Burning The Ground Exclusive
In the early 1980s, Eddie Murphy wasn’t just becoming one of the biggest comedy stars in the world—he was also testing the boundaries of what a comedy album could sound like. Known for his sharp wit and fearless delivery on Saturday Night Live and in his stand-up specials, Murphy released his self-titled comedy album Eddie Murphy in 1982. Tucked inside that album was a funky, satirical gem that still gets talked about today: “Boogie In Your Butt.”
Unlike a traditional stand-up skit, “Boogie In Your Butt” is a full-on comedy song—delivered with a straight-faced funk groove that could almost pass for a real early-’80s club track if you didn’t listen too closely to the lyrics. Backed by a rhythm that borrows from Parliament-Funkadelic’s cosmic funk style, Murphy riffs off the classic rap structure of the time, but instead of serious rhymes, he gleefully lists increasingly absurd things you might put “in your butt.”
The humor is undeniably juvenile, but the delivery is so confident that it crosses into parody brilliance. Murphy is mocking the “say anything” approach of early rap lyrics while at the same time creating something that’s ridiculously catchy. It feels like a distant cousin to the work of Blowfly, the notorious X-rated funk artist, but with Murphy’s unmistakable comedic flair.
Although never a charting single, “Boogie In Your Butt” has had a lasting cultural footprint. It became a cult favorite among comedy fans, and years later, hip-hop fans have pointed out how ahead of its time the track was in blending comedy with the rap form. You can even hear its DNA in the more playful corners of rap that came later in the decade.
Eddie Murphy would go on to have legitimate music success with his 1985 hit Party All the Time (produced by Rick James), but “Boogie In Your Butt” remains his rawest, funniest foray into music—a track that perfectly captures the anything-goes energy of early ’80s comedy records.
Whether you find it hilarious or head-shakingly silly, one thing’s for sure: once you’ve heard it, you’ll never forget it.
SIDE A:
Boogie In Your Butt (Remixed Extended Version) 6:27
SIDE B:
Boogie In Your Butt (Instrumental) 4:11
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia – 44-03012, The Entertainment Company Records – 44-03012
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Hip Hop
Style: Pop Rap
CREDITS:
- Design – Nancy Greenberg
- Executive-Producer – Charles Koppelman
- Photography By – Benno Friedman
- Producer – David Wolfert
- Written-By – D. Wolfert*, E. Murphy*
NOTES:
Jacket front & back read: Remixed extended version from the album “Eddie Murphy”
Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for burningtheground.net
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!
Password: burningtheground
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… many thanks!
A true rarity, thank you! And actually, it was a minor chart hit in the fall of 1982. It peaked at #56 on the Billboard Hot Black Soul Singles chart the week ending 10/23/82.
Hello,
I just signed up, what an awesome find! Thx. To “Red Eye Records” here in Sydney, Australia for the recommendation.
I downloaded the Boogie your butt file but it’s asking for me a password? I’d appreciate any help, thanks.
Great to have you with us. The password is located beneath the download buttons.
Oh, ok. Thx Paul.
LOL!!! What a nice surprise Paul! This definitely takes me back. A friend of mine had Eddie Murphy’s self-titled debut album on cassette and, of course, we were blown away by Boogie In Your Butt sandwiched in between the raunchy comic bits. It just helped cement Eddie’s status as the new hot comic of the 80s. This album came just as Eddie’s movie career was taking off with 48 Hrs. Eddie was on his way to box office domination! As Gingga said, if there’s anyone to unearth this gem it’s you Paul. Thank you so much!!
For a parody this is so catchy! Such a great groove… and brilliant idea to include this on his first comedy album.
Haha glad this one brought back the memories! 🙂 You’re so right—having “Boogie In Your Butt” tucked between those raw stand-up bits on the cassette made it hit even harder. Eddie was absolutely unstoppable at that point, with 48 Hrs. kicking off his movie streak and this album showing just how versatile (and outrageous) he could be. Appreciate the kind words, and I’m happy to dig up gems like this to share again!
“Y’all must be out your mind!”
I had this album when I was 13. Hilarious. I had no idea there was a 12″ remix of this song.
But if anyone could unearth it… you’re the archeologist of the 12″!
🙂 Love that quote! Thirteen is the perfect age to have discovered this album—prime time for Eddie’s brand of outrageous humor. And thank you for the kind words! I’ve definitely done my fair share of digging, but as far as I know there was never a proper 12″ remix of this one. Still, it’s the kind of track you can imagine tearing up a dance floor if it ever had been extended. Appreciate you stopping by and sharing the memory!
Wow! I remember this tune and heard it a few times back in the day when I was 12! It’s really hard to believe that Eddie sung all the “put a ____ in your butt” lines…it definitely does not sound like him. It sounds more like one of the Sugar Hill Gang members but I can’t find any credits to any other rapper anywhere. Thanks so much for this flashback!
Fred, I know exactly what you mean! The delivery really does have that Sugar Hill Gang style to it—so much so that if you didn’t know it was Eddie, you’d swear it was someone else. From what I’ve found, though, it’s all Eddie Murphy with no credited guest rappers. Just goes to show how well he could slip into that early hip hop cadence and sell it. Glad this one brought back memories for you!
Oh my goodness you just instantly sent me into 12-year-old-me’s body running around the house with my sister, no doubt driving my mom mad, singing “put a telephone in your butt” 😆😆😆❤️❤️❤️ like this was genius era Eddie Murphy! Thanks for the trip!
Haha that’s awesome! 🙂 I can totally picture you and your sister running around singing that line at the top of your lungs. Eddie really nailed that “so ridiculous it’s genius” vibe, and it’s crazy how those moments stick with us decades later. Glad this post brought back that kind of memory for you—thanks for sharing it, it made me smile big time!
This is hysterical, Paul! I haven’t heard this since college, but it did make a lasting impression on me. Sure, it’s ridiculous and quite juvenile, but it’s really funny and the groove is great. It did have the booties shaking and the dancers cracking up with laughs. I love that there’s an instrumental on the B-side because it really is a funky jam! I was so into the hip hop genre back then. As a Caucasian male, so many of my white friends couldn’t grasp my adoration for the genre. I guess I was before my time. Interesting that you… Read more »
Jeff, I love your story—what a great snapshot of the times! 🙂 You’re absolutely right, the groove on this one is no joke. Beneath all the silliness, it really is a tight, funky jam, and I think that’s why it’s stuck with so many people over the years. I’m with you, the instrumental B-side really shows off just how legit the backing track is. Your Blowfly discovery cracked me up—I can only imagine sneaking that record home and giving it a spin with headphones on, feeling like you were getting away with something! Those records definitely had that “naughty” appeal,… Read more »
wow! I was a senior at Rutgers University in 1983, Eddie Murphy filmed his stand-up special Delirious at Rutgers University in August 1983. He had on that red leather jumpsuit, was funny as hell, but every other word was a curse, even then it was a lot. “Unlike his acts on Saturday Night Live, Murphy’s performance was very profane, saying the word f**k a total of 230 times, and s**t 171 times”
Yes, Eddie was pretty profane during his shows. The album drew ire from the gay community, Asian-American groups, and women’s groups for some of the humor. I think he has since apologized.
I understand that he did….
Nice, thank you!
You’re welcome, Peter. 🙂