MOTHERSHIP CONNECTION – English Lyrics

• By: Parliament
• Album: MOTHERSHIP CONNECTION

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a journey through Parliament's "Mothership Connection" and explore the unique language of funk! This iconic track combines science fiction and soul to deliver a message of unity and liberation, offering a deep dive into the P-Funk mythology and the power of music to transcend boundaries. Learn about the cultural impact and the innovative wordplay that makes this song a timeless classic.

[English]

Well, all right!

Starchild, citizens of the universe, recording angels

We have returned to claim the pyramids

Partying on the mothership

I am the mothership connection

Gettin' down in 3-D

Light year groovin'

Well all right, if you hear any noise

It ain't nobody but me and the boys

Gettin' down

Hit it fellas!

If you hear any noise

It's just me and the boys

Hittin' that (groovin')

You gotta hit the band

All right, all right, Starchild here

Put a glide in your stride and a dip in your hip

And come on up to the mothership

Loose Booty, doin' the bump

Hustle on over here now

If you hear any noise

It's just me and the boys hittin' it

You gotta hit the band

Ain't nothing but a party, y'all

Basic, even your memory banks have forgotten this funk

Mothership Connection, home of the P.Funk, the Bomb

If you hear any noise

It's just me and the boys, hittin' it

Doin' it in 3-D (you gotta hit the band)

Let me put on my sunglasses here so I can see what I'm doing

When you hear seats rumble you will hear your conscience grumble

Are you gettin' that?

You gotta hit the band

You have overcome, for I am here

Swing down, sweet chariot

Stop, and let me ride

Swing down, sweet chariot

Stop, and let me ride

Swing down, sweet chariot

Stop, and let me ride

Swing down, sweet chariot

Stop, and let me ride

Swing down, sweet chariot (doin' it up on the chocolate)

Stop, and let me ride (milky way, what's up CC?)

Swing down, sweet chariot

Stop, and let me ride (have you forgotten me?)

Are you hip to Easter Island? The Bermuda Triangle?

Heh heh! Well, all right, ain't nothing but a party!

Starchild here, citizens of the universe

I bring forth to you the good time

On the mothership

Are you hip?

Sing, fellas!

If you hear any noise

It's just me and the boys

Hittin' it

You gotta hit the band (hit the band!)

If you hear any noise

It's just me and the boys

Hittin' it

You gotta hit the band

Starchild here, doin' it in 3-D

So good, it's good to me

Hit the band!

If you hear any noise

It's just me and the boys

Hittin' it (swing low)

You gotta hit the band (sweet chariot)

(Coming forth to carry you home!

...

If you hear any noise

It's just me and the boys

Hit me

Hit the band, hit the band

Oh if you hear any noise

It's just me and the boys (what's that?)

Hittin' it

You gotta hit the band (do it for me again)

(I don't think they can hear you)

If you hear any noise

It's just me and the boys

Hittin' it

You gotta hit the band

Starchild here, citizens of the universe

Gettin' it on, partying on the Mothership

When Gabriel's horn blows, you'd better be ready to go

Swing low

Time to move on

Light years in time

Ahead of our time

Free your mind, and come fly

With me

It's hip

On the Mothership

Groovin'

Swing down, sweet chariot

Stop, and let me ride

Swing down, sweet chariot

Stop, and let me ride

Swing down, sweet chariot

Stop, and let me ride

Swing down, sweet chariot

Stop, and let me ride

Swing down, sweet chariot

Stop, and let me ride

Swing down, sweet chariot

Stop, and let me ride

Swing down, sweet chariot

Stop, and let me ride

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
mothership /ˈmʌðərˌʃɪp/ B2	noun - A large vehicle, typically a spacecraft or aircraft, that carries smaller vehicles.
connection /kəˈnekʃən/ B1	noun - A relationship in which a person, thing, or idea is linked or associated with something else.
party /ˈpɑːrti/ A2	noun - A social gathering of invited guests, typically involving eating, drinking, and entertainment. verb - Enjoy oneself at a party or other social gathering.
noise /nɔɪz/ A1	noun - A sound, especially when loud or unpleasant.
sweet /swiːt/ A2	adjective - Having a pleasant taste, like that of sugar or honey.
swing /swɪŋ/ B1	verb - Move or hang freely while suspended from above.
move /muːv/ A1	verb - Go in a specified direction or manner; change position.
free /friː/ A2	adjective - Not under the control or power of someone else; able to act or think as one wants. verb - Release from imprisonment or captivity.
mind /maɪnd/ A2	noun - The element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness and thought.
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - The indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.
memory /ˈmeməri/ B1	noun - The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information.
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - The place where one lives, especially as a member of a family or household.
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - To be desired or approved of.
ride /raɪd/ A1	verb - Sit on and control the movement of (an animal, especially a horse).
hear /hɪr/ A1	verb - Perceive with the ear the sound made by (someone or something).

Key Grammar Structures

• We have returned to claim the pyramids

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense

  ➔ Uses "have returned" to express an action completed at an unspecified time before now, emphasizing the present relevance of the return.

• If you hear any noise, It ain't nobody but me and the boys

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Type 1)

  ➔ Uses "If + simple present, simple future (implied)" to describe a likely or possible future event. "Ain't" is a non-standard contraction.

• Put a glide in your stride and a dip in your hip

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ Uses the base form of the verb "put" to give a direct command or instruction.

• Basic, even your memory banks have forgotten this funk

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense

  ➔ "have forgotten" indicates that the action of forgetting happened in the past and has a relevant effect on the present (the funk is so old, even memory banks no longer remember it).

• When you hear seats rumble you will hear your conscience grumble

  ➔ Time Clause with "When"

  ➔ Uses "When + simple present, simple future" to indicate a future action that will occur at the same time as or immediately after another future action.

• Are you hip to Easter Island? The Bermuda Triangle?

  ➔ Question Formation (Present Simple with Adjective)

  ➔ "Are you hip" uses the present simple of the verb "to be" with an adjective ("hip") to ask if someone is aware or knowledgeable about something.

• When Gabriel's horn blows, you'd better be ready to go

  ➔ Time Clause with "When" and "had better"

  ➔ "When + simple present, had better" uses a time clause to introduce a situation and then expresses strong advice or a warning with "had better".

• Free your mind, and come fly with me

  ➔ Imperative Mood with conjunction

  ➔ The sentence starts with an imperative verb, "Free", followed by a conjunction "and" and another imperative instruction "come fly". It suggests a sequence of actions.