Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad (The Doo-Doo Chasers)

Artist: Funkadelic

Title of album: One Nation Under a Groove

Year of first release: 1978

Trivia: The same song appears on the album twice, first with vocals and the second as an instrumental track.

Description of music: "Promentalshit" (as it is often referred to) has a powerful guitar riff buried behind understated, chant and response vocals from Clinton (and the responders) as well as melodic, tenor singing. The instrumental version, obviously, is without the vocals and focuses on the guitar and a slow, sleazy beat.

Complete tabs at [external site with complete tabs]

Songwriter: Linda Brown[?], George Clinton, Garry Shider

Memorable Lyrics:

• "The world is a toll-free toilet/Our mouths' neurological assholes/And psychologically speaking/We're in a state of mental diarrhea/Talking shit a mile a minute/Or in a state of constipated notions/Can't think of nothin' but shit"
• "The doo doo chasers,/The Promentalshitbackwashpsychosisenemasquad/The prune juice of the mind"
• "They call us the unflushables/One swipe a clean wipe"
• "And what causes all of this shit?/What is the source of food for thought?/Ego-munchies/Images doggie bags/Me burger with I sauce on it"
• "Count the calories of your thoughts/Funk, Confucius says/Like Chinese laxatives/Sweet and sour bowel movements"
• "A psychological trend/A neurological enema"
• "Fried ice cream is a reality"

Complete lyrics at the Motherpage (http://www.duke.edu/~tmc/motherpage/lyrics_funkadelic/lyr-1nation#lyr-s-promental)

Crammed with scatological references to feces and double meanings, "Promentalshit" is much more than a litany of toilet jokes. The world is said to be a "toll-free toilet," wherein the (unFunky) masses excrete "shit" in its many forms of oppression, stupidity and prejudice. "We" (the Funky ones) are the "Doo-Doo Chasers," and the "Enema Squad," releasing all the world's bullshit through "neurological enemas" and leaving open-minded intellect and kind, charitable Funkiness. The Enema Squad are the social cleansers, and are "unflushables," unable to be gotten rid of or ignored (like diarrhea).

Personnel:

• Lead Vocals: George Clinton
• Bass: Boogie Mosson[?]

Critical response: