The 500 - #177 - One Nation Under A Groove - Funkadelic

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

---

Album: #177
Album Title: One Nation Under A Groove
Artist: Funkadelic

Genre: R&B, Funk, Rock

Recorded: United Sound, (Detroit, Michigan)

Released: September, 1978

My age at release: 13
How familiar was I with it before this week: Not at all

Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, at #360, dropping 183 spots
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: One Nation Under A Groove

Researching Funkadelic's tenth studio record, One Nation Under A Groove, reminded me of a humourous anecdote from my first year in university. I was taking a psychology course with a charming, witty and engaging professor named Dr. Skinner (no relation to the famous Behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner, although I did learn about him as well.)

B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) The Father
of Behavioural Analysis.

Impressing my interesting and erudite professor was on my agenda, eager to secure an excellent grade on my first paper and set myself up for honours B.A. Armed with Roget's Thesaurus and a dictionary, never more than a few inches from my keyboard on my first P.C., I hunted for the longest (and most obscure) words. Every bland sentence was infused with a poetic flourish, supercharged with every figure of speech in my literary quiver.

King's College - Silverwood Hall (Now Dante Lenardon Hall), 
My class was in the attached annex, not pictured, at rear.

Two weeks went by excruciatingly slowly as the class of nearly 100 students waited for their papers to be returned by the august professor. My expectations were atmospheric on the day they were delivered to our desks. However, much like nine-year-old Ralphie in the film A Christmas Story receiving a C+ on his Grade 4 essay, my dreams were dashed when I flipped to the front cover to see a grade of 70%, followed by two words..."Consider parsimony".

Ralphie, from A Christmas Story, realizing that his teacher
did not share the same enthusiasm for his essay, What 
I Want For Christmas.

It was good lesson advice; taking it to heart, my next paper received a more complimentary grade. In fact, Dr. Skinner was my professor for two more courses in second year and his feedback enhanced my writing significantly. His suggestions helped me understand the philosophical notion of Occam's Razor (sometimes called the Principle of Parsimony), which posits that "the simplest, most elegant explanation is usually the one closest to the truth.”

Parsimony and Occam's Razor did not seem to be considerations during the recording of One Nation Under A Groove. Band leader George Clinton and his multi-member collective seemed to be on a mission to create a collection of progressive, funky songs that clock in at an average of seven minutes in length, infused with the group's absurd sense of humour. In fact, the opening track on side two runs for 11 minutes and carries the ridiculous and weighty title Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad (The Doo Doo Chasers).

Back cover for Funkadelic's One Nation Under A Groove album.

Even the details on the musicians are a fascinating exercise in gibberish.

• One of the guitarists is listed as the Throbbasonic Funkgeetarist: Mike 'Kidd Funkadelic' Hampton. 
• The members of the rhythm section (bass and drums) are called the Rotofunkie Drum & Percussionatin' Thumpdans and the Bass Thumpasaurians. 
• Clinton and the twelve additional vocalists land under the banner The Funkadelic Blamgusta Vocaloids (Voices For Da Nation!)

Despite the ludicrous titles and goofy epithets, the record is a tour de force, straddling multiple genres and highlighting exceptional musicianship. It became the group's best-selling record, being certified platinum (one million units sold) in the United States and landing on multiple "best album" lists.

Certainly, there is a time and place for parsimony but, every once in a while maybe there should be room for a little indulgent, ridiculous linguistic and musical mischief -- especially when it's funky.