He improvised the song after performing with Willie Mitchell's band at the University of Tennessee, developing it further at a gig in Covington.
[3]Thomas added a spoken word section that he regularly used as a shtick as a radio DJ: "Oh I feel so unnecessary - this is the kind of stuff that makes you feel like you wanna do something nasty, like waste some chicken gravy on your white shirt right down front."
The recording was produced by Al Bell and Tom Nixon, and the instrumental backing was by the Bar-Kays, featuring guitarist Michael Toles.
[3] Reviewer Stewart Mason described the "Funky Chicken" as "the single goofiest dance craze of the 1970s...
While Thomas clearly knows how silly the entire concept is – he starts the record off with his impersonation of a cackling hen – he doesn't let that stop him from getting behind those goofy lyrics and giving them everything he's got...."[4] It was sampled by Eazy-E on his 1988 track "Still Talkin'", and by Missy Elliott in 1997 on "Don't Be Commin' (In My Face)".