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Super Freak
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Super Freak" is a 1981 hit single, produced and performed by Rick James for the Motown label. The song, co-written by James and Alonzo Miller, was first released on James' album Street Songs, reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was one of James' signature songs. It features background vocals from Motown labelmates The Temptations, in which the bass singer is James' uncle Melvin Franklin, and Canadian singer Taborah Johnson.
The song is well known by those who grew up in the late-1980s/early-1990s for being sampled by M.C. Hammer on his smash hit "U Can't Touch This". However, the "Rick James" segments featured on Chappelle's Show have brought the original song back into general familiarity. The title track of Jay-Z's comeback album Kingdom Come features a sample from "Super Freak."
An instrumental version of the song was also heard in the 1983 comedy Doctor Detroit, the 1992 movie Batman Returns, and the song plays a major part in the climax of the 2006 film Little Miss Sunshine. Australian Idol 4 finalist Bobby Flynn performed a unique and memorable version of the song. Most recently the track has featured in the soundtrack to the 2006 video game Scarface: The World is Yours. It is also featured in the Australian movie Garage Days and "American Dreamz".
The Dave Matthews Band also paid homage to the deceased Rick James in Live Trax Vol. 8, segueing into "Super Freak," thrilling the fans, who sang along enthusiastically. [1]
In 1984, the Los Angeles based novelty band Big Daddy recorded the song to slower beat trying to sound like the Everly Brothers. In 2006, the Beatfreakz made their own cover version of the song, under the same name of "Superfreak" and gained a #7 UK hit with it.
Also, in 2006, the underground Chicago band Straitjacket covered this song on their album Vices.
The song, done in bluegrass style by Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby, is featured on their eponymous collaborative album.