1971 Funk Rock Classic Ranked Among 'Best Breakup Songs' of All Time Became a Timeless Anthem
Popular music of the 1970s was heavily influenced by soul, disco, and dance genres, and funky anthem "Can You Get to That" by Funkadelic was one of the most memorable hits of the year.
The album-famously referred to as an "exploration of the dark side of psychedelia" byRolling Stone-provided the track, which was ranked on Billboard's list of the 100 best breakup songs of all time, coming in at No. 89 on the expansive roundup.
"Filled with financial metaphors, Funkadelic's head-bopping Maggot Brain track is a cautionary tale about falling for the tricks of someone with 'insufficient funds' in the love department," the famed music publication noted of the song's message and why it was chosen for the lineup themed around heartbreak.
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Delivered as part of the group's album, Maggot Brain, the hit didn't see initial commerical sucess, but later became one of their most beloved releases.
Over the years, "Can You Get to That" has gotten the film and TV treatment, having been featured in movies like 2021's Ghostbusters: Afterlife and tv shows High Fidelity, Snowfall, Black-ish and Outer Banks.
Meanwhile, the track currently has over 102 million streams on Spotify.
The brainchild of George Clinton, Funkadelic first came together as The Parliament in 1955. Using icons like Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and Sly Stone as inspiration for the evolving sound, he revolutionized R&B during the '70s, twisting soul music into funk. Funkadelic spawned from the doo-wop group, which was originally based on Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers.
"The Parliament/Funkadelic machine ruled Black music during the '70s, capturing over 40 R&B hit singles (including three number ones) and recording three platinum albums," per georgeclinton.com's official informational Bio. "1978-79 was the most successful year in Parliament/Funkadelic history: Parliament hit the charts first with 'Flash Light,' P-Funk's first R&B number one. 'Aqua Boogie' would hit number one as well late in the year, but Funkadelic‘s title track to 'One Nation Under a Groove' spent six weeks at the top spot on the R&B charts during the summer."
Next, 1985 Rock No. 1 Hit, Written for a Timeless Classic Movie, Ranked Among 'Top Love Songs' of All Time
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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 1:01 PM.