"Southern Freeez"
Single by Freeez
from the album Southern Freeez[1]
Released30 January 1981[2]
Recorded1980
StudioVineyard Studios, London
GenreBrit funk,[3] post-disco,[4] funk[4]
Length5:40 (LP version)
LabelBeggars Banquet (UK)
Songwriter(s)Andy Stennett, John Rocca, Peter Maas
Producer(s)John Rocca
Freeez singles chronology
"Stay" / "Hot Footing It"
(1980)		 "Southern Freeez"
(1981)		 "Flying High"
(1981)

"Southern Freeez" produced by John Rocca was the first single released by British dance band Freeez from their debut album, also entitled Southern Freeez. The album was self-funded by member John Rocca and initially released on his Pink Rhythm record label before the group was signed to Beggars Banquet.

Song information

Freeez gained far higher recognition and sales with this record than with the previous singles "Keep in Touch" (which reached number 49 in the UK sales charts)[5] and its follow-up "Stay"/"Hot Footing It".[6] "Southern Freeez" reached number one in the blues and soul chart and spent two weeks at number 8 of the UK Singles Chart during early 1981[7]

Guest Ingrid Mansfield Allman provided vocals.[8] The titular Southern Freeez is attested to derive from a dance move, "The Freeze," used by clubbers in the "Royalty" club, Southgate in the early 1980s. A then-popular song, "The Groove" by Rodney Franklin, has moments where the band drops out for a bar, and a style of freezing movement at these points took hold.[9]

Remix

"Southern Freeez (Remix)"
Single by Freeez
ReleasedSeptember 1987
GenreHouse, Synth-pop, Soul
LabelTotal Control Records (UK)
Warner Bros./FMR (Worldwide)
Songwriter(s)Andy Stennett, John Rocca, Peter Maas
Freeez singles chronology
"I.O.U. (remix)"
(1987)		 "Southern Freeez (Remix)"
(1987)

In 1987, the song was remixed and re-released by the label Total Control. The remix reached number No. 63 in the UK Singles Chart.[5]

Cover versions

UK soul singer Beverley Knight covered "Southern Freeez" for her 2011 album Soul UK.[10] A cover also appeared on the album Brasil Bam Bam Bam (2014) by Sonzeira, a band formed by Gilles Peterson with Emanuelle Araujo and Valerie Etienne on vocals.

Track listing

UK single (1981 version)

  1. "Southern Freeez" - 5:40
  2. "Southern Freeez (LP Version)"

UK single (1987 version)

  1. "Southern Freeez (Dance Mix)"
  2. "Southern Freeez (Avenger Mix)"
  3. "Southern Freeez (7" Edit)"

Charts

1981

Chart (1981) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 18
UK Singles (OCC)[12] 8

1987

Chart Peak
position
UK[5] #63

Credits

Production

John Rocca

Musicians

  • John Rocca (percussion, vocals)
  • Peter Maas (bass)
  • Andy Stennet (keyboards)
  • Paul Morgan (drums)
  • Gordon Sullivan (electric guitar)
  • Ingrid Mansfield Allman (vocals)

Song

  • Written by John Rocca, Peter Maas and Andrew Stennett

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Freeez Discography at Discogs". Discogs.com. 1960-09-23. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
  2. ↑ "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 31 January 1981. p. 24. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  3. ↑ "Freeez | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  4. 1 2 Day, David (20 October 2004). "Some of My Favorite Things: David Day (Freeezstyle)". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 2014-10-26. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 214. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  6. ↑ "Freeez - Stay/Hot Footing It [1980]". Far Out Recordings. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  7. ↑ "Freeez". www.britfunkheaven.org.uk. Archived from the original on 13 December 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  8. ↑ "Ingrid Mansfield Allman Summer Soulstice". Summersoulstice.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
  9. ↑ "Robert Elms Show". Robert Elms Show. October 4, 2013. Event occurs at 2:30:20. BBC London 94.9.
  10. ↑ "Beverley Knight cover of Freeez's 'Southern Freeez'". WhoSampled.com. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
  11. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Southern Freez". Irish Singles Chart.
  12. ↑ "Freeez: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
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