Bonzo Goes To Washington - 5 Minutes 12''

"5 Minutes" is a satirical 1984 avant-garde funk 12" single released by the one-off supergroup Bonzo Goes To Washington, which featured Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads), Bootsy Collins, and producer Daniel Lazerus. The track heavily samples a leaked, controversial microphone soundcheck by US President Ronald Reagan, who joked, "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes." Released on Sleeping Bag Records, the electronic dance track loops and stutters Reagan's voice over a heavy funk bassline, while the band name itself mocks the President by referencing his 1951 film Bedtime for Bonzo.

"5 Minutes" stands as a brilliant, danceable time capsule of Cold War anxiety and DIY electronic innovation. By weaponising Ronald Reagan’s infamous mic-check gaffe, the avant-garde trio of Jerry Harrison, Bootsy Collins, and Daniel Lazerus transformed a terrifying geopolitical moment into a hypnotic, club-ready protest. The track’s brilliance lies in its sonic architecture; it strips away the gravitas of the presidency by slicing and stuttering Reagan’s voice until his words lose meaning and morph into pure rhythmic texture. Propelled by Bootsy’s unmistakably elastic, heavy funk bassline and punctuated by sharp drum-machine punches, the record manages to be simultaneously deeply groovy, highly experimental, and genuinely unsettling.

Decades after its 1984 release, the 12" single remains a masterclass in the art of political sampling and early hip-hop/house production techniques. Released on the legendary Sleeping Bag Records, it perfectly bridges the gap between downtown New York avant-garde experimentation and mainstream pop-culture critique. Rather than delivering a standard, lyrical protest song, Bonzo Goes To Washington let the commander-in-chief condemn himself through repetition, turning a slip of the tongue into an enduring piece of dark satire. It is a vital, energetic artifact that proves dance music has always been a potent weapon for political subversion.

Ripped to MP3

The standard 12" release contains three main experimental dub and radio mixes:

A: 5 Minutes (C-C-C Club Mix) 

B1: 5 Minutes (R-R-R Radio Mix) 

B2: 5 Minutes (B-B-B Bombing Mix)