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Kung Fu Fighting

1974 single by Carl Douglas

1974 single by Carl Douglas

FieldValue
nameKung Fu Fighting
coverKungFuFightingCarlDouglas.jpg
borderyes
typesingle
artistCarl Douglas
albumKung Fu Fighting and Other Great Love Songs
B-sideGamblin' Man
releasedAugust 1974
genreDisco
length3:15
labelPye (UK and Canada)
20th Century Fox (US)
Astor (Australia)
writerCarl Douglas
producerBiddu Appaiah
next_titleDance the Kung Fu
next_year1975

| B-side = Gamblin' Man 20th Century Fox (US) Astor (Australia)

"Kung Fu Fighting" is a disco song by Jamaican-British vocalist Carl Douglas, written by Douglas and produced by British-Indian musician Biddu. It was released in 1974 as the first single from his debut album, Kung Fu Fighting and Other Great Love Songs (1974), on the cusp of a chopsocky film craze and rose to the top of the British, Australian, Canadian, and American charts, in addition to reaching the top of the Soul Singles chart. It received a Gold certification from the RIAA in 1974 and popularized disco music. It eventually went on to sell eleven million records worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. The song uses the Oriental riff, a short musical phrase that is used to signify Chinese culture.

"Kung Fu Fighting" was rated number 100 in VH1's 100 Greatest one-hit wonders, and number one in the UK Channel 4's Top 10 One Hit Wonders list in 2000, the same channel's 50 Greatest One Hit Wonders poll in 2006 and Bring Back ... the one-hit Wonders, for which Carl Douglas performed the song in a live concert. The song was covered (using different lyrics) by CeeLo Green with Jack Black and The Vamps for the first and third films of the Kung Fu Panda franchise, respectively.

Background and composition

The song was originally meant to be a B-side to Douglas’s song “I Want to Give You My Everything" (written by Larry Weiss). Biddu originally hired Douglas to sing "I Want to Give You My Everything" but needed something to record for the B-side, and asked Douglas if he had any lyrics they could use. Douglas showed several, and Biddu chose the one that would later be called "Kung Fu Fighting" and worked out a melody but did not take the song too seriously.

After more than two hours recording the A-side and then time for a break, there were only ten minutes of studio time remaining due to a three-hour time constraint for the entire session. This meant only two takes of "Kung Fu Fighting" were recorded. According to Biddu, Kung Fu Fighting' was the B-side so I went over the top on the 'huhs' and the 'hahs' and the chopping sounds. It was a B-side: who was going to listen?" After hearing both songs, Robin Blanchflower of Pye Records insisted that "Kung Fu Fighting" be the A-side instead.

Following its release, the song did not receive any radio airplay for the first five weeks and sold poorly. However, “Kung Fu Fighting” began gaining popularity in dance clubs, eventually entered the UK Singles Chart at number 42 on 17 August 1974, and peaked at number 1 on 21 September, where it remained for three weeks. It was then released in the United States, where it quickly topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single went on to sell eleven million records worldwide. At the Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) Jukebox Awards in 1975, the song was awarded "Jukebox Soul Record of the Year" for being the year's highest-earning soul music song played on jukebox machines in the United States. The song was featured in the 1981 film, This Is Elvis.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1974–1975)Peak
positionAustralia (Kent Music Report)Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)New ZealandSouth Africa (Springbok Radio)US Billboard Hot 100US Hot Disco Singles (Billboard)US Hot Soul Singles (Billboard)US Cash Box Top 100US Record World Singles
1
6
1
1
1
3
1
1
1

Year-end charts

Chart (1974)PositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)Canada Top Singles (RPM)France (IFOP)Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)South Africa (Springbok Radio)
22
8
18
5
9
2
Chart (1975)PositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)Brazil (Brazilian Radio Airplay)US Billboard Hot 100US Cash Box Top 100
53
5
13
14
11

All-time charts

Chart (1958–2018)PositionUS Billboard Hot 100
443

Sales and certifications

Track listing

  1. "Kung Fu Fighting" – 3:15
  2. "Gamblin' Man" – 3:03

Bus Stop version

British dance act Bus Stop reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart with their 1998 remix single of "Kung Fu Fighting", which sampled the original vocals by Carl Douglas and added rap verses. In Australia, the single received a gold certification from ARIA. The song was featured in the 1999 film Bowfinger and 2001 film Shaolin Soccer.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1998)Peak
positionDenmark (IFPI)Estonia (Eesti Top 20)Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)
10
4
50

Year-end charts

Chart (1998)PositionAustralia (ARIA)New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)
40
7

Sales and certifications

References

References

  1. Huey, Steve. "Carl Douglas – Artist Biography". [[AllMusic]].
  2. "RIAA – Gold & Platinum Searchable Database – Kung Fu Fighting". [[Recording Industry Association of America.
  3. Browne, Malika. (20 August 2004). "It's a big step from disco to Sanskrit chants, but Biddu has made it". [[The Sunday Times]].
  4. Ellis, James. (27 October 2009). ["Biddu"](http://metro.co.uk/2009/10/27/biddu-636450/}} {{unreliable source?). [[Metro (British newspaper).
  5. Cohen, Jonathan. (12 May 2008). "Jack Black, Cee-Lo cover 'Kung Fu Fighting'".
  6. Rees, Katrina. (16 December 2015). "The Vamps are Kung Fu Fighting".
  7. "Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas".
  8. Bronson, Fred. (2003). "The Billboard Book of Number One Hits". Billboard Books.
  9. Bronson, Fred. (1988). "The Billboard Book of Number One Hits". Billboard Books.
  10. "Carl Douglas". [[Official Charts Company]].
  11. (October 1975). "Freddy Fender captures top JB awards, will play for MOA stage show".
  12. "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1970's".
  13. Pennanen, Timo. (2021). "Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021". Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava.
  14. Scapolo, Dean. (2007). "The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966–2006". Maurienne House.
  15. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (D)".
  16. "Carl Douglas – Awards". [[AllMusic]].
  17. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending DECEMBER 14, 1974".
  18. (14 December 1974). "The Singles Chart".
  19. (30 December 1974). "National Top 100 Singles for 1974". [[Kent Music Report]].
  20. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1970s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien.
  21. "Jaaroverzichten 1974". [[Ultratop]]. Hung Medien.
  22. (28 December 1974). "The Top 200 Singles of '74".
  23. "TOP – 1974".
  24. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1974". [[Dutch Top 40]].
  25. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1974".
  26. (29 December 1975). "National Top 100 Singles for 1975". [[Kent Music Report]].
  27. "Jahreshitparade 1975". Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien.
  28. (March 30, 2018). "Brazilian Top 100 Year-End 1975". Crowley Broadcast Analysis.
  29. "Top 100 Hits for 1975".
  30. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1975".
  31. "Hot 100 60th Anniversary".
  32. (9 May 1998). "New Releases: Singles".
  33. Anderson, Jason. (2 November 2012). "Kung Fu hip hop: the legend continues". [[Toronto Star]].
  34. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Singles". [[Australian Recording Industry Association.
  35. "Shaolin Soccer – Tunefind". [[Tunefind]].
  36. (27 June 1998). "Hits of the World".
  37. (July 21, 1998). "Eesti Top 20". [[Sõnumileht]].
  38. (15 August 1998). "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles".
  39. "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Singles 1998". [[ARIA Charts]].
  40. "End of Year Charts 1998". Recorded Music NZ.
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