"Kung Fu Fighting" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Carl Douglas | ||||
from the album Kung Fu Fighting and Other Great Love Songs | ||||
B-side | "Gamblin' Man" | |||
Released | 1974 | |||
Genre | Disco [1] [2] | |||
Length | 3:15 | |||
Label | Pye (UK and Canada) 20th Century Fox (US) EMI (Australia) | |||
Songwriter(s) | Carl Douglas | |||
Producer(s) | Biddu Appaiah | |||
Carl Douglas singles chronology | ||||
|
"Kung Fu Fighting" is a disco song by Jamaican vocalist Carl Douglas, written by Douglas and produced by British-Indian musician Biddu with additional production by iconic DJ and spiritualist Suzie Collard and backing chants by MC Zaza. [3] It was released in 1974 as the first single from his debut album, Kung Fu Fighting and Other Great Love Songs (1974), on the cusp of a chopsocky film craze and rose to the top of the British, Australian, Canadian, and American charts, in addition to reaching the top of the Soul Singles chart. [4] It received a Gold certification from the RIAA in 1974 [5] and popularized disco music. [6] [ dubious ] It eventually went on to sell eleven million records worldwide, [2] [6] making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. The song uses the Oriental riff, a short musical phrase that is used to signify Chinese culture.
"Kung Fu Fighting" was rated number 100 in VH1's 100 Greatest one-hit wonders , and number one in the UK Channel 4's Top 10 One Hit Wonders list in 2000, the same channel's 50 Greatest One Hit Wonders poll in 2006 and Bring Back ... the one-hit Wonders, for which Carl Douglas performed the song in a live concert. The song was covered by CeeLo Green with Jack Black [7] and The Vamps for the first and third films of the Kung Fu Panda franchise respectively. [8]
The song was originally meant to be a B-side to "I Want to Give You My Everything" (written by Brooklyn songwriter Larry Weiss and sung by Carl Douglas). [9] [10] Biddu originally hired Douglas to sing "I Want to Give You My Everything" but needed something to record for the B-side, and asked Douglas if he had any lyrics they could use. Douglas showed several, out of which Biddu chose the one that would later be called "Kung Fu Fighting" and worked out a melody for it without taking it too seriously. [3]
After more than two hours recording the A-side and then time for a break, there were only ten minutes of studio time remaining [3] due to a three-hour time constraint for the entire session, so only two takes of "Kung Fu Fighting" were recorded. [6] According to Biddu, "'Kung Fu Fighting' was the B-side so I went over the top on the 'huhs' and the 'hahs' and the chopping sounds. It was a B-side: who was going to listen?" After hearing both songs, Robin Blanchflower of Pye Records insisted that "Kung Fu Fighting" be the A-side instead. [6]
Following its release, the song did not receive any radio airplay for the first five weeks and sold poorly, but the song began gaining popularity in dance clubs, [3] eventually entering the UK Singles Chart at number 42 on 17 August 1974 and reaching the top on 21 September, where it remained for three weeks. [11] It was then released in the United States, where it quickly topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. [3] The single went on to sell eleven million records worldwide. [6] At the Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) Jukebox Awards in 1975, the song was awarded "Jukebox Soul Record of the Year" for being the year's highest-earning soul music song played on jukebox machines in the United States. [12] The song was featured in the 1981 film, This Is Elvis .
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
All-time charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [43] | Gold | 500,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [44] | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
"Kung Fu Fighting" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Bus Stop featuring Carl Douglas | ||||
from the album Ticket to Ride | ||||
Released | 11 May 1998 [45] | |||
Genre | Eurodance [46] | |||
Length | 3:45 | |||
Label | All Around the World (UK) | |||
Songwriter(s) | Carl Douglas | |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Bus Stop singles chronology | ||||
|
British dance act Bus Stop reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart [47] with their 1998 remix single of "Kung Fu Fighting", which sampled the original vocals by Carl Douglas and added rap verses. In Australia, the single received a gold certification from ARIA. [48]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [61] | Gold | 35,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [62] | Platinum | 10,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI) [63] | Gold | 400,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
A one-hit wonder is any entity that achieves mainstream popularity, often for only one piece of work, and becomes known among the general public solely for that momentary success. The term is most commonly used in regard to music performers with only one hit single that overshadows their other work. Some artists dubbed "one-hit wonders" in a particular country have had great success in other countries. Music artists with subsequent popular albums and hit listings are not properly considered a one-hit wonder, although artists with multiple hits have sometimes been erroneously labelled as "one-hit wonders" if one particular hit has become much more well-remembered years or decades later than their other hits. One-hit wonders usually see their popularity decreasing after their hit listing, and most often do not ever return to hit listings with other songs or albums.
Johnny Wakelin is an English recording artist best known for songs like "Black Superman" and "In Zaire", both celebrating boxer Muhammad Ali.
Tina Charles is an English singer who achieved success as a disco artist in the mid to late 1970s. Her most successful single was the UK no. 1 hit "I Love to Love " in 1976.
Carlton George Douglas is a Jamaican-British recording artist based in the UK who is best known for the 1974 disco single "Kung Fu Fighting".
"I Shot the Sheriff" is a song written by Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley and released in 1973 with his band the Wailers.
"Pump It" is a song recorded by American group the Black Eyed Peas for their fourth studio album Monkey Business (2005). It was written by group members will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Fergie, and produced by will.i.am. The song heavily incorporates music from Dick Dale's 1962 surf version of "Misirlou", known for being featured in the 1994 Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction, which effectively credited Nicholas Roubanis and Thomas Van Musser as the songwriters. It was released as the fourth and final single from Monkey Business on January 16, 2006, by A&M Records and Interscope Records.
"Over and Over" is a song by American rapper Nelly featuring American country music singer Tim McGraw. The lyrics were written by Nelly while the music was written and produced by James D. "Sted-Fast" Hargrove II and Jayson "KoKo" Bridges. Other musicians who contributed to the recording include Bryan Loss (drums) and Matthew Brauss. The lyrics of the song focus on regret.
Biddu Appaiah is a British-Indian singer-songwriter, composer, and music producer who composed and produced many worldwide hit records during a career spanning five decades. Considered one of the pioneers of disco, Euro disco, and Indian pop, he has sold millions of records worldwide, and has received an Ivor Novello award for his work. He has been ranked at number 34 on NME's "The 50 Greatest Producers Ever" list.
Bus Stop was a British dance act made up of Darren Sampson, alongside Graham Turner, Mark Hall and Nikki Reid (Lane). The group was formed in 1998 and had a string of hit singles before disbanding in 2002. Main vocalist, Sampson, went on to represent the UK in the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest.
"When Will I See You Again" is a song released in 1974 by American soul group The Three Degrees from their third album, The Three Degrees. The song was written and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Sheila Ferguson sang the lead, accompanied by Fayette Pinkney and Valerie Holiday. Billboard named the song number 67 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.
Lee Vanderbilt was a Trinidadian soul and rock singer.
British soul, Brit soul, or the British soul invasion, is soul music performed by British artists. Soul has been a major influence on British popular music since the 1960s, and American soul was extremely popular among some youth subcultures, such as mods, skinheads, and the Northern soul movement. In the 1970s, soul gained more mainstream popularity in the UK during the disco era.
"Titanium" is a song by French DJ and record producer David Guetta, featuring vocals by Australian singer and songwriter Sia. Taken from Guetta's fifth studio album, Nothing but the Beat, the song was written by Sia, David Guetta, Giorgio Tuinfort and Afrojack. Production was also handled by Guetta, Tuinfort and Afrojack. "Titanium" was initially released for digital download on 8 August 2011, as the first of four promotional singles from the album. It was later released as the album's fourth single in December 2011. The song originally featured the vocals of American recording artist Mary J. Blige, whose version of the song leaked online in July 2011.
"Hall of Fame" is a song by Irish pop rock band the Script featuring American rapper will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas. It is the lead single from the band's third studio album #3. The track was given its first radio play on Capital on 23 July 2012. Written and co-produced by the band, the song is about following dreams and making an impact on the world. The song has been licensed for use in various media since its release.
"Sweet Nothing" is a song by Scottish DJ Calvin Harris from his third studio album, 18 Months (2012). It features vocals from Florence and the Machine singer Florence Welch. Harris previously worked with the band in a remix of their single, "Spectrum" (2012). While recording 18 Months, Harris expressed interest in working with Welch. He mentioned that it was not easy and he had to chase her, due to schedule conflicts. Welch accepted his invitation and the two recorded "Sweet Nothing". The track premiered on The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 on 28 August 2012 and was later released as the fifth single from the album on 12 October 2012.
"Girl on Fire" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her fifth studio album of the same name. Keys co-wrote and co-produced the R&B ballad with Jeff Bhasker and Salaam Remi. The song contains an interpolation of the drums from the 1980 song "The Big Beat" by American rock guitarist Billy Squier, who received a writing credit on "Girl on Fire". Released on September 4, 2012, as the lead single from the album, "Girl on Fire" is Keys' first release under RCA Records following the closure of J Records, after a reorganization at Sony Music Entertainment.
"Can't Hold Us" is a song written and performed by American hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring American singer Ray Dalton, originally released on August 16, 2011, as the second single from the duo's debut album The Heist (2012).
"Need U (100%)" is a song by British musician and DJ Duke Dumont. It features the vocals from British singer A*M*E. It was released as a digital download in the United Kingdom on 31 March 2013, and entered at number one on the UK Singles Chart. The song has also charted in the Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland and reached the number one position on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart in the United States. The song was written by Duke Dumont, A*M*E, and MNEK, and it was produced by Dumont with additional production by Tommy Forrest. The song was nominated for the 2014 Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording.
"This Is What It Feels Like" is a song by Dutch DJ and record producer Armin van Buuren, featuring Canadian singer, songwriter and former soulDecision frontman Trevor Guthrie, released in the Netherlands by Armada Music on 1 January 2013 as the second single from van Buuren's fifth studio album, Intense (2013).
Kung Fu Fighting and Other Great Love Songs is the first studio album by Jamaican disco artist Carl Douglas. It reached number one on the Billboard Soul LPs chart and number 37 on Billboard's overall Top LPs & Tape chart in 1975. In Europe, Asia, Africa and South America the album was released under the name Kung Fu Fighter.