Freeze Frame (song)

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"Freeze-Frame"
Freeze-Frame single cover.jpg
Single by The J. Geils Band
from the album Freeze Frame
B-side "Flamethrower"
ReleasedJanuary 14, 1982
Recorded1981
Genre
Length3:58
Label EMI
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Seth Justman
The J. Geils Band singles chronology
"Centerfold"
(1981)		"Freeze-Frame"
(1982)		"Flamethrower"
(1982)

"Freeze-Frame" is a song written by Seth Justman and Peter Wolf for the J. Geils Band. It was first released as the opening track on the chart-topping 1981 album of the same name. [1] The song was released on a 45 in early 1982 as the second single from the album, following the million-selling US #1/UK #3 hit "Centerfold". The single's flip side, "Flamethrower", received airplay on urban contemporary radio stations throughout the United States, and reached #20 on the Billboard Soul Chart.

Contents

Reception

Billboard called it a "zesty, exuberant rocker" and praised the song's hooks. [2] Record World said that "Seth Justman's bouncy keyboard melodies and the slap-happy beat back Peter Wolf's lively lead vocal." [3]

Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated "Freeze-Frame" to be the band's 7th greatest song, saying that it has "a glossy pop sheen ready-made for Top 40 radio." [4]

Chart performance

"Centerfold" had landed the band at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for 6 weeks in early 1982 and would ultimately give them a UK top 3 hit almost a year later. "Freeze-Frame" was chosen as the second single and at the peak of the band's popularity, became the second consecutive million-selling gold-certified hit from the album, ultimately peaking at #4 on the Hot 100 on April 10, 1982 and remained in that position for 4 weeks, after entering the charts in mid-February. The single also reached #27 in the UK. [1]

"Centerfold" and "Freeze-Frame" are among a total of ten singles by the J. Geils Band to reach the Billboard Top 40.

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Freeze Frame"
Chart (1982-1983)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [5] 7
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [6] 5
Canada [7] 2
Ireland (IRMA) [8] 20
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [9] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [10] 13
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [11] 6
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [12] 11
UK Singles (OCC) [13] 27
US Billboard Hot 100 [14] 4
West Germany (Official German Charts) [15] 29

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Freeze Frame"
Chart (1982)Position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [16] [17] 91
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) [18] 90
Canada [19] 22
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [20] 83
US Billboard Hot 100 [21] 49

Certifications

Certifications for "Freeze Frame"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [22] Gold50,000^
United States (RIAA) [23] Gold1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

B-side

Most versions of the single released domestically and internationally used "Flamethrower", the sixth track from Freeze-Frame, as the flip side to "Freeze-Frame". [24] However, 7" vinyl releases in the UK alternated between "Flamethrower" and another song from the same album, the second track "Rage in the Cage". [25] A limited edition Picture Disc of "Freeze-Frame" released in North America used "Centerfold" as the b-side. [26]

Related Research Articles

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The J. Geils Band was an American rock band formed in 1967, in Worcester, Massachusetts, under the leadership of guitarist John "J." Geils. The original band members included vocalist Peter Wolf, harmonica and saxophone player Richard "Magic Dick" Salwitz, drummer Stephen Bladd, vocalist/keyboardist Seth Justman, and bassist Danny Klein. Wolf and Justman served as principal songwriters. The band played R&B-influenced blues rock during the 1970s and soon achieved commercial success before moving toward a more mainstream radio-friendly sound in the early 1980s, which brought the band to its commercial peak. They performed a mix of cover songs of classic blues and R&B songs, along with original compositions written primarily by Wolf and Justman, as well as some group compositions written under the pseudonymous name Juke Joint Jimmy, representing compositions credited to the entire band as a whole. After Wolf left the band in 1983 to pursue a solo career, the band released one more album in 1984 with Justman on lead vocals, before breaking up in 1985. Beginning in 1999, the band had several reunions prior to the death of its namesake, J. Geils, on April 11, 2017.

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References

  1. 1 2 "J. Geils Band - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Top Single Picks". Billboard. February 20, 1982. p. 71. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  3. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. February 20, 1982. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-02.
  4. ↑ Gallucci, Michael (February 20, 2016). "Top 10 J. Geils Band Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
  5. ↑ "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1980's". World Charts. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  6. ↑ "The J. Geils Band – Freeze Frame" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  7. ↑ "RPM Top 50 Singles - April 17, 1982" (PDF).
  8. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Centerfold". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 27, 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  10. ↑ "The J. Geils Band – Freeze Frame" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  11. ↑ "The J. Geils Band – Freeze Frame". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  12. ↑ "The J. Geils Band – Freeze Frame". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  13. ↑ "The J. Geils Band: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  14. ↑ "The J. Geils Band Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – The J. Geils Band – Freeze Frame" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  16. ↑ "National Top 100 Singles for 1982". Kent Music Report. January 3, 1983. Retrieved January 22, 2023– via Imgur.
  17. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Forum - Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1982". Ultratop. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on August 11, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Bijzondere lijst: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1982".
  21. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1982/Top 100 Songs of 1982". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – J. Geils Band – Freeze Frame". Music Canada . Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  23. ↑ "American single certifications – J. Geils Band – Freeze-Frame". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  24. ↑ "The J. Geils Band - Freeze Frame". Discogs.com. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  25. ↑ "The J. Geils Band - Freeze Frame (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  26. ↑ "The J. Geils Band - Freeze Frame (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
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