Funk = Soul + ?

If Soul = Gospel + Rhythm & Blues, then what is the formula for Funk? One ingredient of Funk is definitely Soul music.

Watch this short video about “Funk”:



In one sense, Funk music still “looked” like Soul and often had similar orchestration and background vocalists. However, Funk orchestration focused especially on the electric guitar, electric bass, and the drums. The reason is that all of these instruments work ideally to emphasize rhythm, which is probably Funk’s most distinctive quality. Unlike Rhythm & Blues and Soul music that had strong melodies and some focus on harmony, Funk music focused primarily on the Rhythm. The use of chord progression was replaced with a groovy vamp of pitches within one chord. A “vamp” is a continuous repetition of a short piece of music. (In Classical music the vamp is known as “ostinato” and in Rock music as a “riff.” Later, in Hip-Hop music the vamp would be called a “loop.”)

The Godfather of Soul and King of Funk

James Brown is the known as the “Godfather of Soul,” and was instrumental in this new sound, known as Funk. Another title for James Brown is “King of Funk.”
Listen to James Brown perform his signature song “I Feel Good.” This song is based on the Twelve Bar Blues structure. Even parts of the lyrics have the AAB-form, for instance: “I feel good, I knew that I would, now / I feel good, I knew that I would, now / So good, so good, I got you.” This is, of course, inherited from the blues tradition.



Watch the following video-clip in which James Brown repeats the phrase “Make it Funky.” This is a good example of “vamp” in funk music. The vamp not only includes the beat and bass-riff, but also the lyrics is at times part of the vamp.



Lady Marmalade

In the 70s Labelle came out with a song called “Lady Marmalade.” This Funk song, is considered by some as one of the first Disco songs. Let’s listen to it.



The French phrase “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi (ce soir)?” in the song means “Do you want to sleep with me (tonight)?” The song is about one man’s encounter with Lady Marmalade, a prostitute in New Orleans.

In 2002 Christina Aguilera, Pink, Mya, and Lil' Kim covered this “Lady Marmalade” for their Moulin Rouge performance.