Fresh (Kool & the Gang song)

"Fresh"
Single by Kool & the Gang
from the album Emergency
B-side "In the Heart"
Released November 24, 1984
Format 7" vinyl
Recorded 1984
Genre Funk, Disco[1]
Length 5:41
Label De-Lite, Mercury
Writer(s)

Robert Earl Bell
Ronald Nathan Bell
James L Bonnefond
George Melvin Brown
Claydes Charles Smith

James "J.T." Taylor
Curtis "Fitz" Williams
Sandy Linzer
Producer(s) Kool & The Gang, Jim Bonnefond
Kool & the Gang singles chronology
"Misled"
(1984)		 "Fresh"
(1984)		 "Cherish"
(1985)

"Fresh" is a song by the American group Kool & the Gang. Released as a single in 1985 from the group's album of the previous year, Emergency, the song peaked at #11 on the UK chart, #9 on the U.S. Hot 100 charts, and was number one on both the U.S. R&B and dance charts.[2][3] The song introduced a new meaning to the word "fresh", meaning "good".[4]

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts

Chart (1985) Peak
position
Canada 10
Ireland (IRMA)[5] 19
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[6] 27
United Kingdom (The Official Charts Company)[7] 11
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[8] 9
U.S. Billboard Dance 5
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 5
U.S. Billboard R&B 1
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 10

Year-end charts

Chart (1985) Rank
Canada [9] 84
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [10] 89
U.S. Cash Box [11] 95

Music video

The action in the music video references the fairy tale Cinderella with the band performing the song at the ball. You then see two overweight women, the Ugly Sisters, eating sandwiches, and a girl, Cinderella, cleaning the floor.

Popular culture

On Edward Yang's 1986 film The Terrorizers this song is played in a dance club when the young woman wants to attract a man so she and a criminal gang can steal his money.

Track listing

12" Maxi De-Lite 881 564-1
  1. "Fresh" - 4:22
  2. "Home Is Where The Heart Is" - 3:51
  3. "Take My Heart" - 4:01
12" Maxi De-Lite 311122
  1. "Fresh" - 4:20
  2. "Rollin'" - 3:11
  3. "You Can Do It" - 4:08
7" Single De-Lite 881 564-7
  1. "Fresh" - 3:20
  2. "Home Is Where The Heart Is" - 3:51

Beat System version

"Fresh"
Single by Beat System
from the album Refreshinator
Released April 21, 1996
Format CD single
Recorded 1995
Length 3:42
Label Intercord
Writer(s) JT Taylor, Sandy Linzer
Producer(s) Black Nero
Beat System singles chronology
"Stay with Me"
(1995)		 "Fresh"
(1996)		 "Reggae Night"
(1996)

In 1996 Beat System released their version of Fresh, which is in contrast to the original backed by rap passages.

Track listing

Maxi-CD

  1. Fresh (Radio Mix) 3:42
  2. Fresh (Extended DJ Mix) 5:32
  3. Fresh (Crazy Z. Version) 3:33
  4. Call My Name 6:08

Maxi-CD

  1. Fresh (Summer Mix) 3:07
  2. Fresh (Summer Classic Club Version) 5:05
  3. Fresh (Original Schnitzelmorph Cut) 5:49

Charts

Chart (1996) Peak
position
German Singles Chart 32
Austria Singles Chart[12] 29
French SNEP Singles Chart 15
Belgian VRT Top 30 18

Liberty X version

"Fresh"
Single by Kool & the Gang featuring Liberty X
from the album Being Somebody and The Hits: Reloaded
Released April 14, 2004
Format CD single, Digital download
Recorded 2004
Length 3:14
Label Edel, V2
Writer(s) JT Taylor, Sandy Linzer
Producer(s) Tony Lundon
Kool & the Gang featuring Liberty X singles chronology
"Everybody Cries"
(2004)		 "Fresh"
(2004)		 "Song 4 Lovers"
(2005)

"Fresh" was re-recorded with English-Irish pop group Liberty X in 2004, to feature on Kool & the Gang's re-recorded greatest hits compilation, The Hits: Reloaded. The new version of the song features Liberty X on vocals, with Kool & the Gang merely playing the instruments. Thus, due to the popularity of this version, it was released as a single in certain European countries on April 14, 2004. Despite its success across Europe, the single was never released in Liberty X's home country, the United Kingdom.

Background

Subsequently, "Fresh" appeared as a bonus track on the Liberty X album Being Somebody in Japan, as well as appearing on certain European editions. At the time of the single's release, the band were in a dispute with their British record label, V2 Records, and thus, it was decided that the single would not be released in the band's home country. The band's version of "Fresh" was produced by band member Tony Lundon, who also went on to produce the band's follow-up hit single, "Song 4 Lovers". Despite this, "Fresh" was regarded as one of the band's best cover versions. The track peaked at number three in Germany, number 12 in France and number 55 in Spain.

Music video

The music video for the single was recorded in late 2003, and features Liberty X playing to an audience in a club, all supported by mics and surrounded by a crowd of the group's fans. Although the video does not feature a vocal appearance from Kool & The Gang, they appear as guests inside the club, charming an African woman who has arrived in search of a man. The video received a small amount of airplay on British music channels, but was often, as is with its upload to the band's official YouTube channel, credited to Liberty X featuring Kool & The Gang, whereas the official release credits the two artists the other way around.[13]

Track listing

[14]

  1. "Fresh" (Album Version) - 3:14
  2. "Fresh" (Bimbo Jones Remix) - 5:58
  1. "Fresh" (Album Version) - 3:14
  2. "Fresh" (Brad Gilderman Remix) - 4:12
  3. "Fresh" (Motivo Pop Mix) - 4:28
  4. "Fresh" (Bimbo Jones Remix) - 5:58
  1. "Fresh" (Album Version) - 3:14
  2. "Fresh" (Motivo Pop Mix) - 4:28
  1. "Fresh" (Album Version) - 3:14
  2. "Fresh" (Brad Gilderman Remix) - 4:12
  3. "Fresh" (Motivo Pop Mix) - 4:28
  4. "Fresh" (Bimbo Jones Remix) - 5:58
  5. "Ladies Night" (featuring Sean Paul and Spanner Banner) - 3:28

Other cover versions

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Fresh genre". Discogs.com. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  2. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 333.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 148.
  4. ↑ Totally awesome 80s - Matthew Rettenmund - Google Boeken. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  5. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 33, 1984". Irish Singles Chart.
  6. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Kool & The Gang search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  7. ↑ "ChartArchive - The Chart Archive". Chartstats.com. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  8. ↑ Stephen Thomas Erlewine (1940-10-14). and the gang-mn0000153526/awards "Kool & The Gang | Awards" Check |url= value (help). AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  9. ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.0619&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062
  10. ↑ http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1985.htm
  11. ↑ http://50.6.195.142/archives/80s_files/1985YESP.html
  12. ↑ Austriancharts.ch
  13. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoMPMPmC4YU
  14. ↑ "Kool & The Gang Featuring Liberty X - Fresh (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-02-16.
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