"Funky Worm" is a song by American funk

Funk

Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...

 group the Ohio Players

Ohio Players

The Ohio Players were an American funk and R&B band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their double #1 hit songs "Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster".- Biography :...

, from their album Pleasure

Pleasure (Ohio Players album)

-Track listing:All songs composed by The Ohio Players.#"Pleasure" #"Laid It" #"Pride and Vanity" #"Walt's First Trip" #"Varee is Love" #"Walked Away From You" #"Paint Me" #"Funky Worm"...

. It peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard R&B charts in 1973

R&B number-one hits of 1973 (USA)

These are the Billboard magazine R&B singles chart number one hits of 1973:See also: 1973 in music, List of number-one R&B hits -Chart comparisons:...

 and also peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

.

Influence

The song's moog synthesizer

Moog synthesizer

Moog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...

 solos have become a staple part in hip hop

Hip hop

Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...

 sampling history, being sampled by artists such as MC Breed

MC Breed

Eric Breed better known as MC Breed, was an American rapper best known for his singles "Ain't No Future in Yo Frontin", which peaked at #66 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Gotta Get Mine", featuring 2Pac, that made it to #6 on the Hot Rap Singles.-Biography:Born in Flint, Michigan, Breed is also...

, Too $hort

Too $hort

Todd Anthony Shaw , better known by the stage name Too Short , is an American rapper, producer, and actor who started his career at the age of fourteen in East Oakland, Oakland, California.-Career:...

, Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre

Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...

, Xzibit

Xzibit

Alvin Nathaniel Joiner , better known by his stage name Xzibit , is an American rapper, actor, and television host. He is known as the host of the MTV show Pimp My Ride, which brought him mainstream success...

, Game, and countless other rap/hip hop artists. The high-pitched whine of the synthesizer on the song was often emulated by producers from the West Coast and became a staple in G-Funk

G-funk

G-funk, or Gangsta-funk, is a sub-genre of hip hop music that emerged from Westcoast gangsta rap in the early 1990s. G-funk incorporates multi-layered and melodic synthesizers, slow hypnotic grooves, a deep bass, background female vocals, the extensive sampling of P-funk tunes, and a high-pitched...

 music. N.W.A notably sampled "Funky Worm" on their songs "Gangsta Gangsta

Gangsta Gangsta

Gangsta Gangsta can refer to:*"Gangsta Gangsta" , a 1988 single by American rap group N.W.A.*"Gangsta Gangsta" , a 2006 single by Lil' Scrappy...

" and "Dopeman

Dopeman

"Panic Zone" was the 1987 debut EP by American hip hop group N.W.A, whose songs were later featured on the compilation N.W.A. and the Posse, which was a reissue of 12" EPs and singles released by Macola Records, the then manufacturer and distributor of Ruthless Records, N.W.A's label.Apart from the...

". DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince's 1993 hit "Boom! Shake the Room

Boom! Shake the Room

"Boom! Shake The Room" is the second single taken from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's fifth studio album, Code Red, released in 1993. The song became the duo's first number one in the United Kingdom, as well as reaching #13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of their last significant...

" also samples the song.

In popular culture

The song can be heard on the fictional radio station Bounce FM, in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...

.

Chart positions

Chart (1973)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...	15
U.S. Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles	1