Flash Light (song)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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"Flash Light" is a song by funk band Parliament, released in January of 1978 on the album Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome. It was the first number-one R&B hit by any of the P-Funk groups. The song is frequently played at United States sporting events. The track became Parliament's second certified million selling single, following "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)".
"Flash Light" marked a turning point in popular music, as it introduced the bass synthesizer into the forefront of its rhythm. Originally written for Bootsy Collins, it was re-worked as a Parliament song with Bernie Worrell on keyboards and lead vocals by bandleader George Clinton. Collins, however, contributed to the track by handling drum duties, while his older brother Phelps Collins performs rhythm guitar. "Flash Light" continued the "Fake the Funk/Your nose will grow/Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk" concept that began with Bootsy's Rubber Band's "The Pinocchio Syndrome".
In 2004 Rolling Stone ranked "Flash Light" #199 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Appearances in other media
- Played in the 1999 movie Can't Hardly Wait
- Played during the credits in the 1999 movie Muppets From Space
- Played in the 2003 video game True Crime: Streets of LA
- Played in the 2005 movie Roll Bounce
- Played in the 2001 movie How High
- Played in an episode of King of The HillTemplate:Fact
- Played in a trailer for the film Superbad (film)
- Played in an early trailer for the film Rush Hour
Takeoffs
- The band Brand Nubian made a self-tribute song called "Brand Nubian" which interpolated a small fragment of both beat and lyrics from this song (the other song they sampled was "Rigor Mortis" by Cameo).
- Rapper Snoop Dogg made a song named "Stoplight" on his album, Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$, which has samples from "Flash Light".
- Rapper Del tha Funkee Homosapien used samples from "Flash Light" in the song "Sunny Meadowz" on his album I Wish My Brother George Was Here.
- Rapper Redman samples used samples from "Flash Light" on "So Ruff" from the album Whut? Thee Album.
- Chilean funk band Los Tetas included samples, played at slow tempo, in the song "Primavera" from the album La Medicina.
See also
- Flashlight, a hand-held light source
