Rick James – "Super Freak" (1981)
Throwback time: Rick James's "Super Freak" from 1981. Rick James' official video. Tap the video to watch it right on this page.
D-Train
Rick James' official video. Video from YouTube. I'm not affiliated with the artist. I just love this song.
Braids, leather and that bass line. The Temptations even sang backup on this one. Years later MC Hammer borrowed that riff for "U Can't Touch This," so two generations got down to it.
The story behind the song
Rick James was riding high at Motown in 1981 when he made his Street Songs album. "Super Freak" was the song he reportedly made to get a wider crowd dancing. The story goes that he wasn't even that excited about it at first.
He brought in his Motown labelmates, The Temptations, to sing in the background, including bass singer Melvin Franklin, one of Rick's heroes growing up. The song hit number one on the dance chart and number 3 on the R&B chart.
Nine years later, MC Hammer built "U Can't Touch This" on that same bass line, and a whole new generation got hooked on it. Rick James ended up with songwriting credit on Hammer's hit too.
Find it on Rick James' Street Songs.
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Did you hear this one first, or Hammer's version? Drop it in the comments. ✌️ — D-Train
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