Chic – Le Freak
Chic may have began as a black rock band, but they became an act that helped define the Disco Era. In 1978 they recorded what would become the most popular disco song of the era.
The signature line, ‘Aaaaahh, freak out!’ came because the writers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards couldn’t use their original idea in a 1970’s era song. Their original was, ‘Aaaaahh, fuck off! as a protest at the way they were treated at a 1977 New Year’s Eve event.
“Le Freak” was the first song to be knocked out of (and return to) the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 three times. It first hit number one on the week ending December 9, 1978. After one week, it fell to number two, knocked out by the Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond duet “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers”. Ironically it was the song “Le Freak” had knocked out of the number one spot.
It returned to the top position on December 23, 1978 and was there for two weeks and was knocked to number two by “Too Much Heaven” by the Bee Gees. On January 20, 1979 it returned to Number 1 staying there for three weeks. In 2008, Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis became the second track to hit number one three times.