IOU (song)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chart positions
Explanation of the data
Singles
IOU
  DE 8th 08/01/1983 (17 weeks)
  CH 5 09/04/1983 (5 weeks)
  UK 2 06/18/1983 (15 weeks)
I .OU (The Ultimate Mixes '87) (feat. John Rocca )
  UK 23 01/17/1987 (6 weeks)

IOU is a 1983 song written and produced by Arthur Baker and performed by British group Freeez . It was mixed with the support of Jellybean . The song was the only big hit of the group, which is why it is considered a one-hit wonder . It appeared on the album of the same name .

background

After Baker had produced the electro-funk album Planet Rock for Afrika Bambaataa , he left Tommy Boy Entertainment in order to set up his own label Streetwise Records with Maurice Starr in 1982 . While working on the soundtrack for Beat Street , he composed IOU in a taxi on the way to recording sessions with Freeez. The song was recorded in 1982 at Unique Studios in New York . The rhythm was created on the Roland TR-808 and numerous tracks programmed on the Fairlight CMI gave the song the melody. The single and the album of the same name were not released on the label Beggars Banquet , with which Freeez were under contract, but on Streetwise. Cooperation with Freeez the first British band made other formations from the UK, as New Order or the Pet Shop Boys , attention to Baker, for he next American bands like New Edition subsequently remixed or produced.

Content of the song

IOU is the abbreviation “I owe you” (“I owe you”), which is also used on promissory notes . The man who loves women feels obliged to the woman and implores her to stand by him and to love him. He professes his love for her and wants her to love him again. He has doubts about their love when they are with other people and wants her to confess to him and speak openly to him about her love. The chorus a, e, i, o, u that occurs in the song stands for the five vowels in the English language.

Music genre

Stylistically, the song can be assigned to Electroboogie . It has a rate of 119 bpm . The soaring synthesizer sounds at the beginning of the song are mentioned by Michael Long in his book Beautiful Monsters: Imagining the Classic in Musical Media as an example of ascending tone sequences in pop music.

Publication and chart successes

IOU was released worldwide on June 17, 1983. The song reached top 15 placements in New Zealand (4th place), the Netherlands (2nd place) and Sweden (12th place). The song ranked # 2 on the UK charts in 1983 before reaching # 1 on the Billboard Dance Music / Club Play Singles in the United States, the group's only top single on any chart listing in the United States. The song was the 20th best-selling single from 1983 in the United Kingdom. IOU was in breakdance - film Beat Street used from 1984, but is not part of the published as an album soundtracks.

In 1987 Freeez released a remix of the song, which reached number 23 in the UK.

Music video

The music video from 1983 shows the band's bassist, Peter Maas, and their singer, John Rocca , playing and singing. In between, short scenes of young people on BMX bikes and breakdancers dancing to the music are shown.

reception

Julian Jochmaring from the taz rates the song as "wonderfully naive and euphoric" and as the best example of the transatlantic cooperation in pop music of the 1980s.

Track lists

1983 publications

7 "vinyl single

  • United Kingdom: Beggars Banquet / BEG 96
  • Germany, Netherlands: Virgin / 105 535
  • United States: Streetwise / SWRL-1110
  • Australia: Powderworks / POW 0146
    • A-side: IOU, 3:48
    • B-side: I Dub U, 4:38
  • Japan: Victor / VIPX-1742
    • A-side: IOU
    • B-side: Pop Goes My Love

12 "vinyl maxi single

  • UK: Beggars Banquet / BEG 96 (T)
  • Germany, France: Virgin / 600 902
  • Australia: Powderworks / POWT 0146
  • Spain: Beggars Banquet / F-600902
  • Canada: Vertigo / SOVX 2327
    • A-side: IOU (Megamix), 8:43 minutes
    • B-side: 1. I Dub U, 7:37 minutes, 2. We Got the Jazz, 4:04 minutes
  • United Kingdom: Beggars Banquet / BEG 96TA
    • A-side: IOU (Megamix), 8:43 minutes
    • B-side: 1. IOU (a cappella mix) 4:03 minutes, 2. We Got the Jazz, 4:04 minutes
  • US: Streetwise / SWRL 2210 (some with a second title on the B-side)
    • A side, IOU, 7:50 minutes
    • B-side, 1st I. Dub. U., 7:49 minutes

Published in 1986

12 "vinyl maxi single (Freeez featuring John Rocca )

  • US: Criminal / CRIM 00007
    • A-side: 1st IOU (Ultimate Club, Vocal Mix) 8:00 minutes, 2nd IOU (Ultimate Drumapella), 4:10 minutes
    • B-side: 1st IOU (Ultimate Shakedown Gogo, Vocal Mix), 6:37 minutes, 2nd IOU (Ultimate Club, Dub Mix), 6:50 minutes

Publications 1987

7 "vinyl single

  • United Kingdom: City Beat / CBE 709
    • A-side IOU (Club Vocal Edit), 3:55 minutes
    • B-side IOU (Shakedown Vocal Edit), 3:55 minutes
  • Sweden: City Beat / BB 7105
    • A-side IOU (Shakedown), 3:55 minutes
    • B-side IOU (Club), 4:00 minutes

12 "vinyl maxi single (Freeez featuring John Rocca )

  • United Kingdom: City Beat / CBE 1209
  • France: Virgin / 80291
  • Germany: Virgin / 608 897
    • A-side 1. IOU (Ultimate Club Dub Mix), 6:32 minutes; 2. IOU (Ultimate Club Vocal Mix), 6:02 minutes
    • B-side 1. IOU (Ultimate Shakedown Vocal Mix), 6:37 minutes; 2. IOU (Ultimate Shakedown Instrumental Mix), 5:18 minutes
  • Sweden: City Beat / BB 8105
    • A-side, 1st IOU (Ultimate Shakedown Vocal Mix), 6:40 minutes 2nd IOU (Ultimate Shakedown Instrumental Mix), 5:25 minutes
    • B-side IOU (Ultimate Club Vocal Mix), 6:10 minutes, 2nd IOU (Ultimate Club Dub Mix), 6:35 minutes

Cover versions

The song was sampled several times, for example in 1990 by WestBam in the song The Roof Is on Fire and in 1991 by Arthur Baker . Cutfather and Joe use a sample for their remix of Brandy's single Full Moon from 2002 as well as Cheryl Cole for the song Let's Get Down from the album Messy Little Raindrops from 2010. A cover version of the Phonkillaz from Cologne from 2002 became the theme tune of The 80s Show on RTL Television .

Web links

swell

  1. ↑ a b c Chart sources: DE CH UK
  2. ^ Carl Larkin: The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul , p. 129 Online
  3. ↑ a b Ulli Wenger: One Hit Wonder Freeez: IOU ( Memento from July 4, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) on br.de from March 27, 2000
  4. ↑ David N. Howard: Sonic Alchemy - Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings . Hal Leonard, Milwaukee 2004, ISBN 0-634-05560-7 , pp. 269 .
  5. ^ Peter Shapiro: Turn the Beat Around: The Secret History of Disco , p. 272 Online
  6. ↑ Donald Brusca, Donny Brusca: The Bpm List: A Music Reference Guide for Mobile Djs , p. 441 Online
  7. ↑ Michael Long: Beautiful Monsters: Imagining the Classic in Musical Media , p. 64 Online
  8. ↑ New Zealand
  9. ↑ Netherlands
  10. ↑ Sweden
  11. ↑ IOU at Allmusic (English)
  12. ↑ music video
  13. ↑ The cultural heritage of the GI Disco: A once well-guarded niche in: The daily newspaper of October 8, 2010
  14. ↑ Arthur Baker IOU sampled in West Bam The Roof Is on Fire on Whosampled.com