I.O.U. (Freeez song)

"I.O.U." is a song from 1983 by British musical group Freeez, their most successful hit. The song was written and produced by Arthur Baker and remixed by Jellybean Benitez and Arthur Baker.

Not to be confused with the 1983 song by Ebn Ozn named "AEIOU Sometimes Y".
"I.O.U."
Single by Freeez
from the album Gonna Get You
B-side
  • "I Dub U"
  • "We Got the Jazz"
ReleasedJune 17, 1983
Recorded1983, Unique Recording Studios, New York City
Genre
Length7:50 (12" version)
3:49 (7" version)
LabelBeggars Banquet (UK)
Streetwise (US),
Victor Industries (JP),
Virgin (Germany),
Vertigo (Canada),
Criminal (US, 1986),
Citybeat (UK, 1987)
Songwriter(s)Arthur Baker
Producer(s)Arthur Baker
Freeez singles chronology
"One to One"
(1982)		 "I.O.U."
(1983)		 "Pop Goes My Love/Scratch Goes My Dub"
(1983)
Freeez singles chronology
"Train of Thoughts"
(1985)		 ""I.O.U."
(remix)"
(1987)		 ""Southern Freeez"
(remix)"
(1987)

The song was an international hit. The record scored #2 in the UK Singles Chart[1] earlier in 1983 before reaching the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the U.S.,[2] giving them their only chart-topping single on any chart in America. It then became the 20th best-selling single of 1983 in the United Kingdom. "I.O.U." was used for the 1984 breakdance movie, Beat Street.

In the UK, where clubbing culture had become accustomed to sophisticated jazz-funk music, I.O.U. was seen as "dumbing down" for commercial success, cashing in on the fashionable 'electro' music scene. The accompanying video featured children with skateboards and BMX bicycles recreating New York hip-hop culture for a young audience unaware of the band's previous music.

During 1986 a 12" single was released in the US by the Criminal Records company, with new remixes. Some of these remixes were given a re-release during 1987 in the UK for the Citybeat label as "I.O.U. (The Ultimate Mixes '87)", however, it only scored #23 in the UK Singles Chart this time.[3]

Samples

The song has been sampled multiple times. Cutfather and Joe used a sample for their remix of Brandy's 2002 single "Full Moon"; Cheryl Cole for the song "Let's Get Down" from her 2010 album Messy Little Raindrops as does Wawa for the remix of StoneBridge's 2007 single S.O.S. Jamie xx uses a vocal sample for the song "Girl", which closes his debut solo album In Colour. In 2019, Detroit rapper Babytron of ShittyBoyz used this sample for the song "Jesus Shuttlesworth", the third track of his debut album Bin Reaper. In 2021 the international DJ/Producer Paolo Pellegrino used the sample and the chorus, and had a new song rewritten together with the singer and songwriter Shibui, also changing the title to Destiny.

Track listings

1983 releases
7" vinyl
  • UK: Beggars Banquet / BEG 96
  • Germany, Netherlands: Virgin / 105 535
  • US: Streetwise / SWRL-1110
  • Australia: Powderworks / POW 0146
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U."3:48
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."I Dub U"4:38
  • Japan: Victor / VIPX-1742
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." 
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Pop Goes My Love" 
12" vinyl
  • UK: Beggars Banquet / BEG 96(T)
  • Germany, France: Virgin / 600 902
  • Australia: Powderworks / POWT 0146
  • Spain: Beggars Banquet / F-600902
  • Canada: Vertigo / SOVX 2327
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Megamix)8:43
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."I Dub U"7:37
2."We Got the Jazz"4:04
  • UK: Beggars Banquet / BEG 96TA
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Megamix)8:43
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Accapella Mix)4:03
2."We Got the Jazz"4:04
  • US: Streetwise / SWRL 2210 (some with second track on side two)
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U."7:50
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."I. Dub. U."7:49
2."Acapella U." (not on all releases)2:50

1986 releases
12" vinyl
  • US: Criminal / CRIM 00007
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Ultimate Club, Vocal Mix)8:00
2."I.O.U." (Ultimate Drumapella)4:10
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Ultimate Shakedown Gogo, Vocal Mix)6:37
2."I.O.U." (Ultimate Club, Dub Mix)6:50

1987 releases
7" vinyl
  • UK: City Beat / CBE 709
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Club Vocal Edit)3:55
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Shakedown Vocal Edit)3:55
  • Sweden: City Beat / BB 7105
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Shakedown)3:55
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Club)4:00
12" vinyl
  • UK: City Beat / CBE 1209
  • France: Virgin / 80291
  • Germany: Virgin / 608 897
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Ultimate Club Dub Mix)6:32
2."I.O.U." (Ultimate Club Vocal Mix)6:02
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Ultimate Shakedown Vocal Mix)6:37
2."I.O.U." (Ultimate Shakedown Instrumental Mix)5:18
  • Sweden: City Beat / BB 8105
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Ultimate Shakedown Vocal Mix)6:40
2."I.O.U." (Ultimate Shakedown Instrumental Mix)5:25
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Ultimate Club Vocal Mix)6:10
2."I.O.U." (Ultimate Club Dub Mix)6:35

Chart performance
Chart (1983) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 3
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] 38
Denmark (Hitlisten)[7] 2
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[8] 13
France (IFOP)[9] 4
Iceland (Dagblaðið Vísir)[10] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 5
Israel (IBA)[12] 4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] 2
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 4
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[16] 3
Spain (AFYVE)[17] 2
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[18] 12
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] 5
UK Singles (OCC)[20] 2
US Billboard Black Singles[2] 13
US Billboard Club Play Singles[2] 1
West Germany (Official German Charts)[21] 8
Chart (1987) Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC)[20] 23
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 26
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[2] 37
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play[2] 18

Personnel
additional personnel for 1986/87 versions
  • Richard Scher – co-production
  • Graeme Durham – editor
  • Tim Palmer – editor
  • Arthur Baker – remix
  • Jay Burnett – remix
  • John Rocca – remix
  • Latin Rascals – remix
  • Raul Soto – remix

References
  1. "The Official Charts Company - Freeez - IOU". Retrieved 31 July 2009.
  2. "Freeez > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". allmusic. Retrieved 31 July 2009.
  3. "The Official Charts Company - Freeez - IOU 1987". Retrieved 31 July 2009.
  4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. "Freeez – I.O.U." (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  6. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4367." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  7. "Danish Chart Archive - Singles 1979 - ____ (B.T./IFPI DK)". www.ukmix.org. 17 November 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  8. Timo (13 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit FRE - FÄL". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  9. "InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque artiste commençant par F". Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  10. "Vísir - 175. Tölublað (05.08.1983) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I.O.U.". Irish Singles Chart.
  12. "Israel Singles Charts 1987-1995". www.ukmix.org. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Freeez" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  14. "Freeez – I.O.U." (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  15. "Freeez – I.O.U.". Top 40 Singles.
  16. "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  17. "Listas de superventas: 1983". 12 February 2010. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  18. "Freeez – I.O.U.". Singles Top 100.
  19. "Freeez – I.O.U.". Swiss Singles Chart.
  20. "Freeez: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  21. "Offiziellecharts.de – Freeez – I.O.U." (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
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