Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome

Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome
Studio album by Parliament
Released November 28, 1977
Recorded 1976–1977 at United Sound, Detroit, Michigan, and Hollywood Sound, Hollywood, California
Genre Funk
Length 44:22
Label Casablanca
Producer George Clinton
Parliament chronology
Live: P-Funk Earth Tour
(1977)
Funkentelechy Vs. The Placebo Syndrome
(1977)
Motor Booty Affair
(1978)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic link
Robert Christgau(A) link
Ink Blot(favorable) link
Rolling Stone(favorable) 1978
Rolling Stone 2004
Spin(9/10) link

Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome is a funk album by Parliament, released in 1977 (see 1977 in music).

The album is considered to be one of the best in Parliament's catalog. It is a loose concept album warning the listener of falling into the 'Placebo Syndrome', which according to George Clinton is consumerism, and listening to disco music, which he saw as a simplification of funk music in attempt to gain commercial success. The album spawned the R&B number #1 single in "Flash Light", which features a funky synthesizer bass line played in a Minimoog by keyboardist Bernie Worrell. The album became Parliament's fourth consecutive gold album and second platinum album. The song "Sir Nose d'Voidoffunk (Pay Attention - B3M)" contains nursery rhymes "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" and "Three Blind Mice", the lyrics were changed to make reference to drug use.

The original vinyl release contained a 22" by 33" inch poster of the character "Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk", as well as an 8-page comic book that explains the concept behind the LP. Both the poster and the comic book were illustrated by Overton Loyd.

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Bop Gun (Endangered Species)" (released as a single-Casablanca NB 900)George Clinton, Garry Shider, Bootsy Collins 8:31
2. "Sir Nose d'Voidoffunk (Pay Attention - B3M)"  George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell 10:04
3. "Wizard of Finance"  George Clinton, Ronald Ford, Glenn Goins 4:23
4. "Funkentelechy" (released as a single-Casablanca NB 921)George Clinton, Bootsy Collins 10:56
5. "Placebo Syndrome"  George Clinton, Billy Nelson 4:20
6. "Flash Light" (released as a single-Casablanca NB 909 and as a promo only 12" single Casablanca NB 20113 DJ)George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell 5:46

Personnel

According to George Clinton, Mallia Franklin also sang on this album with other original Parlet members Debbie Wright and Jeanette Washington but she is not listed on the albums credits.

Horn arrangement by Bernie Worrell and Fred Wesley

Production
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