Funkytown

"Funkytown"
Single by Lipps Inc.
from the album Mouth to Mouth
B-side	"All Night Dancing"
Released	1980
Genre	Disco[1] funk[2]
Length	4:00 (single version) 7:50 (extended 12" version)
Label	Casablanca
Writer(s)	Steven Greenberg
Producer(s)	Steven Greenberg
Certification	see below
Audio sample file info · help

"Funkytown" is a song by American band Lipps Inc., which appears on their 1979 debut album, Mouth to Mouth. It was released as a single in March 1980. Written by Steven Greenberg and sung by Cynthia Johnson, the song expresses the singer's pining for a metaphorical place that will "keep me movin', keep me groovin' with some energy".

It was written while the band lived in Minneapolis with dreams of moving to New York.^[3] It entered the Billboard Hot 100 on March 29, 1980 and spent four weeks at No. 1, beginning May 31. It also hit No. 1 on the Dance chart in the spring of 1980.^[4]

The single held a unique record for reaching number one in 28 countries, more than any other single release until Madonna's "Hung Up" reached number one in 41 countries in 2005. It reached the top spot in the United States, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, the Netherlands, and Australia, among many others.^[5] It also reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom,^[6] Sweden, and on the US R&B chart. The song was Lipps Inc's only US Top 40 hit.^[4]

Track listings

7" single

1. "Funkytown" – 4:00
2. "All Night Dancing" – 3:09

12" single

1. "Funkytown" – 7:51
2. "All Night Dancing" – 3:09

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1980) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 1 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 1 Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[9] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 1 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] 1 France (IFOP)[12] 1 Germany (Official German Charts)[13] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[14] 3 Israel[15] 1 Italy (FIMI)[16] 5 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[17] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[18] 1 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[19] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[20] 1 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[21] 5 Spain (AFYVE)[22] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[23] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] 1 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[6] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[4] 1 US Billboard Hot Disco Singles[4] 1 US Billboard Hot Soul Singles[4] 2 US Cash Box[25] 1 US Record World[26] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1980) Position Australia (Kent Music Report)[27] 9 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[28] 4 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[29] 3 Canada (RPM Top 100 Singles)[30] 14 France (IFOP)[31] 18 Italy (FIMI)[16] 30 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[32] 5 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[33] 10 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[34] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[35] 8 US Cash Box[36] 10 Certifications and sales Region Certification Sales/shipments Canada (Music Canada)[37] 2× Platinum 300,000 France (SNEP)[38] Gold 690,000[39] Germany (BVMI)[40] Gold 250,000 United Kingdom (BPI)[41] Silver 250,000 United States (RIAA)[42] Platinum 2,000,000 Total available sales: 3,490,000 ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Pseudo Echo version

"Funkytown"
Single by Pseudo Echo
from the album Love An Adventure
B-side	"Lies Are Nothing"
Released	October 1986[43]
Format	7" vinyl
Genre	Dance-rock[44] new wave[45]
Length	4:53 (album version) 3:40 (single version) 6:36 (Dance Mix)
Label	RCA Records
Producer(s)	Brian Canham
Pseudo Echo singles chronology
"Try" (1986) "Funkytown" (1986) "Fooled Again" (1988) Music video "Funkytown" on YouTube

In 1986, "Funkytown" was covered by Australian band Pseudo Echo, who gave the song a different sound, less of early 1980s electronica and more of a late 1980s rock-infused dance sound, including a guitar solo in the middle. Pseudo Echo's version spent seven weeks at no. 1 in Australia (Lipps Inc.'s was at no. 1 for only two weeks in Australia), and was also a no. 6 US hit in July of the following year, and in August a no. 1 hit in Canada. Despite Pseudo Echo's rock-like arrangement, on the 12" single issue of this version, the song is labelled as "Funkytown (Dance Mix)". Mirroring Lipps Inc's experience, Pseudo Echo's version was that group's only US Top 40 hit. This version of "Funky Town" by Pseudo Echo was played in the 1987 sequel comedy film Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise.

Music video

The music video is a very basic, low-budget typical 1980s video that features the band with their instruments on a lighted, smoke-filled set "performing" the song to a backing track.^[46]

Track listings

7" Single

1. "Funkytown" – 3:40
2. "Lies Are Nothing" – 3:58

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1986–87) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 1 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[47] 13 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[48] 40 Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[49] 30 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[50] 1 France (SNEP)[51] 97 Germany (Official German Charts)[52] 16 Ireland (IRMA)[14] 12 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[53] 1 Poland (LP3)[54] 8 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[55] 2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[56] 9 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[57] 11 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[58] 8 US Billboard Hot 100[59] 6 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[59] 4 US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[59] 1 US Cash Box[60] 12

Year-end charts Chart (1986) Position Australia (Kent Music Report)[27] 93 Chart (1987) Position Australia (Kent Music Report)[27] 19 Canada (RPM Top 100 Singles)[61] 17 US Billboard Hot 100[62] 99

In popular culture

TV shows

• In the Malcolm in the Middle episode Rollerskates, Hal uses "Funkytown" to teach Malcolm to skate.^[63]
• This song is played in the second season episode nine of the British drama Skins (E4), when the character Cassie, played by Hannah Murray, dances this song. The song is also included in the Official Soundtrack for season 2 of Skins.^[64]
• The song was also featured in the 229th episode of the hit TV sitcom Friends (The One Where the Stripper Cries, season 10, episode 11).^[65]
• In the South Park episode Towelie, Towelie played the tune to "Funkytown" on the keypad to get into a secret base after getting high.^[66]
• In the 7th episode of the first season of Gotham, entitled "Penguin's Umbrella", Victor Zsasz's phone rings, with "Funkytown" as his ringtone.^[67]

Movies

• The song is featured in the films Shrek 2,^[68] Contact,^[69] The Dictator,^[70] Hollywood Homicide,^[71] Love on Delivery,^[72] and Revenge of the Nerds 2.^[73]

Commercials

• Nissan has used the song for its commercials.^[74]
• French company Areva has made use of the song for its commercials.^[75]
• Volkswagen used it for its 1997 Jetta commercial.^[76]

Video games

• The song is featured in the video games Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova,^[77]
• The song as performed by Lipps Inc. also appears on the soundtrack of the 2010 video game Dance Central.^[78]

Miscellaneous

• The Iranian Delegation to the 2006 Winter Olympic Games had the song played during their entrance to the opening ceremonies.^[79]

See also

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1980

References

1. Huey, Steve. "Lipps, Inc. – Artist Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
2. Pickow, Peter; Appleby, Amy (1988). The Billboard Book of Song Writing. Billboard Publications. p. 146.
3. Swensson, Andrea (September 22, 2011). "50 cool facts about the Minnesota music scene". City Pages. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
4. "Lipps Inc. – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
5. "Ultratop.be – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
6. "Archive Chart: 1980-06-28" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
7. "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1980's". World Charts. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
8. "Austriancharts.at – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
9. "Radio 2 Top 30 : 21 juni 1980" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7799a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
11. MusicSeek.info – UK, Eurochart, Billboard & Cashbox No.1 Hits at the Wayback Machine (archived June 14, 2006). MusicSeek.info. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
12. "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 80" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
13. "Offiziellecharts.de – Lipps Inc – Funkytown". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Funky Town". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
15. "Billboard Hits Of The World". Billboard 92 (28): 51. July 12, 1980. ISSN 0006-2510.
16. "I singoli più venduti del 1980" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
17. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Lipps Inc. - Funkytown search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
18. "Dutchcharts.nl – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
19. "Charts.org.nz – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
20. "Norwegiancharts.com – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". VG-lista. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
21. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (L)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
22. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
23. "Swedishcharts.com – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
24. "Swisscharts.com – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
25. CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MAY 31, 1980 at the Wayback Machine (archived September 15, 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
26. RECORD WORLD #1 HITS 1980 at the Wayback Machine (archived May 27, 2003). Record World. Geocities.com. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
27. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
28. "Jahreshitparade 1980" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
29. "Jaaroverzichten 1980" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
30. "Top Singles - Volume 34, No. 6, December 20, 1980". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
31. "TOP – 1980" (in French). Top-france.fr. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
32. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1980" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
33. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1980" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
34. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1980" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
35. "Top 100 Hits for 1980". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
36. The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1980 at the Wayback Machine (archived September 15, 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
37. "Canadian single certifications – Lipps Inc – Funkytown". Music Canada.
38. "French single certifications – Lipps Inc. – Funkytown" (in French). InfoDisc. Select LIPPS INC. and click OK
39. "Les Singles en Or" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
40. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Lipps Inc.; 'Funkytown')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
41. "British single certifications – Lipps Inc – Funky Town". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Funky Town in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
42. "American single certifications – Lipps, Inc. – Funkytown". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
43. "Funky Town / Lies Are Nothing". Rate Your Music. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
44. Sutton, Michael. "Pseudo Echo – Love an Adventure". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved June 26, 2013. The cover of Lipps Inc.'s disco classic "Funkytown" was their only U.S. hit from Love an Adventure, and it was sadly misrepresentative of the album's stylish, hook-loaded dance rock.
45. "Pseudo Echo: Love An Adventure". Digital Audio and Compact Disc Review (WGE Pub.) 4: 57. 1987. Can you sing along to Lipps Inc.'s 1980 disco hit "Funkytown" and keep a straight face? Pseudo Echo can, which leads one to wonder how anyone can take this Australian quartet seriously, even with the success of their second American release, Love An Adventure. Like Wang Chung, Mr. Mister, and The Outfield, Pseudo Echo is spearheading the "corporate new-wave" movement
46. Pseudo Echo - Funkytown. YouTube.
47. "Austriancharts.at – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
48. "Ultratop.be – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
49. "Radio 2 Top 30 : 12 september 1987" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
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51. "InfoDisc : Tous les Titres par Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "Pseudo Echo" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
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53. "Charts.org.nz – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
54. "FUNKY TOWN – Pseudo Echo" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
55. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (P)". Rock.co.za. John Samson. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
56. "Swedishcharts.com – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
57. "Swisscharts.com – Pseudo Echo – Funky Town". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
58. "Archive Chart: 1987-08-29" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
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61. "Top Singles – Volume 47, No. 12, December 26, 1987". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
62. "Top 100 Hits for 1987". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
63. "Malcolm: Season 1, Episode 13 – Rollerskates (30 Apr. 2000)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
64. "Skins 2 - Various Artists". Last.fm. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
65. "Friends: Season 10, Episode 11 – The One Where the Stripper Cries – Rollerskates (5 Feb. 2004)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
66. "Towelie (Season 5, Episode 8) – Full Episode Player – South Park Studios". South Park Studios. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
67. Mancuso, Vinnie (March 11, 2014). "'Gotham' Reference Guide 1×7: Take Me to Funky Town". The New York Observer. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
68. Phares, Heather. "Original Soundtrack – Shrek 2". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
69. "Contact (1997) – Soundtracks". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
70. "The Dictator (2012) – Soundtracks". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
71. "Hollywood Homicide (2003) – Soundtracks". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
72. Hendrix, Grady (April 8, 2005). "Sometimes a Movie Is Like a Miracle". [[[The New York Sun]]. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
73. "Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise (1987) – Soundtracks". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
74. "Nissan Altima Commercial – USA "Funky Town"". YouTube. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
75. "Lipps Inc dans le Spot TV de Areva" (in French). Musiquedepub.tv. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
76. "1997 VW Jetta Commercial - Lost in America". YouTube. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
77. "Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA Track Listing". IGN. August 24, 2006. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
78. "Dance Central (2010 Video Game) Soundtracks". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
79. "Only in this spectacle can Iran get funky". National Post (Postmedia News). February 11, 2006. Retrieved July 28, 2013.

External links

• Official website
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics