• July 22, 1941
• George Clinton, the master of funk, brought together about 100 outstanding musicians in the '70s to rotate in and out of the groundbreaking bands Parliament and Funkadelic, collectively known as Parliament-Funkadelic or P-Funk. He was the primary songwriter and producer in these outfits, and often a vocalist as well. 1982 he released his first solo album, Computer Games, backed by his P-Funk crew. It includes one of his most famous songs, "Atomic Dog."
• Many of his song titles and hooks, "Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow," for instance, came to Clinton when he was in... let's call it an "altered state."
  
  "Just tripping," he told Songfacts. "I would say things like that, and this guy, Ernie Harris, would write them down, and I'd put them in the next song."
• Prince was a huge George Clinton fan, and also a friend. When Parliament-Funkadelic was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1997, Prince gave the induction speech.
• Clinton arranged solo projects for many of the musicians he worked with, including Bootsy Collins, Maceo Parker and Bernie Worrell. He usually co-wrote the songs and oversaw these projects, using many of the same musicians from Parliament-Funkadelic. The most successful of these was Bootsy's Rubber Band from Bootsy Collins. In 1978, their song "Bootzilla" knocked the Parliament hit "Flash Light" from the top spot on the R&B chart.
• Clinton thinks it's important to keep evolving, so change is a constant. "You've got to keep coming up with new concepts, keep yourself interesting, because if you don't the novelty wears off," he said in New York Rocker. "Then you take that step and change it again. You know it's going to alienate some people, but you have to do that every time their attention span catches up to you. And the more drastic the move the better, as long as you can define it."
• The G-Funk sound popularized by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg in the early '90s was often based on Clinton's music. For instance, the song "Dre Day" is built on a sample of Funkadelic's "(Not Just) Knee Deep."

Comments

More Songfacts:

Peter Gunn ThemeHenry Mancini

"Peter Gunn" was the first TV theme to hit the Hot 100.

Everybody Wants To Rule The WorldTears for Fears

"Everybody Wants To Rule The World" was a line from a 1980 Clash song called "Charlie Don't Surf." Tears For Fears used it as the title of their 1985 hit.

Afternoon DelightStarland Vocal Band

The Starland Vocal Band got the title "Afternoon Delight" from the late-afternoon appetizer menu at the restaurant Clyde's Of Georgetown in Washington, DC.

Rhythm NationJanet Jackson

Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation" was inspired by the tribes that came together at New York dance clubs.

New York, New YorkFrank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra was 64 when he had his last hit: "New York, New York." The song pegged him to New York City, leaving Las Vegas to Elvis.

I Feel For YouChaka Khan

Chaka Khan's hit "I Feel For You" was written and originally recorded by Prince four years before she covered it.

Editor's Picks

Justin TimberlakeFact or Fiction

Was Justin the first to be Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher? Did Britney really blame him for her meltdown? Did his bandmates think he was gay?

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.

John WaiteSongwriter Interviews

"Missing You" was a spontaneous outpouring of emotion triggered by a phone call. John tells that story and explains what MTV meant to his career.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino EditionMusic Quiz

Whether he's splitting ears or burning Nazis, Quentin Tarantino uses memorable music in his films. See if you can match the song to the scene.

Don Brewer of Grand FunkSongwriter Interviews

The drummer and one of the primary songwriters in Grand Funk talks rock stardom and Todd Rundgren.

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy TalentSongwriter Interviews

The frontman for one of Canada's most well-known punk rock bands talks about his Eddie Vedder encounter, Billy Talent's new album, and the importance of rock and roll.