Did you know Carl Douglas’s signature hit song ” Kung Fu Fighting” was created in less than 15 minutes in a recording session! In 1974, Indian-born music producer Biddu asked Douglas to sing the vocal on the song “I Want to Give You My Everything.” Biddu needed another song for the B-side to the single, so he came up with a melody for some lyrics about martial arts! This craze was sweeping the United States in the 70’s. “The resultant song “Kung Fu Fighting” was recorded in a mere ten minutes and was released as the A-side to the single “. “Kung Fu Fighting” spiked to #1 on the pop charts in both the UK and America and went on to sell over nine million copies worldwide.
“Kung Fu Fighting” was such a tremendous success, it gave Douglas the distinction of being the first Jamaican-born singer to score a #1 hit song in the United States. His follow-up single “Dance the Kung Fu” bombed in the United States, but was a top 20 hit in Britain. Carl had another top 30 hit in England with “Run Back” in 1977. He released the albums “Love, Peace and Happiness” in 1979 and “Keep Pleasing Me” in 1983. One of the most favorite of funky disco novelty one-hit wonder songs of the 70’s, “Kung Fu Fighting” has been featured on many soundtracks to such films as “Bowfinger, “Rush Hour 3, “Epic Movie, “Daddy Day Care, “Mortal Thoughts, “Beverly Hills Ninja,” and “Spirit of ’76.” Carl Douglas now lives in Hamburg, Germany and owns a publishing company.
