Play That Funky Music White Boy Guitar Lesson (Wild Cherry)

Here’s a funky, bluesy groove you can use to improve your timing and have a ball playing.

It’s been proven to keep an audience twisting and shaking on the dance floor, all night long. It’s been played in party bands for decades and below I’m going to show you how to play the iconic guitar parts and lock into a foot-tapping groove.

So put on your dancing shoes and let’s dive into this “Play That Funky Music White Boy” guitar lesson.

Who wrote Play That Funky Music White Boy?

"Play That Funky Music" was written by Rob Parissi, lead vocalist and guitarist for the American funk rock band Wild Cherry. The song was released in 1976 and became a huge hit. It’s become a classic from the disco era.

Rob Parissi, was inspired to write "Play That Funky Music" after the band kept getting repeatedly asked to play more disco and funk songs during their live shows.

Wild Cherry initially played rock music, but they noticed the rising popularity of funk and disco and decided to adapt their style accordingly. The title and chorus of the song were inspired by a comment made by a fan who shouted, "Play some funky music, white boy!" during one of their performances. Parissi took the suggestion to heart and wrote the song as a playful nod to this experience.

The track was recorded at Cleveland Recording Company in Cleveland, Ohio. The production was done by the band members themselves. They decided to keep the arrangement straightforward and danceable, perfect for the disco trends at the time.

"Play That Funky Music White Boy" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it remained for three weeks. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over a million copies. The song also earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

It has been covered and sampled by numerous artists over the years. Including, (as I mentioned above) a ton of party bands.

One of the most epic parts is the…

Play That Funky Music White Boy Signature Riff

There are two guitars, one is playing a funky 16th-note groove while the other is playing a riff like this...

[JohnReynolds-unmz]

This is so cool. It feels so good when you can get the audience dancing. And no doubt about it, chics dig disco. I think you could even pump this out on acoustic guitar, one player band, and make everyone smile. Thanks for revealing those funk, chick-a chick-a chords. Downright nasty!!

[janfaust]

Great lessons! Thanks a lot, keept it please up.

[GrahamOliver-ns]

Thank you for this video. I've got to learn this because I used to dance around the pool table playing guitar on my cue -- years ago. Can't wait to see my wifes face when i play it on my guitar. 😮I think the dancing might be a step too far now 😂😂😂

[marcbolan]

They had to be playing with the Superstition riff and came up with their intro. and James Brown for the pre chorus.