"Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry was released in 1976 and became a huge hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by the band's frontman, Rob Parissi, who was inspired by a comment made by a group of African American audience members at one of their shows. They shouted "Play some funky music, white boy!" and Parissi turned it into a catchy chorus. #BehindtheMusic