Rick James, Super Freak | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 97^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “Super Freak” by Rick James.

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 97^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2023), we recollect and reflect on 🎵 “Super Freak”, performed by 🎙 Rick James.

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“She’s a very kinky girl / The kind you don’t take home to mother.” Woo! 🎙 Rick James (1948 – 2004) was such a talent. Listening back to his 1981, platinum certified album, 💿 Street Songs in particular, his musicianship is nothing short of incredible. Street Songs is one of the true gems in terms of 1980s R&B and funk.  Chocked full of hits like 🎵 “Fire and Desire” with fellow late, great, 🎙 Teena Marie, and 🎵 “Give It To Me Baby”, the biggest hit of them all is none other than 🎵 “Super Freak”.  It is safe to say, 🎙 MC Hammer and 🎙 Nicki Minaj, among others, owe James big time for sampling his ace in the hole, which peaked at no. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in ’81.

The funked-up instrumental is a major selling point on “Super Freak.” Specifically, the iconic riff is what fuels the fire.  Furthermore, the lyrics are infectious, naughty, and tongue in cheek.  In the first verse, unsurprisingly, Rick is the object of her affection: “She likes the boys in the band / She says that I’m her all-time favorite / When I make my move to her room, it’s the right time / She’s never hard to please, oh no.” Woo! It gets freakier in the second verse, where “Three’s not a crowd to her, she says (Ménage à trois, oui la la).” Of course, the pre-chorus and chorus are the catchiest sections, emphasizing her utter freakiness.  Beyond the fact that “She’s a super freak,” it cool that 🎙 The Temptations contribute background vocals, with James shouting them out during the bridge.  Fun fact, The Temptations’ iconic bass singer, 🎙 Melvin Franklin, was Rick’s uncle 🤯.  How about another mind blowing fact?  James won his sole 🏆 Grammy for his writing credit on MC Hammer’s 🎵 “U Can’t Touch This”, which won Best Rhythm & Blues Song 🤯. All told, 🎵 “Super Freak” is #ICONIC – one of the best songs, regardless of genre, of all-time.

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Also, check out 🔻:

• Rick James, “Fire and Desire”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 67 (2023)
• Rick James, “Give It To Me Baby”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 82 (2023)

🎙 Rick James • 💿 Street Songs • 🏷 Motown • 🗓 1981

Rick James, “Super Freak”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 97 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Motown; John Alan Sperry, PIRO via  Pixabay]