Shorty Long - Topic, Jul 28, 2018
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
[...]
℗ A Motown Records Release; ℗ 1966 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Producer: Brian Holland
Producer: Lamont Dozier
Composer Lyricist: Eddie Holland
Composer Lyricist: Shorty Long
-snip-
Comment function deactivated-
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Edited by Azizi Powell
[This is a complete reprint of the 2024 pancocojams post with the same title. That post has no visitor comments as of the date and time of this 2026 publication.
For some unknown reason I thought of this song, found that pancocojams post, and returned to that YouTube video to add more comments to the comments that are included in this pancocojams post. Comments #91-#102 have been added to this post in 2026.
The 2024 post remains in this pancocojams blog and this complete reprint is published to increase the opportunities that people have to experience this song and read those comments.]
****
This pancocojams post showcases Shorty Long's now classic 1966 Rhythm & Blues record "Function At The Junction".
The original version of "Function At The Junction" is showcased in this post along with an unofficial extended version of that record.
This pancocojams post also includes the lyrics for the 1966 "Function At The Junction" record along with a small number of comments from the discussion thread for the video of that record unofficial extended version.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, linguistic, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
I'm especially interested in comments about the dances that were performed for this record in the late 1960s as well as comments that mention roller skating to this record during the 1960s and beyond.
As is the case with most pancocojams selected comments compilations, it's not just what is said but how it is said, with special attention to the use of African American Vernacular English.
Thanks to Edward Holland and Shorty Long for composing this song and thanks to Shorty Long for recording this song and his other hit R&B song "Here Comes The Judge". Thanks to The Funk Brothers (back up musicians) and all those who were associated with this record. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of this videos on YouTube.
****
LYRICS- FUNCTION AT THE JUNCTION
(composed by Edward Holland & Shorty Long)
And baby you better come on, now now
Because everybody's gonna be there
We've got people comin' from everywhere
We've got Ling Ting Tong from China
Long Tall Sally from Carolina
We've got 007, the private eye
And he's bringin' all the guys from I Spy
Come one, come all, we're gonna have a ball
Down at the function at the junction
And baby you better come on, now now
We're serving egg foo young and barbecue
Having chicken dumplings and kidney stew
Having heap big fun 'til the break of dawn
Gonna shake a tail feather, shoot him 'fore he run
Hold a shotgun on the rooster, and dare him to crow
Hotfoot anybody sleepin', make 'em get out on the floor
Tell him to tell them, to tell Paul to tell them all
Tell 'em 'bout the function at the junction
And tell 'em that they'd better come on, now now
Tell 'em 'bout the function at the junction, baby
Tell 'em that they'd better come on, now now
Hip cats and fancy hats
And pretty girls with pretty smiles
All decked out in the latest styles
And Farmer Jim and Guitar Slim
And Betty Boop and "Oop-boop-be-doop"
Mohair Sam from Alabam'
And Minnesota Fats from Hobo Flats
Breath-takin', hip-shakin' cuties, now
Talkin' 'bout some fascinatin', devastatin' beauties, now
They'll all be gathering here, from far and near
For the function at the junction
And brother, you better come on, now now
Tell 'em 'bout the function at the junction
Sister, you better come on, now now
Talkin' 'bout a function at the junction
Everybody, you better come on, now
You ain't never seen the function at the junction
You ain't never...
Online Source - https://genius.com/Shorty-long-function-at-the-junction-lyrics
mosogotam, Aug 29, 2011
(with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
From the discussion thread for Showcase Video #2 -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCNL_Fz58QU
1.@simon4186
"I LOVE MOTOWN!"
2012
2. @bassbymichele
"Shorty and a friend sadly drowned when their boat capsized on the Detroit River in Michigan. Stevie Wonder played the harmonica at his burial, and placed it on his casket afterwards. He surely continues to live through his music and funk power! He was born on 20th may, just like me.."
**
3. @LindaGallowayMD
"This made me get up from my computer and dance! Definitely good memories. Heard this at many parties although I was only "2" when it came out (lol)."
****
2013
4. @mosogotam
"Joanne....thank you for posting this. To hear you talk about the Motown Revues and Shorty is quite wonderful....I didn't know that Shorty had been the MC for some of the revues. Please check out my channel...it's full of Motown remixes that I have done...and still do! Thanks so much!"
2014
5. @ThaBrooklynHurricane2
"this was the ultimate cook out song! Everybody was jammin this in Brooklyn at cook outs back in the day. This is my memory of this awesome song. I can still see my Daddy doin his little dance step. anybody remember the dance called the Popcorn!"
**
Reply
6. @loveyouall66
"THE POPCORN? WE DID ALL NIGHT LONG."
**
Reply
7. @ThaBrooklynHurricane2
"that, too! can't forget HOT PANTS, and we wore them and still kept it classy....can it be that it was all so simple then? the way we were!!! smh!
**
Reply
8. @ThaBrooklynHurricane2, 2016
"Yessssss! You, too, Hon! We were so blessed to have it when it was all good! And with what's going on in the world today, I'll stick with my memories, at least they are REAL."
**
Reply
9. @harmonichebe, 2016
"i hear you, brooklyndot!!! i could listen to moso's music all day and all night!! function at the junction was one of the 5, and number 1, when i got to be the guest programmer one late night on KRTH in los angeles. still in brooklyn? i'm in north maimi beach, and there is no oldeies station here, so i pedal on the bike to sirius, but even they play "you've lost that lovin feelin' every other day, just as aretha's 'respect' gets played every day there now! imagine a song list of 100 when ther are 10,000 songs woth playing!! be blessed
**
Reply
10. @Dream-ex3nx, 2019
"BROOKLYNDOT DAVIS, i grew up durning these times. Yes, i remember doing the popcorn."
**
Reply
11. @Dream-ex3nx, 2019
"Donald Robinson, yes james brown mother popcorn wasn't it a time to remember.
Dream"
**
12. @TheAteeyah
"Yeah baby!!! My mommy,aunties,and uncles jam.They would tear the floor up to this.This is so funky."
**
13. @CC-ti3ry
"Dang I miss old Motown....what fantastic music came from Hitsville, USA-- music sucks today."
**
Reply
14. @bvwhite1858
"Yep! That was The Funk Brothers!!! They are the music behind Motown."
15.@sugarcrisp53
"Wow someone's been really busy, These are priceless, and the vintage photos alone are a welcome treat. I grew up on Motown and still at 60+ I still turn back to it often. Well done on the extended versions!"
**
Reply
16. @mosogotam
"Pamela...thanks so much!!!"
**
17. @louiecolon9494
"This was me when I was young. always looking for the Function at the Junction."
**
18. @CheckMate657879
"Thanks for the memories. To remember when these songs were played on the radio, at parties, and in our homes. To remember when 45's were a great, big deal. To remember everyone breaking to the dance floor to dance to this song. To remember a time when we lived for the next record to be released from Motown. How good the music sounded when it hit the air waves. How good the music made us feel. Everything was alright. Uptight! (Stevie's meaning, of course.)"
**
19. @ethelstevenslove2957
"Motown was 'HOT' back in the day.....That record company, the singers, producers, musicians, songwriters, arrangers, composers, kept the hits coming back in the day......."
**
20. @bigeman25
"One of the most soulful songs ever , don't know how you did it but you made it better.
Shorty Long would have liked this!"
**
21. @Nitetrainism
"This was one of my favorite Skating Songs."
**
Reply
22. @sanidarryl7052, 2022
"Check, at this roller rink " The Heights located in Huber Heights ohio the old heads with those old Chicago Ball bearing skates use to skate a hole in the floor on this jam. Friday night 12am till 6am hard core roller skating nobody standing in one spot."
**
23. @Honeycone28
"I love this song then and I love it now oh my goodness it is definitely one of those old school feet tapping finger snapping songs!"
**
24. @MrManleyman3
"I was in a mood to reminiscence after speaking to my older sister (cousin) who I grew up with. She now lives in Delaware since she retired 5 years ago. I remember a party she had in my aunt's basement / rec-room - Jamaica Queens, 1965 I was 13 Y.O. that was the first time I heard Function at the Junction and learned a dance called "the goose and the Gander".
My big sister really knew how to dance: all the dances from the 60's 70's and 80's and she could Mambo (Latin we used to call it). just as good as the Latinos from the old neighborhood. Funny how a song and a phone call can trigger a memory. She also introduced me to my second wife in 1997 who I'm still married too.
Love you Sarah Jane"
****
2016
25. @a.b.s_productions
"Lord, I remember sneaking to listen to my dad's 45 to this song. I was about 11 and I was like this is perhaps the greatest music ever made. So sad that Shorty Long died so young."
**
26. @yolandarice1994
"awww sheeeiiit!!!! philly dog was the dance when this came out!!!! l.a. was rocking!!!! this is still the cut !!!! let's jam my people!!!! GREAT times. :-)"
**
Reply
27. @justme374
"I remember the Phiilly dog, after school dances, at empire junior high"
2017
"I LOVE THIS SONG IT IS MY SKATING JAM RIP SHORTY LONG ,YOU ARE GONE BUT YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. THANK YOU FOR SHARING, AND I LIKE YOUR EXTENDED VERSION. NOW THIS IS A BLAST FROM THE PAST FOR SURE."
Reply
29. @sanidarryl7052, 2022
"
**
Reply
30. @jeanetteivy5229, 2022
"Skating rink memories. Pimped out skates with tongue out covered in fur, sometimes metallic flakes. California !"
31. @justme374
"Do remember the philly dog, i would jam to this in high school"
**
Reply
32. @saundragordon-grant6088
"There were a lot of dances that went with this song. I'm sure that I saw it somewhere. I just loved good music!"
**
33. @robertvelez8485
"The perfect July 4th song. Having a barbecue or cookout filled with spare ribs, corn on the cob, chicken wings, French fries, hot dogs and hamburgers! Now, I'm hungry!"
**
34. @carrollbaxter2504
"back in the day when that song came on everybody got up and danced but mainly to sing this song I'm 66 and still moving to this song lo LL. this song is timeless"
**
35. @blastoff2022
"This is SUCH a great song. I gotta tell you- in the 60's we had a LOT of social problems----but DAMN~I remember going to high school in Brooklyn....and Sat. night was teen night. We danced to this and other Motown classics....mixed crowd and we danced and danced and danced...and had such a good time."
**
36. @stevenquinn4641
"Detroit was everything The sound unique Strong dynamic sexy funky music Way over the top The way it's supposed to be This strong music made troubles seem less than what they were Thanks for this song This music brings everything back What a time to be young The party never seemed to stop Another time The world is so different now"
**
37. @marcuswilliams4188
"We used to skate of of that back in the "D" (Detroit). Shorty was from the "D""
**
Reply
38. @hassanabdullah5023, 2022
"Word graystone ballroom back in the day"
**
Reply
39. @RolandSpikes-xe4uw, 2024
"Detroit at its best and still known all over the globe love my city ๐๐๐ bleed Detroit baddest band ..on the planet Roland spikes AKA Rashad Jamal Ali ๐"
**
40. @CC-ti3ry
"Another incredible fantastic song...why oh why can't ANYONE write music THIS GOOD today????!!!!"
**
Reply
41. @carolynntubman1461, 2018
"C C I hear ya"
**
Reply
42. @patrickdullea6991, 2019
"@carolynntubman1461 : it was the golden age of raw talent and musicianship. The "beat box" killed it all. So now all we have is hipHop canned garbage.
****
2018
43. @jerryj920
"May 20th: Happy birthday Soul-Funk Singer-songwriter Frederick Earl "Shorty" Long (1940-1969) Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Thank you and God bless. RIP. Thanks for the upload, mosogotam. Blessings"
**
44. @shelleyponce7712
"When I say get ready because there is an up coming "Function at the Junction", my family (now on its 3rd generation) knows it's going down!"
**
45. @bobreda676
"oh, if I had only kept my 45 collection! He died at age 29 but what a talent"
**
46. @edwardwilliams2438
"Real lyrics....funky beat......good times had by all. Block parties,cold Dr.Pepper,Banlon shirts,Belle Isle,bar-b-que...lots of dancing,...young and old..The Funk Bros...are jamming!!!!"
**
47. @robertgoodman1867
"Where's my time machine?"
****
2019
48. @narviawilliams2340
"๐❤๐I REMEMBER SHORTY LONG, AND THIS SONG "FUNCTION AT THE JUNCTION"❤๐❤AND I REMEMBER "HERE COMES THE JUDGE"๐๐๐"
49. @ganymeade5151
"Perfect song for doing The Stroll. The Bridge is fantastic is as the bad-ass piano."
50. @Sepulchre_Gate
"This is one of those classics that somehow escaped the play list of the White Boy Radio station i used to listen to as a kid . Glad it finally caught up to me ."
**
51. @paulturnet4572
"HOLD A SHOTGUN ON THE ROOSTER ๐ AND DARE HIM TO CROW"... IN OTHER WORDS, ANY
**
52. @Judeaben
"such a great talent.
In the Alabama jazz Hall of Fame.
Gone much too fast. Didn' even make it to the '70s"
****
53. @alanspagnolia9474
"Ok, whom else remembers this song from the 1960's ??!!"
54. @lindabrown2090
"Look at the Funk Brothers, they were the sound of Motown.๐น๐ธ๐บ๐ท๐ฅ๐ป๐น"
"Ah sookie,sookie now! Here come da judge function at the junction"
"Remember the TEXAS HOP my mom taught it to me. It really works with this song!"
"Do remember the philly dog, i would jam to this in high school"
**
Reply
58. @saundragordon-grant6088
"There were a lot of dances that went with this song. I'm sure that I saw it somewhere. I just loved good music!"
59. @foxysil52
"Lol! I grew up to Shorty Long..love pur music. We're the Baby boomers of the good ol' days.."
60. @lindabrown2090
"This was one of our favorite dance song. We use to get down dancing at House Parties. This song brings back so many memories of the 60’s early 70’s. That’s when it was real music. “ Function At The Junction” it was a hit."
**
Reply
61. @Muziekgenot, 2024
"That's right. I grew up during the sixties in a small provincial town. There was little to do. So we were dependant on houseparties. On thursday we started to ask ''is there a houseparty anywere', and we got tips from our frieds. So more thans once I found myself at some house party in district I was was never before and in de house of someone I dit know at all. But all that didn't matter. Is was the sixties and it was de best music ever made."
"My mom & dad used to play this song at birthday partys you know the ones where you had to go to BED the good old days "
**
63. @roderickjones1283
"James Jamerson killed it at the end with that bass!!! BEST PLAYER EVER!"
**
64. @ronlawray1563
"As good as it STILL sounds, most people won't believe this came out between 1965 and 1968...
Motown's house band, The Funk Brothers, the best....."
**
Reply
65. @fed3rd
"@harmonichebe BEST dance song EVER written!!!!! (Skate on)"
**
66. @eddyg2745
"Garfield Junior High School, Berkeley, CA 1965! This song was a standard at all of our dances in the gym. We also loved to dance to "Cool Jerk" by the Capitols (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27PydomerjM) , on both songs the players were Motown's Funk Brothers with James Jamerson laying down the bass line."
****
2021
67. @olliesdollies7832
"Man, this was my JAMMM! Love that ole school rap sung, to music!"
**
68. @gilloera8912
"I had a record player, looked like a suitcase, it opened up
And the speakers were on the side. My mom kept tellin me "Keep it down, the neighbors!" "
**
69. @Sweetpjoe
"This song reminds me of my roller skating days from the late 60’s and early 70’s. When they dropped the needle on this jam the place went wild."
**
Reply
70. @sanidarryl7052, 2022
"Yes,at this roller rink in Ohio " The Heights " every friday from 12am to 6am old heads use to kill this on on everybody skate."
**
71. @sabrinabryant3597
"Was just minding my own business and this song hit me in my spirit like so. When this plague (COVID-19) has passed, somebody somewhere BETTER play this here ๐๐๐บ๐๐"
**
72. @bettyharrison6852
"When music was worth listening to and you could not sit down on these kind of jams the floor would be rockin'"
**
73. @phillycheez6288
"Too bad these photos are not in the Motown Museum!๐๐"
**
74. @laudellgatlin-bey2758
"The bop was the dance back in the day."
**
75. @darrylslaughter649
"Here that real bass,at this rink " Huber Heights " Chuck Jackson would play this and if you wanted to see some old heads show out on a pair of roller skates those old chicago ball bearing skates killing it hard core roller skating no standing on the floor in the way"
**
76. @reggiekendrick6580
"Wow! That powerful guitar bass line is the hook to this wonderful song. It sets groove is for all other instruments and vocals to complete this masterpiece. The Motown Sound!!!"
****
2022
77. @jeanetteivy5229
"Memories of teen house parties. Colored lights. Red, blue and green in Los Angeles. Dance called the Philly dog!"
**
78. @jamesprevard6555
"If u were in HS. at the time u were getting it down after school on this joint...esp.friday night socials!"
**
79. @sanidarryl7052
"Yes big shout out to all the old head Roller Skaters use to kill it every 1972-1973friday 12am till 6am at " The Height's striding like crazy hard core roller skating no standing in one spot"
**
80. @janaepittman5589
"I, still skate ⛸ to this tune in 2022"
**
81. @paulgreen6921
"Yeah, back in the day everyone would stop whatever they were doing to do the “duck” as hard as was humanly possible. You know what I’m sayin’? PWG"
**
82. @colbertprince525
"This jam was # 1 back in the day on Woodward Ave, the Famous Arcadia a.k.a. the Cade if you weren't a good skater you would get off the floor when < function> short term for Function at the junction came on! It got kind of wild because they would announce Open House, and that means to skate at your own RISK! and that got really dangerous most of the times!✌"
**
83. @allisonyoung4285
"This was the song and when he said function that is what it was. Dance function!๐๐"
**
84. @mitchparel18
"One of my favorite Motown songs.im talking all time.it helps me to function.๐ท๐๐ Let's give the Drummer some."
****
2023
85. @cynthiar.5199
"This is a roller skater's NATIONAL ANTHEM!!"
**
86. @annfelder3576
"This was my favorite song back then. I was always singing and dancing whenever I heard it or played on my record player. Thanks for the wonderful memories!"
87. @annfelder3576
"T
2024
88. @adriennerobinson1180
"I absolutely loved Shorty Long and this Classic,Wonderful Song,And here comes The Judge .The BEST! Miss those years and Shorty.❤❤❤❤❤SIP"
89. @SweetpapaAbram
"
**
90. @isaiahthompson2065
"THIS IS ANOTHER MOTOWN CLASSIC ! HE DID THAT !"
**
91. @christinewilliams938
"Reminds me of roller skating at Fairview Gardens this was the Jam."
****
2025
92.@mathmusic1490
"Such a catchy and happy soul song. Thank you Shorty: Excellent!! But.............which junction??? (Ha ha!)"
**
93.@rogerradcliffe7367
"Shorty Long lived across the street from us growing up in
Detroit…he’d walk his toy poodle around the block acknowledging us kids with a
smile and a wave. Gone way too soon…"
**
94.@oliviag9888
"Yes, I love this song. My sister and I would dance a hole in
the rug ๐"
**
95.@darrylslaughter649
"This cut and " Shotgun " by Jr.
Walker is some that early raw FUNK"
**
96.@JoyceEllis-zw3fu
"This is still played at house parties. It gets everybody on
the dance floor. Does anyone remember
:he Duck: by Jackie Lee"
**
97. @lorrainebowens1446
"We used to the functon at the junction at the juke box in
the sixties thank for this song❤❤❤"
**
98. @sandradavis4551
"1960s, The Rollercade, Toledo Ohio. The
place everyone went for roller skating. EVERYBODY was on the floor when this
song was played."
****
2026
"I LOVE this song and Shorty Long. It's a
classic and sounds as great today as it did way back when. It never gets old!
LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!"
**
100.@AlfredCleveland-c7d
"One of the Funniest tracks
to ever come out of Motown Shorty
and the Funk Brothers How could you not get a hit with the funkiest men in
Detroit. My late Father Al Cleveland was a writer producer for Motown Records
he cowrote Marvin Gaye what's going on and Smokey Baby Baby don't Cry ,I Second
that Emotion among others so I spent a lot of time when I was a kid in the
studio grooving. Love and Respect. Daryl Cleveland"
**
101. @raystrong2823
""Function At The Junction"!! Man memories. I was in 4th grade when this
hit! St. Louis, MO was lit (for a 4th
grader watching older folks get down at backyard bbq's and music. Watching
daddy & ma dancing with friends and aunts & uncles. Yea...great times back in the day!"
**
102. @fredlawson9394
"No school like the old school R&B..๐น๐ท๐บ๐ช๐ถ๐ต๐ผ"
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