Parlet was an American female funk group formed in 1978 as a spin-off of Parliament-Funkadelic. Conceived by George Clinton, Parlet was envisioned as a female counterpart to the Parliament vocal group, blending streetwise funk with theatrical stage presence and bold sensuality. The group’s earliest lineup featured longtime P-Funk vocalists Debbie Wright, Jeanette Washington, and Mallia Franklin — all of whom had contributed background vocals on Parliament-Funkadelic albums throughout the mid-1970s.
History
Formation and concept
Parlet was formed by funk impresario George Clinton in 1978 as a female-fronted offshoot of Parliament-Funkadelic, conceived alongside Brides of Funkenstein to highlight P-Funk’s female performers. Vocalists Debbie Wright and Jeanette Washington, both longtime members of the P-Funk vocal section, began the initial studio recordings for the group’s debut album, Pleasure Principle. During the album's development, Mallia Franklin joined the group to complete the trio, adding her voice to finish the recordings.
Pleasure Principle (1978)
Parlet’s debut album, Pleasure Principle, was released in spring 1978 on Casablanca Records. Produced by George Clinton, the album featured P‑Funk luminaries including Bootsy Collins, Garry Shider, and Bernie Worrell. Shortly after its release, Wright was forced to depart due to health concerns and was unable to promote or tour the album.
!Year
|-
|"Pleasure Principle"
|align=center|66
|1978
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|"Ridin’ High"
|align=center|49
|1979
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|"Wolf Tickets"
|align=center|67
|1980
|-
|"Help from My Friends"
|align=center|73
|1980
|}