Throwing back to the week of December 7, 1974, we find Jamaican/British singer Carl Douglas atop the Billboard Hot 100 with a classic one-hit wonder, ‘Kung Fu Fighting.’
This disco ditty topped the charts in multiple countries and sold more than 11 million copies worldwide, tapping into growing fandom for both disco music and karate movies.
I guess it’s appropriate that today’s post follows one that mentioned offensive Asian caricatures in Disney movies, because, as The Big Lebowski‘s Walter Sobchak will tell you, “Chinaman is not the preferred nomenclature.”
Apart from that mild slur, it’s hard to be offended by a song this silly and fun. Call it cultural appropriation if you want, and balk at the use of the “Oriental riff,” but the song was written with affection by Douglas as a tribute to Bruce Lee movies and as such, I think it’s just fine.
Oh-ho-ho-ho
Oh-ho-ho-ho
Oh-ho-ho-ho
Oh-ho-ho-ho
[Chorus]
Everybody was kung fu fighting
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact, it was a little bit frightening
But they fought with expert timing
[Verse 1]
There were funky Chinamen from funky Chinatown
They were chopping them up, they were chopping them down
It’s an ancient Chinese art and everybody knew their part
From a feint into a slip and a kicking from the hip
[Chorus]
Everybody was kung fu fighting, huh
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact, it was a little bit frightening, hey, yeah
But they fought with expert timing
[Verse 2]
There was funky Billy Chin and little Sammy Chung
He said, “Here comes the big boss, let’s get it on”
We took a bow and made a stand, started swaying with the hand
A sudden motion made me skip, now we’re into a brand new trip
[Chorus]
Everybody was kung fu fighting (Huh)
Those cats were fast as lightning (Ha)
In fact, it was a little bit frightening (Huh)
But they did it with expert timing (Ha)
[Bridge]
Oh yeah
(Oh-ho-ho-ho, ha)
(Oh-ho-ho-ho, ha)
(Oh-ho-ho-ho, ha)
(Oh-ho-ho-ho, ha)
Keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on
Sure enough
[Chorus]
Everybody was kung fu fighting (Huh)
Those cats were fast as lightning (Ha)
In fact, it was a little bit frightening (Huh)
Make sure you have expert timing (Ha)
[Outro]
(Oh-ho-ho-ho) Kung fu fighting
(Oh-ho-ho-ho) Hands and feet fast as lightning
(Oh-ho-ho-ho) Huh, ha
(Oh-ho-ho-ho) Huh, ha
(Oh-ho-ho-ho) Huh, ha
Keep on, keep on, keep on
(Oh-ho-ho-ho) Huh, ha
Yeah, yeah
(Oh-ho-ho-ho) Huh, ha
Everybody was kung fu fighting
Hands and feet fast as lightning
(Oh-ho-ho-ho) Huh, ha
(Oh-ho-ho-ho)
Meet Me In Montauk 
I remember this one quite well – blaring on a portable radio at the beach and in the car on WQAM back when it was a music station. Fun song, whether PC or not.