I remember reading something at the time about George being in financial trouble with the IRS and Prince bailing him out. I'm not sure what the actual story is, but I do know he was a fan of George and that style of funk largely influenced Prince's own sound.
And so, "The Cinderella Theory" was released.
This was my first exposure to George Clinton himself. But it was not my first exposure to his music; as I later learned.
One of the most interesting aspects of being a Prince fan is the exposure you get to musical genres, artists and sounds. Through Prince, I've discovered Jazz, Gospel, Funk and classic R&B. I've also gained an appreciation for electric guitar and other sounds I wouldn't have looked for on my own. I've also developed an ear for hearing qualities in music I love even if I'm not partial to the genre itself. Because of this, I've discovered new bands in all types of music.
George Clinton was one of the first artists, who truly existed outside of Prince, I gained exposure to.
Now, for those of you who knew George Clinton before this record, probably had a hard time with it. The music incorporates the style he was famous for, but it moves away from his previous material through sound engineering and approach. He uses more modern sounds to create the songs. Probably based on what Prince had at Paisley Park and you get the feeling the songs were written to appeal to a larger pop sensible audience.
George's best material is his deep groove funk. Those heavy bass rhythms, simple hooks and deep tones add up to some heavy booty shaking. And his tunes were usually much longer than the average album cut. He let his funk ride along with no reason to go anywhere in a hurry. I remember seeing him live back in 95/96 and he played a show that went on for hours. At a couple points, they swapped out drummers so they could keep going. The songs lasted 10 to 20 minutes and it's this groove, that gives him a lot of his notoriety.
By contrast, "The Cinderella Theory" seems more like Clinton attempting to write a hit record than another groovy album. Now don't get me wrong... I'm not saying it's bad. In fact, I love the disc! But in comparison, it isn't his strongest material either. And the lack of a Prince collaboration is quite disappointing to say the least. His second Paisley Park album, "Hey Man...Smell My Finger" is more of a traditional funk record from him and it hits the nail right on the head. There's nothing you can take from this record but a cold chill that runs up and down your body like melting ice on a hot day.
'Airbound' is a decent track. It features a lot of the choir sound vocals Clinton uses and it's got an interesting flow. Still, it doesn't cross over into hard funk space. It just lingers. 'Tweakin'' is the closest he comes to making a tune more in his style. It's got a subdued drum track but it does feature Clintonesque style vocals. It's followed by the title track. 'The Cinderella Theory' has a certain Prince sound too it, but it sounds more 80's. The lyrics are at an almost odd angle to the music. It's wonderful!
'Why Should I Dog U Out?' was the obvious choice for a Prince collaboration, but it's not. George delivers a good track here and it's one of the best on the record. I really do enjoy this one. 'Serious Slammin'' is indeed a Clinton jam. You don't have a lot of vocals, just a chant and some excellent drums banging along. 'There I Go Again', is a slower number with an infectious groove. It utilizes Prince sounds from the time period blended with Clinton, vocal arrangements and an almost Caribbean vibe. This song has elements of some of the jazz work Prince was doing at the time and I wouldn't be surprised to discover Prince was responsible for the music.
'(She Got It) Goin' On' is another track that starts off sounding like something Prince would of put on a Madhouse album. 'The Banana Boat Song' sounds more like something Levi Seacer Jr., would produce. I can hear him all over this track. I do like the song and I think Clinton's take is quite funky. 'French Kiss' sounds like an outtake from the 70's that Clinton revived for this project. The driving rhythm guitars add an urgency to the track it probably didn't have originally. It moves at an interesting pace and it's an interesting number.
'Rita Bewitched' is pure Clinton even if it uses some newer sounds, it's all over the place in the great way George's most interesting material usually is. 'Kredit Kard' is probably the one song that sounds almost completely like an attempt to write a hit pop song. It uses a lot of sounds big in the charts at the time.
A reprise of 'Airbound' rounds out the album and it's a flashback to a great song. In all, it's an interesting blend of sounds and I suspect Prince's involvement is much more prominent then we're led to believe. I think he had a hand in writing more than he lets on.
No matter how you look at it, Clinton did something not many artists who pigeon hole their sound get to do. He takes the opportunity of using new sounds and new equipment to venture out into new territory and create a record that explores new worlds of sound and vision. What we have here is a complex artist being truly creative and that's a visionary thing to experience.
This album gets written off by most people and it's left off most fans' fav lists. His second Paisley Park release fares much better, but this little record is an absolute gem for those who know what they're listening to. I think it's a strong record and one of the reasons Paisley Park was such an innovative record label.
My final words: A FUNK TOUCHDOWN BY A FUNK MASTER!!!
GEORGE CLINTON - THE CINDERELLA THEORY
01. Airbound
02. Tweakin'
03. The Cinderella Theory
04. Why Should I Dog U Out?
05. Serious Slammin'
06. There I Go Again
07. (She Got It) Goin' On
08. The Banana Boat Song
09. French Kiss
10. Rita Bewitched
11. Kredit Kard
12. Airbound (Reprise)
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