The Word: Funk begins with James Brown -- on his own page including JB productions. We do not lump in all kinds of limp soul with funk. This is funk first and foremost, a James Brown-intensive zone.
Many of these tracks can be heard on YouTube, so please use that as your "listen here" reference until we get around to digitizing.
Of the thousands of great funk 45s (and related mod soul/boogaloo, fu funk, kid funk, space funk, sweet soul, disco, funky gospel, funky rock, funky blues), not many are easy to find. Here is quite a selection, perfect for building a collection. And we'll help with free mailing or further discounts for multi-item orders (the more the merrier, so load up).
For related items, see all other pages. We have country funk, funky Moog, all kinds of stuff, and it really is funk (where listed as such). Here we just list the pure.
Further below: trade wants
Links: are to subpages or artists bio/discog pages in the Hyp Records guide:
Images: accurately represent items but are not always the exact copy listed/purchased
Discount: ALWAYS try to buy more than one item at a time
1619 B.A.B.: World/For Your Love; Brown Sugar BS-2003; N $15 -- funk/jazz-funk; a great place to start!; clean, cheap, good!
Abaco Dream: Life & Death in G&A/Cat Woman; A&M 1081; N- S? $40 -- funky rock/Moog funk that people have been looking for lately
ADC Band: Long Stroke/That's Life; Atlantic/Cotillion 44243; 1978; N S $20 -- late funk/proto-rap in the P-funk vein, good!
Calvin Arnold: Funky Way/Snatchin' Back; Venture V-605 E- $30 -- funk; A-side is great, B-side is nearly as winning
Gary Atkinson: Wanderin' Soul/KB-2; Corillions 110; 1981; E- S $100 -- country-funk/drums; final disc out of only 100 ever pressed; the most-wanted record (1 of only 2 that are soul/funk) made by outsider-musician Marlin Wallace; hip country (not to mention Satan-mentioning) and funky A-side with great bass & drums!; it's a pet project of Jello Biafra's that spun, er, into control; get it and the other great one (see "Maurice Rock" below) while you can
Kellogg's Presents the Banana Splits; Hanna-Barbera 34579; 1969; E- S $15 -- funk/kid funk/psyche; the better of 2 such EPs desirable primarily for "Doin' the Banana Split" by young Barry White! (it's also the funkiest Banana Splits tune on any label); the other 3 cuts are psyche; note that it's not the same as on the LP (different label, different recordings), so you need both!; priced just for the clean A-side but the B-side isn't bad
Banzaii: Chinese Kung Fu/Chinese Kung Fu (Disco Version); Scepter SCE-12407; 1975; N- S $20 -- kung fu funk/disco; a cash-in on the popularity of "Kung Fu Fighting" but w/cheesy synthesizer instead of pathetic lyrics; plenty of chop and grunt sounds, tho!; nice break on the A-side
Barbara & the Uniques: There It Goes Again/What's the Use; Arden 3001; E $20 -- soul; prod. New Chicago Sounds
The Barrons: I'm So Lonely/Some Kind of Fool; Alithia 6049; 1973 (prod. Dollars & Cents); promo N S $25 -- soul/funk; NJ sweet-soul/vocal group; B-side is a little heavier funk, like Dynamics
Beau: Roller Skate Parts 1 & 2; It's a Thang AT-002; 1980; N $15 -- disco; wow! what a great little discovery from the Silver Spring, MD/DC area, and we have access to more (all new/unplayed)!; it's a good disco or "boogie" record, with cheery calls/rap and even a couple of breakbeats (at about nine minutes long, variations are expected); when you feel like playing this stuff and want something fresh that stands up to your well-worn favorites, this is a great pick; priced to put one in everyone's stocking and send us back for more--after all, "It's a THANG!!!"
The Blackbyrds: Do It, Fluid/Summer Love; Fantasy 729; N $10 -- A-side a stone killer, classic party groove ("I like to party...") every DJ needs; the B-side is yet another smash hit that's perfect for summer
Mr. Bloe: Curried Soul/Mighty Mouse; Bell/DJM 70,019; 1970; white-label promo N- $30 -- funky rock/breakbeats/jaw-harp funk!; A-side is incredible (covers Moe Kauffman's hip tune from his LP of the same name), and both sides have clean drum breaks (manna for sampling)
Booker T. & the MGs: Chinese Checkers/Plum-Nellie; Atlantic/Stax 137; white label! N- $15 -- pair of first-rate yet lesser-known instrumentals by the masters; B-side especially fierce w/near-fuzz guitar
The Boys in the Band: [How Bout a Little Hand for] The Boys in the Band/Sumpin Heavy; Spring SPR-103; V+ $15 -- funk; B-side a nice, unusual chunky instrumental in the MGs/Soul Runners vein
Brenda & the Tabulations: Why Didn't I Think of That/A Love You Can Depend On; J/G/Top & Bottom 411; white-label promo N $20 -- Philly soul
Tina Britt: Sookie, Sookie/Key to the Highway; UA/Veep V-1298; 1968; V+ $20 -- funk; we knew the title track only from Steppenwolf's version and continue to be blown away by this monster (super funky); produced by Juggy Murray and also on a rare Minit LP (where it's the best cut by far); you'll want this despite a little noise: it's pure, loud, dancefloor-swampin', untamed, raw funk!
James Brown 45s & Related Productions -- separate page
The Buena Vistas: Here Come Da Judge/Big Red; Marquee MQ-443; 1966; V $15 -- mod soul-funk from Detroit featuring the great Popcorn Wylie (see below); there was supposed to be an LP but it looks like it never made it (no record of it)
Bull & the Matadors: [Bunky's Pick:] I Can't Forget/Move with the Groove; Toddlin' Town TT-116; promo E $20 -- the B-side is funk well-sung, and you know these Toddlin' Town sides are always good
Tony Camillo's Bazuka: Dynomite Parts 1 & 2; A&M 1666; 1975; N- S $15 -- disco; a classic people still enjoy, thx to super-funky bass and horns (up there w/KC at his best), spacey Moog riffs, and heavy repetition by the chorus of "Dy-no-mite"; definitely fits into any "fu funk" set (two years earlier he did one as The Dragoneers called "Kung Fu")
The Capitols: Soul Brother, Soul Sister/Ain't That Terrible; Atlantic/Atco/Karen 1543; E- $20 -- funk/boogaloo; in trying to recapture the glory of "Cool Jerk" the group did score w/a few hip ones; both sides great!
The Capreez: Soulsation/Time; Sound SI-171; E+ $25 -- soul, blue-eyed?; we suspect this Detroit group is actually a rock group trying their hand at soul; no doubt rare
Carleen & the Groovers: Can We Rap/Right On; Jazzman JM-009; REISSUE N $10 -- funk (heavy)
Judy Carne: Sock It To Me/Right Said Fred; Reprise 0680; V $15 -- mod/soul twist/celebrity/dance rock; a bit of all right from the Laugh-In show, it's iconic, definitive dancefloor swingin' sixties fluff straight out of Austin Powers, except the other way round!..."I'm daring you...sock it to me!"; "You know if this is what they call funky, it's a bit of all right!"; some wear and noise but still sensational
Clarence Carter: Strokin'/Love Me With a Feeling; Ichiban 86-108; E+ $20 -- funk; the A-side was something of a big jukebox hit, as it's of a suggestive nature but not so offensive it couldn't get played a lot
Alvin Cash & the Crawlers, featuring the Registers Band: The Barracuda/Do It One More Time (The Twine); Mar-V-Lus 6005; 1965/(c)1963; promo E $20 -- mod funk; Monk Higgins & Bobby Williams on some good stuff from the Twine Time LP, and you're better off with the singles for best sound; some DJ writing on the label; plays fine
Alvin Cash & the Registers: No Deposit--No Return/The Philly Freeze; Mar-V-Lus 6012; 1963; N* $15 -- mod funk; terrific single (both sides), uncut, but the B-side is off-center, so the pitch is off for that side only; *we've priced it for the A-side only ($30 otherwise)
Alvin Cash & the Registers: Do It One More Time (The Twine)/The Philly Freeze; Mar-V-Lus 6012; 1963; N $30 -- mod funk; both sides were issued before (this version may have been issued to correct earlier pressing problems), and even the # is recycled, but it's hard to fault--uncut!; Monk Higgins wrote the A-side
Alvin Cash/Scott Bros. Orch.: Keep on Dancing/instrumental; Toddlin' Town TT-111 E $30 -- funk; one of the hot later ones you need!
Jimmy Castor: Just You Girl/Magic Saxophone; Mercury/Smash S-2085; 1967; white-label promo E- (looks V but plays well) $20 -- great B-side, very driving and gritty vocal mod funk!
The Chevelles: The Gallop/Gloria Walker: Talking About My Baby; Flaming Arrow 45-FA-35; V+ $15 -- bongo funk!; thanks to a recent reissue, people now know about the Chevelles funk LP (anything by them is rare), but this earlier "bongo funk" single, instrumental southern funk/Afro-Beat, is far better; Gloria Walker's is a narrated blues; presumably the Chevelles back her, as she was part of the group
The Chicago Cubs: Pennant Fever/Chicago Cubs Clark St. Band: Slide; Chess 2075; cutout N $20 -- mod soul/organ; A-side vocal's sporty & to the tune of "Fever" but it's the funky, funky B-side you need!
The Chubukos (Afrique): Witch Doctor Bump/House of Rising Funk; Mainstream/Red Lion MRL-5546; 1973; E+ S $20 (or less w/purchase of the LP too) -- funk/Afro-Beat/guitar/funk/novelty; A-side not on the Soul Makossa LP (not serious enough) but definitely of interest to the fan of the LP (sealed originals listed above); w/jazz-funk heavyweights Charles Kynard, Paul Humphrey, David T. Walker, Ray Pounds, Chino Valdes, King Errisson..
Les Cooper & the Soul Rockers: Wiggle Wobble/Dig Yourself; Everlast 5019; N $15 -- soul rock; comes with a jukebox title card
Les Cooper & the Soul Rockers: Let's do the Boston Monkey/Owee Baby; Enjoy 2024; V+ $20 -- mod soul/mod soul-rock; 2 great sides kick off a new funkier sound; wear but plays well
General Crook: Gimme Some Parts 1 & 2; Down to Earth 73; N $30 (or E $20, specify) -- funk; prod. Walter & Burgess Gardner; his best!; uptempo, terrific stuff; we scored some as-new, unplayed store stock from Chicago (where the General commands) at a special low price we're passing on to you
General Crook: What I'm Getting Now & What I'm Used to, Ain't the Same/Get Over; Down to Earth 75; N- $50 -- psyche funk (fuzz guitar)/funk-rock; prod. Walter & Burgess Gardner; B-side rare, heavy, hard, with fuzz-guitar sound (A-side soul)
General Crook: What Time It Is Parts 1 & 2; Down to Earth 77; E- V+ $20 -- psyche funk (fuzz guitar)/funky rock; prod. Walter & Burgess Gardner; hard 'n heavy Chitown funk, w/fuzz guitar
General Crook: Fever in the Funkhouse/instrumental; Scepter/Wand WND-11276; 1974; E- S $20 -- psyche funk (fuzz guitar)/funky rock; hard 'n heavy Chitown funk w/fuzz guitar
Cathy Davis: Come Back Parts 1 & 2; Twelve O'Clock 1001; N- $15 -- funky Florida soul w/strings; probably the first on the label
Betty Davis: Steppin in her I.Miller Shoes/If I'm Lucky I Might Get Picked Up; Just Sunshine JSA-503; N S $20 -- funk
The Delights Orchestra: King of the Horse/Do Your Thing; Atlantic/Atco 6641; N $50 -- mod funk/drums; serious horn funk & killer breakbeats on the B-side!
Bo Diddley: Bo-Jam/Husband-in-Law; Chess CH-2134; 1972; E+ S $15 -- guitar funk; A-side instrumental a heavy guitar-funk cut from one of his scarce funk LPs, B-side vocal funk; priced low for a gentle warp but tracks fine/sounds great!
Doris Duke: Feet Start Walking/How I to Know You Cared; Canyon 35; N- $15
Earl Van Dyke: Soul Stomp/Hot 'n' Tot; Motown/Soul S-35006; 1964; cutout E- $15 -- mod soul/funky organ; smokin' first single by Motown funk all star
Dyke & the Blazers: Don't Bug Me/So Sharp; Original Sound OS-69; 1967; E- $15 -- funk; so, so good!
Dyke & the Blazers: Funky Bull Parts 1 & 2; Original Sound OS-83; 1968; E $25 -- funk; NON-LP TRACKS!!!; "live" but we suspect it may be studio with crowd dubbed in at the ends; very mercifully priced considering, and it's even in the grey Original Sound sleeve
Dyke & the Blazers: We Got More Soul/Shotgun Slim; Original Sound OS-86; E $15 -- funk; hot stuff!
Dyke & the Blazers: Uhh/My Sisters' and My Brothers' Day is Comin'; Original Sound OS-91; E $15 -- funk; hot stuff!
Dynamic Corvettes: Key to My Happiness Parts 1 & 2; Abet 9461; 1975; N $25
Dynamic Superiors: Nowhere to Run Parts 1 & 2; Motown M-1419-S; 1977; white-label promo N S $20 -- disco-funk; promo for LP "Give & Take"; B-side features breaks and disco-funk instrumental jam
Dynamic Superiors: You're What I Need/mono; Motown M-1428-F; 1977; white-label promo N M/S $20 -- disco-funk; promo for LP "Give & Take"; female vocal, like Gloria Gaynor, in mono and stereo
Yvonne Fair: Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On/Let Your Hair Down; Motown M-1306-F; 1974/1971-1973; E+ $20 -- funk; after several singles as a James Brown diva, she's now emulating funk queen Betty Davis!; B-side live; both sides great!; w/Funk Brothers Earl Van Dyke, Dennis Coffey..
The Family: Family Affair/Nation Time; North Bay NB-302; N $25 (or N- $20, specify) -- funk/guitar instrumental; Sly & the Family Stone!; prod. by Broadway Eddie--"A MIGHTY PRODUCTION"; A-side by Sly & Family, B-side by Gamble & Huff
The Family: Do the Robot Parts 1 & 2; North Bay NB-304; N $25 -- funk/guitar; Sly & the Family Stone!; prod. by Joey Jefferson & Stan Watson; instrumental guitar funk with baritone "Do the Robot" interjections on Pt 1
The Fatback Band: Soul March/To Be With You; Perception PS-520; 1973; E S $15 -- funk/soul; the moving, guitar-led instrumental A-side is where it's at for us, although the sweet-soul ballad B ain't bad, if that's your cup of meat; from their great rare LP that's VERY tough to get clean (here the funkier A-side is fine but the B pops a little)
Lee Fields: Let's Talk it Over/She's a Love Maker; London 190; 1973; E- $50 -- funk like JB; label sides reversed; tape, writing on label; pops at start of "Love Maker" heard in brief drum intro (not essential to start there)
Lee Fields: Meet Me Tonight/A Man Gotta Do What a Man Gotta Do; BDA 1141991; 1991; N S? $15 -- not quite up to his usual standards but it's LEE FIELDS! (see him in concert while you can)
Freddy & the Kinfolk: Blabbermouth/The Goat; Atlantic/Dade 45-1016; cutout N $25 -- goat funk!; similar to labelmates Nat Kendrick & the Swans (late-'60s mod funk); bah! bah!
Bobby Freeman: Four Piece Nitty Gritty Junky Band/Susie Sunshine; Double Shot 144; 1970; E $15 -- funk
Fessor Funk: Take Me to the River/mono; Roxbury RB-2007; 1975; white-label promo N- [S] $30 -- funk; from LA, a great interpretation of the Al Green hit
Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove Compact-33 (Parts 3 & 4); Warner Bros. BSK-3209 Special EP Sides 3 & 4; E $15 -- funk/funky rock; no doubt the rarest format for this title, and at over 17 minutes you get your money's worth; Maggot Brain/Chant (8:30) backed with Lunchmeataphobia/PE Squad/Doo Doo Chasers (8:56)
The Fuzz: I Love You for All Seasons/instrumental; Calla C-174; E+ $20 -- sweet soul vocal/instr. by Sheila Young
Ray Gant & the Arabian Knights: Chattanooga Walk/Night in Arabia; Jay-Walking JW-001; N- $30 -- funk/odd; 2 great sides; we love it!; A-side hip organ-led funk introducing a new Tennessee dance has a terrific James Brown reference; B-side Mid-East is moodier jazz-soul-rock ("Jungle Exotica" style) w/flute & drum solos
Cal Green: Trippin/Johnny's Gone to Vietnam; Mutt & Jeff 22 N S $100 -- funky soul-jazz guitar; perfect, stereo, rare single from a legendary, high-value LP; both sides are killers (best two tracks on the LP, except for one other)--great for DJs!; original tho "Mutt & Jeff" is in black, so it's a second printing (and better for it)
Willie Henderson & the Soul Explosions: Funky Chicken Parts 1 & 2; Brunswick 755429; 1974; N- $25 -- funk instrumental; in Brunswick sleeve, no less
The Hidden Cost: Bo Did It/Vibrations; Marmaduke M-4001; 1973; E+ $40 -- funk; heavy deep-bass vocal over bongo-funk A-side; B-side serious waka-funk instrumental
Hidden Strength: Hustle On Up (Do the Bump)/non-LP long version; United Artists UA-XW733-Y; 1975; promo N- S $20 -- disco/funk/Moog-funk; only the A-side is the same as the LP, at 3:10 with a very sample-worthy intro (:32); the B-side clocks at 4:02, according to the label, making it a worthy addition to the LP!
Hidden Strength: I Don't Want to Be a Lone Ranger/mono; United Artists UA-XW847-Y; 1976; promo E [S] $15 -- funky disco/funk; from after their 1975 LP, probably promo-only, rare, and quite possibly the last thing they ever did
Roy Hightower & Gant Green: False Advertising Parts 1 & 2; Number One 7777; N $30 -- funk/vocal; the "false advertising" is a woman's legs or something, heh heh; a truly great obscurity (we love it); rare, very limited dead stock brought back to life
Jimmy "Bo" Horne: Dance Across the Floor/It's Your Sweet Love; Sunshine Sound 1003; 1978; N S $15 -- disco classic
Howlin' Wolf: Tail Dragger/Evil; Cadet Concept 7013; cutout V+ $25 -- psyche funk/funky electradelic blues; best cuts from famous The Howlin' Wolf Album (Cadet Concept LPS-319) in high-gain 45!
[Michael Viner's] Incredible Bongo Band: Bongolia/Bongo Rock; Pride PR-1015; E+ w/"Joe" on label $15 -- bongo rock; incredibly loud, spacious sound, as used on "The Thing with Two Heads" ST too; this was the original recording by the studio band that made the biggest sample of all time ("Apache") and is the only one to feature the great Bobbye Hall on bongos and super LA rock session drummer Ed Green (both as fantastic as the later percussionists); see the "Sample This" documentary for the full story
Incredible Bongo Band: Dueling Bongos/Let There be Drums; MGM K-14635; 1973; N $20 -- bongo rock; incredibly loud, spacious sound; original MGM sleeve; rarer than the original Pride single, this is from the LP session that featured King Errisson on bongos and legendary rock session drummer Jim Gordon and gave the hip-hop world "Apache" (best-known sample ever); see the "Sample This" documentary for the full story
Incredible Bongo Band: Kiburi/mono; Atlantic/Pride PD-7601; 1974; E- S $20 -- funk vocal from "Return of the Incredible Bongo Band" (which is Afro-funky rather than bongo-rock), itself a rare LP and this single is too; this is the only vocal track by the band that recorded the historic "Apache" sample; the album comprises remaining tracks from the same session plus a couple of extra single tracks borrowed by Michael Viner; see the "Sample This" documentary for the full story
The Interpretations: Soul Affection/Snap-Out; Bell 757; 1969 E+ $20 -- funk, Philadelphia; B-side is the instrumental version of A-side; dig the groovy dancing in vintage performance on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6K0Xh6mo0I
J.B. Pickers: Super Soul Theme/Kim & Dave: Nobody Knows; Amos AJB-157; N $30 -- funk instrumental A-side brief but w/legendary drum/breakbeat; both from the rare "Vanishing Point" ST (Super Soul is the groovy DJ in the '70s cult film); for the funk or hip-ST DJ, it's a great find
Jackie & Tut: 10-2 Double Plus/Hawaiian Punch; Chess 2008; cutout N- $75 -- steel-guitar funk; we gave it a rare "9"--it's that good!--plus you don't find too much steel-guitar funk (or mod soul) out there; A-side features vocal by Herb Kent; prod. Don Clay (w/Victoria Basemore)
J.J. Jackson: Boogaloo Baby/But it's Alright; Calla 119; second E $20 -- funk/boogaloo; A-side a classic mod-soul mover!; B-side another famous one!
Ernest Jackson: Love & Happiness/Hogwash; Stone 200; 1973; E $15 -- great cover of the classic Al Green cut
Jarvis Jackson: Something I Never Had/The Long John; Sims 291; E $25 -- funk/boogaloo; for the B-side only, which is a terrific, dance-floor packing mover
Fred Johnson: I Need Love (I Need Your Love)/Full Time Dream; Capri AL-1011; 1972; N $50 (or E $40, specify) -- funk; GREAT one by a funk legend (very expensive LPs!); this one's fairly scarce, and underrated so far, but destined to be a DJ favorite; extremely useable; YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W_jd0k31xA (the flip is there too)
Syl Johnson: Come On Sock It To Me/Try Me; Twilight 100; 1967; E- $30 -- soul-funk vocal; fantastic stuff for the DJ
Syl Johnson: Is It Because I'm Black/Let Them Hang High; Twinight 125; N- $40 -- soul-funk vocal; his best-known, greatest soul song at a mere 1/10th of the LP price!
Syl Johnson: Thank You Baby/We Do It Together; Twinight 144; N- $40 -- soul-funk vocal; rare!
Syl Johnson: We Did It/Any Way the Wind Blows; London/Hi 45-2229; 1972; N $20 -- soul-funk vocal; one of the earlier ones recorded in Memphis by Willie Mitchell
Syl Johnson: Back for a Taste of Your Love/Wind, Blow Her Back My Way; London/Hi 2250; 1973; orange-label promo N $20 -- soul-funk vocal; one of the earlier ones recorded in Memphis by Willie Mitchell
Syl Johnson: Take Me to the River/Could I Be Falling in Love; London/Hi 5N-2285; 1975; E $25 -- soul-funk vocal; vies with Al Green for best treatment of the song
JOMO: Uhuru (African Twist)/Hangin' Out; Checker 1192; cutout E- $20 -- Afro-mod-soul-rock; both sides by Andre Williams (probably JOMO is Andre Williams)
Quincy Jones: Money Runner/Passin' the Buck; Warner Bros./Reprise REP-1072; E- $15 -- funk; instrumentals from the great Dollar ("$") ST (Money Runner is the big one)
Juggy Murray [Jones]: Buttered Popcorn/Thock it to Me Honi; Sue 14; E $25 -- funk; the legendary "Jerry-O"; you need this!; most of his slammin' boogaloo-era singles are very hard to get, much less clean; snap it up!
Juggy Murray Jones: Inside America Parts 1 & 2; Jupiter JUP-901; 1976; N- S $20 -- disco/funk; his classic from the period, essential, although you're missing something if you don't also seek out all the "Jerry-O" singles (on a slew of labels) from the mod-soul-boogaloo '60s
Don Julian & the Larks: Shorty the Pimp Parts 1 & 2; Money M-607; 1973; V $15 -- funk; one of the heaviest funk bombs ever thrown at a great price (the bad news is it's got wear and noise)
Herman Kelly & Life: Dance to the Drummer's Beat/Easy Going; T.K./Alston 4409; 1978; N- S $20 -- funk/disco/percussion; recorded in Brasil & Miami (as the Percussion Explosion set), it's a classic sample ("Dance to the Drummer's Beat" has a famous drum break at least on the LP) & not a bad 45, especially clean
Freddy King: The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist/Look Ma, I'm Cryin'; Federal 12482; N- $15 -- uptempo funky blues guitar instrumental/vocal blues
King Solomon's Advisors: The Tight Rope/Back of My Mind; Ghetto GPS-001; N- $75 (or V+ $30, specify) -- funk/soul; it's the first single on Joe Bataan's coveted, rare label; A-side a hip soul ballad, B-side the uptempo funk mover you want
Johnny Kirk & Lilly Thomas: (HUMMmm) A Love Like Ours/Bitter with the Sweet; Cotique 3001; E- $100 -- soul, dance/crossover of the so-called "northern soul" flavor (B-side is the pick); oddly, it's on Cotique, the great Latin-soul label; rare & still unknown to most, so here's a chance for someone to get ahead of the pack [for a change]
Patti LaBelle & the Blue Bells: Down the Aisle/C'est La Vie (So Goes Life); King 45-5777; N $15 -- her only King single; perfect shape!
The Landslides: We Don't Need No Music/Music Please Music; Huff Puff 1001; E- $15 -- great Philly funk; B-side is the instrumental Part 2; prod. Gamble-Huff, local faves
Betty LaVette: You're a Man of Words, I'm a Woman of Action/mono; CBS/Epic 8-50177; 1975; white/orange-label promo E+ $50
Laura Lee: Mama's Got a Good Thing/Love More than Pride; Chess 2068; cutout N $20
Little Beaver: Party Down Parts 1 & 2; Cat 1993; 1974; E- $20 -- guitar funk, rare; great vocal "Everybody party down..." on a relaxed, mid-tempo groove with background studio partyers; also very notable for being the first recording of legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius (subject of a documentary)
Little Royal: I'll Come Crawling/You'll Lose a Good Thing; Starday-King/Tri-Us 913; 1972; N $20 -- soul
Little Royal: Groovin'/Ain't No Love/Just My Imagination (medley)//Bring It On Home to Me/Higher & Higher (medley); Flame 1001; N- $15 -- soul vocal/guitar; not one of his early best but good and clean
Little Royal: Soul Train/I Surrender; Starday-King/Tri-Us 915; 1972; N- $20 -- rare B-side not on LP; A-side funk name-drops music people such as Elvis
The Live Experience: Disco Joint Parts 1 & 2; E&B EB-8575; E- $20 -- NY funk
Lunar Funk: Mr. Penguin Parts 1 & 2; Bell 172; 1972; N $20 -- funk; great hip vocal with breaks; hip, deep funk in top shape
Milt Matthews Inc.: Oh Lord! (You Gotta Help Me)/Hard Day's Night; Catalyst 113; N- $15 -- funky rock/gospel soul
Milt Matthews: All These Changes/When Kids Rule the World; Bryan B-1007; 1974; E+ $15 -- soul; good stuff at a great price
Cash McCall: Stoop Down/instrumental; Jewel/Ronn 76; 1974; N- $15 -- white-label promo
Gwen McCrae: Rockin' Chair/It Keeps on Raining; Cat 1996; 1975; N- S $15
Mickey & his Mice: Cracker Jack/Abraham, Martin, & John; Marti M-402; ORIGINAL pressing* N- $30 -- funk instrumental; A-side is THE classic hit from Baltimore: funky, funky with horns, some background party voices, and a great raw sound; famous hip spoken intro lays down the groove: "Ain't nothin' but the Popcorn with some sweet caramel on top"; *has all the high-gain (loud and proud), full, fat sound you don't quite get with the later pressing that may be offered elsewhere, and this one's clean!
Mickey & the Soul Generation: Football/Joint Session; Maxwell L-806; w/original Maxwell inner sleeve N $75 -- rare Texas funk that's all the rage lately & deservedly so
Bobby Moore & the Rhythm Aces: Hey Mr. D.J./Searching for My Love; Chess/Checker 1129; V $15 -- mod soul; TERRIFIC cut, great sound; disc looks like death (worn original pressing) but plays remarkably well; very little noise, just at the start, where they first call out "Hey Mr. D.J.!"
Jesse Morrison: Loving You/Shakey Pudding; Abet 9462; 1975; E+ S $30 (or E- S $20, specify) -- soul-jazz horns/funk/Moog (B-side with great synth); super funky NJ group recorded in Philly on the elusive Abet label; both sides great, but the B is super deep-funky manna for DJs; lesser copy has clean B (the important side), mostly clean A (if you care)
The Naked Truth: The Stripper/The Shing-A-Ling Thing; RCA Victor 47-9327; white-label promo E- $20 -- mod-soul-boogaloo; not Owen Marshall's Naked Truth but a good naked truth it is!; B-side positively STORMS with heavy bass and drums plus honking sax and other horns, piano, etc.
The Ninchuks: Bruce Lee's "Return of the Dragon"/mono; Bryan BP-1; 1974; N S(1/2) $20 -- fu funk! with some crazy Moog action in there too; yes, there isn't so much "fu funk" out there compared with demand, but we try to snap up all we can, and so should you
Olympic Runners: Do It Over/mono; London 45-202-DJ; 1974; N- [S] $15 -- funk; promo
Olympic Runners: Grab It/Let Your Fingers Do the Talking; London 5N-216; 1974; N S $20 -- funk; 2 top cuts, stereo
Panic Button: Hitch it to the Mule/Lovin' Horns; Anita/Chalom 101; E- $40 -- killer mod funk on both sides; rare and local to Philadelphia (arr. L. Lupo/J. Vallen of Frank Virtue Studios fame)
Panic Buttons: O-Wow/same; Gamble G-230; white-label promo V+ $25 -- funk instrumental from Virtue Studios; killer breaks, uptempo, horns, everything; the stock version has the throwaway "Lisa" as the B-side, so this is all you need; there's a chip out of the outer edge and other wear but 1 side plays fine
Brenda Patterson: Keep On Keepin' On/West Window Song; Epic 5-10599; 1970; white-label promo N $20 -- funky rock; promotes scarce LP featuring Redbone; heavy blues & Arkansan funky-gospel influences; think of Cold Blood's great Lydia Pense (although maybe even louder & stronger) & you about have it; prod. Larry Cohn; A-side rocks!
The People's Choice: I Likes to Do It/Big Ladies Man; Phil-L.A. of Soul 349; E- $15 -- classic Philly funk; heavy bass!
The People's Choice: The Wootie-Te-Woo/'Cause That's the Way I Know; Phil-L.A. of Soul 352; E S $15 -- funk; both sides fantastic, stone classics
The People's Choice: Let Me Do My Thing/On a Cloudy Day; Phil-L.A. of Soul 358; 1972; later pressing N $20 -- funk; scarcer than the earlier ones; see why the group was hot in the pre-disco years
The Persuaders: Thin Line Between Love & Hate/Thigh Spy; Atlantic/Atco 6822 E $15
Lloyd Price: The Truth/Don't Stop Now; JAD J-212; 1969/1968; E+ $20 -- reggae/soul-funk; produced by Johnny Nash & Arthur Jenkins in Jamaica for [unreleased?] LP "Lloyd Price in Reggae"; the A-side is fine but the B-side is the funky swinger, with female chorus, reminds us of prime Lou Courtney
Joe Quarterman & Free Soul: Thanks Dad Parts 1 & 2; GSF 6911; 1973; N S $30 (or N- S $25, specify) -- funk; produced by Lloyd Price (who was doing his own funky things on the label) and Joe Quarterman; this is from the year after their collectors-item LP hit the racks, so if you have the LP, you know need this bonus--this little extra taste--and what a treat it is: nearly 8 minutes of top funk!
The Rimshots: Save That Thing/Concerto in F; All Platinum A-I 4002; 1972; cutout later pressing N $20 -- funk; the A-side is a killer follow-up to "It's Your Thing" (like James Brown's "Gimme My Thang"); begins with spoken intro "Ain't it funky now" similar to the Soul Searchers great version of "Think"; can't recommend it enough for the working DJ or anyone who needs it clean
The Rimshots: Super Disco/Groove Bus; Stang ST-5067; 1976; N- S $15 -- disco
The Rimshots: Do What You Feel Parts 1 & 2; Stang ST-5065; 1975; N- S $15 -- disco/disco-funk
Maurice Rock & Clyddie Brown: Give Me Your Love/Knock on the Door; Corillions 15; 1981 N S $75 -- country soul; only 100 pressed & very few left; the OTHER great, hip record by outsider-musician/genius Marlin Wallace; highlighted by excellent guitar, a great male/female soul duet; dug camp or straight, it's already a rare-groove essential for soulies who've heard it all & CATCHING UP FAST TO THE GARY ATKINSON RECORD in popularity
D.J. Rogers: March On/mono; Shelter P-7326; 1972; N $20 -- funk vocal; lead cut from a great rare LP (that's funk/gospel funk); sounds totally like Sly & the Family Stone, w/elements of rock & gospel; rare & worthy!
Lee Rogers: Go-Go-Girl/I'm a Practical Guy; D-Town 1067 E $20 -- mod soul/boogaloo; great one! (both sides)
Timmie Rogers: Super Soul Brother/It Rolls Through Everything; Chess/Cadet CA-5685; V $15 -- A-side a hilarious rap over r&b/party funk; substantial marks & noise keep it low but still well worth it
Oliver Sain: Scratch My Back/Soul Serenade; Nashboro/Abet 9447; 1972 E $15 -- from the collectors item" Main Man" LP!
Oliver Sain: London Express/Blowing for Love; Nashboro/Abet 9460; 1975 N $15
Harvey Scales & the 7 Sounds: Get Down/Love-Itis; Atlantic/Magic Touch 2007; V+ $40 -- funk; a great one
Lalo Schifrin: Theme from Enter the Dragon/mono; Warner Bros. WB-7735; 1973; white-label promo E $20 -- fu funk; fu funk is rare enough, but we're especially to have obtained this rarity (US originals of the LP and 45 both being scarce); see also beatnik-crime-spy page for Lalo Schifrin LPs
The Scott Brothers: Gotta Get Away from You/Side Tracking; Capri C-111; 1973; N $40 -- funk; B-side is the instrumental version of the A-side, so you're getting two great tracks by legendary Howard Scott act associated with Alvin Cash
George Semper Rhythm Committee: It's Your Thing/Don't Be Afraid; Rama Rama RR-7799; 1970; w/original Rama Rama inner sleeve N $75 (or E- $40, specify) -- rare organ-led funk by famous producer (rare LP on Imperial & own label Inner City Records); one of the best versions of the Isley classic (we like only Senor Soul's better)--definitely funky, upbeat, & a surefire floor-packer; even Side 2 is pretty good
Eddy Senay: Ain't No Sunshine/Hot Thang; Sussex SUX-230; 1971; E+ $15 -- funk/guitar from great but scarce LP; hot!
Billy Sha-Rae: Do It/Crying Clown; Spectrum 114; V+ $25 -- funk; rare, great, heavy one, wherein Billy incites you to do the popcorn, sock it to him, etc., a la JB
Shades of Joy: Flute in a Quarry/Together Douglas 7 ZS7-6505; 1970; white-label promo N S $40 -- soul jazz/out/funk; rare promo for Music of El Topo, the best LP on this enigmatic label and the second of only two by an obscure group we wish had made many more!; NOT the dismissable El Topo ST itself but Martin Fierro's far-out re-interpretation, prod. by Alan Douglas and Doris Dynamite; w/Hadley Caliman, Luis Gasca, Howard Wales..; superbly creative, hip, funky, out, w/breaks all over the place--TERRIFIC RARE GROOVE!
Joe Simon & the Mainstreeters: Theme from Cleopatra Jones/Joe Simon: Who was that Lady; Polydor/Spring SPR-138; 1973; picture sleeve N-/N- $25 -- hip theme from rare ST; gorgeous sleeve
Floyd Smith: Soul Strut/Getting Nowhere Fast; Dakar 604; V $15 -- funk; great one!; references to miniskirts and funky four corners; produced by Willie Henderson
The Soul Cop (Oliver Christian): I Keep Coming Back for More/Tribute to Girls; Norfolk International 10,001; V $15 -- soul/sweet soul from Norfolk, Virginia
The Soul Runners: Last Date/Charley; MoSoul 5103; yellow label E+ $15 -- one of the best of the several bands that led to Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band, the Soul Runners had a few great, Booker T.-ish (but better) funk instrumentals; here, "Charley" is the pick
The Soul Runners: Chittlin' Salad Parts 1 & 2; MoSoul 5104; E+ $20 -- one of the best of the several bands that led to Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band, the Soul Runners had a few great, Booker T.-ish (but better) funk instrumentals
The Soul Searchers: Think/1993; Sussex SUX-253; 1973/1972; in original Buddah sleeve N S? $40 -- MONSTER funk; James Brown's Think slammed hard into the tough, no-foolin' '70s; this version's hotter, faster, fresher than even any of the JB productions (or anyone else's cover); many consider it better even than Lyn Collins' vocal classic (this one has vocal callouts); finally, it's so good you'll definitely want it in the native 45 format; while it's also on LP, this has the livelier sound, by far; "Ain't it funky now...come on...get up uh...SOCK IT!!!"
Howard Tate: Look at Granny Run Run/Half a Man; Verve VK-10464; V+ $15 -- good funky A-side; B-side unimportant and noisy
Timmy Thomas: Why Can't We Live Together/Funky Me; T.K./Glades 1703; 1972; N- $15 -- an usual artist and sound, really minimalist in his use of organ and percussion (sounds like a primordial beatbox), who gets airplay locally on WXPN but deserves universal re-recognition; "Funky Me" is the DJ pick; impeccable shape
Timmy Thomas: Stone to the Bone/Watch It! Watch It! Watch It! for Dudley Dudley Dorite (sic); T.K./Glades 1740; 1977; N S $15 -- funk; never seen the LP (and never this single before); comes w/jukebox title strip
Ultrafunk, featuring Mr. Superbad--Freddie Mack: Kung Fu Man/instrumental; Contempo 7701; 1974; N $25 -- Fu funk/fu disco; hip rap on the vocal side is great tho the funk is hurt a little by disco-era strings; still, in the limited world of "fu funk," it's a scarce & valuable asset
The Voices of East Harlem: Giving Love/New Vibrations; Just Sunshine JSA-504; 1973; promo(!) N S $25 -- funk/soul; super-scarce songs from their 2nd & rarest LP (JSS-7) on a nearly unheard-of clean stereo promo 45!
L.J. Waiters & the Electrifiers: Can You Deal with It?/instrumental; Phil-L.A. of Soul PH-377; 1976; white-label promo N $15
L.J. Waiters & the Electrifiers: If You Ain't Gettin' Your Thing Parts 1 & 2; La Shawn RM-5127; N $20
Watson & the Sherlocks: Standing on the Corner/Funky Walk; Soulsville SV-1015; N- $50 -- funk; one of the hippest on the label, for both sides (DJs will love); B-side is an uptempo mover a la the great Dyke & the Blazers song (but a different one & faster); So do you need it? No s**t, Sherlock!
Watts Line: Never Stop Lovin' Me/I Never Meant to Love You; Bullet 712; E+ $15 -- soul (female vocal)
Kim Weston: Land of Tomorrow/That's Groovy; MGM K13804; cutout N- $20
Kim Weston: Lookin' for the Right Guy/Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While); Maple Leaf G-241; 1964; N $50 -- super-rare import from Toronto (licensed from Motown); both cuts issued in the US, of course, but not on the same single
Andre Williams: Soul Groove/Pearl Time; Sport 105; 1967; V+ $20
Andre Williams: Rib Tip's (sic) Parts 1 & 2; Avin 103; N $20
Bobby Williams: Funky Superfly Parts 1 & 2; MTVH 3737; 1974; E $75 -- funk; light press bumps & some marks but plays; the full hi-fi sound you only get from 45s (always worth it for one of the rarest & hottest funk cuts going)
Tommy Wills "Man with a Horn": Born to Lose--I Can't Stop Loving You (tribute to Ray Charles)/Funky Sax; Airtown JB-2-004; N $20 -- instrumental; "Funky Sax" is great, funky mod jazz/mod soul
Wilmer & the Dukes: I'm Free/Heavy Time; Aphrodisiac 261; non pic-sleeve V $15 -- funk; good, scarce; B-side is the mover and plays fine, whereas the A-side has some noise (priced and graded low for that)
Nanette Workman: Lady Marmalade/instrumental; Pacha PAC 4420; E- S $25 -- disco/funk; great cover, hip label, seems to be French Canadian or French; oui, oui Nanette!
Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band: A Dance, a Kiss, and a Song/Do Your Thing; Warner Bros. 7250; E S $15 -- funk; original WB sleeve
Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band: Love Land/Sorry Charlie; Warner Bros. 7365; N $10 (or white-label promo N- $10, specify) (or orange label E $10, specify)
Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band: Wine/Nobody (Tellin' Me 'Bout My Baby); Warner Bros. 7504; 1972; N- S $25 -- funk; 2 non-LP cuts! (so if you don't have this 45, ya don't got it); monster crazy funky "Wine" is the only song to drink the fortified stuff (and all other wine) by AND it's our favorite Wright/Watts single; original WB sleeve!
Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band: What Can You Bring Me/Your Love (Means Everything to Me); Warner Bros. 7475; 1971; E+ S $20 -- funk; two stone funky, great tracks; A-side features James Gadson; clean, stereo, right-on!
Charles Wright: (Well I'm) Doing What Comes Naturally Parts 1 & 2; ABC/Dunhill DSD-50162; 1973; N S $20 -- funk; 2 minutes longer than the LP version!
Popcorn Wylie: Funky Rubber Band/same or Part 2; Motown/Soul S-35087F; 1971; E $20 -- funk; heavy guitar-led funk by Richard "Popcorn" Wylie; B-side has the same timing and we're not sure if it's a mono/stereo deal or a Part 2 or just same-sided, but it sure is good!
© Hip Wax