Freddie's Dead

Curtis Mayfield

About Freddie's Dead

"Freddie's Dead" is a song by Curtis Mayfield. It was the first single from his 1972 soundtrack album for the film Super Fly. The single was released before the Super Fly album, and in fact before the film itself was in theaters. The song peaked at #4 on the U. S. Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the R&B chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 82 song for 1972. The song laments the death of Fat Freddie, a character in the film who is run over by a car. Like most of the music from the Super Fly album, "Freddie's Dead" appears in the film only in an instrumental arrangement, without any lyrics. The song's music is featured prominently in the film's opening sequence and also recurs at several other points. Because of this usage the song was subtitled "Theme from Superfly" on its single release (but not on the album). It is not to be confused with "Superfly", a different song and the second single released from the Super Fly album. The arrangement is driven by a strong bass line, wah wah guitars, and a melancholy string orchestration. 


Year:
1998
2:43
128 
#3

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Hey, hey
Love, love
Yeah, yeah
Ah, ha
Freddie's dead
That's what I said
Let the rap a plan
Said he'd see him home
But his hope was a rope
And he should've known
It's hard to understand
That there's love in this man
I'm sure all would agree
That his misery was his
Woman and things
Now Freddie's dead
That's what I said

Everybody's misused him
Ripped him up and abused him
Another junkie plan
Pushing dope for the man
A terrible blow
But that's how it goes
A Freddie's on the corner now
If you want to be a junkie, wow
Remember Freddie's dead

We're all built up with progress
But sometimes I must confess
We can deal with rockets and dreams
But reality, what does it mean
Ain't nothing said
Cause Freddie's dead

Hey, hey
Love, love
Hey, hey
Yeah, yeah
Ha, ha
Love, love
Yeah, yeah
Ha, ha
Yeah, yeah
Freddie's dead

All I want is some peace of mind
With a little love I'm trying to find
This could be such a beautiful world
With a wonderful girl
Why I need a woman child
Don't want to be like Freddie now
Cause Freddie's dead
Hey, hey
Yeah, yeah
If you don't try
You're going to die

Why can't we brothers
Protect one another
No one's serious
And it makes me furious
Don't be misled
Just think of Fred

Everybody's misused him
Ripped him up and abused him
Another junkie plan
Pushing dope for the man
A Freddie's on the corner now
If you want to be a junkie, why
Remember Freddie's dead
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Freddie's dead
Hey, hey
Ha, ha
Love, love
Ha, ha

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Curtis Mayfield

Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly regarded as a pioneer of funk and of politically conscious African-American music. He was also a multi-instrumentalist who played the guitar, bass, piano, saxophone, and drums. Mayfield is a winner of both the Grammy Legend Award (in 1994) and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (in 1995), and he was a double inductee into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted as a member of The Impressions into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame i… more »

4 fans

Written by: CURTIS MAYFIELD

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Origins
Released in 1972, "Freddie's Dead" is a song by American soul musician Curtis Mayfield.
Album Trivia
The track is part of a larger conceptual album called 'Super Fly,' which remains one of the pioneering achievements in the genre of blaxploitation films.
Cinematic Connection
"Freddie’s Dead" was written as the theme song for the movie 'Super Fly,' which was directed by Gordon Parks Jr. Freddie is a character in the movie who dies due to the consequences of life in the drug trade.
Song Theme
With strong anti-drug messages, the song is one of Mayfield's many socially conscious compositions, reflecting his deep concern for the plight of the urban poor.
Chart Success
"Freddie's Dead" was one of Mayfield's biggest hits, charting at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching No. 2 on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart.
Awards and Nominations
In 1973, "Freddie's Dead" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song.
Instrumentation
The song is known for its distinct funk and soul sound, marked by Mayfield's smooth falsetto and a catchy saxophone solo.
Cultural Impact
Mayfield's song has been covered and sampled by various artists throughout the years, showcasing its continued influence on popular music.
Recognition
In 1995, "Freddie’s Dead" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, signifying its lasting cultural significance.
Song Length
The initial version of "Freddie's Dead," used in the movie, lasts over five minutes, while the single version is shorter, lasting just over three minutes.

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