Lyrics:Funky Lil' Song [Version (a)]:
Ding dong funky little song
Everything's up and nothing's down
Everything's so right that nothing could be wrong
Now that we got our funky little song
Bad vibrations are all around
When your house is upside down
And you're waiting for something
Much much too long
Here's a funky way
To help yourself along
Ding dong funky little song
Everything's up and nothing's down
Everything's so right that nothing could be wrong
Now that we got a funky little song
Ding dong funky little song
Everything's up and nothing's down
Everything's so right and nothing could be wrong
Now that we got a funky little song
Ding dong funky little song
Everything's up and nothing's down
When the mean person is mean
So mean to you
I mean, real mean
You just look that mean person
In the eye and say
"Mean person, I'm gonna
Sing my funky little song"
And then you sing your funky little song
Right at that mean person
And you sing it just like this:
Ding dong funky little song
Everything's up and nothing's down
Everything's so right and nothing could be wrong
Now that we got a funky little song
Ding dong funky little song
Everything's up and nothing's down
Everything's so right and nothing could be wrong
Now that we got a funky little song
Ding dong funky little song
Everything's up and nothing's down
Everything's so right and nothing could be wrong
Now that we got a funky little song
Ding dong funky little song
Everything's up and nothing's down
Everything's so right and nothing could be wrong
Now that we got a funky little song
Ding dong funky little song
Everything's up and nothing's down
Everything's so right and nothing could be wrong
Now that we got a funky little song
The Song:"Funky Little Song" is a cover of a Bruce Haack song.
Bruce Haack is one of those semi-obscure musicians that Beck admires. He was largely known for two things: writing songs for kids, and being a pioneer of electronic music. "Funky Lil' Song" sort of falls into both categories. It was on Haack's 1971 album,
Together (though that's under the pseudonym Jackpine Savage), and a more recent collection called
Listen Compute Rock Home.
Beck's cover is a contribution to a tribute album produced by his friend Ross Harris of both Sukia and DJ Me DJ You. (Harris is also The
Enchanting Wizard of Rhythm.) The project "features new artists remixing and revisiting the way out children's music created by Bruce Haack and Esther Nelson" (according to
djmedjyou.com). After a couple of years of postponements, the album finally came out in September 2005. It is a benefit album for Autism research, and comes highly recommended.
The song's childlike melody is one Beck could easily play around with. Beck recorded this back in 2001, and his version is indeed a lively tune. There are a lot of instruments and sounds, but at the same time, it does not sound or feel overly cluttered. Beck tackles the vocals with abandon, singing one verse in "Debra"-style falsetto and another in a Muppet-like voice. Very entertaining.