Any yea, its got that sound that will do well at weddings and elsewhere
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 19 March 2015 13:51 (nine years ago) link
it's great for commercial bumpers during sports
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 19 March 2015 13:52 (nine years ago) link
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/michelle-obama/11476599/Watch-Michelle-Obama-dances-to-Uptown-Funk-with-Ellen-DeGeneres.html
― why dont u say something or like just die (dog latin), Thursday, 19 March 2015 14:05 (nine years ago) link
As with Get Lucky, the richness of the production counts for a lot. Even though it's a busy record there's a spaciousness and range that you don't hear much in the Top 10 these days. (I realise that I sound about 83 but it's true)
― Minaj moron (Re-Make/Re-Model), Thursday, 19 March 2015 14:11 (nine years ago) link
What type of person would be mad that a song that sounds like Morris Day is all over the place?
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Thursday, 19 March 2015 14:13 (nine years ago) link
it's a crazy song that references all gold everything and has the lyric "got chucks on with saint laurent" aka it's fire
― nose, Thursday, 19 March 2015 14:27 (nine years ago) link
It's so wild that "All Gold Everything," a song that barely broke the Top 40, ended up spawning the Number One song in the country and an old lady screeching the N-word on CNN in the same month
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Thursday, 19 March 2015 14:34 (nine years ago) link
it's almost like mere chart positions are unreflective of wider popularity or cultural impact!
― lex pretend, Thursday, 19 March 2015 14:38 (nine years ago) link
also i completely loathe "uptown funk" but am baffled that anyone would require an explanation of its popularity
― lex pretend, Thursday, 19 March 2015 14:39 (nine years ago) link
I've had it in my head since reading the thread this morning. please help.
― why dont u say something or like just die (dog latin), Thursday, 19 March 2015 14:56 (nine years ago) link
call the poh-lic and the fireman
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 19 March 2015 14:58 (nine years ago) link
there are like a million hooks and they all work
― the fuckin catalina wine mixer (sleepingbag), Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:00 (nine years ago) link
hooks + retro signifiers + EDM-like build for the kids (which is the worst part of the song)
― lil urbane (Jordan), Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:04 (nine years ago) link
I love The Time/Prince/electro-funk sounds and songs that inspired it but I really hate "Uptown Funk". There's something so cynical and cold about it (the fact that I really dislike M. Ronson's approach of music and production doesn't help, of course). Also, I don't think there's much of a song behind the signifiers. And I don't know much about B. Mars but he seems like a diet coke entertainer to me.bref, it's a shame that this kind of funk and sounds didn't get a better revival hit than this...
― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:10 (nine years ago) link
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN MAMBO NO. 5 FIVE TO ME!?!!?
― da croupier, Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:13 (nine years ago) link
Sometimes I regret there wasnt an internet around to log the teeth-gnashing over, like, the macarena
ILX would have raved about La Lambada.
― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:20 (nine years ago) link
I did!
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:22 (nine years ago) link
the forbidden dance!
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:23 (nine years ago) link
"get lucky" is basically the macarena right
― example (crüt), Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:25 (nine years ago) link
diet coke entertainer
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vc4x9Q3F_ew/T6RtS73Xt-I/AAAAAAAAAY4/N-hKtVYjFiE/s1600/pepsi-michael-jackson.jpg
― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:25 (nine years ago) link
ahah. I had a summer crush on the girl (I was very young !).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyLdoQGBchQ
― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:26 (nine years ago) link
"Uptown Funk" sounds like it was written and recorded using the exact process described in KLF's The Manual: How to Have a Number One the Easy Way.
― Mr. Snrub, Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:26 (nine years ago) link
yeah I had that in mind too !
― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:27 (nine years ago) link
Ronson's *last* album was great. especially this with Rose ex-Pipette singing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rktagwzW3XQ
and from the new album, Daffodils wipes the floor with Uptown Funk IMO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OWkLF2HLp0
he's basically something of a genius i think.
― piscesx, Thursday, 19 March 2015 15:54 (nine years ago) link
I love Daffodils (sounds like he's been listening to Mary Jane Girls on that one) but I can see why it's not the ubiquitous smash UF is.
― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 19 March 2015 16:00 (nine years ago) link
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, March 19, 2015 11:23 AM (39 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
SHHH jesus fucking christ do you want to get this msg board shut down???
― demonic mnevice (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 19 March 2015 16:19 (nine years ago) link
vive la resistance ! (secret sign is : the forbidden dance)
― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 19 March 2015 16:20 (nine years ago) link
*draws lambada symbol in sand, winks, wipes it away*
― demonic mnevice (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 19 March 2015 16:22 (nine years ago) link
remember when Ronson had D'Angelo on his album a few years ago?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOAD0gu18wk
starts of very promising, almost like a Lone track or something, but ends up as a mess. the vocals and the music never mesh, even though D sounds great.
― lil urbane (Jordan), Thursday, 19 March 2015 16:25 (nine years ago) link
"lambada symbol" : 4 legs intertwined ?
― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 19 March 2015 16:25 (nine years ago) link
even before clicking i thought 'this must be that thing i hear in every dr's office and supermarket'
― the increasing costive borborygmi (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 19 March 2015 16:28 (nine years ago) link
btw is this the project that has michael chabon guest writing the lyrics?
― demonic mnevice (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 19 March 2015 16:29 (nine years ago) link
nah, ronson feat mars credit aside, it's from the same team that made others mars hits like "locked out of heaven"
― da croupier, Thursday, 19 March 2015 16:51 (nine years ago) link
according to the liner notes on wikipedia, the two tracks featuring a bruno mars credit are the only two not featuring a michael chabon credit
― da croupier, Thursday, 19 March 2015 16:58 (nine years ago) link
Chris Molanphy wrote about this back in January:
This is why, ever since “Uptown” dropped two months ago, I’ve found it ironic to see so many bloggers, critics, and friends of mine calling it a ready-made smash. Sure, it sounds like an instantly familiar chart-topper to us now. But “Uptown Funk!” is to vintage electro-R&B in 2015 what “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or “Basket Case” were in the early ’90s to vintage punk: a catch-up. It’s a penance by America for not making an irresistible style the pop success it deserved to be the first time around.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/01/13/uptown_funk_mark_ronson_and_bruno_mars_hit_no_1_on_the_billboard_chart_why.html
― jaymc, Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:00 (nine years ago) link
i think a better comparison point might be "stray cat shuffle"
― da croupier, Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:00 (nine years ago) link
it's not like "living in america" and "you dropped a bomb on me" were pixies/buzzcocks levels obscure
― da croupier, Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:02 (nine years ago) link
strut
― Mark G, Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:05 (nine years ago) link
my apologies to the cats
ironically "basket case" only made it to #26 on the charts as an airplay only single (admittedly way higher than anything by the ramones)
― da croupier, Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:08 (nine years ago) link
Disagree strongly with Chris about grouping "Teen Spirit" and "Basket Case" together--I'd draw a very bright line between those two. (Does he mean that "Teen Spirit" was penance for Husker Du not selling millions of records? I don't know what percentage of the people who bought "Teen Spirit" were familiar with Husker Du, or at least who cared about Husker Du, but I'm guessing it was relatively small, even though it only appeared four years later.) Which has nothing to do with "Uptown Funk." Proceed apace.
― clemenza, Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:10 (nine years ago) link
yeah it's not the best comparison. people weren't buying Nirvana for nostalgic reasons.
― why dont u say something or like just die (dog latin), Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:11 (nine years ago) link
also nirvana and green day represented cross-over breakthroughs from indie-based scenes - while it has a distinct sonic template, this is just the latest big hit from an established classicist Top 40 act who's already big enough to headline the superbowl
― da croupier, Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:12 (nine years ago) link
us chart nerds aside, how many people think of this as a Mark Ronson song rather than a Bruno Mars song?
so actually, forget "stray cat strut," this is more like "Crocodile rock"
― da croupier, Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:13 (nine years ago) link
The song also appears to have been strongly influenced by songs from the late 50s-early 60s ("when Rock was young"), including Del Shannon's 1962 "Cry Myself to Sleep", and "Little Darlin'" (recorded in 1957 by The Diamonds and The Gladiolas). The chorus resembles "Speedy Gonzales" by Pat Boone. While there was no actual "Crocodile Rock", there was a dance called The Alligator.
― da croupier, Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:15 (nine years ago) link
I remember when funk was youngMe and Bruno had so much fun
― clemenza, Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:18 (nine years ago) link
hard times befallin'the funk survivorsshe thinks i'm crazybut i'm just growin' old
― demonic mnevice (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:21 (nine years ago) link
re this being a bruno or a mick ronson song, i should admit the song's profile is undoubtedly different in the UK, where Ronson's first Top 20 lead credit was over a decade ago and he's had four since. Meanwhile in the US, this remains his first and only Top 100. bruno's big in both countries, though.
― da croupier, Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:23 (nine years ago) link
lol MARK ronson, sorry.
― da croupier, Thursday, 19 March 2015 17:24 (nine years ago) link
Add "New Sensation" to the list of potential influences.
― with HD lyrics (Eazy), Monday, 23 March 2015 01:31 (nine years ago) link
a few Prince songs of course.
just a few?!
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 23 March 2015 01:36 (nine years ago) link
In terms of his funk side, yeah, just a few; I much prefer poppier stuff like "Raspberry Beret" and "Mountains," and I wasn't really including those. I think the least funkiest guy in the world should voluntarily remove himself from this thread.
― clemenza, Monday, 23 March 2015 01:53 (nine years ago) link
oh I see your distinction
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 23 March 2015 01:57 (nine years ago) link
would love to see morris day/the time (or other old funkateers) getting some extra bookings on the back of this song.
― StillAdvance, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 11:32 (nine years ago) link
esp as ronson thanked them during his brits speech
agree
― maura, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 15:45 (nine years ago) link
i'm guessing there'll be plenty of opportunities to do performances of this w/ guest stars at award shows over the next year, would be surprised if they don't do something like that at least once
― some dude, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 16:07 (nine years ago) link
honestly it would be smart for Ronson, if he ever has to tour or a TV appearance when Bruno isn't free, to straight up have Morris Day or someone like that just do all the lead vocals
― some dude, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 16:08 (nine years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWhiND2qhZU
― da croupier, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 16:53 (nine years ago) link
No longer #1:http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6531861/wiz-khalifa-see-you-again-no-1-hot-100
― jaymc, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 17:06 (nine years ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BElb7a1CYAIY2N4.jpg
― Hammer Smashed Bagels, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 17:09 (nine years ago) link
lollll i was just thinking last week that if there was any dark horse out there it'd be the love theme from furious 7
― da croupier, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 17:09 (nine years ago) link
doubted maroon 5's "uptown lite funk" or either of the 50 shades love themes would topple it as all are in maturity as pop hits
― da croupier, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 17:10 (nine years ago) link
Morris Day + Time + "Living in America" >>>>> "I'll Be Missin' You."
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 15 April 2015 17:17 (nine years ago) link
yes but dear god man it's been more than 3 months of "Hooray For 80s funk-pop" let people enjoy their paul walker memorial vid
― da croupier, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 17:19 (nine years ago) link
have you seen that tribute? really gets across what an enduring hottie we lost.
― da croupier, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 17:21 (nine years ago) link
this might be the most baffling bit of trivia in that article for me
Flo Rida's "Right Round" holds the record for most weekly downloads sold: 636,000 (Feb. 28, 2009).
― da croupier, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 17:22 (nine years ago) link
i know they have no motivation to do it but i do wish the streaming songs chart could distinguish between people on spotify yearning to hear wiz khalifa rap about brotherhood and people on youtube yearning to see paul walker's beautiful eyes one more time
― da croupier, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 17:26 (nine years ago) link
though I guess the "On-Demand Songs" chart somewhat gets that distinction across as its strictly songs played and requested on streaming radio, and wiz is #1 there too
― da croupier, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 17:29 (nine years ago) link
I should solve the problem by creating an "Uptown Funk" fan video with scenes from Paul Walker's beach movie.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 15 April 2015 17:38 (nine years ago) link
"How To Explain the Popularity of "See You Again"?"
― thom yorke state of mind (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 15 April 2015 19:01 (nine years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQE9Bi0-Ra0
― example (crüt), Wednesday, 15 April 2015 19:07 (nine years ago) link
Alfred how dare you compare "I'll Be Missing You" to this Wiz garbage.
― The Reverend, Thursday, 16 April 2015 02:03 (nine years ago) link
finally figured out what uptown funk really reminded me of:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI9uJbczhiI
leon haywood - don't push it, don't force it
― feargal czukay (NickB), Monday, 14 September 2015 22:12 (eight years ago) link
good find! basis for a lawsuit I suppose
― niels, Tuesday, 15 September 2015 12:10 (eight years ago) link
Write Haywood's lawyer.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 15 September 2015 12:14 (eight years ago) link
well, I wouldn't wanna push it
― niels, Tuesday, 15 September 2015 12:24 (eight years ago) link
basis for a lawsuit I suppose
only when Haywood gets out of court with Blood Sweat & Tears
― Dominique, Tuesday, 15 September 2015 16:43 (eight years ago) link
This song is so many other songs it could single handedly clog the courts. Reminds me of the DJ Shadow frustration/surrender that you can only split a song's royalties 50/50 once.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 15 September 2015 17:13 (eight years ago) link
MJ's "Jam" more than anything else imo... same hook.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbHI1yI1Ndk
And anyone defending it hasn't had enough James Brown in their lives to recognize utter vanillatude when it's staring them square in the face.
― Adam J Duncan, Wednesday, 16 September 2015 17:06 (eight years ago) link
(sorry, combined... nickB's otm for overall structure)
― Adam J Duncan, Wednesday, 16 September 2015 17:16 (eight years ago) link
It's a better song than "Living in America"
― best beloved george benson (The Reverend), Wednesday, 16 September 2015 19:42 (eight years ago) link
what became of that whole "suing songs for being vague soundalikes" thing? I wasn't really following. Was the decision upheld? Have loads of people followed suit? Could massive attack sue over this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhc7Gqr1SwM
― the siteban for the hilarious 'lbzc' dom ips (wins), Wednesday, 16 September 2015 20:13 (eight years ago) link