One Nation Under a Groove is the most critically lauded Funkadelic album in their entire discography. It is widely considered one of the best funk albums of all time, and is one of the most influential albums of the 70s. It was the first album to include keyboardist (and frequent songwriter) Junie Morrison, one of the primary causes of the album's brilliance. The album also marks the pinnacle of Michael Hampton's development as a guitarist, which can be followed in the previous albums as he matured from a seventeen-year old prodigy to the disciplined and tightly controlled master of the instrument evident on this album.
It is a very loose concept album (as are most of Funkadelic's), essentially declaring the power of Funk (see P Funk mythology) to do two interconnected things: become an open-minded, happy and goal oriented person, and dance well. That this is the power of Funk had been stated in less than clear terms on previous albums (think of the title to Free Your Mind... And Your Ass Will Follow), but the idea of the connection between the physical and mental liberating power of music had never been so well-stated as on this album.
Track Listing:
Title of song: One Nation Under a Groove
Artist: Funkadelic
Title of album: One Nation Under a Groove (see above)
Year of first release: 1978
Trivia:
This is a fast-paced, percussion driven song that sets the mood for the rest of the album. The harmonies and infectious, hand-clapping beats have made this song a pop classic.
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Songwriters: George Clinton, Junie Morrison, Garry Shider
Memorable Lyrics:
Like the music, the lyrics of this song set the tone for the rest of the album. As the first two quotes above demonstrate, this loose concept album is about the power of Funk (i.e. dance, funk music) and its ability to set one's mind and body free from constrictions.
Personnel: