"I.O.U."
Single by Freeez
from the album Gonna Get You
B-side
  • "I Dub U"
  • "We Got the Jazz"
Released17 June 1983
StudioUnique (New York City)
Length
  • 7:50 (12-inch version)
  • 3:49 (7-inch version)
LabelBeggars Banquet
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)

"I.O.U." is a song by British musical group Freeez, released in 1983. The song was written and produced by Arthur Baker and remixed by Jellybean Benitez and Arthur Baker. The song was an international hit, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart and topping the US Billboard Dance/Disco Top 80 chart, giving Freeez their only chart-topping single on any Billboard chart. It was the 18th-best-selling single of 1983 in the United Kingdom.

In the UK, where clubbing culture had become accustomed to sophisticated jazz-funk music, I.O.U. was seen[by whom?] 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.

In 1986, a 12-inch 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 reached number 23 on the UK Singles Chart.

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-inch vinyl

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U."3:48
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."I Dub U"4:38
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." 
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Pop Goes My Love" 

12-inch vinyl

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
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
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-inch vinyl

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-inch vinyl

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
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Shakedown)3:55
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."I.O.U." (Club)4:00

12-inch vinyl

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
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

Personnel

Additional personnel for 1986/87 versions

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  2. ^ "Freeez – I.O.U." (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  3. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4367." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  4. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  5. ^ "InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque artiste commençant par F". Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Vísir - 175. Tölublað (05.08.1983) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  7. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I.O.U.". Irish Singles Chart.
  8. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Freeez" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  9. ^ "Freeez – I.O.U." (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  10. ^ "Freeez – I.O.U.". Top 40 Singles.
  11. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Freeez – I.O.U.". Singles Top 100.
  13. ^ "Freeez – I.O.U.". Swiss Singles Chart.
  14. ^ a b "Freeez: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  15. ^ a b c d "Freeez > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". allmusic. Retrieved 31 July 2009.
  16. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Freeez – I.O.U." (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  17. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1983" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  18. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1983" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  19. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1983" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  20. ^ "End of Year Charts 1983". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  21. ^ "Top 100 Singles". Music Week. 7 January 1984. p. 6.
  22. ^ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1983" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  23. ^ "British single certifications – Freez – I.O.U." British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
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