I See Red (Jim Rafferty song)

"I See Red"
Single by Frida
from the album Something's Going On
B-side	"I Got Something"
Released	December 1982
Recorded	Polar Studios, Stockholm
Length	4:32
Label	Sunshine Polar
Songwriter(s)	Jim Rafferty
Producer(s)	Phil Collins
Frida singles chronology
"To Turn the Stone" (1982) "I See Red" (1982) "Tell Me It's Over" (1983)
"To Turn the Stone" (1982) I See Red (1982) "Tell Me It's Over" (1983)

"I See Red"
Single by Clannad
from the album Magical Ring
B-side	Tá Mé 'Mo Shuí"
Released	February 1983
Recorded	Windmill Studios, Dublin, Ireland
Genre	New-age
Length	3:45
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	Jim Rafferty
Producer(s)	Richard Dodd
Clannad singles chronology
"Theme from Harry's Game" (1982) "I See Red" (1983) "Newgrange" (1983)
"Theme from Harry's Game" (1982) "I See Red" (1983) "Newgrange" (1983)

"I See Red" is a song written by Gerry Rafferty's brother, Jim Rafferty. I See Red was first recorded by Anni-Frid Lyngstad of ABBA, under the name "Frida" for her first English-language studio album, "Something's Going On". Lyngstad's version did not chart other than South Africa, although subsequent cover versions by other artists such as the Irish folk group, Clannad, included in their album, Magical Ring, resulted in a moderate success. Clannad's version was the follow-up single to their breakthrough hit "Theme from Harry's Game". Gerry Rafferty himself also recorded a version on his 1992 album, On a Wing and a Prayer.

Lyngstad's version

Still of Lyngstad's "I See Red", directed by Stuart Orme. It features Lyngstad accompanied with pinball machines and several dancers.

This song was released as a single in South Africa on December 1982 where 4 months earlier, Frida's hit single "I Know There's Something Going On" was released in the same territory.^[1] The single was coupled with "I Got Something", written by Tomas Ledin.

Music video

Alongside with "I Know There's Something Going On", "To Turn The Stone" and "Here We'll Stay", "I See Red" had a music video directed to promote her album Something's Going On and possibly the single in South Africa. The promotional video features Lyngstad lip-syncing to a montage between pinball machines, a group of acrobats dancing, and balls in a contemporary-styled stage.^[2] Stuart Orme directed the music video for Lyngstad's version.^[3]

Track listing

7" Vinyl

1. "I See Red" – 4:32
2. "I Got Something" – 4:05

General reception

In the sales-based charts, Lyngstad's version did not fare well. However, on the 702 Radio Top 20 charts, "I See Red" rose up to #15 in South Africa.^[1], while Clannad's version charted at No. 81 in the UK Charts..

Cover versions

In 1983, Clannad released the song as a single in February 1983 which later appeared on their album Magical Ring. That same year, it was covered by Estonian singer Velly Joonas under the title "Stopp, seisku aeg" ("Stop The Time"). It was not until it was released in 2015 as a single, gaining a surprise global cult popularity. In 1992, Gerry Rafferty covered I See Red for his album, On A Wing And A Prayer.

References

1. 1 2 Frida - I See Red, retrieved 2017-04-24 
2. ↑ "Frida – I See Red". YouTube. Retrieved 2017-04-24. 
3. ↑ "Frida – I See Red PROMO". ABBAonTV. Retrieved 30 June 2017. 

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics