Le Freak

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"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
"Everybody Dance"
(1977)		 "Le Freak"
(1978)		 "I Want Your Love"
(1978)

"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


Preceded by 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 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

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. "disco hits like Chic's "Le Freak,""
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1979
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Chic – Le Freak" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  10. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Chic – Le Freak" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. You have to use the index at the top of the page and search "Chic"
  16. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Chic – Le Freak". GfK Entertainment.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Chic search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  20. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Chic – Le Freak" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  21. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Chic – Le Freak". Top 40 Singles.
  22. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Chic – Le Freak". VG-lista.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Chic – Le Freak". Singles Top 60.
  25. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Chic – Le Freak". Swiss Singles Chart.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Chic – Le Freak" (in French). Les classement single.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Select CHIC and click OK
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. 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
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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