Super Freak
Encyclopedia
"Super Freak" is a 1981
hit single produced
and performed by Rick James
. The song, co-written
by James and Alonzo Miller, was first released on James' album Street Songs
and became one of James' signature song
s. It features background vocals from Motown labelmates The Temptations
, in which the bass singer is James' uncle Melvin Franklin
, and Canadian
singer Taborah Johnson
. "Freak" is a slang term for, as described in the song's lyrics, "...a very kinky girl / The kind you don't take home to mother". Rolling Stone
magazine ranked the song #477 in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
chart, the song peaked at #16 in the fall of 1981 and spent 10 weeks in the top 40. Together with two other singles from Street Songs, "Give It to Me Baby
" and "Ghetto Life", it spent three weeks at #1 on the American dance charts
earlier that year.
1981 in music
See also:* Timeline of musical eventsThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1981.-January–April:*January 10 – A revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadway's Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith.*January 24 –...
hit single produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and performed by Rick James
Rick James
James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and 1980s, scoring four number-one hits on the U.S. R&B charts performing in the genres of funk and R&B...
. The song, co-written
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
by James and Alonzo Miller, was first released on James' album Street Songs
Street Songs (album)
-Track listing:All tracks composed and arranged by Rick James; except where indicated# "Give It to Me Baby" # "Ghetto Life" # "Make Love to Me" # "Mr...
and became one of James' signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
s. It features background vocals from Motown labelmates The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
, in which the bass singer is James' uncle Melvin Franklin
Melvin Franklin
David Melvin English better known by the stage name Melvin Franklin, was an American bass singer. Franklin is best known for his role as a member of Motown singing group The Temptations from 1960 to 1994....
, and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
singer Taborah Johnson
Taborah Johnson
Taborah Johnson , also known as Tabby Johnson, is a Canadian singer and actor. She is the sister of actor Clark Johnson and rock and jazz singer Molly Johnson....
. "Freak" is a slang term for, as described in the song's lyrics, "...a very kinky girl / The kind you don't take home to mother". Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine ranked the song #477 in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Chart history
The song was a big hit for James in 1981, charting on the pop, R&B and dance charts in the U.S. On the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, the song peaked at #16 in the fall of 1981 and spent 10 weeks in the top 40. Together with two other singles from Street Songs, "Give It to Me Baby
Give It to Me Baby
"Give It to Me Baby" is the title of a 1981 song by American R&B / funk singer Rick James. Taken from his album Street Songs, the song charted on the Billboard Hot 100, spending two weeks at #40 in July of 1981. However, the song proved to be more successful with R&B and dance club audiences...
" and "Ghetto Life", it spent three weeks at #1 on the American dance charts
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
earlier that year.
Cover versions
- In 1984, Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based noveltyNovelty songA novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
band Big DaddyBig Daddy (band)Big Daddy was an American satire/parody band, that was among the first groups to create mashups - in this case, of oldies and modern pop songs.-History:...
(whose comic conceit was to cover fast songs as ballads and slow songs up-tempo, and all contemporary songs done in 1950s style) recorded the song to a slower beat as if it had been done by the Everly Brothers. - In 1989, the song was covered by thrash metalThrash metalThrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band MordredMordred (band)Mordred is a thrash metal/funk metal band from the United States of America. Based in San Francisco Bay Area, along with various other thrash bands of the time, Mordred always stood out from the crowd with their ideas on expanding and experimenting with the thrash metal sound, incorporating...
on their album Fool's Game. - In 2006, ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-based alternative rockAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Straitjacket covered this song on their album Vices. - In 2006, a cover by Billy CrawfordBilly CrawfordBilly Joe Crawford is a Filipino-American recording artist, singer-songwriter and philanthropist.Crawford is a Bilingual Filipino Singer. His second language is English and he is conversational in French. Crawford not only lived in New York City, USA, but also in Paris for five years and for one...
was included on the soundtrack to the 2006 animated film Asterix and the VikingsAsterix and the VikingsAsterix and the Vikings is an animated feature film, produced in France and Denmark, and directed by Stefan Fjeldmark and Jesper Møller. The story was adapted from the graphic novel Asterix and the Normans, which was written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo...
. - In 2007, the song was covered in bluegrassBluegrass musicBluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
style by Ricky SkaggsRicky SkaggsRickie Lee "Ricky" Skaggs is a country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, and banjo.-Early career:...
and Bruce HornsbyBruce HornsbyBruce Randall Hornsby is an American singer, pianist, accordion player, and songwriter. Known for the spontaneity and creativity of his live performances, Hornsby draws frequently from classical, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Motown, rock, blues, and jam band musical traditions with his songwriting and...
on their eponymous collaborative album.
Live cover performances
- Australian IdolAustralian IdolAustralian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
4 finalist Bobby FlynnBobby FlynnRobert Andrew "Bobby" Flynn is an Australian singer-songwriterThe band made a nationwide tour through Australia in 2007, appearing in many regional centres including Burnie, Wagga Wagga, Townsville and Lismore....
performed a version of the song in 2006. - In 2004, the Dave Matthews BandDave Matthews BandDave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
covered Super Freak live on Alpine Valley Music TheatreAlpine Valley Music TheatreAlpine Valley Music Theatre is a 37,000 capacity amphitheatre, in East Troy, Wisconsin. The seasonal venue was built in 1977 and it features a characteristic wooden roof, covering the 7,500-seat pavilion and a sprawling lawn....
. The song features on Live Trax Vol. 8Live Trax Vol. 8Live Trax Vol. 8 is the eighth album in the Live Trax live album series by the Dave Matthews Band. The album was recorded on August 7, 2004 at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. The show features the band's first, and to date, only performance of "Super Freak," played as a...
. - The song was covered by IrishIrish peopleThe Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
band Dirty EpicsDirty EpicsDirty Epics are a four-piece Irish New Wave band formed in Greystones, County Wicklow, but now resided in Dublin. They are composed of vocalist Sarah Jane Wai, bassist Richard Power, guitarist Darren McCoy and drummer Alan Delaney and are managed by Nadine O'Flynn. They have performed at numerous...
on The Podge and Rodge ShowThe Podge and Rodge ShowThe Podge and Rodge Show is an Irish chat show, broadcast and produced by RTÉ, featuring the popular Podge and Rodge as hosts...
in February 2009.
Sampling
- The riff of the song was most popularly sampled in 1990 by MC HammerMC HammerStanley Kirk Burrell , better known by his stage name MC Hammer , is an American rapper, entertainer, business entrepreneur, dancer and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s...
in his best known single, "U Can't Touch ThisU Can't Touch This"U Can't Touch This" is MC Hammer's 1990 super hit signature song, from his album Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em. The album sold more than 10 million copies, due primarily to this single, and gaining multi-platinum certifications from the RIAA, and other Recording Industries.Rick James sued Hammer...
". The song was also sampled Wassuup by Da Muttz in 2001. - Hip hopHip hopHip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
artist GZA/Genius sampled the song on his debut 1991 album Words from the GeniusWords from the GeniusWords from the Genius is the debut album by the emcee GZA as the Genius, under his previous stage name. It is historically significant as the only album any Wu-Tang Clan member released before the founding of the group in 1992 Words from the Genius is the debut album by the emcee GZA as the Genius,...
. - In 1997, artist JudeJude (singer)Jude , is an American singer and songwriter. His music ranges from acoustic to pop, featuring poetic lyrics, Beatles-esque melodies, and memorable vocals.-History:...
's song entitled "Rick James" (#28 Billboard Modern Rock Chart) featured the words "Oh, Rick James was the original Super Freak" in its chorus line. - In 2006, the BeatfreakzBeatfreakzThe Beatfreakz is a dance group formed in the Netherlands in 2006. The band consists of Dennis Christopher, Dimitrie Siliakus and Mark Simmons....
covered the song, as "Superfreak", and gained a #7 UK hit with it. - The title track of Jay-ZJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
's 2006 comeback album Kingdom ComeKingdom Come (Jay-Z album)Kingdom Come is the ninth studio album by American rap artist Jay-Z. It was released on November 21, 2006. It was considered a "comeback album" for the established rapper, as 2003's The Black Album was slated to be his final release...
features a sample from "Super Freak". - In the 2007 song "Freaky GurlFreaky Gurl"Freaky Gurl" is a song by rapper Gucci Mane from his albums Hard to Kill and Trap-A-Thon. The song was produced by Cyber Sapp and sampled elements from a 2002 song called "Lick" by Joi.-Remix:...
" by Gucci ManeGucci ManeRadric Davis , better known by his stage name Gucci Mane, is an American rapper. He debuted in 2005 with Trap House and followed with albums such as Hard to Kill in 2006, Trap-A-Thon and Back to the Trap House in 2007. In 2009, his second studio album The State vs. Radric Davis was released...
, the lines in the chorus pay homage to the original Rick James song. - In 2007, French actor/rapper Disiz la PesteDisiz la PesteSérigne M'Baye Gueye, , better known by his stage name Disiz, , is a French rapper and actor. Born to a Senegalese father and Belgian mother, he grew up listening to rap.He was a great fan of the French rap groups NTM and IAM...
released a rap song in French that uses of "Super Freak" as the instrumental backing.
In popular culture
- An instrumental version of the song was heard in the 1983 comedy Doctor DetroitDoctor DetroitDoctor Detroit is a 1983 comedy film, written by Bruce Jay Friedman, Robert Boris and Carl Gottlieb. The film stars Dan Aykroyd, Howard Hesseman, Lynn Whitfield, Fran Drescher, and Donna Dixon, with a special appearance by James Brown. The film was directed by Michael Pressman.James Brown performed...
starring Dan AykroydDan AykroydDaniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
. - In the 1986 movie Heartbreak RidgeHeartbreak RidgeHeartbreak Ridge is a 1986 American war film, starring Clint Eastwood and Mario Van Peebles, surrounding the 1983 U.S. invasion of Grenada, West Indies. A portion of the movie was filmed on the island itself....
, Mario Van PeeblesMario Van PeeblesMario "Chip" Cain Van Peebles is an American director and actor who has appeared in numerous Hollywood films. He is son of filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles.-Life and career:...
as Corporal 'Stitch' Jones, sings most of the song before he is thrown out of a bar. - An instrumental version of the song was featured in the 1992 movie Batman ReturnsBatman ReturnsBatman Returns is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to Burton's Batman , and features Michael Keaton reprising the title role, with Danny DeVito as the Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.Burton originally did not...
. - The song appeared in the 1995 Cambodian short film An Ambition Reduced to AshesAn Ambition Reduced to AshesAn Ambition Reduced to Ashes is a 1995 Cambodian short film drama directed by Norodom Sihanouk....
. - In a 1998 episode of Just Shoot Me, disappointed to find out she hadn't been the inspiration to the fictional song "Nina in The Cantina", Nina Van Horn found solace in the belief that she was at least the inspiration to Rick James' Super Freak.
- The song was used as background music for the Rick James sketch on Chappelle's ShowChappelle's ShowChappelle's Show is an American sketch comedy television series created by comedian Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan, with Chappelle hosting the show as well as starring in various skits. Chappelle, Brennan and Michele Armour were the show's executive producers. The series premiered on January 22,...
. - In the 2006 comedy film Little Miss SunshineLittle Miss SunshineLittle Miss Sunshine is a 2006 American comedy-drama film. The road movie's plot follows a family's trip to a children's beauty pageant.Little Miss Sunshine was the directorial film debut of the husband-wife team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The screenplay was written by first-time writer...
, Olive Hoover (Abigail BreslinAbigail BreslinAbigail Kathleen Breslin is an American teen actress. She is one of the youngest actresses ever to be nominated for an Academy Award....
) performs a burlesqueBurlesqueBurlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
routine to the song at a children's beauty pageant. - In an episode of SeinfeldSeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, Jerry's agent tells him that the high school canceled Rick James in favor of two hours of his comedy bits, to which Jerry replies, "Super Freak?" - On the episode of One on OneOne on One (TV series)One on One is an American sitcom that aired on the now-defunct UPN from its September 3, 2001 premiere until May 15, 2006. The series stars Flex Alexander as a single sportscaster, who becomes a full-time dad when his ex-wife decides to accept a job out of the country and his teenage daughter...
, The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirThe Fresh Prince of Bel-AirThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their...
star Alfonso RibeiroAlfonso RibeiroAlfonso Lincoln Ribeiro is an American actor, director, dancer, game show host, and comedian. While he received attention for his performance in the title role of the Broadway musical The Tap Dance Kid and his appearance as a dancer in a Pepsi commercial featuring Michael Jackson, Ribeiro is best...
sings the song on the season 1 episode, "Me and My Shadow" which originally aired in 2002 where Flex (Flex AlexanderFlex AlexanderMark Alexander Knox , better known as Flex Alexander or Flex, is an American actor, comedian and dancer.-Early life:Born in New York City in Harlem, Alexander is the son of Alethia Knox and Robert Whitehead....
) and Duane (Kelly PerineKelly PerineKelly Perine is an American television actor and a comedian. Perine attended Lake Forest Academy near Chicago, Illinois, where he studied stage acting. He spent his undergraduate years at Pomona College in Claremont, California. After graduating, he studied at the University of California,...
) decide to have a high school band. - In the Season 2 Episode 23 of the TV series Two and a Half MenTwo and a Half MenTwo and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
, Alan dances to this song at the bar with the girls. - In Season 4 of the A-Team, Rick James guest stars and performs this song in the episode 'The Heart of Rock n Roll'
See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of The Podge and Rodge Show episodes
External links
- The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition, 1996
- Super Freak Lyrics
- Super Freak at Discogs