangups, you can deal with them by being grumpy, or with a smile.’
‘Here’s a chance to dance our way out of our constrictions. Gonna be groovin’ up and down hang up alley way, the groove our only guide, we shall all be moved, Feet don’t fail me now.’
THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
143-Parliament-Aqua Boogie ( (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop’)
1978-It has never charted in the UK.
Best Bit-At 0.38. If music is a universal language then ‘A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop’ is a bit hard to fathom.
In 1968 George Clinton formed two bands simultaneously due to contractual problems with his record label, they were the ‘Funk,’ ‘R&B,’ and ‘Psychedelic Soul’ orientated ‘Parliament,’ (see also best songs 612) and the more ‘Rock’ based ‘Funkadelic,’ (see also best songs 340 and 26) their sound was to become known as ‘P-Funk,’ achieving a large following. ‘Funkadelic’ were active between 1968-1982, and reformed again in 2014, while ‘Parliament’ were active from 1968-1970, and then again between 1974-1980, and then reformed again in 2018. In total there have been 41 different members come and go during those time periods.
‘Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop’) was the first of two singles released from Parliament’s seventh studio Album ‘Motor B***y Affair’ from 1978, and although only reaching Number 89 on America’s Billboard Hot 100, it did achieve four weeks at Number 1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart. The song was co-written by the band members George Clinton, Bootsy Collins (see also best songs 850-612-340 and 88) and Bernie Worrell, (1944-2016) who had also been a founding member of ‘Parliament-Funkadelic.’ The song and it's parent Album were produced by George Clinton.
Bernie Worrell (see also best songs 612-340 and 26) was born George Bernard Worrell, Jr. on April 19th, 1944, in Long Branch, New Jersey, United States, he died on June 24th, 2016, of liver, and lung cancer, at the age of 72. Bernie Worrell was considered a child musical prodigy, having begun formal piano lessons at the age of three, and had already written a concerto by the age of eight. One of his first musical collaborations was as a college student where he played with a group called ‘Chubby & The Turnpikes,’ which would eventually evolve into ‘Tavares’ (see also best songs 514.) When Parliament-Funkadelic went on hiatus in 1982, Worrell recorded and played live with the American Rock band ‘Talking Heads,’ (see also best songs 540) although he never became an official member. He also contributed to many more artists work, including the Funk band ‘Mtume,’ where he played keyboards on their 1983 Billboard R&B Number 1 song ‘Juicy Fruit.’ In 1997 along with 15 other members of Parliament-Funkadelic, he was inducted into the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.’ The discography of Bernie Worrell includes 14 Albums recorded under the Funkadelic banner, between 1970-2014, and 10 Albums with Parliament between 1970-1980, their have also been 14 solo Albums issued between 1978-2024.
Bootsy Collins (see also best songs 850-612-340 and 88) was born William Earl Collins on October 26th, 1951, in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, he is a singer, and songwriter, but is best known for playing the bass guitar. Collins has said that his mother nicknamed him 'Bootsy.' 'I asked her why,' he explained to a journalist, and she just said, 'Because you looked like a Bootsy.' I left it at that.' Prior to joining the 'Parliament-Funkadelic' collective along with his older brother Phelps 'Catfish' Collins, (1943-2010) and Philippé Wynne, (1941-1984) (see also best songs 340) and others, he formed a Funk band called 'The Pacemakers,' (no relation to Gerry and the Pacemakers, see also best songs 60) in 1968. In March 1970, after most of the members of James Brown's (1933-2006) (see also best songs 880-349-270 and 88) band had quit over a pay dispute, The Pacemakers were hired as Brown's backing band, and they became known as The J.B.'s. They are often referred to as the 'original' J.B.'s to distinguish them from later line ups that went by the same name. Bootsy Collins would stay with James Brown for the next 11 months, after playing bass on songs that included 'Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) S*x Machine' (1970) (see also best songs 88) and 'Soul Power,' (1971.) It was on the advice of the singer and future Parliament member Mallia Franklin (1952-2010) that Bootsy Collins joined 'Parliament-Funkadelic.' Franklin introduced both Collins brothers to George Clinton, and in 1972 the pair became group members. In 1976 Bootsy and his brother Catfish along with others formed 'Bootsy's Rubber Band,' a separate touring unit of Clinton's 'P-Funk' collective. As 'Bootsy's Rubber Band,' and as a solo artist Bootsy Collins has released 27 Albums between 1976-2025, and 35 singles between 1976-2024, he has also contributed to many other artists work over the years, including on 'Groove Is in the Heart' for Deee-Lite's 1990 Album 'World Clique' (see also best songs 850.) Bootsy Collins is one of the leading names and innovators in Funk music for his driving bass-lines and humorous vocals. In 1997 he was inducted into the 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame' along with 15 other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. In 2016 he was inducted into the 'National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame,' and in 2023 he was inducted into the 'Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame.' In 2020, the American 'Rolling Stone' magazine ranked Bootsy Collins at Number 4 in its list of the '50 greatest bassists' of all time.
A ‘Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop’ is actually (not surprisingly) a word made up by George Clinton, in an attempt to create his own ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’, as heard in the 1964 film ‘Mary Poppins,’ as Clinton is telling us that the life that you are living is like a movie, and you are starring in it. Although many people think that ‘Aqua Boogie’ is a song about having a party, or dancing underwater, it isn’t, the water imagery is actually a metaphor for how people have to bend and jump through hoops in order to deal with everyday life.
‘Aqua boogie baby, never learned to swim. Underwater boogie baby, can’t catch the rhythm of the stroke. Aqua boogie baby, why should I hold my breath, underwater boogie baby, feelin’ that I might choke.’
THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
340-Funkadelic-(Not Just) Knee Deep.
1979-It has never charted in the UK.
Best Bit-At 6.59. The ‘Freak’ in the song is name of a dance, and like ‘Rock ‘N Roll’ it has that naughty double entendre interpretation.
The mastermind behind Funkadelic is George Clinton who was born George Edward Clinton, on July 22nd, 1941, in Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States. In 1955 he co-founded the ‘Doo-Wop’ group ‘The Parliaments’ who were originally based on ‘Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers (see also best songs 250.) Over the years ‘The Parliaments’ sound developed with the adding of Soul, R&B, Rock, and Funk, they remained active until 1969. Due to contractual problems with his record label, and in order to continue recording for other labels George Clinton was forced to change the bands name, it was the bassist Billy ‘Bass’ Nelson’ who coined the new name ‘Funkadelic’ (see also best songs 26.) Clinton didn’t just form the Rock and Funk orientated Funkadelic, he also simultaneously formed the Funk, R&B, and Psychedelic Soul outfit Parliament as well (see also best songs 612 and 143.) Clinton who would work with many differing musicians released Albums with both acts, with Parliament releasing nine studio Albums between 1970-1980, with a 10th Album ‘Medicaid Fraud Dogg’ issued in 2018, their first in 38 years, while his sister act Funkadelic released 13 studio Albums between 1970-1981, there has also been a 14th studio Album issued in 2014 called ‘First Ya Gotta Shake the Gate,’ the first new material under the Funkadelic banner in 33 years.
‘(Not Just) Knee Deep’ was the first of two singles released from Funkadelic’s 10th studio Album ‘Uncle Jam Wants You,’ from September 1979, and at 15 minutes and 21 seconds it is one of the longest songs on this countdown, although when it was released as a single it was edited down to 4 minutes and 25 seconds. ‘(Not Just) Knee Deep’ was produced by George Clinton, and although Clinton is down as the songs sole writer, one of the songs vocalists Philippé Wynne also received royalties according to the songs publishers. Philippé Wynne was born Phillip Walker, on April 3rd, 1941, in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, he died of a heart attack, on July 14th, 1984, at the age of 43. Prior to joining the Funkadelic collective he had been a member of the Spinners (known in the UK as the Detroit Spinners) (see also best songs 834) during their time at Atlantic Records, staying with that group until 1977. While associated with Parliament-Funkadelic, Philippé Wynne also appeared on the Bootsy Collins (see also best songs 850-612-340-143 and 88) Album ‘Sweat Band’ in 1980. After leaving The Detroit Spinners, Philippé Wynne released three solo studio Albums between 1977-1984, including one on George Clinton’s record label ‘Uncle Jam’ records, and one on ‘Sugarhill’ records.
Other musicians who played a big part in the making of (‘Not Just) Knee Deep,’ included Walter ‘Junie’ Morrison, who was the tracks arranger, and keyboard player, B***y Collins, who played the drums, and Michael Hampton, (see also best songs 26) who provided the tracks critically acclaimed guitar solo. Walter ‘Junie’ Morrison (see also best songs 506-143 and 26) was born on June 28th, 1954, in Dayton, Ohio, United States, he died on January 21st, 2017, at the age of 62, his death was reported the following month, but the details remained private. Of his part in creating ‘(Not Just) Knee Deep,’ Morrison has said, ‘I created ‘Knee Deep’ using a drum machine, Fender Rhodes, Steinway Grand, Mini-Moog for the lead and bass lines, and a Gibson L6S for my jazzy guitar solo. Bootsy (Collins) added his drums at a later date. In fact, Bootsy was also the drummer on ‘One Nation (Under A Groove.’) Michael Hampton added his monumental guitar solo to the Knee Deep mix some time later, as well. Although Bernie Worrell (1944-2016) (see also best songs 612-143 and 26) is a phenomenal musician, contrary to popular belief, he did not perform on (‘Not Just) Knee Deep.’ The track is of my conception. It originally began with the idea, groove and keyboard parts that I had created a few years prior to producing the track for Funkadelic, which later became (‘Not Just) Knee Deep,’ as you now know it today.’
(‘Not Just) Knee Deep’ is just one of the Funkadelic tracks that have been sampled on many occasions, particularly noteworthy is the 1989 UK Number 22 hit single by the ‘Hip-Hop’ trio De La Soul, (see also best songs 444 and 246) with their song ‘Me Myself and I.’ George Clinton has said, ‘I get back more than they do. They used ‘Knee Deep’ and they paid, but I get paid in a different way because I know how to appreciate it, the fact that they used the music. If they’re hot with the kids and the kids like them then they’ll like me. According to Clinton, he earned $100,000 for the sample. Many other artists including The Black Eyed Peas (see also best songs 899 and 234) and Tone Loc have sampled the track. Dr Dre’s (see also best songs 564-544-482-189-128 and 48) use of Funkadelic samples has also led to them becoming a big influence in the genre of ‘Gangsta Rap.’
(‘Not Just) Knee Deep’ is the tale of a guy meeting a girl at a club. He sees her dancing to the ‘Monkey,’ the ‘Chicken,’ and the ‘Jerk,’ but he is besotted by her after she ‘busts’ her moves to ‘The Freak.’
‘The girl is a freak, the girl never misses a beat. Not just knee deep, she was totally deep, when she did the freak with me.’
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For a list of all the best 1000 songs Google Barry Philips Discos Blog.
