Funkytown

For other uses, see Funkytown (disambiguation).

"Funkytown"
File:LippsIncFunkytown7InchSingleCover.jpg
Single by Lipps Inc.
from the album Mouth to Mouth
B-side	"All Night Dancing"
Released	March 11, 1980
Recorded	1979
Genre	Disco funk
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 noicon 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. 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.

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. It also reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom, Sweden, and on the US R&B chart. The song was Lipps Inc's only US Top 40 hit.

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)	1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	1
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)	1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)	1
France (IFOP)	1
Germany (Official German Charts)	1
Ireland (IRMA)	3
Israel	1
Italy (FIMI)	5
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	1
Norway (VG-lista)	1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)	5
Spain (AFYVE)	1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)	2
US Billboard Hot 100	1
US Billboard Hot Disco Singles	1
US Billboard Hot Soul Singles	2
US Cash Box	1
US Record World	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1980)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	9
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	3
Canada (RPM Top 100 Singles)	14
France (IFOP)	18
Italy (FIMI)	30
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	10
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	2
US Billboard Hot 100	8
US Cash Box	10

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)	2× Platinum	300,000
France (SNEP)	Gold	690,000
Germany (BVMI)	Gold	250,000
United Kingdom (BPI)	Silver	250,000
United States (RIAA)	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

Order of precedence
Preceded by "Can't Stop the Music" by Village People	Australian Kent Music Report number-one single August 4, 1980 – August 11, 1980 (2 weeks)	Succeeded by "Moskau" by Dschinghis Khan
Preceded by "Coming Up" (Live at Glasgow) by Paul McCartney	Canadian RPM 100 Singles number-one single July 12, 1980 (1 week)	Succeeded by "Little Jeannie" by Elton John
Preceded by "Il jouait du piano debout" by France Gall	French number-one single August 15, 1980 – August 22, 1980 (2 weeks)	Succeeded by "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" by The Korgis
Preceded by "Aloha-Oe, Until We Meet Again" by the Goombay Dance Band	Austrian number-one single August 1, 1980 – September 1, 1980 (6 weeks)	Succeeded by "Xanadu" by Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra
Preceded by "Der Nippel" by Mike Krüger	German number-one single June 30, 1980 – September 1, 1980 (10 weeks)
Preceded by "Xanadu" by Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra	Norwegian number-one single 34/1980 – 35/1980 (2 weeks)
Preceded by "What's Another Year" by Johnny Logan	Eurochart Hot 100 number-one single June 19, 1980 – July 31, 1980 (7 weeks)
	Belgian Ultratop 50 Flanders number-one single June 14, 1980 – June 21, 1980 (2 weeks)	Succeeded by "Cara Mia" by Jay and the Americans
	Belgian VRT Top 30 Flanders number-one single June 21, 1980 (1 week)
Preceded by "Sun of Jamaica" by the Goombay Dance Band	Dutch Top 40 number-one single May 31, 1980 – June 14, 1980 (3 weeks)
	Single Top 100 number-one single June 7, 1980 – June 28, 1980 (4 weeks)
Preceded by "Stomp!" by The Brothers Johnson	New Zealand number-one single July 13, 1980 (1 week)	Succeeded by "Locomotion" by Ritz
Preceded by "Boat on the River" by Styx	Swiss number-one single June 15, 1980 – July 27, 1980 (7 weeks)	Succeeded by "Donna musica" by Collage
Preceded by "Call Me" by Blondie	US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single May 31, 1980 – June 21, 1980 (4 weeks)	Succeeded by "Coming Up" by Paul McCartney
	US Cash Box number-one single May 31, 1980 – June 28, 1980 (5 weeks)	Succeeded by "The Rose" by Bette Midler
	US Record World number-one single May 31, 1980 – June 21, 1980 (4 weeks)
Preceded by "And the Beat Goes On" / "Can You Do the Boogie" / "Out the Box" by The Whispers "High on Your Love" / "Hot Hot (Give It All You Got)" by Debbie Jacobs	US Billboard Hot Disco Singles number-one single (with "All Night Dancing") March 8, 1980 – March 15, 1980 (2 weeks) March 29, 1980 – April 5, 1980 (2 weeks)	Succeeded by "High on Your Love" / "Hot Hot (Give It All You Got)" by Debbie Jacobs "Stomp!" by The Brothers Johnson

Pseudo Echo version

"Funkytown"
Single by Pseudo Echo
from the album Love An Adventure
B-side	"Lies Are Nothing"
Released	October 1986
Format	7" vinyl
Genre	Dance-rock new wave
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.

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)	1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	13
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	40
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)	30
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	1
France (SNEP)	97
Germany (Official German Charts)	16
Ireland (IRMA)	12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	1
Poland (LP3)	8
South Africa (Springbok Radio)	2
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	9
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	11
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)	8
US Billboard Hot 100	6
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	4
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	1
US Cash Box	12

Year-end charts

Chart (1986)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	93

Chart (1987)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	19
Canada (RPM Top 100 Singles)	17
US Billboard Hot 100	99

Preceded by "You're the Voice" by John Farnham	Australian Kent Music Report number-one single December 22, 1986 – February 2, 1987 (7 weeks)	Succeeded by "Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles
Preceded by Alone by Heart	Canadian RPM 100 Singles number-one single August 15, 1987 (1 week)	Succeeded by "Heart and Soul" by T'Pau
Preceded by "Word Up!" by Cameo	New Zealand number-one single March 8, 1987 – April 12, 1987 (6 weeks)	Succeeded by "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House

Other cover versions

• In 1980, it was covered by the Spanish group Parchís, as a result of the song's popularity as the main song of the Vuelta a España that year. The cover is completely in Spanish with the exception of the name "Funkytown".
• The same year, Swedish group Flamingokvintetten covered the same song for their album Flamingokvintetten 11. Like the Parchís cover, the only English word in the song is "Funkytown".
• In 1992, Danish singer/DJ Master Fatman covered it on his debut album, Hail Hail.
• In 1995, it was covered by Tejano singer Selena during her last televised concert. The song was later included on the Selena film soundtrack album.
• In 1997, French Industrial metal Treponem Pal covered this song in their "Higher" album.
• In 2005, Robyn Hitchcock covered it on Obliteration Pie, an album released in Japan.
• In 2007, it was covered by Alvin and the Chipmunks in the live-action/CGI film adaptation (this same version can also be heard in the video game based on the 2009 sequel). Their version peaked at number 86.
• The same year, French singer Lorie sampled the music of "Funkytown" for a remixed version of her hit single "Je Vais Vite"; it became "Je Vais Funky". A video was also made to promote the mix.
• In 2009, Swedish group Alcazar released a cover of "Funkytown", included on their album Disco Defenders.
• In 2011, Colombian singer Fanny Lú used the main synth riff and part of the vocal melody from "Funkytown" in the song "Te Amo, Te Amo" on her album Felicidad y Perpetua. In the same year, a sample of the song's verse was used in the lyrics of Super Junior members Donghae and Eunhyuk's second duo song, "Oppa, Oppa".

In popular culture

TV shows

• In the Malcolm in the Middle episode Rollerskates, Hal uses "Funkytown" to teach Malcolm to skate.
• 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.
• 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).
• In the South Park episode Towelie, Towelie played the tune to "Funkytown" on the keypad to get into a secret base after getting high.
• In the 7th episode of the first season of Gotham entitled, "Penguin's Umbrella" Victor Zsasz's phone rings, with "Funkytown" as his ringtone.

Movies

• The song is featured in the films Shrek 2, Contact, The Dictator, Hollywood Homicide, History of the World, Part I and Revenge of the Nerds 2.

Commercials

• Nissan has used the song for its commercials.
• French company Areva has made use of the song for its commercials.
• Volkswagen used it for its 1997 Jetta commercial.

Video games

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

Miscellaneous

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

See also

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

External links

• Official website
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics