Le Freak – Chic | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning

Chart Performance: R&B (#1 for 5 weeks), Pop(#1 for 6 weeks ), and Dance (#1 for 7 weeks); 1978

Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne

The #1 record on the 1978 dance floors was part of a 12″ three tune medley released by Chic. Taken from C’est Chic, Le Freak/I Want Your Love/Chic Cheer hit the top spot on November 25th, and stayed there for seven weeks.

By that time, Le Freak – in a single 45rpm version – had also conquered the R&B and pop charts. The genesis of Le Freak occurred one night after Chic masterminds Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were refused entry into Studio 54 on New Year’s Eve, 1977.

Over a bottle of champagne, the two began jamming and singing an x-rated hook, directed toward Studio 54’s doorman and clientele. That morphed into “Ahhh, freak off,” then “freak out.”

At first, Rodgers and Edwards thought they had come up with a pretty good musical intro for their stage entrance, before realizing it was a real song. Their “real” song sold a mean six million copies before they elected to discontinue the single in order to shift sales to the album.

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:

  • Bernard Edwards
  • Nile Rodgers

Lyrics Written by:

  • Bernard Edwards
  • Nile Rodgers

Award:

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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).