After dropping out of high school and joining the US Naval Reserve, he eventually went AWOL to concentrate on music. He fled to Canada in 1964 and started using the name Ricky Matthews. In Toronto, he led various incarnations of The Mynah Birds, some of which included Neil Young and Bruce Palmer (who would go on to form Buffalo Springfield) and Nick St. Nicholas (later of Steppenwolf). After scoring a deal with Motown, the band was swindled by their manager and the label discovered James was on the lam, and the band split up.
After serving time for desertion, James tried to rekindle the Mynah Birds, but eventually found a role as a writer and producer at Motown, using the name Terry Johnson on tunes for Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers and The Spinners. He moved to California in 1969 and formed Salt 'n' Pepper (not to be confused with Salt-N-Pepa) and worked with a number of bands (Heaven and Earth, Great White Cane, and Stone City Band) before returning to Motown, where he developed the gritty funk sound that would bring him hits and notoriety. "Super Freak" in 1981, from the Street Songs album, was his biggest hit. During this period, he also helped launch the careers of R&B singer Teena Marie and the Mary Jane Girls as well as producing Eddie Murphy's hit, Party All the Time.
After remaining moderately successful through the 80s, his popularity waned in the 90s and he succumbed to drugs, having frequent run-ins with the law, one of which resulted in a prison term. After an unsuccessful comeback attempt in 1997 and suffering a stroke, James retired. He died in 2004 from heart failure with multiple contributing factors.
Super Freak
Rick James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The kind you don't take home to mother
She will never let your spirits down
Once you get her off the street, oh girl
She likes the boys in the band
She says that I'm her all time favorite
When I make my move to her room
That girl is pretty wild now
The girl's a super freak
The kind of girl you read about
In new-wave magazines
That girl is pretty kinky
The girl's a super freak
I'd really love to taste her
Every time we meet
She's all right, she's all right
That girl's all right with me, yeah
Hey, hey, hey, hey
She's a super freak, super freak
She's super freaky, yow
Everybody sing
Super freak, super freak
She's a very special girl (the kind of girl you want around)
From her head down to her toenails (down to her feet, yeah)
And she'll wait for me at backstage with her girlfriends
In a limousine (long and black and shiny, now)
Three's not a crowd to her, she said (ménage à trois, oh my God)
"Room 714, I'll be waiting"
When I get there she's got incense, wine and candles
It's such a freaky scene
That girl is pretty kinky
The girl's a super freak
The kind of girl you read about
In new-wave magazines
That girl is pretty wild now
The girl's a super freak
I'd really like to taste her
Every time we meet
She's all right, she's all right
That girl's all right with me, yeah
Hey, hey, hey, hey
She's a super freak, super freak
She's super freaky, yow
Temptations sing
Ohh
Super freak, super freak
That girl's a super freak
Ohh
She's a very kinky girl
The kind you won't take home to mother
And she will never let your spirits down
Once you get her off the street
Blow Danny
Ow, girl
Ow, girl
The song Super Freak by Rick James is a funky dance hit with lyrics that describe a woman who is not your typical girl next door - she is a "super freak." The first verse is intriguing and establishes the woman's character: She's a very kinky girl, the kind you don't take home to mother. The lyrics suggest that she is rebellious and not conforming to society's expectations of women. The next verse highlights her attraction to "boys in the band" and the fact that the singer is her "all-time favorite." When he makes a move towards her, she is never hard to please. The chorus repeats the phrase "super freak" and emphasizes how wild and kinky this girl is. She is not someone the singer wants to let go of without tasting her. The bridge further emphasizes how special and unique this girl is - from head to toe, she is all the singer wants. She waits for the singer with her girlfriends in a long black limousine, not minding a ménage à trois. The lyrics end by reiterating that the girl is a "super freak" who is fun to have around.
While Rick James's lyrics could be interpreted as misogynistic or objectifying towards women, the song's catchy beat and his smooth voice draw listeners in. Interestingly, the term "super freak" was initially supposed to refer to a man rather than a woman. However, Rick James's girlfriend at the time convinced him to change the lyrics to relate to a woman instead. Another interesting fact is that the song's bassline has been sampled in numerous other tracks, including MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" and Destiny Child's "Bootylicious." In the video for the song, Rick James is seen wearing a gold jumpsuit and a red cape, adding to his reputation as a flamboyant performer. The song's popularity extended beyond the US and reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart. Overall, the song Super Freak stands out for its unique lyrics and groovy beat, making it a classic party anthem.
Chords: F#m, A, D (Verse) and Bm, D, A (Chorus)
Line by Line Meaning
She's a very kinky girl
She has a sexual preference that is considered unconventional by most.
The kind you don't take home to mother
She is not the type of person you would introduce to your parents.
She will never let your spirits down
She will always keep things exciting and interesting.
Once you get her off the street, oh girl
If you take her out of public places, she will be more open to engage in sexual activities.
She likes the boys in the band
She is attracted to men who play musical instruments.
She says that I'm her all time favorite
She has a special affinity towards the singer of the song.
When I make my move to her room
The singer of the song makes sexual advances towards her.
It's the right time, she's never hard to please, oh no
She is willing to have sexual intercourse at the right moment and is very easy to satisfy.
That girl is pretty wild now
She is currently very sexually experimental and adventurous.
The girl's a super freak
She is a person who enjoys sexual activities that are considered unconventional by most people.
The kind of girl you read about in new-wave magazines
She represents the type of people who were often mentioned in magazines with articles about new wave subculture and unconventional lifestyles.
I'd really love to taste her
The artist of the song desires to engage in sexual activities with her.
Every time we meet
Every time the singer of the song interacts with her, he desires to engage in sexual activities.
She's all right, she's all right
She is an acceptable person to be around and interact with.
That girl's all right with me, yeah
The singer of the song finds her acceptable and attractive.
She's a super freak, super freak
She is an unconventional person who enjoys sexual activities that are considered unusual by most.
She's super freaky, yow
She is very sexually adventurous and provocative.
Everybody sing, Super freak, super freak
The singer of the song invites everyone to sing along about how sexually unconventional she is.
She's a very special girl (the kind of girl you want around)
She is the type of person you want to have in your company.
From her head down to her toenails (down to her feet, yeah)
She is physically attractive from top to bottom.
And she'll wait for me at backstage with her girlfriends
She and her female friends may be interested in engaging in group sexual activities with the artist of the song.
In a limousine (long and black and shiny, now)
She will wait for the artist of the song in an expensive limousine.
Three's not a crowd to her, she said (ménage à trois, oh my God)
She does not mind having sex with two other people at the same time, which is a very unconventional sexual preference.
"Room 714, I'll be waiting"
She invites the artist of the song to her hotel room, 714, where she will be waiting for him to engage in sexual activities.
"When I get there she's got incense, wine and candles"
She has prepared a romantic atmosphere for the singer of the song, complete with incense, wine, and candles.
It's such a freaky scene
The sexual encounter that will take place between the singer of the song and her is highly unconventional and provocative.
Temptations sing, Ohh
The Temptations provide backing vocals for the singer's chorus.
Blow Danny
A person named Danny is requested to start playing a melody on his saxophone.
Ow, girl
An expression indicating pleasure or coyness that the artist of the song has towards her.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alonzo Miller, Rick James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jerrybear3081
Mc Hammer: "Cant Touch This"
Rick James: "TOUCH THIS!"
@tetto1982
el pepe
@morenajoyce9142
@@tetto1982 ete sech
@amairanigallagher6359
Las canciones se me hacen muy parecidas, me explican por qué ♥️
@f-2lobos790
@@morenajoyce9142 me when me when me when me when
@patricianavarubio3491
@@amairanigallagher6359 por qué es la misma canción
@jaefousable
Boy did not discriminate at all.
@scottm8579
Sure he did. If you didn't party, you were drop kicked..
@brieplays5433
Well kinky comes in all shapes sizes and colors 🤣
@demitrius2395
Nah you can’t tell he preferred the White woman lmao