Taken from the seminal Parliament concept " Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndromealbum (1977), "Flash Light" was the group's first number one hit. It was originally recorded for Bootsy's Rubber Band's first album, but Bootsy Collins didn't like it so he gave it to George Clinton. On the heels of the song's phenomenal sales, fans started to bring flashlights to the concerts. P-Funk eventually sold their own brand of flashlight at their shows. Sales would top 3,000 per concert. "Flash Light" is the incarnation of funk that is dancefloor plus political satire. It is aimed at the complacent consumer society that is limp and responds to nothing. George Clinton squeezes a lot of pop culture into the lyrics using nursery rhymes, "Baa Baa Black Sheep" and "Three Blind Mice," and cartoon references to Sir Nose. Sir Nose is a George Clinton creation who is the enemy of funk, dance, free will and life. This character is the one who brings the syndrome and is too cool to dance. He is the epitome of hypocrisy and a total lack of funkiness. This single was released during the height of the disco era which Clinton takes a slap at in "The Placebo Syndrome," another single off the same album. "Flash Light" starts off with Bootsy Collins on drums that stay in the background. The guitar of Catfish Collins brings on the funk with great riffs that sear the feet of those who won't dance. Bernie Worrell drives the groove deeper with his synth-bass lines that weave an unstoppable funk complemented by heady synth-keyboard on the high end. The song is put out as a simple chant but is much more than that. It is a battle between funk (light and life) and Sir Nose, the death syndrome. It actually uses a chant, "ha-da-dadee-da da-da hava da da," that is based on a Jewish Bar Mitzvah chant. The funk triumphs for "everyone's got a little light under the sun." "Flash Light is a big light under the sun for funk. It led the way for future funksters and is a landmark of the genre. Afrika Bambaataa covered the song on Hydraulic Funk, but in this arena covers are beside the point. —
