Play That Funky Music
Play That Funky Music
"Play That Funky Music" | ||||
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Single by Wild Cherry | ||||
from the album Wild Cherry | ||||
B-side | "The Lady Wants Your Money" | |||
Released | April 1976 | |||
Format | 7-inch single | |||
Genre | Funk rock[1] | |||
Length |
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Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Rob Parissi | |||
Producer(s) | Rob Parissi | |||
Wild Cherry singles chronology | ||||
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"Play That Funky Music" | ||||
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Single by Vanilla Ice | ||||
from the album To the Extreme | ||||
B-side | "Ice Ice Baby" | |||
Released | 1989 (album track)[27] 1990 (single)[28] | |||
Format | CD single | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 4:45 | |||
Label | SBK | |||
Songwriter(s) | Rob Parissi | |||
Producer(s) | Vanilla Ice | |||
Vanilla Ice singles chronology | ||||
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"Play That Funky Music" is a song written by Rob Parissi and recorded by the band Wild Cherry. The single was the first released by the Cleveland-based Sweet City record label in April 1976 and distributed by Epic Records.[2] The performers on the recording included lead singer Parissi, electric guitarist Bryan Bassett, bassist Allen Wentz, and drummer Ron Beitle, with session players Chuck Berginc, Jack Brndiar (trumpets), and Joe Eckert and Rick Singer (saxes) on the horn riff that runs throughout the song's verses. The single hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 18, 1976; it was also number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart.[3] The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments of over 2 million records and eventually sold 2.5 million in the United States alone.[4]
The song was listed at No. 93 on Billboard magazine's "All-Time Top 100 Songs" in 2018.[5] It was also the group's only US Top 40 song.
"Play That Funky Music" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Wild Cherry | ||||
from the album Wild Cherry | ||||
B-side | "The Lady Wants Your Money" | |||
Released | April 1976 | |||
Format | 7-inch single | |||
Genre | Funk rock[1] | |||
Length |
| |||
Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Rob Parissi | |||
Producer(s) | Rob Parissi | |||
Wild Cherry singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Play That Funky Music" | ||||
![]() | ||||
Single by Vanilla Ice | ||||
from the album To the Extreme | ||||
B-side | "Ice Ice Baby" | |||
Released | 1989 (album track)[27] 1990 (single)[28] | |||
Format | CD single | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 4:45 | |||
Label | SBK | |||
Songwriter(s) | Rob Parissi | |||
Producer(s) | Vanilla Ice | |||
Vanilla Ice singles chronology | ||||
|
Chart performance
Vanilla Ice version
American rapper Vanilla Ice later released a song featuring an interpretation of "Play That Funky Music". Based on this single, the independent record label Ichiban Records signed Vanilla Ice to a record deal, releasing the album Hooked in January 1989, containing "Play That Funky Music" and its B-side, "Ice Ice Baby".[27]
Songwriter Robert Parissi was not credited. Parissi was later awarded $500,000 in a copyright infringement lawsuit.
Although it did not initially catch on, its B-side, "Ice Ice Baby", gained more success when a disc jockey played that track instead of the single's A-side.[29]
Following the success of "Ice Ice Baby", "Play That Funky Music" was reissued as its own single (with new lyrics), and peaked at no. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and no. 10 in the UK.[30]
Weekly charts
Chart (1990–1991) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[31] | 13 |
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[32] | 19 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[28] | 16 |
Canada (RPM 10 Dance)[33] | 4 |
Canada (RPM 100 Hit Tracks)[34] | 13 |
Denmark (IFPI)[35] | 10 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[36] | 3 |
Germany (Official German Charts)[37] | 19 |
Ireland (IRMA)[38] | 4 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[39] | 14 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[40] | 12 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[41] | 7 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[42] | 14 |
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[30] | 10 |
US Billboard Hot 100[43] | 4 |
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[43] | 42 |
US Billboard Hot R&B Singles[43] | 22 |
US Billboard Hot Rap Singles[43] | 7 |
US Cash Box[44] | 4 |
Year-end charts
Chart (1991) | Position |
---|---|
Canada (RPM Dance Tracks)[45] | 44 |
US Billboard Hot 100[46] | 57 |
Other cover versions
In 1988, the band Roxanne reached number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a cover version.[47]
Usage in other media
The song appears on the open show Ces Gars-Là, a French-Canadian show on V Télé featuring the stand-up comic Sugar Sammy and Simon-Olivier Fecteau.[48]
See also
List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1976
List of Cash Box Top 100 number-one singles of 1976
List of number-one R&B singles of 1976 (U.S.)