Le Freak
| "Le Freak" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 One of the U.S. editions | ||||
| Single by Chic | ||||
| from the album C'est Chic | ||||
| B-side |
"You Can Get By" "Savoir Faire" | |||
| Released | July 10, 1978 | |||
| Format | 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl | |||
| Recorded | January 1978 | |||
| Genre | Disco[1] | |||
| Length | 5:23 | |||
| Label | Atlantic (3519) | |||
| Writer(s) |
Bernard Edwards Nile Rodgers | |||
| Producer(s) |
Bernard Edwards Nile Rodgers | |||
| Chic singles chronology | ||||
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| Problems playing this file? See media help. | |
"Le Freak" is a song by the band Chic. It was the band's third single and first Billboard Hot 100 and soul music number-one song.[2][3] Along with the tracks, "I Want Your Love" and "Chic Cheer", "Le Freak" scored number one on the disco charts for seven weeks.[4]
The single achieved sales of seven million[5] and also scored number seven in the UK singles chart.
Billboard ranked it as the No. 3 song for 1979.[6] The song was ranked number 21 on Billboard magazine's top 100 songs of the first 55 years of the "Hot 100" chart.[7]
Lyrics
Part of the lyrics mention "Stompin' at the Savoy", which is an actual song composed by Edgar Sampson. They also invite the listener to "Come on down to the 54", which is a reference to a popular nightclub at that time.
History
This song commemorates Studio 54 for its notoriously long customer waiting lines, exclusive clientele, and discourteous doormen. According to guitarist Nile Rodgers, the song was devised during New Year's Eve of 1977, as a result of his and bassist Bernard Edwards' being refused entrance to Studio 54, where they had been invited by Grace Jones, due to her failure to notify the nightclub's staff. He said the lyrics of the refrain were originally "Fuck off!" rather than "Freak out!"[8]
"Le Freak" was the first song to score the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 three separate times. This record remained until 2008, when three different songs, "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis, "Whatever You Like" by T.I., and his follow-up single "Live Your Life", featuring Rihanna all achieved this feat. Bruno Mars also managed this in 2011 with "Grenade".
In 1987, an acid house-styled re-mix was issued under the title "Jack Le Freak". It reached #18 in the United Kingdom, becoming Chic's last top 40 hit to date in that country.
Most recently, "Le Freak" was covered by the electronica band Millionaires for the MTV movie Turn the Beat Around. The bass line from the song was used by American industrial rock group My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult for their track, "Waiting for Mommie" on the Confessions of a Knife... album that was released in 1990 by Wax Trax! Records.
Track listings
- Atlantic 7" 3519, September 21, 1978
- A. "Le Freak" (7" Edit) – 3:30
- B. "Savoir Faire" – 4:57
- Atlantic promo 12" DSKO 131, 1978 / Atlantic 12" DK 4700, 1978
- A. "Le Freak" – 5:23
- B. "Savoir Faire" – 4:57
- Atlantic 12" DK 4620, 1978 / Atlantic Oldies promo 12" DSKO 178, 1979
- A. "Le Freak" – 5:23
- B. "You Can Get By" – 5:36
Charts and certifications
Chart performance
|
Sales and certifications
Year-end charts
All-time charts
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| Preceded by "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer |
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (with "I Want Your Love" and "Chic Cheer") November 25, 1978 – January 6, 1979 |
Succeeded by "Contact" by Edwin Starr |
| Preceded by "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan |
Billboard's Hot R&B Songs number-one single December 2, 1978 – December 30, 1978 |
Succeeded by "Got to Be Real" by Cheryl Lynn |
| Preceded by "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" by Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" by Barbra Sreisand and Neil Diamond "Too Much Heaven" by The Bee Gees |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single December 9, 1978 December 23, 1978 – December 30, 1978 January 20, 1979 – February 3, 1979 |
Succeeded by "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" by Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond "Too Much Heaven" by The Bee Gees "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? by Rod Stewart |
| Preceded by "Too Much Heaven" by The Bee Gees |
RIANZ New Zealand Singles Chart number-one single January 28, 1979 – February 18, 1979 |
Succeeded by "Y.M.C.A." by The Village People |
| Preceded by "C'mon Aussie C'mon" by The Mojo Singers |
Kent Music Report number-one single February 26, 1979 - March 26, 1979 |
Succeeded by "Heart of Glass" by Blondie |
References
- ↑ Heather Phares. "Disco Fever, Vol. 2 [SPG] on Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 6 July 2013. "disco hits like Chic's "Le Freak,""
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 116.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Chic > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved November 28, 2009.
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 56.
- ↑ Haden-Guest, Anthony (February 24, 1986). New York Magazine: "Jewel of a Nile", p. 49. New York Magazine. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
- ↑ Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1979
- ↑ Bronson, Fred (2 August 2013). "Hot 100 55th Anniversary: The All-Time Top 100 Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- ↑ "CLASSIC TRACKS: Chic – 'Le Freak'". Sound On Sound Magazine. 2005. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Chic – Le Freak" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Chic – Le Freak" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ↑ "Le Freak in Canadian Adult Contemporary Chart". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
- ↑ "Le Freak in Canadian Disco Singles Chart". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
- ↑ "Le Freak in Canadian Top 15 12inch Chart (with Macho man)". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
- ↑ "Le Freak in Canadian Top Singles Chart". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
- ↑ "Le Freak in French Chart". Dominic DURAND / InfoDisc. Retrieved 16 June 2013. You have to use the index at the top of the page and search "Chic"
- ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Chic – Le Freak". GfK Entertainment.
- 1 2 "irishcharts.ie search results". Retrieved November 28, 2009.
- ↑ "HPI – Settimana del 20/01/79". Retrieved November 28, 2009.
- ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Chic search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Chic – Le Freak" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Chic – Le Freak". Top 40 Singles.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Chic – Le Freak". VG-lista.
- ↑ John Samson. "Le Freak in South African Chart". Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Chic – Le Freak". Singles Top 100.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Chic – Le Freak". Swiss Singles Chart.
- 1 2 "Chic". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Chic – Le Freak" (in French). Les classement single.
- ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Chic – Le Freak". Music Canada. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
- ↑ "French single certifications – Chic – Le Freak" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 29 March 2012. Select CHIC and click OK
- ↑ "Les Singles en Or :" (in French). Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
- ↑ "British single certifications – Chic – Le Freak". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 March 2012. Enter Le Freak in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
- ↑ "American single certifications – Chic – Le Freak". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 29 March 2012. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
- ↑ Perrone, Pierre (27 April 1996). "Obituary: Bernard Edwards". The Independent. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
- ↑ Bronson, Fred (2 August 2013). "Hot 100 55th Anniversary: The All-Time Top 100 Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- Bronson, Fred. The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. Billboard Books.