Which 1976 Parliament song is subtitled "Tear the Roof off the Sucker"?
Answer
Give Up the Funk
Answer
Give Up the Funk
Parliament’s 1976 song “Give Up the Funk” carries the subtitle “Tear the Roof off the Sucker.” The track is commonly written in full as “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker).”
It came from Parliament’s landmark 1975 album Mothership Connection and was released as a single in April 1976. The song became one of the most recognizable P-Funk anthems, built around an infectious chorus, layered group vocals and a commanding groove. George Clinton, Bootsy Collins and Jerome Brailey are credited as writers, while Clinton produced the recording.
The album version lasts about 5 minutes 45 seconds, compared with a shorter 3-minute 39-second single edit. Ray Davis performs the deep bass vocal heard at the beginning. The single became Parliament’s first certified million-selling single and reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.
The title is sometimes shortened to “Tear the Roof off the Sucker,” which explains why the distractors can seem plausible. Chocolate City, Aqua Boogie and Bop Gun are also Parliament songs, but none carries this subtitle.
Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026