"Frankie" is a song by American vocal group
Sister Sledge
Sister Sledge is an American musical vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed in 1971, the group consisted of sisters Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy Sledge. The siblings achieved international success at the height of the disco era. ...
, released as a
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
in 1985. It is taken from their eighth studio album, ''
When the Boys Meet the Girls
''When the Boys Meet the Girls'' is a 1965 American musical film directed by Alvin Ganzer and starring Connie Francis and Harve Presnell based on the musical ''Girl Crazy'' and a remake of MGM's 1943 film ''Girl Crazy''.
Plot
A playboy (Harve ...
'' (1985).
Overview
The song was written by
Denise Rich
Denise Rich (born Eisenberg; January 26, 1944) is an American-born Austrian singer-songwriter, socialite, philanthropist and political fundraiser.[United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...]
to
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
.
According to the ''
Now 5'' album (on which the song appears) the song was written about
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
.
The song was produced by
Chic
Chic (; ), meaning "stylish" or "smart", is an element of fashion. It was originally a French word. Pronounced Chick.
Etymology
'' Chic'' is a French word, established in English since at least the 1870s. Early references in English diction ...
's
Nile Rodgers
Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. (born September 19, 1952) is an American musician, record producer and composer. The co-founder of Chic, Rodgers has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million ...
, who had co-produced the sisters' earlier hits such as "
He's the Greatest Dancer
"He's the Greatest Dancer" is a 1979 song by the American vocal group Sister Sledge. Released on February 3, 1979, the song was written and composed by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, and recorded for the group's successful 1979 album '' We ...
" and "
We Are Family". The sisters suggested the song to him, but he hated it on first hearing. A week later, he went back to them saying he could not stop singing it and so he insisted that the band recorded it.
A marked contrast to the
disco
Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
cuts which had made them internationally famous in the late 1970s, this girl-pop number became a hit in the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, spending four weeks at number one in June and July 1985.
It fared much less well in the US where it peaked at number 75 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, No. 32
R&B and No. 15 Adult Contemporary.
"Frankie" was fifth best selling single of 1985 with 698,000 sold copies in United Kingdom.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frankie (Song)
1985 singles
1985 songs
Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Sister Sledge songs
Song recordings produced by Nile Rodgers
Songs written by Denise Eisenberg Rich
UK Singles Chart number-one singles