Ten fresh and fantabulous funk songs from the 1970s

“Cisco Kid” by War (1972)

There was War before Eric Burdon (known as Nightshift) and there was War with Eric Burdon – the British blues singer with a larger-than-life persona and thirst for American soul music. And then there was War – on their own after Burdon left in 1970. That was when War found their funk. They were jazzier than many of their contemporaries, and the monster hit album that “Cisco Kid” opened,

The World is a Ghetto is not exclusively concerned with funk. But that first track sure is. B.B. Dickerson provides a throbbing bass while every percussion instrument under the sun bounces the beat along. Charles Miller’s saxes provide color and Howard Scott’s raspy vocals tell an old-west story. This was the same time Townes Van Zandt was recording his immortal “Pancho and Lefty” and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was snagging four Oscars. Buddy stories about old-west outlaws were much in vogue. None were as funky as “Cisco Kid.”

“Nutbush City Limits” by Ike & Tina Turner (1973)

I love all the songs on this list, but if I’m being honest, this is my favorite. Maybe that’s because it is closer to a hybrid of funk and rock. Maybe it’s because it has the overwhelming vocals of Tina Turner. Of course, there is a pounding beat, but there is a lot more going on.

Keyboards swirl about, horns blast, and a guitar – that may or may not be provided by glam icon Marc Bolan – kickstarts the whole thing. I don’t know if it’s Bolan or not, but “Nutbush” is the glammiest of funk standouts. Fortunately, it was sung by a woman with the power, the theatricality, and the sheer authenticity to stand up to whatever mishmash of sonic impulses were throbbing through the song.