Testify (Parliament song) - Misplaced Pages

For the Parliaments song, see (I Wanna) Testify.

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1974 single by Parliament

"Testify"

Single by Parliament
from the album Up for the Down Stroke
B-side	"I Can Move You"
Released	November 1974
Genre	R&B/Funk
Length	3:45
Label	Casablanca 811
Songwriter(s)	George Clinton/Daron Taylor
Producer(s)	George Clinton

"Testify" is a song by the band Parliament. It is a funk reworking of the song "(I Wanna) Testify", which was originally recorded in 1967 by The Parliaments and reached #3 on the Billboard R&B chart. This new version was the second single released from the 1974 album Up for the Down Stroke, and the second track on the album.

This version included a clavinet track by keyboardist Bernie Worrell and vocals by guitarist Eddie Hazel.

Original mix

The version of "Testify" included on early pressings of Up for the Down Stroke featured a mix that highlighted the group vocals and deemphasized the instrumental sound. On later pressings this was replaced by a version with different, more rhythm-intensive mix - the version heard on the song's single release. The original mix of the song was included as a bonus track on the 2003 CD reissue of the album.

The version of this song on the original album release also deleted a small portion of the clavinet introduction. This was restored on the 1993 compilation release Tear the Roof Off 1974-1980.

References

Junior, Chris M. (June 19, 2009). "Parliament's 'Up for the Down Stroke' revisited". Goldmine. Retrieved December 29, 2024 – via ProQuest.

v t e Parliament
George Clinton Ray Davis Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins Calvin Simon Grady Thomas Billy Bass Nelson Eddie Hazel Tawl Ross Tiki Fulwood Mickey Atkins Bernie Worrell Bootsy Collins Cordell Mosson Rodney "Skeet" Curtis Garry Shider Prakash John Tyrone Lampkin Glenn Goins Michael Hampton Debbie Wright Gary "Muddbone" Cooper Jerome Brailey Fred Wesley Maceo Parker Michael Brecker Randy Brecker Rick Gardner Reunald "Renny" Jones Jeanette Washington Dawn Silva Lynn Mabry Ron Ford Shirley Hayden Greg Thomas Larry Heckstall Walter "Junie" Morrison Robert "P-Nut" Johnson
Studio albums	Osmium (First Thangs/Rhenium) Up for the Down Stroke Chocolate City Mothership Connection The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome Motor Booty Affair Gloryhallastoopid Trombipulation Medicaid Fraud Dogg
Live albums	Live: P-Funk Earth Tour Live 1976–1993
Compilations	Parliament's Greatest Hits The Best Nonstop Mix Compilation Tear the Roof Off 1974–1980 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Parliament Gold The Casablanca Years: 1974–1980
Singles	"Up For The Down Stroke" "Testify" "Chocolate City" "Do That Stuff" "Tear The Roof Off The Sucker (Give Up The Funk)" "Mothership Connection (Star Child)" "Do That Stuff" "Dr. Funkenstein" "Fantasy Is Reality" "Bop Gun (Endangered Species)" "Flash Light" "Funkentelechy" "Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)" "Party People"
Related	Discography

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