I heard this on an Easy Listening radio station in the 78-81 time frame, but it might have been several years old at the time. It is not “Freddie’s Dead” by Curtis Mayfield. It was a ballad (of course–easy listening), and performed by a woman (either a lead vocalist or a solo).
I have no idea who might have recorded it.
Any ideas???
In 1977, Charlene D’Angelo, recording as just “Charlene”, released three singles on the Prodigal label, all of which stalled in the mid-90’s on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The second of these tunes was “Freddie”, an update to “Do the Freddie”, which had been a #18 hit for Freddie and the Dreamers in 1965. One Hit Wonders says of Charlene’s sound: “Easy-listening music might be the most apt description of her specialty”.
Because of her lack of success, Charlene dropped out of the music business. But then, in 1982, the third of the failed 1977 releases, “I’ve Never Been to Me”, started getting airplay, and shot up to #3. (“I’ve Never Been to Me” is one of the worst songs ever to grace the airwaves, IMHO. Thank you for dredging up this terrible memory. I can only hope that, as punishment, “In the Year 2525” runs through your head the rest of the day.)
Many thanks.