Summer Madness

Album: Light of Worlds (1974)
Charted: 35
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Released as the B-side to the hit "Higher Plane," this Kool instrumental tapped into the spiritual vibe of the album and provided inspiration for hundreds of future R&B and hip-hop songs that would sample it.
  • A few notable uses of the song: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince in "Summertime" (1991), Ice Cube in "You Know How We Do It" (1993), Adina Howard in "Freak Like Me" (1995), Aaliyah in "A Girl Like You" (1996), Mary J. Blige in "Message in Our Music" (2003), Tinashe in "Wrong" (2015).
  • Two years after its release, this was used during a quiet scene in Rocky, where Sylvester Stallone feeds his fish - but it was enough to get Kool & the Gang jumping out of their seats in the theater. "Nobody had told us," Gang staff member Cleveland Brown remembered to Billboard. "We were watching this movie about a white boxer. When it came to the scene where Stallone dropped the needle on the record, and 'Summer Madness' started playing, I can tell you we got pretty loud in the theater."
  • This was used in the 2001 John Singleton film Baby Boy, starring Tyrese Gibson, and in the 2004 Chris Stokes film You Got Served, starring the members of boy band B2K.

Comments: 1

  • AnonymousTimeless
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Tom Johnston from The Doobie Brothers

Tom Johnston from The Doobie BrothersSongwriter Interviews

The Doobies guitarist and lead singer, Tom wrote the classics "Listen To The Music," "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Jon Anderson of Yes

Jon Anderson of YesSongwriter Interviews

From the lake in "Roundabout" to Sister Bluebird in "Starship Trooper," Jon Anderson talks about how nature and spirituality play into his lyrics for Yes.

Lori McKenna

Lori McKennaSongwriter Interviews

Lori's songs have been recorded by Faith Hill and Sara Evans. She's performed on the CMAs and on Oprah. She also has five kids.

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic FursSongwriter Interviews

Psychedelic Furs lead singer Richard Butler talks about their first album since 1991 and explains what's really going on in "Pretty In Pink."