--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I'm just tryna funk, it's gonna be…" description: "\"When I'm just tryna funk, it's gonna be the Staple Singers, man - Pop Staples. And Ray Charles. Ray could take 'Eleanor Rigby' and make that funky.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/george-clinton-12212_could_when-i-m-just-tryna-funk-it-s-gonna-be-t_564644.jpg" --- # When I'm just tryna funk, it's gonna be the Staple… ![“When I'm just tryna funk, it's gonna be the Staple Singers, man - Pop Staples. And Ray Charles. Ray could take 'Eleanor Rigby' and make that funky.” quote by George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/george-clinton-12212_could_when-i-m-just-tryna-funk-it-s-gonna-be-t_564644.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/george-clinton-12212_could_when-i-m-just-tryna-funk-it-s-gonna-be-t_564644.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/george-clinton-12212_could_when-i-m-just-tryna-funk-it-s-gonna-be-t_564644.jpg) > “When I'm just tryna funk, it's gonna be the Staple Singers, man - Pop Staples. And Ray Charles. Ray could take 'Eleanor Rigby' and make that funky.” [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He likens improvisational funk to classic artists, showing how any song can be transformed into a funky style. **In simple terms:** Classic songs can become funk. Key Takeaway Explore funk reinterpretations. Themes music creativity adaptation Mood playful energetic Type musical inspirational When to use this quote - DJ sets - live band jams - genre blending Key Concepts cultural remix musical improvisation Questions to Reflect On - Which songs would you funkify? - How does funk change a song’s mood? A Different Perspective Risk of losing original song’s essence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funk/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Singers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singers/) ## Related quotes > [When I discovered Gil Scott-Heron, I discovered a musical hero, a man who spoke baritone truth to power over jazzy funk at a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hermes/when-i-discovered-gil-scott-heron-i-discovered-a-musical-hero-a-man/) [Will Hermes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hermes/) > [Funk, I don't think I have anything to do with funk. I've never considered myself funky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/funk-i-don-t-think-i-have-anything-to-do-with-funk-i-ve-never/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [There's a lot of people over time who have brought out all these funky records that everybody has started jumping on like a catch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/there-s-a-lot-of-people-over-time-who-have-brought-out-all-these/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [Of course I'm funky like fat people having intercourse. Basically, the funk is stuck in your teeth...so get the dental floss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redman/of-course-i-m-funky-like-fat-people-having-intercourse-basically-the/) [Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redman/) > [Well, I try to be as funky as I need to get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/well-i-try-to-be-as-funky-as-i-need-to-get/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [Disco is funky when you take one record at a time. It's just that they narrowed it down to one beat to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/disco-is-funky-when-you-take-one-record-at-a-time-it-s-just-that-they/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [I'm always surprised that I'm still around funk and that people are still into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-m-always-surprised-that-i-m-still-around-funk-and-that-people-are/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [Funk is fun. And it's also a state of mind, ... But it's all the ramifications of that state of mind. Once you've done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/funk-is-fun-and-it-s-also-a-state-of-mind-but-it-s-all-the/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [Funk 'em, just to see the look on their face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/funk-em-just-to-see-the-look-on-their-face/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [If some people don't like funk music then it's just the wrong time for them. They will get it. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/if-some-people-don-t-like-funk-music-then-it-s-just-the-wrong-time/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [Styles move too fast to be partial to anything. If it's funk, that's enough for me. I don't care how fast or slow it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/styles-move-too-fast-to-be-partial-to-anything-if-it-s-funk-that-s/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [If you got a booty, you're going to dance to disco, funk, you know, whatever's going on. Funk is going to be involved in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/if-you-got-a-booty-you-re-going-to-dance-to-disco-funk-you-know/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [I grew up listening to a lot of Ray Charles and '60s rock, thanks to my father, and then my brothers got me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avicii/i-grew-up-listening-to-a-lot-of-ray-charles-and-60s-rock-thanks-to-my/) [Avicii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avicii/) > [I'd say that Ray Charles is definitely the biggest influence on my singing. Also Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-d-say-that-ray-charles-is-definitely-the-biggest-influence-on-my/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [I don't think I've met anyone with a stronger work ethic than Ray Charles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/i-don-t-think-i-ve-met-anyone-with-a-stronger-work-ethic-than-ray/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) ## More by George Clinton > [I worked in a barbershop. I used to make the waves in the brother's hair, you know? Like, Nat King Cole, Sugar Ray Robinson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-worked-in-a-barbershop-i-used-to-make-the-waves-in-the-brother-s/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [The Mothership is in the Smithsonian now. That's probably one of the biggest displays there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/the-mothership-is-in-the-smithsonian-now-that-s-probably-one-of-the/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [When I hear music that parents hate, or older musicians hate, I know that's the new music. When I hear older people saying, 'I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/when-i-hear-music-that-parents-hate-or-older-musicians-hate-i-know/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [“Put a glide in your stride, a dip in yo' hip and come on up to the mothership”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/put-a-glide-in-your-stride-a-dip-in-yo-hip-and-come-on-up-to-the/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [I feel lucky and blessed that I got away with the things that I did do. But there's got to be an easier way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-feel-lucky-and-blessed-that-i-got-away-with-the-things-that-i-did/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [If you got a booty, you're going to dance to disco, funk, you know, whatever's going on. Funk is going to be involved in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/if-you-got-a-booty-you-re-going-to-dance-to-disco-funk-you-know/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [Just gimme some stage. I'll make my own way once I get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/just-gimme-some-stage-i-ll-make-my-own-way-once-i-get-there/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [Free your mind and your ass will follow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/free-your-mind-and-your-ass-will-follow/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [Testify' went from a clean Motown song to straight psychedelic. Loud and feedback and people was loving it, because Motown was ending now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/testify-went-from-a-clean-motown-song-to-straight-psychedelic-loud/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [Hip-hop is getting to the point now where they are going to start sounding like Al Jarreau or Bobby McFerrin or some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/hip-hop-is-getting-to-the-point-now-where-they-are-going-to-start/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [I used to skip school to go there when I was growing up in Newark, ... I saw the Flamingos, the Heartbeats, Jackie Wilson,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-used-to-skip-school-to-go-there-when-i-was-growing-up-in-newark-i/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [Once you reach a certain age with radio stations, you've got to be an oldie but a goodie. If you wanna do something new,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/once-you-reach-a-certain-age-with-radio-stations-you-ve-got-to-be-an/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [Look both ways before you cross my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/look-both-ways-before-you-cross-my-mind/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [The key to looking good in a cape is the way you take it off. You should look like those sword-fighting people, the Three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/the-key-to-looking-good-in-a-cape-is-the-way-you-take-it-off-you/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [I came in after the Smokey Robinsons, Temptations, Clovers, and Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters. I came along at that level, when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-came-in-after-the-smokey-robinsons-temptations-clovers-and-clyde/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) [Explore all 56 George Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) ## More Could quotes > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [Some would call me an environmentalist. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [It's what the people wanted at the time, but the country could not be half-segregated and half-integrated, just as it could not be half-slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/it-s-what-the-people-wanted-at-the-time-but-the-country-could-not-be/) [George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) > [I don't think Joe Louis could take the punches today fighting in this era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/i-don-t-think-joe-louis-could-take-the-punches-today-fighting-in-this/) [Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/) > [What a gift it would be if every child in the country could hear a professional orchestra at least once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-henry/what-a-gift-it-would-be-if-every-child-in-the-country-could-hear-a/) [Lenny Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-henry/) > [If my wisdom could get support from officials, I think society would move forward 20 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-guangbiao/if-my-wisdom-could-get-support-from-officials-i-think-society-would/) [Chen Guangbiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chen-guangbiao/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [One of the mistakes I made was thinking chickens and penguins could sing, just like all the other animals in the 'Muppets.' But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-mckenzie/one-of-the-mistakes-i-made-was-thinking-chickens-and-penguins-could/) [Bret McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-mckenzie/) > [I liked climbing trees and could often be found up one reading a book. I played games with Dad and drew maps for him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhianna-pratchett/i-liked-climbing-trees-and-could-often-be-found-up-one-reading-a-book/) [Rhianna Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhianna-pratchett/) > [I studied philosophy and ended on sociology. For some reason, all the advanced courses in philosophy were offered 4:30 to 6:30, so I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-jackson/i-studied-philosophy-and-ended-on-sociology-for-some-reason-all-the/) [Lawrence Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-jackson/) Browse all 8,032 Could quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I'm just tryna funk, it's gonna be the Staple Singers, man - Pop Staples. And Ray Charles. Ray could take 'Eleanor Rigby' and make that funky.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Clinton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/when-i-m-just-tryna-funk-it-s-gonna-be-the-staple-singers-man-pop/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Could" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/when-i-m-just-tryna-funk-it-s-gonna-be-the-staple-singers-man-pop/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/george-clinton-12212_could_when-i-m-just-tryna-funk-it-s-gonna-be-t_564644.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/george-clinton-12212_could_when-i-m-just-tryna-funk-it-s-gonna-be-t_564644.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/george-clinton-12212_could_when-i-m-just-tryna-funk-it-s-gonna-be-t_564644.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I'm just tryna funk, it's gonna be the Staple Singers, man - Pop Staples. And Ray Charles. Ray could…” — George Clinton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George Clinton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I'm just tryna funk, it's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/when-i-m-just-tryna-funk-it-s-gonna-be-the-staple-singers-man-pop/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/when-i-m-just-tryna-funk-it-s-gonna-be-the-staple-singers-man-pop/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```