Frederick (song)

"Frederick" is a song written by Patti Smith, and released as lead single from Patti Smith Group 1979 album Wave. The song is dedicated to Fred "Sonic" Smith, guitar player of the Detroit band MC5 and Smith's future husband.

"Frederick"
Single by Patti Smith Group
from the album Wave
B-side"Frederick" (Live)
ReleasedMay 1979
RecordedBearsville Studios
Length3:01
LabelArista
Songwriter(s)Patti Smith
Producer(s)Todd Rundgren
Patti Smith singles chronology
"Privilege
(Set Me Free)
"
(1978)
"Frederick"
(1979)
"Dancing Barefoot"
(1979)
"Frederick"
Single by Sandie Shaw
B-side"Go Johnny Go"
Released1986 (1986)
GenrePop
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)Patti Smith
Producer(s)Clive Langer,
Alan Winstanley
Sandie Shaw singles chronology
"Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken"
(1986)
"Frederick"
(1986)
"Please Help the Cause Against Loneliness"
(1988)

The melody of "Frederick" is a homage to Bruce Springsteen's live arrangement of "Prove It All Night" from the then-recent Darkness Tour of 1978.

Reception

Smash Hits said, "Patti has been getting a lot of stick from her original admirers for 'selling out' and going pop. I think they're being short-sighted (not to mention cloth-eared). This is an excellent sample of her new work with producer Todd Rundgren."[1]

Covers

The song was covered by Sandie Shaw in 1986. The B-side was entitled "Go Johnny Go", and had been written by Shaw as a tribute to Johnny Marr.

Charts

Patti Smith Group

Chart (1979)[2][3] Position
Billboard Hot 100 90
UK Singles Chart 63

Notes

  1. Cliff White (17 May 1979). "Singles". Smash Hits. No. 12.
  2. "Billboard chart". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
  3. "UK chart". Retrieved 2008-03-04.


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