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"Funkytown" is a 1980 disco hit song by the disco band Lipps Inc. The song expresses the singer's pining for a metaphorical place that will "keep me movin', keeps me groovin' with some energy". It is said that the song was written while the band lived in Minneapolis, MN and with dreams of moving to New York City, NY. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Dance charts in 1980, also reaching number 1 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Australia and The Netherlands. It reached No. 2 in the UK, Sweden and on the U.S. R&B chart. "Funkytown" is often considered to be one of disco's last stands. It was Lipps Inc's only U.S. Top 40 hit.

Music video
In the music video, Lipps Inc. is dancing in a disco. Another music video shows other women dancing to the song.

Track listings
7" Single


 * 1) Funkytown  4:00
 * 2) All Night Dancing  3:09

12" Single


 * 1) Funkytown  7:51
 * 2) All Night Dancing  3:09

In popular culture

 * The Iranian Delegation to the 2006 Winter Olympic Games had the song played during their entrance to the opening ceremonies.
 * The song is featured in the video games Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA and the US version of Beatmania.
 * The song is featured in the films Shrek 2, Disaster Movie, History of the World, Part I and Alvin and the Chipmunks.
 * Christian rapper Luis "Funky" Marrero named his label after this song.
 * In the South Park episode Towelie, Towelie played the tune to "Funkytown" on the keypad to get into a secret base after getting high.
 * In the Malcolm in the Middle episode Rollerskates, Hal uses "Funkytown" to teach Malcolm to skate.
 * Funkytown has been heard in each of Areva's commercials since 2004, from "Energy Experts" (2004) up to "Energy : One Powerful Story" (2011).
 * The main riff in the song is similar to that of "The Changeling" by The Doors.
 * It is used on The Pink Panther commercial.
 * "Funkytown" appeared on a Martha Speaks commercial.
 * In the Futurama episode Amazon Women in the Mood, Morbo sings "Funkytown" for a Karaoke performance in a restaurant aboard a space liner.
 * This song is played in the second season episode nine of the British drama Skins (E4), when the character Cassie, played by Hannah Murray, dances this song. The song is also included in the Official Soundtrack for season 2 of Skins.
 * In Italy, the song is known because of a case of achoustic pareidolia, sometimes mistaken for a subliminal message. The first sentence Gotta make a move to a town that’s right for me sounds similar to an Italian sentence: Caro amico mio, culattone, aspettami. This can be translated as: My dear friend, faggot, wait for me.

Controversies
In 1976, an amendment was made to the Copyright Act that permits authors to terminate grants of copyright assignments and licenses that were made on or after January 1, 1978. Under Section 203 of the Copyright Act, artists may reclaim ownership of a work's copyright no earlier than 35 years after the grant was executed. However, artists may give notice of their intent to terminate as early as 25 years after the grant had been executed. In 2006, Steven Greenberg became the first American songwriter to file "notice of termination" under this act, in regard to Funkytown and the album it is a part of. Because the song was released in 1980, the earliest that Greenberg would actually have the copyright returned to him is in the year 2015. So far, Casablanca's successor (Universal Music Group) has had little to say on the matter. Their stance legally has been that the song was a "work for hire" which are not protected under the copyright amendment, with Greenberg playing the role of the employee. As the first major hit to be reviewed for termination, many artists across the country are eagerly awaiting the outcome.

Pseudo Echo version
In 1986, "Funkytown" was covered by Australian band Pseudo Echo, who gave the song a different sound, less of early eighties' electronica and more of later eighties' rock, including a guitar solo in the middle. Pseudo Echo's version spent seven weeks at No. 1 in Australia, (Lipps Inc.'s was at No. 1 for only two weeks in Australia), and was also a No. 6 US hit in July of the following year and in August a No. 1 hit in Canada. Curiously, despite Pseudo Echo's rock-like arrangement, on the 12" single issue of this version, the actual song is labelled as Funkytown (Dance Mix).

Music video
In the music video Pseudo Echo playing the song live at a concert in front of many spectators.

Track listings
7" Single


 * 1) Funkytown  3:40
 * 2) Lies Are Nothing 3:58

Other cover versions
In 1980, it was covered by the Spanish group Parchís. This cover is possibly the first cover of the song. It was recorded as a result of the song's popularity as the main song of the Vuelta a España that year. The cover is completely in Spanish with the exception of the name Funkytown.

In 1981, it was included by SNK in their licensed game Fantasy, released by Rock-Ola.

In 1984, the British post-punk band the 012 covered it at about double the original speed on rock instruments, under the title "Funkytown People," on their album Let's Get Professional. The performance is sloppy, with blurry, atonal guitar playing, and singer/guitarist Kif Kif Le Batter (real name: Keith Dobson) throws in lots of asides putting the song down. After the 012 split up, Dobson formed World Domination Enterprises, and re-recorded the song under its proper title for their 1988 album Let's Play Domination. This performance is noticeably tighter than the 012's and the lyrics are played straight this time (although Dobson interprets "with some energy" as "It's Saturday"), but the guitar style remains the same. A "Let's Go Mix" of the song is included on World Dom's 1989 split remix/live album Love from Lead City.

In 1995, it was covered by Tejano singer Selena during her last televised concert. The song was later included on the Selena film soundtrack album.

In 2007, it was covered by Alvin and the Chipmunks in the live-action/CGI film adaptation (this same version can also be heard in the video game based on the 2009 sequel). Their version peaked at No. 86. It was also used in the video game Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 by Ubisoft for the music rhythm games.

The same year, French singer Lorie sampled the music of "Funkytown" for a remixed version of her hit single "Je Vais Vite"; it became "Je Vais Funky". A video was also made to promote the mix.

In 2009, the Swedish group Alcazar released a cover of "Funkytown", included on their album Disco Defenders.

In 2011, Colombian singer Fanny Lú used the main synth riff and part of the vocal melody from "Funkytown" in the song "Te Amo, Te Amo" on her album Felicidad y Perpetua. In the same year, a sample of the song's verse was used in the lyrics of Super Junior members Donghae and Eunhyuk's second duo song, "Oppa, Oppa".