Today we discuss funk and disco songs with extended versions that stretch over 10 minutes long. From the examples we chose, we learn that this can be the result of an artistic choice, pressure from a record label, dance floor inspirations, or even drugs.
Most of us are familiar with the general length of most songs—about 3-5 minutes. Funk/disco songs usually follow this same rule, but there are a healthy number of popular songs that have an original full length of 10-16 minutes! Obviously you can’t play these on the radio, so what gives? In this week’s episode we explore this concept and consider some of the reasons why these songs are so long. Some of the back stories are pretty interesting and offer insight into this phenomenon.
As we mention in the episode, if you want to extend any song into a theoretically infinite mix, check out The Infinite Jukebox.
Honorable Mentions:
“Papa Don’t Take No Mess” by James Brown
“Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” by the Temptations
“Got to Give It Up” by Marvin Gaye
“Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang
“Maggot Brain” by Funkadelic
“Chameleon” by Herbie Hancock
“Get on the Funk Train” by Munich Machine / Giorgio Moroder
“Disco Inferno” by the Trammps
“Bop Gun (One Nation)” by Ice Cube feat. George Clinton
“Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” by McFadden & Whitehead
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