(this is a paean, not a parody!)

Kung Fu Fighting – Carl Douglas

(posting this song while watching the amazing Simu Liu in a compelling film about the making of the great marvel movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings; this song is not meant to take Asian American culture to a time when it might have been caricatured, but rather, to a cultural retrospective and an endearing bit of fun; if you haven’t seen Shang-Chi, also with Awkwafina, Michelle Yeo, Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Ben Kingsley, you are missing out!)

Oh-ho-ho-ho
Oh-ho-ho-ho
Oh-ho-ho-ho
Oh-ho-ho-ho

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

There were funky China men 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

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

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

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!)

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

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, oh (ha!)

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!
Keep on, keep on, keep on (ha!)
(Oh-ho-ho-ho) huh!
Yeah, yeah (ha!)
(Oh-ho-ho-ho)

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting
Hands and feet fast as lightning

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Carl Douglas

Kung Fu Fighting lyrics © Bucks Music Group Ltd., Smv Schacht Musikverlage Gmbh & Co. Kg, Edition Carren