Those Cats Were Fast As Lightning

Quick! Name the greatest songwriting team in the history of Rock and Roll. John Lennon and Paul McCartney? Elton John and Bernie Taupin? Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller? Mick Jagger and Keith Richards? No, no, no, and no. While talented, their skills pale in comparison to the musical greatness that was Biddu Appaiah and Carl Douglas, better known as the creative team behind the 1974 classic Kung Fu Fighting. Their recipe for a hit single? Take one part martial arts movie, add one part Disco beat and sprinkle liberally with politically incorrect Asian stereotype sound effects.

Everybody was Kung fu fighting

Inspired by the popular Kung Fu Craze of the early 70's, the song is a paean to the Chopsocky films of the time. Legend has it that the inspiration for the song came to Carl Douglas after he watched a kung fu movie and then attended a concert given by jazz great Oscar Peterson both while on pain killers. It makes sense, doesn't it?

Those cats were fast as lightning

The song was recorded in 10 minutes - literally. With only a few minutes of studio time left, Biddu was in need of a B Side for a record he was producing. Douglas came to the rescue with a set of lyrics he had written. Biddu came up with a melody and the rest is Pop Culture History.

In Fact it was a little bit frightening

Check out Carl Douglas decked out in Kung fu gear. Dude looks bad, doesn't he?

But they fought with expert timing

The time was right for this song. It made it to Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, the Billboard R&B Chart and the UK Singles Chart

There were funky china men from funky Chinatown

Listen for the "Oriental Riff" sprinkled throughout the song. The second best use of the riff in popular music (the best use, of course, is in the Vapor's 1980 hit Turning Japanese).

They were chopping them up, they were chopping them down

How can you not love a song that includes sound effects like Hoo! and Haa!

It's an ancient Chinese art and everybody knew their part

This song is so cool it should be made into a movie. Perhaps Don Cheadle or Jamie Foxx could play the part of Carl Douglas. Speaking of Douglas, after the popularity of the Kung Fu Fighting Single - Douglas released an LP titled Kung Fu Fighting and Other Great Love Songs. Am I wrong or does that seem to imply that Kung Fu Fighting is a love song (and a great one at that)?

From a feint into a slip, and a kicking from the hip

Here's something I hope you get a kick out of - the complete lyrics followed by a video of Carl Douglas performing the song live (including backups performing in kung fu uniforms). Please feel free to sing along at the top of your lungs (kung fu moves optional)

Everybody was kung fu fighting
Those cats were fast as lightning

In fact it was a little bit frightening
But they fought with expert timing

There 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 a kicking from the hip

Everybody was kung fu fighting
Those cats 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, lets get it on
We took a bow and made a stand, started swaying with the hand
A sudden motion made me skip now we're into a brand knew trip

Everybody was kung fu fighting
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightening

But they did it with expert timing

Everybody was kung fu fighting

Those cats were fast as lightning

In fact it was a little bit frightening

Make sure you have expert timing

Kung fu fighting

Hands and feet fast as lightning