Up for the Down Stroke
Encyclopedia
Up for the Down Stroke is a 1974
album
by Parliament
. It was the band's second album (following 1970
's Osmium
), and their first to be released on Casablanca Records
. The album's title track
was Parliament's first chart hit and remains one of the most well-known P-Funk
songs. The album also contains a funk
reworking of The Parliaments
' song "(I Wanna) Testify" under the title "Testify
". The original title of the album was "Whatever Makes Baby Feel Good", and the cover of the album featured group leader George Clinton
hovering over a woman in distress, sporting a black wig and monster-type gloves.
"Up for the Down Stroke" is also notable in that it regenerates George Clinton's professional relationship with bassist Bootsy Collins
, who had taken a two year hiatus from the group. Bootsy would play a pivotal role in all of the Parliament albums released through Casablanca Records
.
2003 Remaster contains the following bonus tracks:
1974 in music
-January–April:*January 3 – Bob Dylan and The Band kick off their 40-date concert tour at Chicago Stadium. It's Dylan's first time on the road since 1966.*January 17...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Parliament
Parliament (band)
Parliament was a funk band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Funkadelic, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
. It was the band's second album (following 1970
1970 in music
- Events :*January 3**Davy Jones announces he is leaving the Monkees**Former Pink Floyd frontman Syd Barrett releases his first solo album The Madcap Laughs....
's Osmium
Osmium (album)
Osmium is the debut album of American funk band Parliament, led by George Clinton. The album has a psychedelic soul sound with a spirit of experimentation that is more similar to early Funkadelic than the later R&B-inspired Parliament albums. It was originally released in July 1970 on Invictus...
), and their first to be released on Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records was an American record label started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris, and Buck Reingold in 1973, and based in Los Angeles. The label was formed after all of them had left Buddah Records and secured financing by Warner Bros. Records to start the venture...
. The album's title track
Up for the Down Stroke (song)
"Up for the Down Stroke" is a funk song by Parliament, the title track to their 1974 album of the same name. Released as a single from the album, it reached number ten on the Billboard R&B chart and number 63 on the Hot 100...
was Parliament's first chart hit and remains one of the most well-known P-Funk
P-Funk
P-Funk is a shorthand term for the repertoire and performers associated with George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic collective and the distinctive style of funk music they performed...
songs. The album also contains a 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...
reworking of The Parliaments
The Parliaments
The Parliaments were a doo-wop quintet from Plainfield, New Jersey, formed in the back room of a barbershop in the late 1950s and named after the cigarette brand. After some early personnel changes their lineup solidified with George Clinton, Ray Davis, Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas...
' song "(I Wanna) Testify" under the title "Testify
Testify (Parliament song)
"Testify" is a song by the band Parliament. It is a funk reworking of the song " Testify", which was originally recorded in 1967 by The Parliaments and reached #3 on the Billboard R&B chart...
". The original title of the album was "Whatever Makes Baby Feel Good", and the cover of the album featured group leader George Clinton
George Clinton (musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
hovering over a woman in distress, sporting a black wig and monster-type gloves.
"Up for the Down Stroke" is also notable in that it regenerates George Clinton's professional relationship with bassist Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
, who had taken a two year hiatus from the group. Bootsy would play a pivotal role in all of the Parliament albums released through Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records was an American record label started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris, and Buck Reingold in 1973, and based in Los Angeles. The label was formed after all of them had left Buddah Records and secured financing by Warner Bros. Records to start the venture...
.
Track listing
- "Up for the Down StrokeUp for the Down Stroke (song)"Up for the Down Stroke" is a funk song by Parliament, the title track to their 1974 album of the same name. Released as a single from the album, it reached number ten on the Billboard R&B chart and number 63 on the Hot 100...
" (George ClintonGeorge Clinton (musician)George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
, William "Bootsy" Collins, Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins, Bernie WorrellBernie WorrellGeorge Bernard "Bernie" Worrell, Jr. is an American keyboardist and composer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic...
) – 5:10 (released as a single-Casablanca 0013) - "TestifyTestify (Parliament song)"Testify" is a song by the band Parliament. It is a funk reworking of the song " Testify", which was originally recorded in 1967 by The Parliaments and reached #3 on the Billboard R&B chart...
" (George Clinton, Deron Taylor) – 3:49 (released as a single-Casablanca 811) - "The GooseThe Goose"The Goose" is a song by the funk band Parliament. It was released as a two-part single, the group's first on their new label Casablanca Records. It was also a track on their 1974 album Up for the Down Stroke. The song failed to chart....
" (George Clinton, Eddie HazelEddie HazelEdward Earl "Eddie" Hazel was a guitarist in early funk music in the United States who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic...
) – 9:13 (released as a single-Casablanca 0003) - "I Can Move You (If You Let Me)" (George Clinton, Cordell "Boogie" Mosson, Bernie Worrell, William "Bootsy" Collins) – 2:47
- "I Just Got Back (From the Fantasy, Ahead of Our Time in the Four Lands of Ellet)" (Peter Chase) – 4:33
- "All Your Goodies Are Gone"(George Clinton, Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins, Billy "Bass" Nelson) – 5:07
- "Whatever Makes Baby Feel Good" (George Clinton, Eddie Hazel) – 6:01
- "Presence of a Brain" (George Clinton, Garry ShiderGarry ShiderGarry Marshall Shider was an American musician and guitarist. He was musical director of the P-Funk All-Stars for much of their history. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.-Early life:Shider was born in Plainfield, New...
) – 3:19
2003 Remaster contains the following bonus tracks:
- "Up for the Down Stroke (Alternate Mix)" – 5:39
- "Testify (Alternate Mix)" – 4:03
- "Singing Another Song (Previously Unreleased)" - 3:04
Personnel
- Bernie WorrellBernie WorrellGeorge Bernard "Bernie" Worrell, Jr. is an American keyboardist and composer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic...
- Arrangement, Keyboards - Eddie HazelEddie HazelEdward Earl "Eddie" Hazel was a guitarist in early funk music in the United States who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic...
- Guitar, Arrangement, Vocals - Bootsy CollinsBootsy CollinsWilliam Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
- Bass, Guitar, Drums - Gary Bronson - Drums
- Ron Bykowski - Guitar
- Peter Chase - Whistling
- George ClintonGeorge Clinton (funk musician)George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
- Arrangement, Vocals, Producer - Raymond DavisRay Davis (musician)Raymond "Ray" Davis was the original bass singer and one of the founding members of The Parliaments, Parliament, and Funkadelic. His regular nickname while he was with those groups was "Sting Ray Davis". Aside from George Clinton, he was the only original member of the Parliaments not to leave the...
- Vocals - Ramon "Tiki" Fulwood - Drums
- Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins - Vocals
- Cordell Mosson - Bass
- Ralph - Engineer
- Gary Shider - Guitar, Vocals
- Calvin SimonCalvin SimonCalvin Eugene Simon is a former member of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic....
- Vocals - Grady ThomasGrady ThomasGrady Thomas is a former member of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic...
- Vocals - Tom "Curly" Ruff - Mastering
- Rod Dyer - Design
- Jon Echeverrieta - Design