Grow Some Funk of Your Own

"Grow Some Funk of Your Own" is a song by English musician Elton John. It was released as a single in 1976 from the album Rock of the Westies. It shared its A-side status with "I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)". The song went to No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, but in Britain broke a five-year run of successful singles by failing to reach the top 50 despite extensive radio play. Guitarist Davey Johnstone is credited as a co-writer.

"Grow Some Funk of Your Own"
Single by Elton John
from the album Rock of the Westies
A-side"I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford) (double A-side)"
Released12 January 1976
RecordedJune–July 1975
Genre
Length4:45
LabelMCA (US)
DJM (UK)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Gus Dudgeon
Elton John singles chronology
"Island Girl"
(1975)
"Grow Some Funk of Your Own" / "I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)"
(1976)
"Pinball Wizard"
(1976)

Synopsis edit

The song centers on a man who wakes up after a bad dream entailing an episode set in Mexico, where the protagonist (presumably either John or Taupin) falls for a young lady in a small town but is dismissed by her boyfriend, telling him to return to where he came from (hence the lyric, "Take my advice/take the next flight/and grow your funk/grow your funk at home").

Reception edit

Cash Box called it "a hard-driving rocker which has a part audiences will sing along to and maybe provide another encore to his live show" with "an absolutely frantic ending with the vibraphones receiving the beating of their lives."[1]Record World said that "Elton shows why he's on top with his 'English charm' and an enthusiastic no holds barred rock 'n' roll sound."[2]

Personnel edit

Chart performance edit

Chart (1976) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[3] 14

References edit

  1. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 24 January 1976. p. 19. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 24 January 1976. p. 1. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955–2012. Record Research. p. 436.