Funky Situation

{{Short description|Album by Wilson Pickett}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox album

| name = A Funky Situation

| type = Album

| artist = Wilson Pickett

| cover = Pickett_fr.jpg

| alt =

| released = 1978

| recorded =

| studio = Fame Recording Studios, Muscle Shoals, Alabama

| venue =

| genre = R&B, disco

| length = 28:11

| label = Big Tree{{Cite magazine|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/600-dollar-man|title=The 600 Dollar Man|magazine=Record Collector}}
Wicked Records

| producer = Rick Hall

| prev_title = Pickett in the Pocket

| prev_year = 1974

| next_title = I Want You

| next_year = 1980

}}

A Funky Situation is a studio album by the American musician Wilson Pickett, released in 1978.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=92d4DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA211|title=In the Midnight Hour: The Life & Soul of Wilson Pickett|first=Tony|last=Fletcher|date=June 10, 2017|publisher=Oxford University Press}}

Production

The album was recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. It was produced by Rick Hall.{{Cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2006/jan/20/usa.world|title=Obituary: Wilson Pickett|date=January 20, 2006|work=The Guardian}} The horn arrangements were by Harrison Calloway, Jr.

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|1|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-funky-situation-mw0000846128|title=A Funky Situation|website=AllMusic}}

|rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide

|rev2Score = B{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: P|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=P&bk=70|accessdate=March 10, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}

|rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

|rev3score = {{rating|2|5}}{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=6 |page=536}}

|rev4 = The New Rolling Stone Record Guide

|rev4score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |title=The New Rolling Stone Record Guide |date=1983 |publisher=Random House |pages=387–388}}

}}

The Bay State Banner deemed it a " dirty-old-man-at-the-disco album."{{cite news |last1=Freedberg |first1=Mike |title=Soul Dog |work=Bay State Banner |issue=3 |date=26 Oct 1978 |page=18}} The Globe and Mail called it "an excellent wild dancing album."{{cite news |last1=Gilday |first1=Katherine |title=Inside the Sleeve Pop |work=The Globe and Mail |date=20 Dec 1978 |page=F9}}

The New Rolling Stone Record Guide wrote that the album "manages to update the tracks—including the inspired 'Lay Me Like You Hate Me', a summation of Pickett's philosophy of romance—without losing the singer's distinctive style." The San Diego Union-Tribune considered it "underrated."{{cite news |last1=Varga |first1=George |title=Box Scores |work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date=13 Dec 1992 |page=E7}}

Track listing

  1. "Dance with Me" (Harrison Calloway)
  2. "She's So Tight" (Rita Grimm, Yvonne Norman)
  3. "The Night We Called It a Day" (Charles Feldman, John Grazier)
  4. "Dance You Down" (Al Cartee, Ava Alderidge)
  5. "Hold on to Your Hinie" (Tony Joe White)
  6. "Groovin'" (Eddie Brigati, Felix Cavaliere)
  7. "Lay Me Like You Hate Me" (Wilson Pickett)
  8. "Funky Situation" (Curtis Wilkins)
  9. "Time to Let the Sun Shine on Me" (Wilson Pickett)
  10. "Who Turned You On" (Curtis Wilkins)

Personnel

  • Wilson Pickett - vocals
  • Randy McCormick - keyboards
  • Ken Bell, Larry Byrom - guitar
  • Bob Wray - bass
  • Roger Clark, Roger Hawkins (track 9) - drums
  • Mickey Buckins - percussion
  • Charles Chalmers, Donna Rhodes, Sandra Rhodes, Ava Aldridge, Cindy Richardson, Suzy Storm - backing vocals
  • Muscle Shoals Horns - horns
  • Harrison Calloway - horn arrangements

;Technical

  • Lynn Dreese Breslin - albums design
  • Jim Houghton - cover photography

References

{{Wilson Pickett}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Wilson Pickett albums

Category:1978 albums

Category:Atlantic Records albums

{{1970s-R&B-album-stub}}