Mothership Connection (Star Child)
"Mothership Connection (Star Child)" is a funk song by Parliament. It was the third and last single released from the group's 1975 album Mothership Connection. The song introduces George Clinton's messianic alien alter ego Star Child for the first time (see P-Funk mythology).
| "Star Child" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Parliament | |
| from the album Mothership Connection | |
| A-side | "Star Child" |
| B-side | "Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication" |
| Released | August 1976 |
| Format | 7" 45 rpm vinyl single |
| Recorded | 1975 |
| Genre | P-Funk |
| Length | 6:11 (album version)/3:08 (7" edit) |
| Label | Casablanca 864 |
| Songwriter(s) | George Clinton/Bootsy Collins/Bernie Worrell |
| Producer(s) | George Clinton |
The lyrics "Swing down, sweet chariot, stop and let me ride" quote the traditional spiritual "Swing Down, Chariot",[1] first popularized in the 1940s by The Golden Gate Quartet and later recorded by Elvis Presley among others (and not the better-known spiritual "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot").
The track "Let Me Ride" on the Dr. Dre album The Chronic is heavily based on samples from this song.
In 1998, Scott Grooves produced a remix version of this song under the title Mothership Reconnection, followed by yet another remix by Scott Grooves and Slam. The music video for the Scott Grooves version hinted at the modernizing of the song by showing characters inspired by Clinton's Star Child mythology re-made in the visual style of the 1982 movie Tron.[2]
The song is featured in the enhanced editions soundtrack of the video game Grand Theft Auto V, appearing on the fictional in-game radio station Space 103.2 FM.
Alternate titles
The song was titled simply "Star Child" on its single release, while the radio promo version was titled "Star Child (Mothership Connection)." This version uses the same track from Mothership Connection but fades out at 3:08. It is included as a bonus track on the Mothership Connection CD.
On the album Live: P-Funk Earth Tour the song is split into two tracks, "Mothership Connection (Star Child)" and "Swing Down, Sweet Chariot."
Cover versions
In 1990, bassist Stanley Clarke and keyboardist George Duke released an album entitled "3," which contained a cover of this song.[3][4]
References
- Vincent, Rickey (1996). Funk: The Music, The People, and The Rhythm of The One. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 254. ISBN 1466884525. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
- Connection between Scott Grooves, Daft Punk and Parliament on whosampledwho.com
- "3 overview". Allmusic.com.
- "3 overview". Allmusic.com.