Lipps Inc

Lipps, Inc. began in late 1979 when Steven Greenberg, then a wedding DJ, decided to compose a disco track. His initial name for the project was Lip Sync, but that was taken—so he slyly adopted the pun 'Lipps, Inc.' He wrote and produced the music and recruited lead singer and saxophonist Cynthia Johnson to front the recordings, supported by a rotating cast of talented session musicians from the burgeoning Minneapolis scene. Their debut album, Mouth to Mouth, arrived in November 1979 on Casablanca Records. Its second single, “Funkytown,” exploded in Spring 1980: a glossy, synth‑driven groove with longing lyrics about escape. It soared to No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and dance charts, held that spot for weeks, and topped charts in more than 20 countries. Its irresistible melody and futuristic sheen cemented Lipps, Inc. not just as an act, but as a disco moment in time. Despite “Funkytown”’s massive success, subsequent singles couldn’t match its impact. “Rock It,” released first in 1979 and reissued after the hit, peaked at No. 64 on the Hot 100. Other tracks like their cover of “How Long” hit the dance charts, and songs such as “All Night Dancing” and “Hold Me Down” found club traction. But Lipps, Inc. remained, in mainstream memory, synonymous with that one defining anthem. Cynthia Johnson left the band around 1981, and new vocalists Margie Cox and Melanie Rosales carried on through two more albums—Designer Music (1981) and 4 (1983)—before the group quietly disbanded by 1985. Yet that brief bloom left a lasting legacy. “Funkytown” continues to sparkle in compilations, films, adverts, and DJ sets, a neon gem from the disco twilight. Lipps, Inc.’s blend of synthetic funk and pop heralded the electro‑funk future from their unassuming Minneapolis roots, and remains a touchstone of dance‑floor euphoria.