Flash Light - Parliament (1978) 9/24/22

Today's "Great Song of 1978" is masterpiece of theatrical funk that came out the triple group collective all featuring pretty much the same musicians: Parliament, Funkadelic, and Bootsy's Rubber Band. (The P-Funk Universe).

In this case, "Flash Light" was originally recorded for a Bootsy's Rubber Band album, but bassist Bootsy Collins decided to pass it over to group mastermind George Clinton, who re-recorded it for release under the Parliament name.

Many of the songs in "The P-funk universe" were connected, and "Flashlight" was actually a follow-up to a previous Bootsy track called "The Pinocchio Theory."

Together, the songs tell the story of Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk (played by group member Larry Heckstall), who can't, or won't, dance, which puts him at at odds with Starchild (played/sung by Clinton). In "Flash Light," Starchild helps him find the funk, and finally, he dances.

In concert, Parliament would use huge flashlights to point to where "Sir Nose" should look for "the funk," until he found it...and danced happily ever after. It was always an epic theatrical performance.

Did you follow all that? Maybe you had to be there--or see it in concert, but on the other hand, "Flash Light" stands on its own as one of the "Greatest and 'Funkiest' Dance Songs of the of the '70s!"

In fact, it was a solid #1 on Billboard's Rhythm & Blues/Hip-Hop Chart, and #16 on The

Hot 100!

Trivia: The chorus: "Ha da da dee da hada hada da da" was actually based on a Jewish bar mitzvah chant!

"Flash Light" by Parliament (and the P-Funk Universe). Crank it up!

"The Pinocchio Theory" (Bootsy;s Rubber Band):