Electrified Funk

by Alex Henderson Wild Cherry was the epitome of a one-hit wonder. Anyone who is seriously into 1970s soul/funk is familiar with "Play That Funky Music," but a lot of the people who know Cherry for that wildly infectious number-one hit probably wouldn't be able to name any of their other songs. That's regrettable because while "Play That Funky Music" was Cherry's only major hit, it wasn't the only worthwhile song the band recorded. Electrified Funk, Cherry's second album, wasn't a huge seller but it's a generally respectable collection of rock-influenced funk and blue-eyed soul. The LP gets off to an unimpressive start with "Baby, Don't You Know," which is nothing more than a poor man's "Play That Funky Music." However, when Cherry rips into "Dancin' Music Band," "Are You Boogieing Around on Your Daddy" and the Commodores-influenced "Hot to Trot," this album wins listeners over, reminding them that there was more to Cherry than "Play That Funky Music." Also appealing is Cherry's remake of "Hold On," a ballad that they had previously recorded for their self-titled debut album of 1976 (which was the only Cherry album ever reissued on CD). Unfortunately, Electrified Funk has long been out of print, and considering Cherry's one-hit-wonder status, it's hard to imagine Epic reissuing the album.