13 Meanings
Add Yours
Share
Q&A

Play That Funky Music Lyrics

Hey do it now yeah hey

Yeah, there was a funky singer
Playin' in a rock and roll band
And never had no problems yeah
Burnin' down one night stands
And everything around me, yeah
Got to stop to feelin' so low
And I decided quickly, yes I did
To disco down and check out the show
Yeah they was

Dancin' and singin' and movin' to the groovin'
And just when it hit me somebody turned around and shouted
Play that funky music white boy
Play that funky music right
Play that funky music white boy
Lay down that boogie and play that funky music till you die
Till you die, oh till you die

Well, I tried to understand this…Yeah, huh,
I thought that they were out of their minds
How could I be so foolish, [How could I]…
tonight's the hours, the one behind
So still I kept on fightin'
Wow, loosin' every step of the way (Yeah, what'd you do?)
I said, "I must go back there"[Got to go back]
and check to see if things still the same
Yeah they was

Dancin' and singin' and movin' to the groovin'
And just when it hit me somebody turned around and shouted
Play that funky music white boy
Play that funky music right
Play that funky music white boy
Lay down that boogie and play that funky music till you die
Till you die, oh till you die


Spoken ( Gonna play that electified funky music ,, yeah )

Spoken: Hey wait a minute
Now first it wasn't easy
Changin' rock and roll and minds
And things were getting shaky
I thought I'd have to leave it behind
But now its so much better ( spoken: its so much better )
I'm funking out in every way
But I'll never lose that feelin' ( spoken: no I won't)
Of how I learned my lesson that day

When they were
Dancin' and singin' and movin' to the groovin'
And just when it hit me somebody turned around and shouted
Play that funky music white boy
Play that funky music right
Play that funky music white boy
Lay down that boogie and play that funky music till you die
Till you die, oh till you die

They shouted play that funky music
Play that funky music
Play that funky music
Gotta keep on playin' funky music
Play that funky music
Questions and Answers

Ask specific questions and get answers to unlock more indepth meanings & facts.

13 Meanings

Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.

Cover art for Play That Funky Music lyrics by Wild Cherry

Firstly, a verse is missing: Well, I tried to understand this…Yeah, huh, I thought that they were out of their minds How could I be so foolish, [How could I]…tonight's the hours, the one behind So still I kept on fightin'…Wow, loosin' every step of the way (Yeah, what'd you do?) I said, "I must go back there"[Got to go back]…and check to see if things still the same

This song means exactly what it says. There's actually a story behind it. The band, Wild Cherry, where hired by a club that used to play funk music. And they where a rock band, so it was a bit of a shock for them (and they where rather unknown). So they got on stage, and played some rock, and people left. So the manager of the club said, actually (or so the story goes) play that funky music, white boy. If they didn't, they would get fired. The next night when they where on stage, they played this track.

Dude, you got a couple things wrong. First of all, the lyrics go "How could I be so foolish, to not see I was the one behind," meaning at first he thinks rock is awesome, and doesn't realize that funk is in fact the way to go. What you posted doesn't make any sense.

Also, it wasn't the club manager who told him to play that funky music. They started out gaining a lot of fans with their rock songs, but during the disco era they performed at a club with a largely black audience and the...

Not Valid
Cover art for Play That Funky Music lyrics by Wild Cherry

Well whatever he said might be true^ but an officail statement by the band basically said that they were inspired by the number of times they were told that exact same sentence by different people. They performed that song once, and some hot shot heard it and signed them up immediately.It was they're only charting hit. SO play that funky music WHite BOY!

Cover art for Play That Funky Music lyrics by Wild Cherry

This song seems (in the most obvious explanation) about an old washed up guy. He may be a grandfather talking to his grandchildren about when he was once a young guy, "running down the one night stands". He's telling whomever he's talking to, to keep playing music, and never forget it. "Play that funky music 'til you to die."

Cover art for Play That Funky Music lyrics by Wild Cherry

Yup.

Cover art for Play That Funky Music lyrics by Wild Cherry

To me it's more about The White Guy who was total like hard rocker... But he felt like something was missing. A boogie singer in a rock n roll band.... you know so he heard about like a club where they played this new music (funk). and he realized this is what he needed you know changing that rock n roll mind... HE wants to associate the funk into rock n roll

Cover art for Play That Funky Music lyrics by Wild Cherry

This is my favorite song in THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE. . . . . EVER.

Cover art for Play That Funky Music lyrics by Wild Cherry

this makes me do a little jig. lmfao.

Cover art for Play That Funky Music lyrics by Wild Cherry

man i actually heard this song on that old school dennis the menance movie, i had heard it b4 but that made me download it, good funny song. also going in my car

Cover art for Play That Funky Music lyrics by Wild Cherry

This is the most awesomest(is that a word??) song in the world! Its is so awesome to play live... with a band... live... on a stage... live... The guitar riff gets stuck in your head for ages, It's still in my head from 2004!!! Awesome song... *****- five Allamah stars.

Cover art for Play That Funky Music lyrics by Wild Cherry

It's kinda funny--when I was little I always thought it was "play that f***ing music, white boy", which would kind of make it like the audience is extremely angry at the band. Hey, it's an easy mondegreen to hear!

But I digress. I believe the person above me is correct. Though I should note, the people in question doing the shouting actually said "Play SOME funky music, white boy" and not "that".