This article is about the Rick James song. For "De Super Freek Show", the Belgian TV show, see
Evi Hanssen. For "Super Freek", the song from the soundtrack of Observe and Report, see
Observe and Report.
"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,[7] number 481 in 2010, and number 153 in an updated list in 2021.[8] The song was nominated for
the Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the
1982 Grammys.[9] The song has been sampled by
MC Hammer in 1990, and by
Nicki Minaj in 2022.[10]
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 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."[11]
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.
^Superfreak (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Beatfreakz.
Data Records. 2006. DATA135T.{{
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abSuperfreak (UK CD1 liner notes). Beatfreakz. Data Records. 2006. DATA135CDS.{{
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^Superfreak (UK CD2 liner notes). Beatfreakz. Data Records. 2006. DATA 135CDX.{{
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link)
^"
ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 200645 into search. Retrieved January 14, 2020.