Flash Light (song)

"Flash Light"
Song
B-side	"Swing Down Sweet Chariot"

"Flash Light" is a song by funk band Parliament, released in January of 1978 on the album Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome. It was the first number-one R&B hit by any of the P-Funk groups and reached #16 on the Pop charts. The song is frequently played at United States sporting events. The track became Parliament's second certified million selling single, following "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)".

"Flash Light" represents a turning point in popular music. The song's distinctive bass line is often attributed to Bootsy Collins and was originally written for him. However, the line was actually performed by Bernie Worrell on a Minimoog synthesizer. Collins, however, contributed to the track by handling drum duties. Lead vocals were by bandleader George Clinton, while Bootsy's older brother Catfish Collins played rhythm guitar. "Flash Light" continued the "Fake the Funk/Your nose will grow/Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk" concept that began with Bootsy's Rubber Band's "The Pinocchio Syndrome". The success of "Flash Light" would greatly influence not only funk music, but also new wave and hip-hop.

In 2004 Rolling Stone ranked "Flash Light" #199 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Appearances in other media

• Played in the movie "Set It Off"
• Played in the 1999 movie Can't Hardly Wait
• Played during the credits in the 1999 movie Muppets From Space
• Played in the 2003 video game True Crime: Streets of LA
• Played in the 2005 movie Roll Bounce
• Played in the 2001 movie How High
• Played in the 1998 movie How Stella Got Her Groove Back
• Played in an episode of King of The Hill
• Played in an episode of The Bernie Mac Show (Go Bernie, It's Your Birthday-6/22/2004)
• Played in a trailer for the film Superbad (film)
• Played in an early trailer for the film Rush Hour

Takeoffs

• Rapper Tupac sampled the song in "Let Them Thangs Go" from his "R U Still Down Remember Me" album.
• The band Brand Nubian made a self-tribute song called "Brand Nubian" which interpolated a small fragment of both beat and lyrics from this song (the other song they sampled was "Rigor Mortis" by Cameo).
• Rapper Snoop Dogg made a song named "Stoplight" on his album, Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$, which has samples from "Flash Light".
• Rapper Del tha Funkee Homosapien used samples from "Flash Light" in the song "Sunny Meadowz" on his album I Wish My Brother George Was Here.
• Rapper Redman used samples from "Flash Light" on "So Ruff" from the album Whut? Thee Album.
• Chilean funk band Los Tetas included samples, played at slow tempo, in the song "Primavera" from the album La Medicina.
• Rapper Mac Dre used a similar bass line in the song "California Livin" On the album "Young Black Brother"
• A remix was released including verses by rappers Q-Tip_(rapper), Busta Rhymes, and Ol' Dirty Bastard, titled "Flashlight (The Groovemaster's Remix)."