The Freddie was a short-lived 1960s

fad dance A fad or trend is any form of collective behavior that develops within a culture, a generation or social group in which a group of people enthusiastically follow an impulse (psychology), impulse for a short period. Fads are objects or behavior ...

prompted by the release of the songs " I'm Telling You Now", and "Do the Freddie", both by the British band, Freddie and the Dreamers. "Do the Freddie" had been a number 18 hit in the United States in 1965, and American dance craze stalwart

Chubby Checker Chubby Checker (born Ernest Evans; October 3, 1941) is an American rock and roll singer and dancer. He is widely known for popularizing many dance styles, including The Twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard & The Midnighte ...

had then made it to number 40 with the minor hit "Let's Do the Freddie" in that same year. ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' said of Checker's version that there's a "new dance on the scene and Checker's got it! Exciting number done in his familiar style." To do the Freddie, the dancer simply stands in place; then, in rhythm with the music, extends the left leg and raises both arms, as if doing jumping jacks; then extends the right leg and raises both arms again. The moves are repeated until the song's conclusion. Although the dance never achieved lasting popularity, it was instantly recognizable. In a 1965 episode of '' The Addams Family'' ("Lurch, the Teenage Idol"), Gomez Addams ( John Astin) does The Freddie enthusiastically in his living room. In 1989 "Do the Freddie" made a surprise comeback in the movie ''

Troop Beverly Hills ''Troop Beverly Hills'' is a 1989 American comedy film. It is produced by the Weintraub Entertainment Group and directed by Jeff Kanew, starring Shelley Long, Craig T. Nelson, Betty Thomas, Mary Gross, Stephanie Beacham and introducing Jenny Lewis ...

''. In 1987 another song called "Do the Freddy" was released, off the gimmick album ''Freddy's Greatest Hits''. Complete with guest vocals by Robert Englund as slasher movie icon Freddy Krueger, the song also contained instructions on how to dance "The Freddy". The Freddie is also mentioned in "

The Frug The Frug ( or /frug/) was a dance craze from the mid-1960s, which included vigorous dance to pop music. It evolved from another dance of the era, the Chicken. The Chicken, which featured lateral body movements, was used primarily as a change of pa ...

", a song by the band Rilo Kiley (A reference made because the band's guitarist Jenny Lewis had starred in ''

'' as a child). It appeared on both their debut album,

The Initial Friend E.P. ''Rilo Kiley'', also known as ''The Initial Friend EP'', is the first release by Los Angeles–based rock band Rilo Kiley. It was initially released independently in 1999 under the title ''Rilo Kiley''. It was subsequently re-pressed in 2000 and a ...

, and on the soundtrack to the film '' Desert Blue''.

The Adolescents The Adolescents are an American punk rock band formed in Fullerton, California in 1980. Part of the hardcore punk movement in southern California in the early 1980s, they were one of the main punk acts to emerge from Orange County, along with ...

also released a song in the 1980s entitled "Do the Freddy". In ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...

'' episode "

Duffless "Duffless" is the sixteenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 18, 1993. After getting arrested for drunk driving, Homer ...

", Bart dreams of a "Go-Go Ray" with the ability to force teachers and administrators to perform various fad dances, including the Mashed Potato, the Jerk, and the Freddie.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Freddie 1965 songs 1965 singles Songs about dancing Novelty and fad dances 1960s fads and trends