Login
Login

Super Freak#Beatfreakz version

{{Short description|Song by Rick James}}

{{About|the Rick James song|"De Super Freek Show", the Belgian TV show|Evi Hanssen|"Super Freek", the song from the soundtrack of Observe and Report|Observe and Report}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Super Freak

| cover = Rick james-super freak s.jpg

| alt =

| caption = French 7-inch cover art

| type = single

| artist = Rick James

| album = Street Songs

| B-side = Super Freak (instrumental)

| released = August 1981

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = {{hlist|Funk{{cite magazine|title= Super Freaky Bluegrass |magazine= Billboard |date= March 31, 2007 |page= 48 |volume= 119 |issue= 13 |issn= 0006-2510 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=eRMEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22super+freak%22&pg=PA48}}{{cite web|title= New Dance Central Songs Hit Tomorrow from Missy Elliott and Rick James |website= IGN |date= February 14, 2011 |access-date= May 10, 2015 |url= http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/02/14/new-dance-central-songs-hit-tomorrow-from-missy-elliott-and-rick-james}}|synth-funk{{cite web |last1=Piatkowksi |first1=Peter |title=40 YEARS AGO RICK JAMES' 'STREET SONGS' SIGNALED A NEW IDENTITY FOR MOTOWN |url=https://www.popmatters.com/rick-james-street-songs-atr |website=PopMatters |date=7 April 2021 |access-date=11 November 2023}}|new wave{{cite web|last=Lowenthal|first=Steve|title='Super Freak': The Story Behind Rick James' Punk-Funk Hit|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/super-freak-the-story-behind-rick-james-hit|access-date=14 October 2022|website=uDiscoverMusic}}|R&B{{Cite podcast|url=https://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/hit_parade/2017/09/the_story_of_how_the_recording_industry_made_you_pay_a_premium_for_90s_hit.html|title= The Great War Against the Single Edition|website=Hit Parade {{!}} Music History and Music Trivia|publisher=Slate|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date=September 29, 2017|access-date=July 6, 2023}}}}

| length = *3:24 (album/7" version)

  • 7:05 (12" version)

| label = Gordy

| writer = *Rick James

  • Alonzo Miller

| producer = Rick James

| prev_title = Give It to Me Baby

| prev_year = 1981

| next_title = Ghetto Life

| next_year = 1981

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|QYHxGBH6o4M|"Super Freak"}}}}

}}

"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,{{cite magazine|title= The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (1-500) |magazine= Rolling Stone |archive-date= October 25, 2006 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061025052329/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/5 |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/5}} number 481 in 2010, and number 153 in an updated list in 2021.{{cite magazine|title= The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time |magazine= Rolling Stone |date= September 15, 2021 |access-date= May 2, 2022 |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-1224767/}} The song was nominated for the Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 1982 Grammys.{{cite web|title= Grammy Awards 1982 |publisher= Awards and Shows |access-date= October 18, 2016 |url= http://www.awardsandshows.com/features/grammy-awards-1982-230.html}} The song has been sampled by MC Hammer in 1990, Jay-Z in 2006, and Nicki Minaj in 2022.{{cite web | title = Billboard Fans Choose Nicki Minaj's "Super Freaky Girl" as This Week's Favorite New Music |date= 14 August 2022 |publisher= Yahoo |access-date= August 15, 2022 |url= https://www.yahoo.com/video/fans-choose-nicki-minaj-super-193445070.html}}

Recording

"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."{{cite magazine|first= Margena A. |last= Christian |title= I'm Rick M#!@$^ F@#!%! James! |magazine= Ebony |date= February 2011 |access-date= April 28, 2018 |url= http://www.rickjames.com/newsdetail.php?id=6 |archive-date= April 29, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180429024943/http://www.rickjames.com/newsdetail.php?id=6}}

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1981–1982)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|title= Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Chart Positions Pre 1989 Part 4 |publisher= Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien |access-date= July 11, 2014 |url= http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=34759&pages=}}

|26

{{singlechart|Flanders|2|artist=Rick James|song=Super Freak|rowheader=true|access-date=July 14, 2013}}
{{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|40|chartid=0460|rowheader=true|access-date=July 14, 2013}}
{{singlechart|Dutch40|2|year=1981|week=45|rowheader=true|access-date=July 14, 2013|refname="Dutch40"}}
{{singlechart|Dutch100|3|artist=Rick James|song=Super Freak|rowheader=true|access-date=July 14, 2013|refname="NL"}}
{{singlechart|New Zealand|4|artist=Rick James|song=Super Freak|rowheader=true|access-date=July 14, 2013}}
scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|title= Street Songs – Awards |website= AllMusic |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/street-songs-mw0000197303/awards |access-date= July 14, 2013 |archive-date= August 15, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130815082302/http://www.allmusic.com/album/street-songs-mw0000197303/awards}}

|16

scope="row"|US Hot Dance Club Play (Billboard)

|1

scope="row"|US Hot Soul Singles (Billboard)

|3

scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100{{cite magazine|title= CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending OCTOBER 31, 1981 |magazine= Cash Box |url= http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19811031.html |archive-date= May 11, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120511205240/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19811031.html}}

|17

scope="row"|US Record World Singles{{cite magazine|title= Record World Singles |magazine= Record World |page= 31 |date= October 24, 1981 |access-date= September 9, 2017 |url= http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Record-World/80s/81/RW-1981-10-24.pdf}}

|14

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1981)

!Position

scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders){{cite web|title= Jaaroverzichten 1981 |publisher= Ultratop. Hung Medien |access-date= July 11, 2014 |url= http://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1981 |language= nl}}

|54

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|title= Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981 |publisher= Dutch Top 40 |access-date= July 11, 2014 |url= http://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1981 |language= nl}}

|24

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|title= Jaaroverzichten – Single 1981 |publisher= Single Top 100. Hung Medien |access-date= July 11, 2014 |url= http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1981&cat=s |language= nl}}

|26

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=Canada|artist=Rick James|title=Superfreak|award=Gold|relyear=1981|certyear=1982|certmonth=03|access-date=April 22, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=New Zealand|artist=Rick James|title=Super Freak|award=Platinum|relyear=1981|certyear=2024|source=radioscope|access-date=January 6, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United Kingdom|artist=Rick James|title=Super Freak|award=Gold|relyear=2004|certyear=2022|id=16710-5383-1|access-date=December 16, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United States|artist=Rick James|title=Super Freak (Part 1)|award=Gold|relyear=1981|certyear=2006|digital=true|access-date=July 19, 2019}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}

Beatfreakz version

{{Infobox song

| name = Superfreak

| cover = BeatfreakzSuperfreak.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Beatfreakz

| album =

| B-side =

| released = 2006

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = House

| length = 3:25

| label = Spinnin'

| writer =

| producer = Beatfreakz

| prev_title = Somebody's Watching Me

| prev_year = 2006

| next_title = Bring the Ghost

| next_year = 2007

}}

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.

=Track listings=

{{columns-start}}

Dutch CD single{{cite AV media notes|title= Superfreak |others= Beatfreakz |year= 2006 |type= Dutch CD single liner notes |publisher= Spinnin' Records |id= SPCDS10124}}

  1. "Superfreak" (radio edit)
  2. "Superfreak" (club mix)
  3. "Superfreak" (Fonzerelli remix)
  4. "Superfreak" (Dennis Christopher De-Electro remix)
  5. "Streetgirl" (album version)

UK 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title= Superfreak |others= Beatfreakz |year= 2006 |type= UK 12-inch single sleeve |publisher= Data Records |id= DATA135T}}

:A1. "Superfreak" (Beatfreakz club mix)

:A2. "Superfreak" (Fonzerelli remix)

:B1. "Superfreak" (Dennis Christopher De-Electro remix)

:B2. "Superfreak" (Friday Night Posse remix)

{{column}}

UK CD1{{cite AV media notes|title= Superfreak |others= Beatfreakz |year= 2006 |type= UK CD1 liner notes |publisher= Data Records |id= DATA135CDS}}

  1. "Superfreak" (radio edit)
  2. "Superfreak" (Beatfreakz club mix)

UK CD2{{cite AV media notes|title= Superfreak |others= Beatfreakz |year= 2006 |type= UK CD2 liner notes |publisher= Data Records |id= DATA 135CDX}}

  1. "Superfreak" (radio edit)
  2. "Superfreak" (Fonzerelli remix)
  3. "Superfreak" (Dennis Christopher De-Electro remix)
  4. "Superfreak" (Verdez remix)
  5. Extended interactive CD-ROM

{{columns-end}}

=Credits and personnel=

Credits are lifted from the Dutch and UK CD1 liner notes.

Studios

  • Recorded at Beatfreakz Studios (Weesp, Netherlands)
  • Sample replays recorded at Scorccio.com Studio (Barcelona, Spain)

Personnel

  • Rick James, Alonzo Miller – writing
  • Sandro – vocals
  • Jassy Tamar Husk – additional vocals
  • Beatfreakz – production
  • Hal Ritson – vocal production
  • Mark Summers – sample replay production
  • Ben Cook – executive production
  • Dipesh Parmar – executive production assistant
  • Antonio Petronzio – photography

=Charts=

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

==Weekly charts==

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (2006–2007)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|Flanders Tip|5|artist=Beatfreakz|song=Superfreak|rowheader=true|access-date=July 14, 2013|refname="BEL"}}
scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Dance Flanders)

|8

{{single chart|CIS|20|artist=Beatfreakz|song=Superfreakz|songid=6520|rowheader=true|access-date=October 30, 2021}}
{{single chart|Czech Republic|34|year=2006|week=45|rowheader=true|access-date=January 14, 2020}}
{{single chart|Finland|6|artist=Beatfreakz|song=Superfreak|rowheader=true|access-date=July 14, 2013}}
{{single chart|France|56|artist=Beatfreakz|song=Superfreak|rowheader=true|access-date=July 14, 2013}}
{{single chart|Hungarydance|6|year=2007|week=9|rowheader=true|access-date=January 14, 2020}}
{{single chart|Hungarysingle|6|year=2006|week=44|rowheader=true|access-date=January 14, 2020}}
{{single chart|Ireland2|20|song=Superfreak|rowheader=true|access-date=July 14, 2013}}
{{single chart|Dutch40|34|year=2006|week=41|rowheader=true|access-date=July 14, 2013}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|26|artist=Beatfreakz|song=Superfreak|rowheader=true|access-date=July 14, 2013}}
scope="row"|Romania (Romanian Top 100){{cite web|title= Issue nr: 48/2006 (04 Decembrie - 10 Decembrie 2006) |publisher= Romanian Top 100 |id= See last week peak position |url= http://www.rt100.ro/top-100-edition.html/ |url-status= dead |archive-date= December 6, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061206073331/http://www.rt100.ro/top-100-edition.html/ |language= ro}}

|66

scope="row"| Russia Airplay (TopHit){{cite web|url=https://tophit.com/chart/top/radio/hits/ru/weekly/20070112-20070118|title=Top Radio Hits Russia Weekly Chart: Jan 18, 2007|publisher=TopHit|access-date=April 25, 2024}}

| 24

{{single chart|Scotland|6|date=20061021|rowheader=true|access-date=January 14, 2020}}
{{single chart|UK|7|date=20061021|rowheader=true|access-date=July 14, 2013|refname="ukbf"}}
{{single chart|UKdance|5|date=20061021|rowheader=true|access-date=January 14, 2020}}

{{col-2}}

==Year-end charts==

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (2006)

!Position

scope="row"|CIS (TopHit){{cite web|title= Лучшие песни и музыка за 2006 год |publisher= TopHit |url= https://tophit.ru/ru/best-music-2006 |access-date= October 30, 2021 |language= ru}}

|195

scope="row"| Russia Airplay (TopHit){{cite web|url=https://tophit.com/chart/top/radio/hits/ru/annual/2006|title=Top Radio Hits Russia Annual Chart: 2006|publisher=TopHit|access-date=April 25, 2024|archive-date=April 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240425163344/https://tophit.com/chart/top/radio/hits/ru/annual/2006|url-status=live}}

| 200

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite web|title= ChartsPlus Year-End 2006 |publisher= UKChartsPlus |access-date= November 15, 2021 |url= http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2006.pdf}}

|189

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (2007)

!Position

scope="row"|CIS (TopHit){{cite web|title= Лучшие песни и музыка за 2007 год |publisher= TopHit |access-date= October 31, 2021 |url= https://tophit.ru/ru/best-music-2007 |language=ru}}

|128

scope="row" | Russia Airplay (TopHit){{cite web|url=https://tophit.com/chart/top/radio/hits/ru/annual/2007|title=Top Radio Hits Russia Annual Chart: 2007|publisher=TopHit|access-date=April 26, 2024|archive-date=April 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426131857/https://tophit.com/chart/top/radio/hits/ru/annual/2007|url-status=live}}

| 171

{{col-end}}

=Release history=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!Region

!Date

!Format(s)

!Label(s)

!{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|Netherlands

|2006

|CD

|Spinnin'

|

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|9 October 2006

|{{hlist|12-inch vinyl|CD}}

|Data

|{{cite magazine|title= Reviews: Singles |magazine= Music Week |page= 28 |date= September 30, 2006}}

Sampling

The predominant riff of the song was most popularly sampled in 1990 by MC Hammer in "U Can't Touch This".{{cite magazine|title= Rick James Mourned at Services in Buffalo, NY, and Los Angeles |magazine= Jet |date= August 30, 2004 |volume= 106 |issue= 9 |page= 64 |publisher= Johnson Publishing Company |issn= 0021-5996 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=rbYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA64}} The song would then be sampled by Jay-Z in his 2006 song "Kingdom Come", by American group Black Eyed Peas in their 2020 single "Vida Loca", and by Nicki Minaj in her 2022 single, "Super Freaky Girl". Minaj previously appeared in the remix of Big Sean's "Dance (A$$)" (2011), which sampled "U Can't Touch This".{{Cite web| title= Listen: Nicki Minaj remixes Big Sean's "Dance (A$$)" |url=http://mypinkfriday.com/news/48101 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119070010/http://www.mypinkfriday.com/news/48101/ |archive-date=November 19, 2011 |access-date=August 22, 2022}}

The chorus of the song appears in a 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.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ys1Bi5P9e0 | title=Transformers 2: "I Love Camaro" - Isabel Lucas | website=YouTube | date=23 October 2016 }}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.discogs.com/Rick-James-Super-Freak-Part-II-Give-It-To-Me-Baby/master/148400 Super Freak at Discogs]

{{Rick James}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1981 songs

Category:1981 singles

Category:2006 singles

Category:American new wave songs

Category:Gordy Records singles

Category:Data Records singles

Category:Rick James songs

Category:Songs written by Rick James

Category:Song recordings produced by Rick James

Category:Spinnin' Records singles

Category:Songs about BDSM