Play That Funky Music

"Play That Funky Music" (also known as "Play That Funky Music, White Boy") is a funk rock song written by Robert Parissi and recorded by the rock band Wild Cherry. The song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 18, 1976. It was also the basis of a top five U.S.A. hit for Vanilla Ice in 1990. The song was inspired by a black audience member who shouted, "Play some funky music, white boy" while they were playing at the 2001 Club. Lead singer Robert Parissi decided they should, and wrote down the phrase on a bar order pad. They later recorded it in Cleveland with a Disco sound. Although the band was concerned about the lyrics, Parissi insisted on keeping them. Originally, it was planned that the song should be released on the B-side of Wild Cherry's cover of the Commodores' "I Feel Sanctified;" however, when the owners of their record label heard the song, they suggested that the B-side become the A-side. The song sold over two million copies, but was Wild Cherry's only hit. Vanilla Ice later released a cover of "Play That Funky Music", as the B-side of his single "Ice Ice Baby", which catapulted him to stardom. Vanilla Ice did not credit Parissi for the piece, leading to a lawsuit that ended in a large settlement for Parissi. Vanilla Ice's version hit #4 in the US, and was his second and last hit song. A tribute version of the song was arranged and recorded by Gordon Goodwin and his Big Phat Band on their 2006 record The Phat Pack. A spoken word version of the song, deliberately done in an unflattering manner, was used in the early 1990s in a Pioneer Electronics commercial for their automobile audio products.

[Intro] A-hey, do it now, huh Yeah, hey [Verse 1] Hey-ah, once I was a boogie singer Playing in a rock and roll band I never had no problems, yeah Burning down the one-night stands Then everything around me, yeah It got to start to feeling so low And I decided quickly, yes, I did, heh To disco down and check out the show [Pre-Chorus] Yeah, they were dancing and singing And moving to the grooving And just when it hit me Somebody turned around and shouted [Chorus] Play that funky music, white boy Play that funky music right Play that funky music, white boy Lay down the boogie and play that funky music 'til you die, heh heh 'Til you die, yeah (What?) Hear, hear, heh [Verse 2] A-heh, I tried to understand this (Yeah) Heh, I thought that they were out of their minds Heh, how could I be so foolish, how could I To not see I was the one behind? So still I kept on fighting Well, losing every step of the way (Hey, what'd you do?) I said, "I must go back there", I got to go back And check to see if things still the same [Pre-Chorus] Yeah, they were dancing and singing And moving to the grooving And just when it hit me Somebody turned around and shouted [Chorus] Play that funky music, white boy (Yeah) Play that funky music right, oh Play that funky music, white boy Lay down the boogie and play that funky music 'til you die, heh 'Til you die (Yeah) Whoa, 'til you die Gonna play some electrified funky music, yow! [Guitar Solo] Ah ha ha [Verse 3] Hey, wait a minute, now first it wasn't easy Changing rock and roll and minds Yeah, things were getting shaky (Yeah) I thought I'd have to leave it behind, uh Ooh, but now it's so much better, it's so much better I'm funking out in every way But I'll never lose that feeling, no, I won't Of how I learned my lesson that day [Pre-Chorus] When they were dancing and singing And moving to the grooving And just when it hit me Somebody turned around and shouted [Chorus] Play that funky music, white boy Play that funky music right Play that funky music, white boy Lay down the boogie and play that funky music 'til you die, heh heh 'Til you die (Yeah) Oh, 'til you die, yeah Come on, let's go! (They shouted, play that funky music) Play that funky music (Play that funky music) You gotta keep on playing funky music (Play that funky music) Play that funky music (Play that funky music) Come on and take you higher Play that funky music, white boy Play that funky music right, yeah Play that funky music, white boy Play that funky music right, yeah Play that funky music, white boy Play that funky music right, yeah Play that funky music, honky Play that funky music right