Play That Funky Music White Boy
What is play that funky music white boy?
Key facts
"Play That Funky Music White Boy" is the chorus line of the 1976 hit song "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry, inspired by an audience member's demand at a live show.
Context
"Play That Funky Music" is a funk rock song by Wild Cherry, written by Rob Parissi [2]. The chorus line "play that funky music, white boy" comes from a live club performance where an audience member urged the band to switch from rock to funk [1]. The song describes the band's shift to dance/funk music for club work [3]. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 18, 1976 [2]. The phrase is often mistaken for a generic request, but it specifically refers to this Wild Cherry hit [2]. The Band's story is autobiographical, rooted in that real audience demand [1].
Documented claims
Questions and answers
Who originally did Play That Funky Music "White Boy"?
Wild Cherry originally performed the song "Play That Funky Music," which includes the chorus line "play that funky music, white boy" [2].
Who is the white boy in Play That Funky Music?
The "white boy" refers to the band members of Wild Cherry, who were white and played rock music before being urged to play funk [1].
Why do they say play that funky music white boy?
The line comes from an audience member at a live show telling the band to play funk instead of rock, which inspired the song [1].
Sources
- Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music Lyrics & Meanings — songmeanings.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- The One-Hit Wonder File: "Play That Funky Music" — culturesonar.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- Play That Funky Music — en.wikipedia.org (retrieved August 3, 2026)