THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

418-Rick James-Super Freak.

1981-It has never charted in the UK.

Best Bit-At 2.33. When it comes to quality Funk on Motown, ‘U Can’t Touch This.’

Rick James was born James Ambrose Johnson Jr. on February 1st, 1948, in Buffalo, New York, United States, he died on August 6th, 2004, from pulmonary failure, and cardiac failure, at the age of 56. James had suffered from drug abuse since his teens, and at the time of his death he had various health conditions including diabetes. He had also previously suffered a stroke, and a heart attack, and was fitted with a pacemaker.

Rick James joined the U.S. Navy Reserve in order to avoid being drafted in to the army, but in 1964 he deserted to Toronto, Canada, where he co-founded the ‘R&B,’ and ‘Rock’ band ‘The Mynah Birds,’ whose line up of 14 rotating members between 1964-1967 included Neil Young (see also best songs 602 and 599) and Bruce Palmer (1946-2004) who would go on to form Buffalo Springfield. On finding out that Johnson was a fugitive it was the Canadian Pop singer Shirley Matthews (1942-2013) who suggested he changed his name to Ricky James Matthews, after a cousin of hers who had died. The Mynah Birds were signed to Motown records, but none of their recordings on that label were officially released until 2006. The authorities eventually caught up with Rick James, and he was sentenced to a one year prison term for desertion. After his release he started a variety of musical projects, and he finally found success in 1977 when signing with ‘Gordy Records’ a subsidiary of Motown.

The discography of Rick James includes 13 studio Albums released between 1978-2007, and 40 singles released between 1974-2006, there are also a further three Albums released between 1980-1983 that are credited to ‘The Stone City Band,’ and a 1970 Album recorded with Bruce Palmer called ‘The Cycle Is Complete,’ where he provides vocals and percussion. There have also been 10 official compilation Albums issued to date between 1984-2014. Rick James also had great success writing and producing for other artists on Motown, including The Temptations, (see also best songs 1031-1001-777 and 569) Teena Marie, (1956-2010) (see also best songs 735) and The Mary Jane Girls. In America on Billboard his only top 10 Album is ‘Street Songs’ from 1981, which reached Number 3, although 12 of his studio Albums have made the Billboard ‘Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums’ chart. On the Billboard Hot 100, five of his singles have reached the top 40, with ‘You and I’ peaking the highest at Number 13 in 1978, and ‘Super Freak’ making Number 16, while 23 of his singles have charted within the top 40 on the ‘Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs’ chart, with four of those tracks making the Number 1 position. Rick James did write and produce the song ‘Party All the Time,’ which when recorded by the American actor and singer Eddie Murphy reached Number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985. In the UK, Rick James has never had a top 40 single, although he wrote and produced ‘All Night Long’ for the ‘Mary Jane Girls’ which made Number 13 in 1983.

‘Super Freak’ was the second of four singles released from Rick James’ fifth studio Album ‘Street Songs,’ from April 1981, the song was co-written by Rick James, and Alonzo Miller, with the production being by Rick James. Alonzo Miller was a Los Angeles radio DJ who modified the tone of the lyrics in order that the song had a better chance of being played to a crossover white audience. It is said that Rick James was not initially excited about the song, but reputedly wanted to have something on the Album that ‘White folks could dance to.’ Some of the backing vocals on the track were provided by The Temptations who had recently returned to Motown records.

In 1990 Rick James successfully sued the American rapper MC Hammer for his sampling of this song on his 1990 Billboard Number 1 single ‘U Can’t Touch This’, having both James’ name and Miller’s added to the writing credits. In 2006 the Dutch ‘Dance Music’ group ‘Beatfreakz’ covered ‘Super Freak,’ taking their version to Number 7 in the UK. The song has also been sampled by Big Sean featuring Nicki Minaj on their single ‘Dance (Ass,’) (2011-Billboard Number 10) the American group the Black Eyed Peas on their 2020 single ‘Vida Loca,’ and it was also sampled by Nicki Minaj on her 2022 single, ‘Super Freaky Girl’ (Billboard Number 1 & UK Number 5.)

‘Super Freak’ is about a girl who is very adventurous sexually, a ‘Freak’ is slang for someone willing to try various fetishes, thus a ‘Super Freak’ will try just about anything.

‘She’s a very kinky girl, the kind you don’t take home to mother. She will never let your spirits down, once you get her off the street.’