Parliament – Osmium

Funkadelic – Funkadelic
May 11, 1970
Funkadelic - Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow
Funkadelic – Free Your Mind…And Your Ass Will Follow
July 20, 1970
Funkadelic – Funkadelic
May 11, 1970
Funkadelic - Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow
Funkadelic – Free Your Mind…And Your Ass Will Follow
July 20, 1970

01. Call My Baby Pussycat
02. Put Love In Your Life
03. Little Ole Country Boy
04. Moonshine Heather
05. Oh Lord, Why Lord/Prayer
06. My Automobile
07. Nothing Before Me But Thang
08. Funky Woman
09. Livin’ The Life
10. The Silent Boatman
11. Red Hot Mama *
12. Breakdown *
13. Come In Out Of The Rain *
14. Fantasy Is Reality *
15. Unfinished Intrumental *
16. Loose Booty *
17. Breakdown (mono 45 version) *

Vocals: George Clinton, Raymond Davis, Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins, Calvin Simon, Grady Thomas
Keyboards: Bernie Worrell
Lead Guitar: Eddie Hazel
Rhythm Guitar: Tawl Ross, Garry Shider
Bass: William ‘Billy Bass’ Nelson
Drums: Tiki Fulwood, Tyrone Lampkin

Osmium is the debut album of American funk band Parliament, led by George Clinton. The album has a psychedelic soul sound with a spirit of experimentation that is more similar to early Funkadelic than the later R&B-inspired Parliament albums. It was originally released in July 1970 on Invictus Records. The original vinyl release contained a glossy lyric sheet.

Since its re-release in 1990, Osmium has been distributed numerous times by various labels in the U.S., Europe and Japan, sometimes under alternate titles that have included Rhenium and First Thangs. A number of these reissues have featured material that was not included on the original album, such as unreleased tracks and singles that were recorded around the same time as Osmium.

The personnel for this album included the five Parliaments singers and the five backing musicians known as Funkadelic. The same personnel also recorded as Funkadelic, releasing that act’s self-titled debut album also in 1970. After the release of Osmium, contractual difficulties prevented further recording under the name Parliament until 1974, when Clinton signed that act to Casablanca Records and positioned it as an R&B-inspired counterpoint to the more rock-oriented Funkadelic.

The yodeling that arguably uniquely identifies one of De La Soul’s early hits, “Potholes in My Lawn” (which eventually appeared on De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising), comes from Osmium’s “Little Ole Country Boy”.
(Source : Wikipedia)