"Super Freak" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Rick James | ||||
from the album Street Songs | ||||
B-side | "Super Freak (instrumental)" | |||
Released | August 1981 [1] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
| |||
Label | Gordy | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | Rick James | |||
Rick James singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Super Freak" on YouTube |
"Super Freak" is a 1981 single produced and performed by American singer Rick James. The song, co-written by James and Alonzo Miller, was first released on James' fifth album, Street Songs (1981) and became one of James' signature songs. "Freak" is a slang term for the sexually adventurous, as described in the song's lyrics, "She's a very kinky girl / The kind you don't take home to mother". Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song number 477 in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004, [7] number 481 in 2010, and number 153 in an updated list in 2021. [8] The song was nominated for the Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 1982 Grammys. [9] The song has been sampled by MC Hammer in 1990, Jay-Z in 2006, and Nicki Minaj in 2022. [10]
"Super Freak" was recorded with other tracks for the Street Songs album during December 1980 – January 1981 at the Record Plant, in Sausalito, California and Motown / Hitsville U.S.A. Recording Studios, Hollywood, California. It features background vocals from James' Motown labelmates the Temptations—whose bass singer, Melvin Franklin, was one of James's idols—and Canadian singer Taborah Johnson. The bass was played by Oscar Alston. The tenor saxophone solo is by Stone City Band member Daniel LeMelle. James' improvised lyrics were later toned down by Los Angeles DJ Alonzo Miller, who received co-writing credit. James apparently was not particularly excited about the song, but reputedly wanted to have something on the album that "white folks could dance to." [11]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [23] | Gold | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [24] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [25] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
"Superfreak" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Beatfreakz | ||||
Released | 2006 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | House | |||
Length | 3:25 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | Beatfreakz | |||
Beatfreakz singles chronology | ||||
|
In 2006, Dutch music group Beatfreakz covered the song as "Superfreak" and released it as a single. This cover reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart and number six in Finland and Hungary.
Dutch CD single [26]
UK 12-inch single [27]
Credits are lifted from the Dutch and UK CD1 liner notes. [26] [28]
Studios
Personnel
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Netherlands | 2006 | CD | Spinnin' | [26] |
United Kingdom | 9 October 2006 |
| Data | [50] |
The predominant riff of the song was most popularly sampled in 1990 by MC Hammer in "U Can't Touch This". [51] The song would then be sampled by Jay-Z in his 2006 song “Kingdom Come”, American musical group Black Eyed Peas in their 2020 single “Vida Loca", and was later sampled by Nicki Minaj in her 2022 single, "Super Freaky Girl". [10] Minaj previously appeared in the remix of Big Sean's "Dance (A$$)" (2011), which sampled "U Can't Touch This". [52]
The Chorus of the song appears in the scene in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen where Sam Witwicky, one of the main protagonists, is driving his Camaro, which is actually the Autobot Bumblebee, with a college girl named Alice, who is a Decepticon in disguise. [53]
"Somebody's Watching Me" is a song recorded and written by American singer Rockwell, released by the Motown label in December 1983, as the lead single from his debut studio album of the same name. It features guest vocals by Michael Jackson and Jermaine Jackson. The song became a major commercial success internationally, topping the charts in Belgium, France, and Spain, and reaching the top 5 in Canada, West Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. In the UK, it reached No. 6 and is Rockwell's only top 40 hit on the UK Singles Chart. Rolling Stone magazine called the song "an international and enduring smash hit that, more than 30 years later, remains the perennial paranoia-rock anthem and Halloween mix go-to song."
"I Want You Back" is the first national single by the Jackson 5. It was released by Motown in October 1969, and became the first number-one hit for the band on January 31, 1970. It was performed on the band's first television appearances, on October 18, 1969, on The Hollywood Palace and on their milestone performance on December 14, 1969, on The Ed Sullivan Show. "I Want You Back" has sold over 6 million copies worldwide.
"U Can't Touch This" is a song co-written, produced, and performed by American rapper MC Hammer. It was released as the third single from his third album, Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990), and has been considered his signature song. Along with Hammer, Rick James shares songwriting credits with Alonzo Miller, as the song samples the prominent opening riff of James' 1981 single "Super Freak". The song has been used and referred to in many television shows, films, commercials, and other forms of media. It has also received multiple awards and recognition.
"I'm Real" is the name of two songs recorded by American actress and singer Jennifer Lopez, both primarily for her second studio album, J.Lo (2001). The original song was released as the album's third single; Ja Rule of Murder Inc. Records wrote and was featured on a newly-written song with completely different lyrics and production titled "I'm Real (Murder Remix)", which was featured on a re-issue of J.Lo in July 2001, on Lopez's remix album, J to tha L–O! The Remixes (2002), and on Ja Rule's third studio album, Pain Is Love (2001).
"Move Your Feet" is a song by Danish pop duo Junior Senior from their debut studio album, D-D-Don't Don't Stop the Beat (2002). The song, originally released in June 2002 in the duo's native Denmark, was issued worldwide in 2003 and became Junior Senior's biggest hit, reaching No. 4 in Denmark, No. 3 in the United Kingdom, and No. 20 in Australia. A music video for the song, directed by British art collective Shynola, was created using low-resolution pixel art. The song was sampled in Nicki Minaj's 2024 song "Everybody". It was also used in a 2024 commercial for the Hyundai Tucson.
"Here Comes the Hotstepper" is a song co-written and recorded by Jamaican dancehall artist Ini Kamoze. It was released in 1994 by Columbia Records as the lead single from his 1995 album of the same name as well as the soundtrack to the film Prêt-à-Porter. It is known for its "naaaa na na na naaaa..." chorus inspired by the Cannibal and the Headhunters version of "Land of 1000 Dances".
"Freak like Me" is a song by American R&B singer Adina Howard, released on January 25, 1995 by East West and Lola Waxx, as the debut single from her first album, Do You Wanna Ride? (1995). The song reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, as well as number two on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart for four weeks, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of one million copies. Its music video was directed by Hype Williams. In 2023, Billboard ranked "Freak like Me" among the "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time". The song has been covered by several artists, most notably by British girl group Sugababes, who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart with their version in 2002.
Beatfreakz were a Dutch house group consisting of members Dennis Christopher, Dimitrie Siliakus and Mark Simmons. For a period of time, Errol Lafleur was also part of the group.
"Mas que Nada" is a song written and originally recorded in 1963 by Jorge Ben on his debut album Samba Esquema Novo. The song was covered in 1966 by Sérgio Mendes, becoming one of the latter's signature works. It was voted by the Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone as the fifth-greatest Brazilian song. It was inducted to the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013.
"Get Ur Freak On" is a song by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott. It was written and produced by Elliott and Timbaland for her third studio album Miss E... So Addictive (2001). Based on heavy bhangra elements, a popular music and dance form from the region of Punjab in India, the song features a six-note base that is a Punjabi melody played on a tumbi and rhythm and bassline played on tabla.
"Relight My Fire" is a disco song written and released by American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer Dan Hartman as the title track from his 1979 album of the same name. It was also performed by Costa Anadiotis' band Café Society in 1984 and British boy band Take That in 1993, five months before Hartman died.
"Shine" is a song by American singer-songwriter Luther Vandross, the first single from his greatest hits package The Ultimate Luther Vandross. The track samples Chic's song "My Forbidden Lover". "Shine" became a top-20 urban radio hit, and the club mixes of the song became popular on dance radio stations and clubs in the United States. The single was a top-50 hit in the United Kingdom but failed to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 despite reaching number 31 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart. In 2007, British dance music duo Booty Luv released a cover version that reached the top 20 in several European countries.
"Baby Can I Hold You" is the third single released by American contemporary folk artist Tracy Chapman, released in October 1988. The song reached the top 50 in the United States, unlike its predecessor, "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", but it failed to become Chapman's second top 40 hit, peaking at number 48. It did, however, give her a second chart entry on the US Adult Contemporary charts, peaking at number 19 in early 1989. Given the commercial decline Chapman suffered following the release of her second album Crossroads, "Baby Can I Hold You" also became her last top 50 hit until 1996's "Give Me One Reason". In July 1990, the song reached number one in Portugal. Chapman re-released the song in 2001, in support of her first greatest hits album Collection.
"The Creeps" is a song by London-based electronic dance music band Freaks. The original version, titled "The Creeps (You're Giving Me)", appeared on Freaks' 2003 album, The Man Who Lived Underground. A set of remixes reached number 97 on the UK Singles Chart in December 2004. In 2006, it was remixed by Australian duo Vandalism; their remix became a club hit and "the biggest download in [dance music retailer] djdownload.com's history".
"Turn Me On" is a song by French DJ David Guetta from his fifth studio album Nothing but the Beat. Vocals are provided by rapper and singer Nicki Minaj, whose second studio album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded features the song as a bonus song on its deluxe version. It was written by Ester Dean, David Guetta and Giorgio Tuinfort, with a rap written by Minaj.
"Dance (Ass)", often stylized "Dance (A$$)", is a song by American rapper Big Sean, released as the third single from his debut studio album, Finally Famous (2011). It was added to urban radio formats on September 20, 2011 as the album's third official single. The official remix of the song features Nicki Minaj. It samples MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This", which in turn samples Rick James's single "Super Freak".
"Freaks" is a song by American hip hop recording artist French Montana and features Nicki Minaj. It was released on February 14, 2013, as the second single from his debut studio album Excuse My French (2013). The song was produced by Rico Love and Earl & E from Division 1.
"Anaconda" is a song by rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on August 4, 2014, by Young Money, Cash Money, and Republic as the second single from her third studio album, The Pinkprint (2014). The song was produced by Polow da Don, DJ Spydr, and Da Internz, and prominently samples "Baby Got Back" (1992) by Sir Mix-a-Lot. It peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Minaj's highest-charting single at the time. The song also peaked within the top ten in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, top forty in Austria, France and Portugal and top fifty in Czech Republic.
"Check It Out" is a song performed by American rapper will.i.am and Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. The hip hop and electropop song, written by will.i.am and Minaj, samples the 1979 hit single "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles. After release, it debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at No. 78 and on the Canadian Hot 100 at No. 48. It appears on Minaj's first album, Pink Friday, though it was not released to promote the album. The special remix released in the UK features the British recording artist Cheryl Cole. The song peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. By December 2013, it has sold 780,000 digital downloads.
"Super Freaky Girl" is a song by rapper Nicki Minaj from her fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2 (2023). It was released on August 12, 2022, by Young Money and Republic Records as the lead single from the album. It is an upbeat, raunchy song that samples Rick James' 1981 single "Super Freak," as Minaj raps about a girl having sexual fantasies and endeavors, while also boasting about her career. It received comparisons to Minaj's 2014 single "Anaconda," as both tracks include classic samples and sexual lyrics.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)