Retro Spins: Lipps, Inc. - Mouth To Mouth

 

Alright! Get your platforms on, and let's go dancing!

Lipps, Inc. may not be a very note worthy group for their long term contribution to the world of music. In fact, many people probably won't even recognize the group's name, let alone the lead singer, Cynthia Johnson.

For those that do happen to recognize them, many will confuse their only top ten hit as an 80's song. This would be because while the album was released in November of 1979, the track, Funkytown, didn't hit the charts until March of 1980. By May of that same year, it shot all the way up to the number one spot, and in fact became a number one hit in a whopping twenty-eight countries! In The USA alone, it spent five consecutive weeks in the number one spot.

Not bad for a group that started out as one individual, Steven Greenberg, who was a wedding DJ of all things. Cynthia Johnson joined the group, creating a duo, after auditioning to sing Greenberg's first single, Rock It. Several other members would soon come together to create what would be the debut album, Mouth To Mouth. However, of the other seven members who contributed, several would exit and be replaced for subsequent albums.

Despite having such a successful debut album, Lipps, Inc. failed to garner much attention with their follow up albums, Pucker Up (1980), Designer Music (1981), and 4 (1983). With decreasing interest, and less and less contributions in the group starting long before their final album, Johnson officially quit the group in 1983. Though she's gone on to be a successful business owner, as these things tend to happen, Johnson has returned to the stage to perform various one-off renditions of Funkytown. However, in doing so, it doesn't appear to have been with founding member, Steven Greenberg.

Well, today let's jump in our wayback machines and head to 1979 for a listen to Lipps, Inc.'s debut, Mouth To Mouth. A time in which both Johnson and Greenberg were present driving forces of the group, their music, and their most popular song, Funkytown.

Sometimes short and sweet are the best, and that's the case with this album. Mouth To Mouth only has four tracks on it, and while the average song is eight minutes, it packs quality in the overall lack of quantity. Of the tracks, Funkytown, All Night Dancing, Rock It, and Power, I liked all by the latter.

What stood out the most was the heavy groove and funk, which left me tapping my toes and bobbing my head to each tune. I dug it a lot, and was really surprised at how good it was. In hindsight, it made it all the more odd that only their 1979 debut was popular, and that their future attempts failed so poorly. Clearly the group has the ability to deliver strong songs. My only thought would be that perhaps with the changing times from disco to new wave, that Lipps, Inc. simply didn't change with the times, making them obsolete. But that's just speculation on my part. I honestly don't know.

For what it's worth, this album is solid, and definitely worth checking out. Especially if you're a fan of disco.

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