Fresh – Kool & The Gang | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#9) & R&B (#1); 1985
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Kool & The Gang’s 1981 album release was titled “Something Special” and indeed it was: racking up platinum sales, just like the Gang’s previous two long-players.
On the singles side they scored international smashes with Ladies Night, Celebration, and Joanna. 1984 found Kool hotter than ever with a new album, Emergency, and a solid crossover lead-off single, Misled. For a follow-up, the group chose a song that James “J.T.”
Taylor had brought over from a band he’d sung with previously. As with all Kool music, the other band members reworked it in a team effort. With deadlines looming, they turned the track and title, Fresh, over to songwriter Sandy Linzer for help with the lyrics.
The band envisioned Fresh as a commentary on the new things going on in the world. Sandy sat down, switched the hook to “she’s fresh,” and quickly penned the lyrics. Fresh became the second (of four) crossover hits from Emergency: Kool & The Gang’s most successful period in a long and fruitful career.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Kool & the Gang
- Jim Bonnefond
Lyrics Written by:
- Robert Earl Bell
- Ronald Nathan Bell
- James L Bonnefond
- George Melvin Brown
- Claydes Charles Smith
- James “J.T.” Taylor
- Curtis “Fitz” Williams
- Sandy Linzer
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).