In the 192nd edition of Throwback Vibez (2025), we recollect and reflect on “Can You Get To That” by Funkadelic.
The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez! Throwback Vibez is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past. The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 192nd edition of Throwback Vibez (2025), we recollect and reflect on “Can You Get To That” performed by Funkadelic.
“Can you get (I wanna know) / I wanna know if you can get to that.”
Parliament earns the most attention of funk legend George Clinton’s (b. 1941) endeavors. However, Funkadelic was big too, bringing more psychedelic rock elements into the mix. The album that “Can You Get To That” (and the funky “Hit It And Quit It”) hails from, Maggot Brain, is a masterpiece. “Can You Get To That” clocks in under three minutes. George Clinton and Ernest Harris wrote it, while Clinton produced it. Although not particularly impactful on the pop charts, “Can” peaked at number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100. Notably, Funkadelic only earned one top 40 hit in their career (“One Nation Under A Groove – Part I”).
![Funkadelic, Maggot Brain [📷: Westbound]](https://i0.wp.com/themusicalhype.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/funkadelic-maggot-brain.jpg?ssl=1 "Funkadelic, Maggot Brain [📷: Westbound]")
“Can You Get To That” commences with sweet, distinct, folksy acoustic guitar riffs. This sets the tone of this blend of funk, gospel, rock, and soul. It thrives on its soulful groove. The robust bass line provides a mean and mighty anchor. Bernie Worrell plays sweetly on the keys. “Can” features some fabulous, funked-up vocals. The vocal performance has plenty of collective moments, which makes the song stand out even more. However, it is the bass vocals of Ray Davis (1940 – 2005) that truly make “Can” special, particularly in the brief and potent third verse and the chorus. The lyrics are striking throughout. See the first verse: “Well, I read an old quotation in a book just yesterday / Said, ‘Gonna reap just what you sow, the debts you make, you have to pay.” In the second, there is more clarity, involving matters of the heart: “When you base your love on credit and your loving days are done / Checks you signed with a-love and kisses, later come back signed / ‘Insufficient funds’.” Oh, snap! As captivating as the verses are, the chorus (excerpted earlier) is the crowning achievement. There is a blend of upper register, tenor vocals, contrasted with mean bass vocals is nothing short of epic. Simply put, Funkadelic shines on the timeless “Can You Get To That”, another superb moment from their magnum opus, Maggot Brain.
