wild cherry play that funky music

"Play That Funky Music" is a song written by Rob Parissi and recorded by the American funk rock band Wild Cherry. It was released as the first single from their debut album in April 1976. The song became a huge hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot Soul Singles charts in September 1976. It sold over 2.5 million copies in the United States alone and was certified platinum. The song is about the band's transition from a hard rock cover band to playing funk and disco music to appeal to changing audience tastes during the disco era. The memorable chorus includes the line "Play that funky music, white boy," reflecting a real-life moment when an audience member challenged the band to play funky music. Wild Cherry received Grammy nominations and an American Music Award for the song. Despite the success of this single, it remained their only major hit, making the band a classic one-hit wonder.