Favorite Funk Songs #1 - "Spirit of the Boogie"

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The world needs funk. I said that when I started this countdown of my favorite funk songs, and I'm saying it again now that we are at #1: "Spirit of the Boogie" by Kool and the Gang. Before they morphed into an 80's hit machine, Kool and the Gang were one of the premier funk bands of the 1970's. They had hits, but they were FUNK hits that sounded like nothing even remotely hinting at the likes of "Celebration." Give me a classic like "Jungle Boogie" over a slick, sappy ballad such as "Cherish" each and every time. In fact, give me the title track to the band's 1975 album anytime. "Spirit of the Boogie" was actually the first funk song that I ever owned (on one of those old K-Tel compilations. I think I was in the 5th grade.) While it wasn't as big a mainstream hit as "Jungle Boogie," or "Hollywood Swingin'," "Spirit of the Boogie" was a Top 40 single, reaching #35 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was the third Kool and the Gang single to hit #1 on that magazine's R&B Singles chart. There is a cool live version from Don Kirschner's Rock Concert on You Tube. I've linked to the album version, however, because the vocals are easier to make out. Enjoy! (Boogiefied info verified by Wikipedia)