The whole world’s in a trance, but just because we’re hypnotized, that don’t mean we can’t dance!

Time to get serious . . .

. . . 00individual has a lot to say about the world condition, so much so that in order to really comment on this present worldwide insanity / reality he is going to let the words of counter-culture rocker / lyricist Tonio K. speak for him. It’s about a liberating new dance craze that’s sweeping the Nation, it’s called “The Funky Western Civilization!”.

So here ’tis; crank it up and sing along!

[yohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZJzw7LSXc0&list=RDbZJzw7LSXc0&start_radio=1&ab_channel=TonioK-Topicutube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46EsZR8b7x8&w=560&h=315]

“Come on everybody get on your feet
get with the beat
there’s a brand new dance craze sweeping the nation
and it’s called the Funky Western Civilization

Well there’s a riot in the courthouse, there’s a fire in the street
there’s a sinner bein’ trampled by a thousand pious feet
there’s a baby every minute bein’ born without a chance
now don’t that make you want to go right up and start to dance?

Let’s do the funky
the funky western civilization
it’s really spunky
it’s just like summertime vacation
you just grab your partner by the hair
throw her down and leave her there

Well they put Jesus on a cross, they put a hole in J.F.K.
they put Hitler in the driver’s seat and looked the other way
now they’ve got poison in the water and the whole world in a trance
but just because we’re hypnotized, that don’t mean we can’t dance

We’ve got the funky
the funky western civilization
so, so very spunky
it’s just like summertime vacation
you just drag your partner through the dirt
put him in a world of hurt

Yes, you get down
Good God you get funky
you get western
(own up to it boys and girls)
and if you try real hard maybe you can even get, you know, kinda, ah maybe kinda, civilized!

(Chicken scratch Wah-Wah guitar solo by Dick Dale?  He played on the album!)

Then as the band rocks there’s a message from Joan of Arc:

“Mesdames et Messieurs, bon soir. this is Joan of Arc. Tonio has asked me to personally deliver a rather special message. He say he just cannot get enough of my 15th-century wisdom. He say he loves it when I talk with him like this. And after many a Saturday night of doing ze Funky Western Civilization together, I know for a fact he agrees with me when I say [in french]:
“You can bullshit the baker and get the buns
you can back out of every deal except one.”

This is the funky
the funky western civilization
it’s oh, so very spunky
it’s just like summertime vacation
all’s you gotta do is find some little kid somewhere
and throw him way up in the air
(never mind the parents)

Yes it’s a funky
a funky western civilization
and it may seem kinda skunky, you know
but it’s hitting every nation (all across the universe)
that’s ’cause all’s you gotta do is grab your partner by the hair
throw her down and leave her there.”

From the album, “Life In The Foodchain”, words and music by Tonio K ©1978 Worthless Music and Propane Publishing Co. (ASCAP)

Well, now, don’t that make you want to go right up and start to dance?

‘Cuz if not, you’ve lost your Rock ‘n’ Roll Spirit, your Sense of Humor, and have let Fear take over your Soul.

Think independently, enjoy the life you have, don’t let the weak, ignorant, evil, and crazed, influence your reality – just because they’re hypnotized that don’t mean we can’t dance!

“Dance” in this case is a euphemism for “Live your life positively joyous to the hilt, everyday, regardless!”
Because there is not a damn thing that you can do about it. Once upon a time it was possible to fight the good fight, but not now, so, try if you must, more power to ya, but the rest of us will be enjoying the life we were given as best we can and celebrate by doing the TFWC.

Own up to it boys and girls!

1970′s Album Track Gems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TONIO K. THE FUNKY WESTERN CIVILIZATION ’78

“Rockin’ Squawkin’ Wah-Wah” copyright 2014 00individual  TLL

EXPERIENCE ROCK HISTORY!

 TONIO K.
“THE FUNKY WESTERN CIVILIZATION”
from the album “Life in the Food Chain” 1978

There’s a brand new dance craze sweeping the nation
and it’s called the Funky – Western – Civilization!

00individual LOVES this track but somehow arrived late for Tonio K.’s album, “Life in the Food Chain”, and caught it around 1980 on old school KROQ and probably even the great “Rock ‘n’ Rhythm” KNAC and is grateful to have been able to listen to this classic over the past decades as it’s always fresh and timely as ever.

This wickedly rousing sardonically fun Rocker gets easy Album Track Gem recognition for being the best existential track never written or performed by Dylan or Zappa.

A true classic Rock song, it’s the perfect late ’70s precursor to the early ’80’s re-introduction of fun into Rock with an irresistible energy that makes you want to answer Tonio’s question, ” . . now don’t that make you want to go right up and start to dance?” with a positive “Yes” as you do The Funky Western Civilization”!

Tonio K. is a highly successful songwriter with songs recorded by Al Green, Aaron Neville, Burt Bacharach, Bonnie Raitt, Chicago, Wynonna Judd and Vanessa Williams, among many others. In addition, he has written with and for Brian Wilson, J.I. Allison, The Crickets, Bette Midler, The Pointer Sisters, Tanya Tucker, Diane Schuur, Percy Sledge, Phoebe Snow, Jules Shear, The Runaways, Patty Smyth, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Italian superstar Richard Cocciante.

At one time hailed as “the New Dylan”, Tonio K.’s wit and obvious way with words has allowed him to successfully contribute across music categories, and with this Album Track Gem from his debut release he laid down one memorable invigorating Rocker that, well, let’s let Tonio K. tell it:

“Come on everybody get on your feet
get with the beat
there’s a brand new dance craze sweeping the nation
and it’s called the Funky Western Civilization”

“Well there’s a riot in the courthouse, there’s a fire in the street
there’s a sinner bein’ trampled by a thousand pious feet
there’s a baby every minute bein’ born without a chance
now don’t that make you want to go right up and start to dance?”

“Let’s do the funky, the Funky Western Civilization
it’s really spunky, it’s just like summertime vacation
you just grab your partner by the hair,
throw her down and leave her there”

“Well they put Jesus on a cross, they put a hole in J.F.K.
they put Hitler in the driver’s seat and looked the other way
now they’ve got poison in the water, and the whole world in a trance
but just because we’re hypnotized, that don’t mean we can’t dance!”

“We’ve got the funky, the Funky Western Civilization
so, so very funky, it’s just like summertime vacation,
you just drag your partner through the dirt
put him in a world of hurt”

“Yes, you get down, good God you get funky
you get Western (own up to it boys and girls)
and if you try real hard maybe you can even get, you know, kinda  c-i-v-i-l-i-z-e-d

Seconds before the two minute mark the quick, but totally classic
Rockin’ Righteous Funky Chicken Scratch Wah-Wah Guitar
introduces:
“Mesdames et Messieurs, Bon Soir. this is Joan of Arc. Tonio has asked me to personally deliver a rather special message. He say he just cannot get enough of my 15th-century wisdom. He say he loves it when I talk with him like this. And after many Saturday nights of doing Ze Funky Western Civilization together, I know for a fact he agrees with me when I say [in French]:
“Vous pouvez bullshit le boulangerie et obtenir les brioches
vous pouvez revenir en arrière de chaque transaction sauf un.”
(“You can bullshit the baker and get the buns
you can back out of every deal except one.”)

“This is the funky, the Funky Western Civilization
it’s oh, so very spunky, it’s just like summertime vacation
all’s you gotta do is find some little kid somewhere
and throw him way up in the air (never mind the parents)”

“Yes it’s a funky, a Funky Western Civilization
and it may seem kinda skunky,
you know but it’s hitting every nation (all across the universe)
that’s ’cause all’s you gotta do is grab your partner by the hair
throw her down and leave her there”

“I never heard nothing like this in my life Ladies and Gentlemen
I don’t know what to make of it, good God almighty,
scares me every time I hear it, every time I think of it
yes it’s a funky, a Funky Western Civilization
and its so very spunky, you know, it’s just like summertime vacation, yeah, yeah
’cause all’s you gotta do is grab your partner by the hair
throw her down and leave her there.
.

©1978 Worthless Music and Propane Publishing Co. (ASCAP)

Don’t know if the Rockin’ Squawkin’ Wah-Wah solo is by
Dick Dale, King of the Surf Guitar,
but he plays on this album!

.

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