Parliament — “Red Hot Mama”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 5, 2023

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD

723) Parliament — “Red Hot Mama”

Red hot ‘71 Parliament A-side that, as Ned Raggett says, has “an explosive Eddie Hazel solo, turning into a slow monster riff that rivals whatever Jimmy Page and Tony Iommi were coming up with in 1970.” (https://www.allmusic.com/album/first-thangs-mw0000092023) Later redone to much acclaim by Funkadelic.

Derek See gives some history:

George Clinton began his group of slick doo wop vocalists as the Parliaments in the late ’50’s, eventually morphing into an incredible Detroit soul band that hit big with “Testify” in 1967, and released some other incredible singles along the way . . . . Around 1968, Clinton somehow lost rights to the the name “Parliaments”, just around the time things were getting very FREAKY and hence the birth of Funkadelic (the same singers and more or less the same musicians who played in the latter day Parliaments). In 1970, George somehow got the rights to the name back, and released an LP (Osmium) [see #249, 308] as Parliament (no “s” this time) and a few singles. This track (later recut by Funkadelic) features some of the most raw vocals and ripping fuzz guitar (genius guitarist Eddie Hazel) every cut by the P Funk gang (and that’s quite a feat!). The single and album didn’t sell, and the Parliament name was retired until 1974, where George used the Parliament moniker to explore a more commercial (but never boring) brand of sci-fi funk.

http://dereksdaily45.blogspot.com/2009/05/parliament-red-hot-mama.html?m=1

The single:

Long version:

Here is Funkadelic:

Here is Funkadelic live in ’78:

Here is George Clinton on Letterman! —

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