| I.O.U. | |
| Cover: | Freeez IOU single cover.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Freeez |
| Album: | Gonna Get You |
| B-Side: |
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| Released: | 17 June 1983 |
| Studio: | Unique (New York City) |
| Genre: | Electro-funk[1] |
| Length: |
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| Label: | Beggars Banquet |
| Producer: | Arthur Baker |
| Prev Title: | One to One |
| Prev Year: | 1982 |
| Next Title: | Pop Goes My Love/Scratch Goes My Dub |
| Next Year: | 1983 |
"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, making the top ten in many European charts and topping the US Billboard Dance/Disco chart. It was the 20th-best-selling single of 1983 in the United Kingdom.[2]
The accompanying video featured children with skateboards and BMX bicycles recreating New York hip-hop culture.
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.
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.
7-inch vinyl
12-inch vinyl
12-inch vinyl
7-inch vinyl
12-inch vinyl
Additional personnel for 1986/87 versions
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] | 3 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[4] | 13 |
| France (IFOP)[5] | 4 |
| Iceland (Dagblaðið Vísir)[6] | 1 |
| South Africa (Springbok Radio)[7] | 3 |
| US Dance/Disco Top 80 (Billboard)[8] | 1 |
| US Hot Black Singles (Billboard) | 13 |
| Chart (1987) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| US 12-Inch Singles Sales (Billboard) | 37 | |
| US Dance/Disco Club Play (Billboard) | 18 |
| Chart (1983) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop)[9] | 29 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10] | 30 | |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] | 40 | |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] | 27 | |
| UK Singles (OCC)[13] | 18 | |
| West Germany (Official German Charts)[14] | 54 |