The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein
By Parliament
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Track listing
Show track credits
- A1 Prelude 1:40
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writer
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- A2 Gamin' on Ya 3:02
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writer
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horn arrangements, writer
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- A3 Dr. Funkenstein 5:46
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writer
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writer
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horn arrangements
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- A4 Children of Productions 3:57
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writer
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writer
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horn arrangements
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- A5 Getten' to Know You 5:20
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writer
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horn arrangements
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- B1 Do That Stuff 4:47
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writer
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writer
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horn arrangements
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- B2 Everything Is on the One 3:47
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writer
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horn arrangements, writer
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- B3 I've Been Watching You (Move Your Sexy Body) 6:01
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writer
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writer
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horn arrangements
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- B4 Funkin' for Fun 5:56
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writer
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writer
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horn arrangements
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- Total length: 40:16
Rate/Catalog
Catalog
Set listening
Review
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8 Issues
- Release view [combined information for all issues]
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2009 CD UICY-94285
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The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein Respect the Classics 180 gram
37 Reviews
Parliament got a wild party started and wouldn't let go in The Clones Of Dr. Funkenstein, firing off with "Gamin' On Ya", a delicious mix of disco-funk-soul and a 70's soundtrack-theme, while "Dr. Funkenstein" applied contagious gospel singing (morphing into quasi-rapping) to beguiling funk-soul festivities. In "Gettin' To Know You" their celebratory funk approached the spirit of carnival music, while timeless classics like "Do That Stuff" showed how much current groups like Junior Senior are indebted to them. The party only got a bit restrained in the sensual soul-funk-jazz "I've Been Watchin' You".
Published
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Parliament's music is, in my estimation, as far from white mainstream as you can get and I love them for it (and unlike the sister band Funkadelic, they went for free form breaks, not lengthy guitar solos). Their sound was nearly impossible to describe: playful yet really complex with something challengingly strange and spooky about it. Clones doesn't have the reputation of Mothership Connection, but it's only a wee notch below and underrated by many on this site.
(I would literally kill for a t-shirt of this album cover. KILL. Or pay a ridiculously exorbitant sum. I'm hoping for the latter)
(I would literally kill for a t-shirt of this album cover. KILL. Or pay a ridiculously exorbitant sum. I'm hoping for the latter)
Published
Very funny funky album.
Published
I think this is overlooked within the Parliament canon, probably due to the fact that it came after Mothership and before Funkentelechy, which is a shame considering it contains one of the best collection of songs the crew ever released. It's definitely more horn than synth-oriented than their usual stuff, brilliantly arranged and executed by Maceo and Fred Wesley, with a quirky, relaxed sound reminiscent of Bootsy's work from the same era, and has a more organic and classic feeling than said albums. It's all about a groove thing during 40 minutes of funk bliss. I just wish some jams were longer, especially Gamin' on Ya, fading away way too early. Anyway, a real gem that should get more praise from true funkheads.
Published
There are definitely more songs that I outright really enjoyed on here than on Mothership Connection, however the same issues still persist. Most songs sound very similar to me to the point of running together in my mind. These albums are very fun and I can not say it’s bad but I just wish I could say I enjoyed it EVEN more.
Published
There's a massive difference between this and the albums that Parliament released before and after, not in quality, but in general sound. The vocals are good, its fresh to hear George Clinton on so few tracks despite my love for his voice, and the additional lead vocal parts are very good and capture a lot of similar emotion and energy that Clinton has. The instrumentals are the biggest difference, where Mothership Connection and Funkentelechy have a much more electronic focus, this one has much stronger horn arrangements led by former James Brown trombonist Fred Wesley that essentially become the focal point for the album. That all being said, the additional instrumentals are as good as on their bigger albums, with phenomenal bass and percussion, great guitar and synths, and solid backing vocals. The top three tracks were 1. Funkin' for Fun 2. Dr. Funkenstein 3. I've Been Watching You (Move Your Sexy Body), while there weren't any lowlights although I think the album was, on the whole, a bit weaker than the other two Parliament albums I've heard. The album art is great, I love the white background and the costume design is sick, I don't think the theming of the album is solid enough to reflect it in the cover, but it looks good regardless. Overall, this album wasn't quite as strong as the other two big Parliament albums but its still pretty damn good, the horn arrangements seperate it and h=make it unique, and I enjoyed every track a fair amount.
Published
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Somehow a step back artistically, but one so nice and pleasant its hard to hate, the Clones of Dr. Funkenstein is probably Parliaments most relaxed album up to that point. On here, you just get sweet, languid grooves, incredibly tasty understated guitar work, Glen Goins best vocal performances, thick basslines and fun, dumb lyrics about Funk and Women. It's just perfect nice vibes all around, with everyone having so much light-hearted fun it's hard not to completely sink into the atmosphere on here. No, do you know what really makes this album stand out, though? The horns. Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Michael Brecker and Rick Gardner under the arrangement of Bernie put down some of the funkiest, most colorful horn-performances you could ever wish for from a Funk album. This is the kind of stuff that makes you completely forget that the songwriting is actually kinda boring, because god damn do they play their instruments.
Clones of Dr. Funkenstein will forever live in the shadows of Mothership Connection and Funkentelechy, and that's fine, not every album has to be an eternal classic of a genre. That said, if you want Parliament at their most chill and their horn section at their most fantastic, this is the project to check out. Just gorgeous front to back.
Clones of Dr. Funkenstein will forever live in the shadows of Mothership Connection and Funkentelechy, and that's fine, not every album has to be an eternal classic of a genre. That said, if you want Parliament at their most chill and their horn section at their most fantastic, this is the project to check out. Just gorgeous front to back.
Published
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A1
Prelude
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A2
Gamin' on Ya
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A3
Dr. Funkenstein
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A4
Children of Productions
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A5
Getten' to Know You
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B1
Do That Stuff
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B2
Everything Is on the One
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B3
I've Been Watching You (Move Your Sexy Body)
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B4
Funkin' for Fun
The space themes of Mothership Connection from the P-Funk mob continue in a full squiggly manner on the title track. I like its slow bass line and call and response style propelled along with the stylish horns of Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Rick Gardner, and Michael Brecker.
That brass crew really amps up the stoned vibin' "Children of Production". Even the lesser album tracks like "Getten to Know You" a track that a more charismatic vocalist like Willie Hutch or Stevie or Curtis would have just nailed has just fantastic horns. Same deal for the underplayed "I've Been Watching You".
Surrounded by the titanic Mothership Connection and Funkentelechy on either side and without a gigantic tracks of the proportion of "Flash Light", "Bop Gun", "P-Funk", or "Give Up the Funk" inevitably The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein suffers. Even the album title points to filler - but this is about the best you can get for filler and these songs are very good in their own right.
That said, "Do That Stuff" and "Funkin' For Fun" are great jams with soulful choral vocals and the brightest horns of the 70's and don't fail to put a smile on my face. For a
so-called stopgap album The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein is one of the more enjoyable ones I know of.
Published
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Catalog
22 Apr 2024
20 Apr 2024
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A1 Prelude
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A2
Gamin' on Ya
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A3
Dr. Funkenstein
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A4
Children of Productions
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A5
Getten' to Know You
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B1
Do That Stuff
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B2
Everything Is on the One
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B3
I've Been Watching You (Move Your Sexy Body)
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B4
Funkin' for Fun
20 Apr 2024
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A1
Prelude
-
A2
Gamin' on Ya
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A3
Dr. Funkenstein
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A4
Children of Productions
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A5
Getten' to Know You
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B1
Do That Stuff
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B2
Everything Is on the One
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B3
I've Been Watching You (Move Your Sexy Body)
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B4
Funkin' for Fun
19 Apr 2024
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A1 Prelude
-
A2
Gamin' on Ya
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A3
Dr. Funkenstein
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A4
Children of Productions
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A5
Getten' to Know You
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B1
Do That Stuff
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B2
Everything Is on the One
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B3
I've Been Watching You (Move Your Sexy Body)
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B4
Funkin' for Fun
17 Apr 2024
16 Apr 2024
10 Apr 2024
29 Mar 2024
22 Mar 2024
22 Mar 2024
21 Mar 2024
21 Mar 2024
21 Mar 2024
18 Mar 2024
17 Mar 2024
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