Kung Fu Fighting - Paralyzer Disco Version

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.