The Story Behind the Making of Atomic Dog by George Clinton

A funnier and more complete story behind the making of Atomic Dog by George Clinton, Garry Shider, and David Spradley.
Clips taken from:
- "George Clinton: Tales of Dr. Funkenstein" (2006);
- "Tear the Roof Off the Untold Story of Parliament Funkadelic" (2016); and
- Season 2 episode 1 of "Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus" (Nov 2, 2018).

[@sorethumbs379]

This is insane because the entire west coast G Funk sound basically came from an accident 😂

[@jkashdamoneyman5870]

Wasn’t no accident, the Midwest to west coast g funk/hip hop, song was recorded in Detroit, zapp & Roger from Ohio, Bootsy from Ohio, Ohio players, lakeside, and plenty more from Indiana Michigan and Illinois

[@user-bb3wf8qm9x]

Say it again!

[@redcomet2010]

Nooo! It came from being high and sing on the spot about being a lunatic haha 😆

[@Iknowyoumadnow]

Clinton wasn't the only source of material fool

[@thebrazilshow]

@@jkashdamoneyman5870 Yeah, I grew up in L.A. during this era and worked in the music business. The Westcoast was heavy into Parliament Funkadelic, Bootsy - I'd have to say they dominated Westcoast radio at the time, Roger & Zapp, Ohio Players - anything out of Ohio was funky! Rick James. If you went to a House party, Skating rink, Club, thats all they played. We liked that Funk raw and uncut.

[@philipjames751]

As a DJ who started when this song came out, I still play it and it hits as hard as it did back then.

[@marcus.6487]

hail yeah...mane eye was a luh' dude when this junt came out, my fav'rit song 4a looong ass time -- this and mo' bounc by zapp

[@momoni90]

You damn right that song can be played in any era

[@HypnoticHollywood]

That's because good music is timeless.

[@user-bb3wf8qm9x]

@@HypnoticHollywood That's exactly what I say everday. This song, and a dozen others from this era, are timeless.

[@user-bb3wf8qm9x]

The music in this era was the reason why the radios/boomboxes were so dang BIG!!!......Present day-do they even make radios anymore? (Not trying to offend, just making an observation.) 🤣😆😂🤔🤨📻🎶

[@charlesmaynard2236]

Mr. Garry Shider needs a whole lot more credit!!!! Uncle Garry is a genius!!!!

[@modifiedcontent]

Garry Shider was the heart and soul of P-Funk and GC knew it - listen to Where Would I Go - Funkadelic

[@JazzFunk22]

🐶🐕🐕‍🦺🦮🐩 woof woof woof 👍

[@phillytnoize]

Yes indeed. All the original Parliaments and Funkadelic were amazing, but when Bootsy, Garry and Glen and them joined is when it went to a whole new level. Garry was the man!

[@nicolethain5405]

Sure enough

[@ericrobinson1789]

It's amazing how creativity can come about. Garry Shider and crew was the shit for this one. Atomic Dog is a classic for the ages!

[@southerngirl1960]

Atomic dog

[@biggieslapnasty]

A song born from sheer chaos

[@darrellmfume3513]

Music, ORDER out of chaos I guess.

[@MbogaTatu]

😂

[@markey412]

A lot of songs are like that. 'I put a spell on you' by 'Sceamin' Jay Hawkins is another example.

[@Lonersquare]

3:08 I said "This is what you did! You was talking bout the dog!" 🤣

[@terrondt]

😂 hilarious

[@jamesdicker2962]

When it came out (Fall of '82), it stopped me in my tracks. Mesmerizing. Still is and it is 40 years old.

[@user-bb3wf8qm9x]

It was the video for me......1982? It was definitely innovative for that time.

[@timotheewilliams9086]

All I can say is AMAZING, and cocaine is a helluva drug😄

[@JazzFunk22]

Hel yea 🐶

[@user-bb3wf8qm9x]

You don't even want to know how "helluva"....

[@timotheewilliams9086]

@@user-bb3wf8qm9x I'll take your word😄

[@TKsh1]

The reversed drums were a genius move.

[@TheMjphoto45]

Actually a mistake

[@jerrydulin6029]

True a mistake but the genius was not trying to fix it, or telling George the truth.

[@GoldandAppel]

Yep!

[@GoldandAppel]

Serendipity.

[@hip-hoprapstorage4440]

What's the drum machine used here ?

[@arlenem.6469]

It was magic in that studio that they couldn't even explain in depth how they created that song.

[@tedz2000]

All my 40 plus years of hearing this song never had a clue how it was made… FUNK IS REAL ROCK N ROLL

[@RKZX2]

i think the 80's was one of, if not, the best decade for music.

[@Underdog271]

I agree

[@joyhervey5666]

Yesss!! The best hands down!! I thank God I grew up during this decade!💯

[@user-bb3wf8qm9x]

100% correct.

[@mrswolls]

So you mean to tell me he just started saying some crazy shit to a backwards track and they recorded this and made a song out of it. And he didn't even remember what the hell he said. 🤣😂😂😂👍👍👍👍

[@ChamP10nk1ng]

That's KRAZY ! So this whole song was just basically done like a freestyle. George ad-libbed his vocals part, the instrumental was reversed originally just for play-sake.

[@killerjoe5628]

The early to mid eighties was a very dynamic era for r&b music. There were still some great bands left from the 70s like Confunktion, Cameo and Lakeside and there were a lot of good new artists like Luther Vandross and Anita Baker , Zapp, Dazz Band, etc. It was a pretty good time for music and a great time to be a Soul Train watcher.

[@harristonrichardson9979]

You GATS that right, The EARLY 80,s was a BEST of the decade for BLACK music,

[@edwinbatiste7550]

Let the Church say Amen!!

[@GerardFreeman]

Then around the mid 80s there was Loose Ends killing it.

[@auntieeva4098]

Nothing like that now, mostly garbage

[@RonaldJohnson-md7lk]

@@harristonrichardson9979 You better say the 70s

[@301cameosis]

It hurt me when he didn't win the Grammy...

[@7truelife]

He should've smacked the taste outta somebody's mouth then he would've got it...lol

[@modernretroradio993]

Who did he lose to?

[@301cameosis]

@@modernretroradio993"Let it whip" The Dazz Band

[@modernretroradio993]

@@301cameosis ...which got played on the Top 40 stations. Do the math.

[@301cameosis]

@@modernretroradio993 I liked it too...I just wanted the Dog to win

[@jaysinger535]

The greatest song ever made.

[@JustTubbyRich]

Shut uuuuuuupp, no it is not. 😅

[@yellowcake2478]

When the beat drop you can't stop moving everybody JAM

[@smarternotharder]

RΩΩ

[@TA-ht4jo]

Every Que Dawg agrees!

[@mazzb305]

I'm more partial to Flashlight.

[@hopeclayburnsax9369]

The sound, the video and the vision of this song is one of the greatest accidents in music history. Ruff ruff 🐶

[@bob-o9865]

I played this song for my 13 year old daughter and she loves the song and video. Thank you George and crew for making this iconic and legendary song! ✌🏽

[@adriennerobinson1180]

Great!

[@ucity85]

The Q Dogs of Omega Psi Phi Faternity been stomping to Atomic Dog every since the song came out. Thanks to Uncle George 🤘!

[@jabbarthomas5855]

I was WONDERING when someone was going to bring this up! Both of my brothers and a cousin are all Omegas and this first thing I think about when I hear this song is “Uh-oh!! Better clear the dance floor--a bunch of Omegas are coming through, stomping like crazy in their gold boots!” LOL!!!

[@jayoh2k]

So did the Pasadena HS Bulldogs. This was our football anthem.. C/O '91.. #denadogs

[@ucity85]

@@jayoh2kPHS! Man that's cool. I lived in Pasadena in the 70s on N Chester. I went to Serra Mesa Elementary from the 1st thru 6th grade. Then I went to the 7th grade at Marshall. BUT unfortunately we moved back to St Louis Misery in 1980 😒.

[@1masterfader]

George is real good friend with Sly Stone. Sly Asked me to re-do Georges hit "Flash light" cause I was sleeping. I learned so much about Funk doing that song with George. His ear is crazy. When we were done. In Walks Sly stone with a big smile on his face cause he could hear what we were doing from where he was sleeping. Being in a room with these two inventors of funk was like being in a room with Bethoven and Joseph Bologne. I will never forget it. We re-did that track on my laptop.

[@adriennerobinson1180]

I know that's right

[@TheNotoriousPunk3709]

This has to be one of the funniest origin story to the most important song ever lmao

[@hxycdsa576]

That s**t was funny

[@michaelmckenzie6311]

That Atomic Dawg was on Billie Jeans' azz back then! Both rocked!

[@darrellmfume3513]

That's somewhat true...Billie Jean was a Global Hit. In Markets Worldwide.

[@aaronj.brooks1977]

One of my favorite songs from George Clinton it’s a masterpiece 👍🏾

[@dr.marcelbroadwater9312]

Hearing this story makes me appreciate the song even more

[@alexfrazier6948]

I am sure the brothers of Omega Psi Phi are eternally grateful for this track. Lol

[@michaelangelo6947]

Atomic Dog was my First Sergeant's favorite song that he used to signal a company formation when I was with Delta - 2 -1 at Fort Gordon Signal Training School. Lol! He'd pump it over the company area loudspeakers and come out with his massive boombox on his shoulder.

[@thewatchmen4920]

Dance floor music. Young generation don't even know how to get on the dance floor and JAM. But they know how to kill each other.

[@adriennerobinson1180]

SAD BUT TRUE SMH THIS MAN THIS MORNING was in the train saying this. Stop killing one another. He said he was sick of all this killing.

[@user-bb3wf8qm9x]

Problem? Oh no, we can take it to the dance floor days.

[@michaels5166]

That's why when you're using your gear,just hit record and do whatever..

[@ArtBlade]

thanks for uploading that. I remember when that song was released, we were all blown away by it. It has been one of my favourite songs ever since. Sounds as good today as it did when it was new :)

[@jamesdicker2962]

Yep. When it came out (Fall of '82), it stopped me in my tracks. Mesmerizing. Still is and it is 40 years old.

[@adriennerobinson1180]

Oh Yes!

[@calburner4635]

The craziest background story ever. Only the Big Pill bka Dr. Funkenstein could make something like this happen. Long Live the Funk!

[@abstraddic0442]

I wouldn't have never guess anything close to that. Crazy and dude thought that George ment to sing random lyrics and melodies lol....wow.....good video ! Bravo !

[@maloney7461]

All time classic dancing song. I am 66 and I still love it today.

[@choward5430]

A lot of great things come from flukish incidents. Nat King Cole was a jazz pianist. He was playing one night when a belligerent customer demanded he sing. The man was out of control so Nat Cole sang to shut him up! The rest is history!

[@MbogaTatu]

WHOA!!!

[@sheilabaker7448]

I first heard this song at a house party in the late 80's and was forever hooked.

[@alexanderscalzo340]

All of the P-Funk Nation deserve all the love, credit, & glory for taking funk beyond space. From George, Bootsy, Gary, Eddie, Bernie, Michael, Glenn, Maceo every one of em!!!

[@jeanheard4615]

This song was given to George Clinton in Chattanooga by a young man at the auditorium in Chattanooga he just had the words George did the rest music wise this back in the 60s

[@censusgary]

“Atomic Dog” is truly a groove for all seasons. It sounds as contemporary and fresh today as it did in the 1970s.

[@Mr.Taylor56]

Came out in the early 80s tho.

[@censusgary]

@@Mr.Taylor56 Ah, you’re right. 1982. My memory was off by a few years.

[@jamesgraham3116]

Garry Shider Starchild/ Diaper man!!!

[@TheBlkac1]

You can't get nothing better than the 80's music ✊🏿😋😆😁😃👍🏿

[@lowbo47omsascotave]

*Eastside Low Bottoms sh*t !* _Tappin' in from South Central LA_ Easily...EASILY one of THEE most iconic and influential songs of the 20th century ! It's April 4, 2022 and if you want to pack a dance floor, this is STILL one of the classics to put on. As soon as it starts, there's a mad dash to the dance floor ! LOVE these path-layers. 🤜🏾💥🤛🏾

[@tessbook5301]

LoL that was awesome! High af and with expert workings of David and Garry created a classic with the man in the box!

[@michaelwoods3850]

Thanx to his drug dealer we have a hit

[@zm9730]

Everytime I visit my Alma mater... I get nervous when this song comes on... think I'm about to get stomped out by a bunch of gold boots lol

[@adriennerobinson1180]

Omg lol

[@humbleYodartis]

“Yeah…. 🤷🏾‍♂️ I thought you meant what you were doing”😆😆😂😂

[@thebrazilshow]

The 80's was such a great era in music because of the introduction of synthesizers and drum machines. Before that everyone played the same instruments bass, drums, guitar, piano, organ, fender rhoades, horn section - everybody used the same tools to make records. Moog synthesizers, The Linn Drum, Roland TR808, 909drum machines, and Keyboards, Oberheim DMX drum machine and OB Keyboards, Yamaha keyboards, all changed the game. Everyone was trying to create their own unique sound and experimentation, creativity was at a high. Also samplers like the E-Mu EMULATOR ,Ensoniq Mirage and AKAI S900 shaped the sounds of the 80's forward.

[@jax2428]

This 45 and lp has never left my crates in 35 years of djing. Still is and always will be the ultimate banger.

[@terronhastick844]

That Atomic Dogg beat has so many cords an instruments in it I love it. It's not 75% - 95% funk it's 100% funky 🎼 🎶 🎵 🎸 🎷 🎹 p funk the godfather to that west coast g funk sound ✊

[@This-Aint-No-Disco]

Everything P-Funk is 120% funky, everything is on the one

[@terronhastick844]

@@This-Aint-No-Disco 😂 I hear you 🤫 ✊

[@mark_beastpriest5539]

I've never heard of George Clinton before I heard this song. I saw the video for it on MTV on an all night New Year's Eve Watch Party. It was so damn catchy, I been listening to it ever since.

[@MasterSluggyKornNuts]

Man I was 12 years old when this came out. Not only on BET it even had heavy rotation on MTV.

[@adriennerobinson1180]

Huh? You never heard of George Clinton before this song? Wow

[@Sandy-yf7kv]

I was fortunate to see Parliament Funkadelic perform in Central Park on a July 4th 👏💞

[@BlackBeatle]

I would like to hear the story on how they made Funkentelechy!!!

[@cle-chi]

my jam rite there

[@ronaldwilliams4954]

Now that's what I'm talking about that is absolutely my favorite track on that six track album!! The way it starts off in your face very bold you might as well pay attention you can't afford free speech mood control is designed to render funkable

[@Battlekitte]

What a song! I heard it for the first time a year or two ago. So many layers to that tune

[@airdarwin9924]

Link?

[@gregrambo606]

@@ronaldwilliams4954 An 11 minute funk masterpiece!

[@rimawihone]

The Clubs in AOTEAROA NZ were pumping with this song!! Thank you guys as this ERA will never be AGAIN!!

[@frozentundra7446]

"Why must I be like that, why must I chase the cat" pretty much sums up my life during the 80"s!

[@jackv2244]

Funny behind the scenes story, One of his most biggest and most sampled songs ever made

[@QR_Code]

crazy how hit songs come about.

[@HEAVYHONEY1]

I was just a kid (13) when this video was made - but I was there and I got to see them make it. Good times.

[@Splattertube]

"What did I do?" Love it. Iconic song. Epic music era.

[@harristonrichardson9979]

YOU are not an 80,s person if THIS JOINT was NOT PUMPING THROUGH your speakers or you were not DOING tha DAWGGGG to this one back then. This should have won George Clinton a grammy because it was #1 over THRILLER for a While.

[@redneckhippiefreak]

The irony of the worlds most prolific sampler being sampled more than anyone else. XP

[@jaebryson5991]

RIP Shock G

[@artgonzalez8822]

Dude was on some good shit...

[@ronaldwilliams4954]

He tried to pretend like he knew what the f*** was happening LOL damn George 😆😆😅

[@1trucxhondamov589]

That's crazy, that became GANGSTER MUSIC!!!

[@adriennerobinson1180]

ATOMIC DOG IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS BY PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC.LOVE IT

[@Braktooth]

That's awesome. I love this tune. Such a classic.

[@8biminiroad]

I admit when I first heard it way back in 82 I said what is this silly 'lil ditty off of Computer Games? Man's Best Friend was my jam. I didn't think much of it at all. Then one night I heard it on some great big speakers at a party. That's when it bit me.

[@bravoda1]

Too Damn Funny . Hey let me do my lines now , Bruh you did it , we done , we can't go back , everything was built around what you had said with the back ground singers . So what i say , Bruh , you was talking bout a dog LoL . Genius as hell ,but he was tweekin hard LOL .Much love , and peace to ma main man George though .

[@MbogaTatu]

😂

[@deaneawilliams2272]

This song gives me chills and move me in a way that words can't describe❤️❤️❤️❤️💪💪!!!!!

[@GoldandAppel]

George & Co was always brilliant with the beats!

[@TheTracepyott]

This song makes my brain explode into dopamine and serotonin soaked bits! If I could imagine what the human brain sounds like on lsd or shrooms it would have this playing deep inside of it near the pineal gland.

[@styner3]

It was one of those songs that no girl would say no to when asked to dance. 100% guarantee 😂😂

[@kidddflashisso39]

My mother was a back up singer on the song

[@jamesdicker2962]

Wow. I bet your mom has hella stories about PFunk and George Clinton.

[@rorycraft5453]

I played touch football in Cleveland, Ohio from 1982-1984 called the Martin Mad Dogs (Ran by brothers Marvin and Cliff Martin.) Atomic Dog became our theme song beginning in 1983. The song added to our dog themed persona as we all had nick names that ended with “dog”. I was Big Man Dog. Our pre-game ritual involved passing around a bottle of MD 20/20 while barking. Atomic Dog enhanced our team persona.

[@scottb32a]

still fresh as a daisy

[@cliftonthomas2609]

Amazing!!!!!

[@PhuckHue2]

Finally the true story. The track was created by David Spradley co-wriiten and co-produced with Gary. It was suppose to be another album cut until George re-arranged it with Ted Currier then it blew up

[@seansimon6119]

Juni Morrison son , Ok

[@PhuckHue2]

​@@seansimon6119 Junie didn't work on this track. The music track was created by David. It was also his idea to play it backwards not George. Ted Currier also helped George produce it to get that sound and arrangement

[@modifiedcontent]

@@PhuckHue2 I think Ted Currier was the engineer, so he was the guy who put the tape on backwards.

[@PhuckHue2]

@@modifiedcontent That was Dave's idea. Ted wasn't the engineer

[@rubendominguez5260]

Most sampled song ever

[@MbogaTatu]

No it's not

[@joemiller8482]

Awesome. . . Creativity. . . Thanks guys

[@richardnixon9204]

Can you humans take one moment to realize where humanity would be. Had it not been for a man named George Clinton being born ??? PS. God Bless You And Your Talented Friends ... Thank You So Much !!! Fm. Lathroup. Vill. Mich.🤘

[@frozentundra7446]

Amen!

[@thebrazilshow]

This is very common case of the Artist getting ALL the credit for what was mostly done by the Musicians and Engineers. Happened and happens a lot in the music bizness.

[@ThinkWolfpack]

Clever, ingenious... Song has etched its place in history.

[@mgmx2099]

Proud to be born in the same year.

[@akken2112]

With Atomic Dog, Garry Shider and George Clinton continued that African-American tradition of taking lemons and making lemonade.

[@lindabrown4790]

HE WAS A GENIUS UNBEKNOWST TO EVEN HIM AT THE TIME!!!! MY FAVORITE GROUP OF ALL TIME!

[@5HY_9UY_81]

Bow wow wow yippy yo yippy yay.... ATOMIC DOOOOOWWWGGGG! 🎵🎶🎵🎶

[@lovedooneyhandbags1105]

Mr. GEORGE Clinton the original P-Funk thank you for The Atomic 🐕🐕

[@solomongrundey]

I still bump this songs instrumentals

[@xeropunt5749]

Also, the More Bounce To The Ounce beat is just Funky Bounce’s beat - backwards. Given to Roger, made by George. He mentions it a few years ago, on a homemade clip.

[@modifiedcontent]

It's a few seconds of Funky Bounce looped, not backwards. Before digital sampling, so analogue tape loop; cut from the tape, ends pasted together. Bee Gees had looped drums for Staying Alive that way. Marvin Gaye had done it on T Plays It Cool. More Bounce inspired The Message and became the model for 1980/90s sample-based hip hop beats.

[@xeropunt5749]

@@modifiedcontent It’s backwards. George says it on a KZbin clip. I’ll find it for. You’re off on that one. But interesting tidbits about the others.

[@appollosharris6319]

I would love to hear it forward

[@MrTwenty20video]

Most excellent! 😎

[@irankin3107]

Shot out to Shock G Rip big dog

[@leemaths767]

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS!!!

[@latoyanance3815]

My favorite song forever

[@CRAZYHORSE19682003]

The story is so crazy it seems like a Charlie Murphy true Hollywood story.

[@daydayh7671]

Harlem 1982 and it was hitting💯💗

[@mRr3gmasterz]

WHAT!!!! That's how this great track was composed!!!!!!,that's off the hook.😂

[@DjAlizay]

This was and still is the Q Dawg fraternity ANTHEM

[@BeastNationXIV]

I was just thinking about Shock when watching this....and there he is! 🤣

[@codename96]

man pops loved this song I was litteraly 7 going nuts in the backseat

[@econgloberfan]

i love this song soooooo much...geniuses

[@jeffcombest6466]

You ever notice it that's how most singers made the best music stoned