Fresh (Kool & the Gang song)

"Fresh"
Artwork for US 7-inch single
Single by Kool & the Gang
from the album Emergency
B-side"In the Heart"
ReleasedNovember 24, 1984
Recorded1984
Genre
Length4:27
LabelDe-Lite, Mercury
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Kool & the Gang singles chronology
"Misled"
(1984) 		"Fresh"
(1984) 		"Cherish"
(1985)
Music video
"Kool & the Gang – Fresh" on YouTube

"Fresh" is a song by the American group Kool & the Gang. Released as a single in 1984 from the album Emergency, the song peaked at #9 on the U.S. Hot 100 chart, and #11 on the UK chart. It also reached number one on both the U.S. R&B chart and U.S. Dance chart.[1][2]

Music video

The action in the music video references the fairy tale Cinderella with the band performing the song at the ball. The two overweight women, the Ugly Sisters, are seen eating sandwiches, and a girl, Cinderella, cleaning the floor. Then suddenly Marilyn-lookalike Fairy appears and saves the day.

Track listings

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

Chart performance

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[19] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Silver 250,000^
United States (RIAA)[21] Gold 500,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

The song was played on the 5733rd episode of the American television soap General Hospital on August 14, 1985, when Terri (Robyn Bernard) was going wild at the bar.

Kool & the Gang themselves were featured in a 1986 television advertisement for the fast-food hamburger chain Wendy's, in which they were in a recording studio singing and dancing to the song, with lyrics slightly altered to fit the tagline, "Choose Fresh. Choose Wendy's."

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

In 2021, the supermarket chain Kroger started using the song in its television commercials.

Beat System version

"Fresh"
Single by Beat System
from the album Refreshinator
ReleasedApril 21, 1996
Recorded1995
Length3:42
LabelIntercord
Songwriter(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 samples the original with added vocals and rapping.

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
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[22] 29
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[23] 37
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[24] 18
France (SNEP)[25] 15
Germany (GfK)[26] 32

2004 version

"Fresh"
Single by Kool & the Gang featuring Liberty X
from the album Being Somebody and The Hits: Reloaded
ReleasedApril 14, 2004
Genre
Length3:14
LabelEdel, V2
Songwriter(s)JT Taylor, Sandy Linzer
Producer(s)Tony Lundon
Liberty X singles chronology
"Everybody Cries"
(2004) 		"Fresh"
(2004) 		"Song 4 Lovers"
(2005)
Audio
Fresh (feat. Liberty X) on YouTube

"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 a 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.

Track listing

German CD single

  1. "Fresh" (Album Version) - 3:14
  2. "Fresh" (Bimbo Jones Remix) - 5:58

German maxi CD single

  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

French CD single

  1. "Fresh" (Album Version) - 3:14
  2. "Fresh" (Motivo Pop Mix) - 4:28

Spanish CD single

  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

See also

References

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 333.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 148.
  3. ^ "Kool & The Gang – Fresh" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  4. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1985-06-22. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  5. ^ "Kool & The Gang – Fresh" (in French). Les classement single.
  6. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Kool & The Gang – Fresh" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  7. ^ "Chart Track: Week 33, 1984". Irish Singles Chart.
  8. ^ "Kool & The Gang – Fresh" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  9. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Kool The Gang" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  10. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  11. ^ "Kool the Gang Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  12. ^ "Kool the Gang Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
  13. ^ "Kool the Gang Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  14. ^ "Kool the Gang Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  15. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-10-21. Retrieved 2016-11-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1985/Top 100 Songs of 1985". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  17. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - Year End (1985)". Billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1985". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 2012-10-01. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
  19. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Kool & the Gang – Fresh". Music Canada. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  20. ^ "British single certifications – Kool & the Gang – Fresh". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  21. ^ "American single certifications – Kool & the Gang – Fresh". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  22. ^ "Beat System – Fresh" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  23. ^ "Beat System – Fresh" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  24. ^ "Beat System – Fresh" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  25. ^ "Beat System – Fresh" (in French). Les classement single.
  26. ^ "Beat System – Fresh" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.