Uncle Jam Wants You

Infobox Album | Name = Uncle Jam Wants You
Type = Album
Artist = Funkadelic


Released = 1979
Recorded =
Genre = Funk
Length = 41:47
Label = Warner Bros. Records
Producer = George Clinton
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=A3srj283c056a link]
* Robert Christgau B+ [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Funkadelic link]
Last album = "One Nation Under a Groove"
(1978)
This album = "Uncle Jam Wants You"
(1979)
Next album = "The Electric Spanking of War Babies"
(1981)

"Uncle Jam Wants You" is a 1979 album by Funkadelic. It was originally released by Warner Bros. Records, and was later reissued by Priority Records in 1993. It was produced by George Clinton under the alias Dr. Funkenstein. It is the first album since America Eats Its Young not to sport a cover illustrated by Funkadelic artist Pedro Bell, though Bell did contribute some interior artwork.

ignificance

In some ways, "Uncle Jam Wants You" (a reference to the "Uncle Sam wants you!" US Army recruitment posters) is a more militant sequel to the group's previous album, "One Nation Under a Groove". Whereas that album described an ideal country ruled by Funk, "Uncle Jam" actually attempts to provoke the conversion into Funkadelia. Its purpose is also (as the cover claims) to "rescue dance music from the blahs." The cover art depicts George Clinton in a Huey Newton-Black Panthers pose, reflecting the more martial lyrical themes of the album. The album features the band's last big hit single "(Not Just) Knee Deep," and edited version of which went to number one on the Billboard Black singles charts.

Critical Response

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=A3srj283c056a Allmusic.com] "Uncle Jam Wants You" takes not merely a more daring musical approach but a more forthright political stance".

*Rolling Stone (10/3/02, p.106) - 4 stars out of 5 - "The home of 'Freak Of The Week' (which launched a thousand g-funk songs)."

Track listing

#"Freak of the Week" (George Clinton Sr., P. Bishop , Dewayne McKnight)
#"(Not Just) Knee Deep" (George Clinton Junior)
#"Uncle Jam" (Clinton Sr, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell)
#"Field Maneuvers" (D. Clinton???, D Clinton???)
#"Holly Wants to Go to California" (Clinton Sr., Bernie Worrell)
#"Foot Soldiers (Star Spangled Funky)" (Clinton Sr., Jim Vitti)

Personnel

Credited as the Funkadelic Rescue Dance Band:
*Guitars ("Axe Force"): Michael "Kidd Funkadelic" Hampton, Garry "DooWop" Shider, Eddie "Maggot Brain" Hazel
*Keyboards ("Keyboard Battlecruisers"): Bernie (U.S.S. Woo!) Worrell, J.S. Theracon
*Drums ("Uncle Jam's Drum and Wiggle Corps"): Tyrone "Speedfeet" Lampkin, Larry Fratangelo
*Bass ("Bass Anti-Flam Units"): Rodney "Skeet" Curtis, Cordell "Boogie" Mosson
*Vocals ("Vocal Assault & Funkatition Team"): Uncle Jam Clinton, Gary "DooWop" Shider, Larry "Sir Nose" Heckstall, Sheila Horn, Ron "Prophet" Ford, Jeanette McGruder, Dawn Silva, Michael "Clip" Payne, Greg Thomas, & Ray "Stingray" Davis
*Guitar: Bootsy Collins, Dewayne McKnight, Glen Goins
*Bass: Billy Bass Nelson, William Collins, Jeff Bunn
*Keyboard: Junie Morrison, Gary Hudgins, Gerome Rogers
*Drums: Tiki Fulwood, William Collins, Dennis Chambers
*Background Vocals: Linda Brown, Jessica Cleaves, Mallia Franklin, Philippe Wynne, Lige Curry, James Wesley, Greg Boyer, Gerome Rogers

External links

* [http://www.duke.edu/~tmc/motherpage/albums_funkadelic/alb-unclejam.html the Motherpage]