Puneet Varma (Editor)

I'm So Excited

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Format
  
Vinyl, CD single

Label
  
Planet

Genre
  
R&B, dance

Released
  
September 1982 July 1984 (re-release)

Length
  
4:53 3:53 (1982 7" version) 3:52 (1984 7" version)

Writer(s)
  
Trevor Lawrence, Anita Pointer, June Pointer, Ruth Pointer

"I'm So Excited" is a song performed by American recording artists The Pointer Sisters. Jointly written and composed by The Pointer Sisters in collaboration with Trevor Lawrence, it was originally released in 1982 (reaching #30 on the U.S. singles chart) and saw a remixed re-release in 1984 (reaching #9 on the U.S. singles chart).

Contents

Background

The song was originally recorded for, and appeared on, the Sisters' 1982 album So Excited! and was subsequently released as a single. Upon its release, the single charted at No. 28 on the Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart, No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 46 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart.

Two years later, on the group's RIAA-certified multi-platinum album Break Out, a slightly remixed and edited version of the song was included and re-released as a single. This time, it peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 25 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The addition of "I'm So Excited" to Break Out necessitated that "Nightline", a track featured on the album in its original format, be deleted from later pressings of the album.

In 2001, the song was included in the RIAA and National Endowment for the Arts project Songs of the Century, a list intended to "promote a better understanding of America's musical and cultural heritage." The song was ranked #264 out of 365 songs.

The song was featured in the movie Summer Lovers (1982), though it was not included on the movie's soundtrack. It was also featured in the theatrical and VHS releases of National Lampoon's Vacation, but was replaced with the sonically unrelated "Little Boy Sweet" on future versions. Later on, it featured in Hot Shots Part Deux (1993) and briefly in Eddie Murphy's version of The Nutty Professor (1996). Other films that featured the song include Protocol (1984), Playing for Keeps (1986), Riff-Raff (1991), The Story of Us (1999), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), and I'm So Excited (2011) which also takes it name from the song itself.

Music video

In 1984, a music video for the remixed version of the song was released. In the clip, the sisters are seen getting ready for a formal party at a high-society club.

Anita Pointer is dressing and applying make-up; Ruth Pointer, in nothing but a nightgown, is shown rolling around on her bed and throwing her garments around; and June Pointer is taking a bubble bath. Once the sisters arrive at the club, all three in matching red, glitter dresses, they are photographed, attracting the attention of the other party-goers. By the video's end, they have the club on its feet jamming to the song.

The video attracted controversy due to June Pointer's scene in the bathtub. As she emerges from the tub, her towel provides insufficient coverage and her vulva seems to be visible, although obscured somewhat by the soap suds. However, she claims to have been wearing a thong-bottomed bathing suit in that portion of the video.

Cover versions

  • The pay television network Showtime utilized many versions of the song in its identity package from 1984 to 1986, with versions of the tune used for bumpers, promos and intros. Similarly, the network slogan was "Showtime Excitement"; the slogan was used frequently, and it was all accompanied by a graphics package of deep blues and purples.
  • Melanie C performed "I'm So Excited" in 1994 as her audition for the Spice Girls.
  • The Estonian singer Marju Länik released a cover in Estonian language titled "Ei võrdset sulle".
  • In 1998 and 1999, the Croatian singer Nina Badrić had an international hit with her remake (in English) of "I'm So Excited"; a hit in the Balkan states and Greece, this version also reached number 9 in Italy.
  • In 2004, the post-punk band Le Tigre covered "I'm So Excited" on their third album This Island.
  • "I'm So Excited" was also covered by Finnish show rock band called Roctum on their debut single "Sandwich" in 2005.
  • Australian Big Brother contestant Sara-Marie Fedele, famous for her "bum dance", recorded a version of the song with the girl group Sirens titled "I'm So Excited (The Bum Dance)" in 2001, which reached number 12 in Australia.
  • The Australian female group Young Divas included a version of "I'm So Excited" on their second album New Attitude in 2007.
  • Sarah Engels remade "I'm So Excited" for her album Heartbeat (2011).
  • A Finnish rendering, "Aina Vain Sexii", was recorded by Hunajamelonit for their album Hedelmälihaa (1996).
  • Poison Sun, a German heavy/power metal band featuring Accept guitarist Herman Frank covered this song on their debut album Virtual Sin in 2010, as did Frank's other band Victory in 2011 on their Don't Talk Science album.
  • Lara Fabian performed "I'm So Excited" regularly in the 2007 Night of the Proms concert series.
  • In the Drake & Josh episode "The Drake and Josh Inn", Drake invites Josh's boss Helen to come to their house so she can scare away the college kids that came to party at his house. Instead, when she comes over, the MTV crew comes into the living room, and Helen begins to sing this song.
  • The New Zealand band HLAH covered it on the second covers disc of their album Blood on the Honky Tonk Floor (2000).
  • The Canadian country singer Carroll Baker released a cover version of the song in 1982, which made the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart. It later appeared on her 1984 album A Step in the Right Direction.
  • John O'Hurley and Charlotte Jørgensen danced their Freestyle to this song in season 1 of Dancing with the Stars.
  • The eliminated couples from season 10 of the American Dancing with the Stars danced a group Jive to this song in the finale.
  • The selection is also well known through its association with the situation comedy Saved by the Bell; in one very special episode, Jessie Spano (Elizabeth Berkley) becomes addicted to caffeine pills and sings the song as she has a hilarious breakdown and recognizes her addiction.
  • The selection was used in season 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race during the "lip-sync for your life" between Coco Montrese and Jade Jolie, the former being the victor during this elimination. Anita and Ruth Pointer were also featured as guest judges during this episode.
  • The selection was used in acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar's eponymous 2013 comedy film, as both its English language title and its theme song.
  • The Finnish hard rock band Lordi released the cover version of the song as a bonus track on the Japanese version of their seventh studio album Scare Force One in 2014.
  • It was covered by the cast of Glee in the season 6 episode "A Wedding".
  • It is played in Season 3 of The Big Bang Theory
  • Personnel

  • Anita Pointer – lead vocals
  • Ruth Pointer – backing vocals
  • June Pointer – backing vocals
  • John Robinson – drums
  • Nate Watts – bass
  • John Barnes – keyboards
  • 1983 personnel

  • Anita Pointer – lead vocals
  • Ruth Pointer – backing vocals
  • June Pointer – backing vocals
  • John Robinson – drums
  • Nate Watts – bass
  • Lee Ritenour & George Doering – Guitars
  • John Barnes – Piano
  • William Smith – Organ
  • Greg Phillinganes – Synthesizers
  • Michael Boddicker – Synthesizer programming
  • Paulinho Da Costa – Percussion
  • Chuck Findley & Gary Grant – Trumpets
  • Gary Herbig & Jim Horn – Reeds
  • Dick "Slyde" Hyde – Trombone
  • Trevor Lawrence – Horn arrangement
  • Gabe Veltri – Engineer
  • James C. Tract & Gabe Veltri – Remixing
  • References

    I'm So Excited Wikipedia