Kung Fu Fighting Carl Douglas

Kung Fu Fighting Album: Kung Fu Fighting And Other Great Love Songs (1974)
by Carl Douglas

Kung Fu and disco come together on this song, merging two of the biggest trends of the '70s. Disco was just finding its groove when the song was released in 1974, but Kung Fu had been kicking for a while, with Bruce Lee movies like Fist Of Fury (1972) and Enter The Dragon (1973), and a popular TV series called Kung Fu starring David Carradine that ran from 1972-1975. The combination proved irresistible: "Kung Fu Fighting" was a global hit, going to #1 in most countries where it was released, including America, where it spent two weeks at the top in December 1974.

Carl Douglas was working as a session singer for Pye Records in London when he wrote this song. He got the idea one night in Soho when he walked by a pinball arcade and saw some kids using Kung Fu moves in a mock fight, moving in time to the music. He turned to his buddy and said, "Damn, looks like everybody's Kung Fu fighting."

"At that moment, I heard it all in my head, melody line as well, so I had to rush home and write it down," he explained in the Billboard Book Of #1 Hits.

Douglas was born in Jamaica - you'll hear a bit of reggae in this song as a nod to his heritage. He was the first Jamaican-born singer to have a #1 hit in the US. He also became the first British-based singer to land a #1 hit on the R&B chart when "Kung Fu Fighting" topped that tally.

"Kung Fu Fighting" seems like a glaringly obvious hit, but it was banished to a B-side when Douglas recorded it with the Asian producer Biddu (last name: Appaiah) and sent it to Pye Records with a far more generic song called "I Want To Give You My Everything" as the A-side.

"'Kung Fu Fighting' was not meant to be a hit," Biddu told the Metro newspaper August 6, 2004. "Carl Douglas recorded something for an A-side of a single and every session was three hours long. We spent two hours on the first song and then took a break and I said: 'Quick guys, we need to record the B-side in two takes.' Kung Fu Fighting was the B-side so I went over the top on the 'huhs' and the 'hahs' and the chopping sounds. It was a B-side: who was going to listen? I played the A-side to the guy at Pye Records, Robin Blanchflower, and he said: 'Can I listen to the rest of the reel?' When he heard it, he said: 'This should be the A-side.'"

Biddu became the first Asian producer at the helm of a UK #1 hit.

The song was first released in the UK, where Douglas was based. After a slow start, it began selling and rose to #1 in September 1974. Pye then teamed with the US label 20th Century to release it in America, where it hit the top spot three months later.

Douglas donned a bandana and robe when he performed this song, doing the kicks and chops to demonstrate the dance that came to be known as the "Kung Fu." The dance was a little dangerous but very popular - anyone can do it.

The follow-up single was "Dance The Kung Fu," which didn't have nearly as much punch, topping out at #48 in America and #35 in the UK. Carl Douglas never again charted in America and had just one more entry in the UK: "Run Back" in 1977, which went to #25.
Of course this was used in the 2008 kids' movie Kung Fu Panda, performed by Cee-Lo Green and Jack Black. The original Carl Douglas version was used in the movies City of God (2002), Wayne's World 2 (1994), Beverly Hills Ninja (1997), Daddy Day Care (2003), and Bowfinger (1999).

In 1998 "Kung Fu Fighting" returned to the UK chart, peaking at #8 in a rendition by the British dance act Bus Stop. Their version sampled Carl Douglas' original vocals. Bus Stop members included Mark Hall and Graham Turner, who later recorded as Flip & Fill. Daz Sampson, who later represented the UK in the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest, was also a member of the group.

Everybody was kung-fu fighting
Those kicks were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightening
But they fought with expert timing

They were funky China men from funky Chinatown
They were chopping them up and they were chopping them down
It's an ancient Chinese art and everybody knew their part
From a feint into a slip, and kicking from the hip

Everybody was kung-fu fighting
Those kicks were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightening
But they fought with expert timing

There was funky Billy Chin and little Sammy Chung
He said here comes the big boss, let's get it on
We took a bow and made a stand, started swinging with the hand
The sudden motion made me skip now we're into a brand knew trip

Everybody was kung-fu fighting
Those kicks were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightening
But they did it with expert timing

Keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on

Everybody was kung-fu fighting
Those kicks were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightening
Make sure you have expert timing

Kung-fu fighting, had to be fast as lightning

Keep on, keep on, keep on