Girlfriend (Alicia Keys song)

Last updated

"Girlfriend"
Alicia Keys - Girlfriend.jpg
Single by Alicia Keys
from the album Songs in A Minor
B-side
ReleasedNovember 25, 2002 (2002-11-25)
Studio Southside (Atlanta)
Length3:34
Label J
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Alicia Keys
  • Jermaine Dupri
Alicia Keys singles chronology
"Gangsta Lovin'"
(2002)		"Girlfriend"
(2002)		"You Don't Know My Name"
(2003)
Music video
"Girlfriend" on YouTube

"Girlfriend" is a song by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her debut studio album Songs in A Minor (2001). It was written by Keys, Jermaine Dupri, and Joshua Thompson, while production was helmed by Dupri and Keys. The song is built around an interpolation from Ol' Dirty Bastard's 1995 song "Brooklyn Zoo". Due to the inclusion of the sample, Robert Diggs and Russell Jones are also credited as songwriters. "Girlfriend" was released as the fourth and final single from Songs in A Minor outside the United States on November 25, 2002, by J Records.

Contents

In the US, "Girlfriend" peaked at number 82 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart as an album cut. Although it outpeaked previous single "How Come You Don't Call Me" in the United Kingdom and Australia, it failed to make an impact elsewhere. The song's KrucialKeys Sista Girl Mix, which appears on the re-release Songs in A Minor: Remixed & Unplugged, was used in the song's accompanying music video, directed by Patrick Hoelck, and was serviced to radio instead of the album version.

Music and lyrics

Lyrically, in "Girlfriend", Keys cannot help but think that her boyfriend is having a relationship with his close female friend. She says she knows that the woman is only a friend of him, but she cannot stop thinking that her boyfriend may leave her. Keys then proceeds to say that she thinks she is jealous of his "girlfriend". Musically, the song contains an interpolation from Ol' Dirty Bastard's 1995 song "Brooklyn Zoo". [1]

Music video

The video for "Girlfriend" was directed by Patrick Hoelck and shot on location in East London, England, the video uses the Krucialkeys Sista Girl Mix. The video starts in Keys' bedroom where her boyfriend is talking to his close female friend on the phone. She gets frustrated so she leaves the house to take a long walk through the city. While walking, she sees her boyfriend also on a walk with his female friend across the street. Keys then walks into a clothing store, performing in the fitting room. Strolling through clothing aisles, she spots a pair of red leather pants—at the same time the female friend had seen them. Keys yanks the hanger into her own hands. After the second verse is performed, the video shifts to a large, empty basement where she plays a musical piece on the piano. The video then goes back to the store, where Keys leaves out of to perform choreography with three other dancers at the corner of a street. Shortly after, she returns home to discover that her boyfriend and his female friend had been planning a surprise party for her all along.

Track listings and formats

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Songs in A Minor . [7]

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Girlfriend"
Chart (2001–2003)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [8] 13
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) [9] 17
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) [10] 12
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) [11] 71
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) [12] 85
Germany (Official German Charts) [13] 100
Ireland (IRMA) [14] 40
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [15] 18
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [16] 18
Scotland (OCC) [17] 37
UK Singles (OCC) [18] 24
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) [19] 6
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [20] 82

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Girlfriend"
RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
GermanyNovember 25, 2002 Maxi CD BMG
United Kingdom RCA
AustraliaJanuary 13, 2003Maxi CDBMG

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U Remind Me</span> 2001 single by Usher

"U Remind Me" is a song by American singer Usher. It was written by Edmund "Eddie Hustle" Clement and Anita McCloud and produced by Clement along with duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis for Usher's third studio album 8701 (2001). A mid-tempo R&B track, the song is about a man who meets a woman who seems like a nice catch, but he decides not to enter a relationship with her because she looks too much like an ex-girlfriend with whom he had a bad breakup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Dance (Five song)</span> 2001 single by Five

"Let's Dance" is the first single from English boy band Five's third studio album, Kingsize (2001). The song was written by Richard Stannard, Julian Gallagher, Ash Howes, Martin Harrington, Abz Love, Jason "J" Brown, and Sean Conlon and produced by Stannard and Gallagher. Released on 13 August 2001, "Let's Dance" charted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Five's third and final number-one single, and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The song also peaked at number two on the Irish Singles Chart and became a top-10 in hit in Australia, Flanders, Greece, and Romania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fallin' (Alicia Keys song)</span> 2001 single by Alicia Keys

"Fallin'" is the debut single of American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys from her debut studio album, Songs in A Minor (2001). Written and produced by Keys, "Fallin'" is generally considered her signature song. It was released as the lead single from Songs in A Minor on April 10, 2001, by J Records. The official remix features rappers Busta Rhymes and Rampage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When the Lights Go Out (song)</span> 1998 single by British boy band Five

"When the Lights Go Out" is the second single released from British group Five's debut studio album, Five (1998). It was released in early 1998. The song was co-written by the group alongside Eliot Kennedy, Tim Lever and Mike Percy, and John McLaughlin. It was co-produced by Kennedy, Lever and Percy, with the US version receiving additional production from Cutfather & Joe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Woman's Worth</span> 2001 single by Alicia Keys

"A Woman's Worth" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her debut studio album Songs in A Minor (2001). A soul-R&B ballad, it was written by Keys and Erika Rose and produced by Keys. The song was released as the second single from Songs in A Minor on September 25, 2001, by J Records, following the worldwide success of her debut single "Fallin'".

"How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" is a song by Prince. It is a ballad of romantic longing with some gospel elements. On his original recording of the song, which was released as the non-album B-side to his 1982 single "1999", Prince performs most of the song in his falsetto range, with his own bluesy piano playing providing the only instrumental accompaniment. The song's first album appearance was on his 1993 compilation The Hits/The B-Sides. It was later included on the soundtrack to the 1996 film Girl 6. Prince also performs the song on his 2002 live album One Nite Alone... Live!.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U Should've Known Better</span> 2004 single by Monica

"U Should've Known Better" is a song by American recording artist Monica. It was written in collaboration with Harold Lilly and Jermaine Dupri, and produced by the latter along with frequent co-producer Bryan Michael Cox for her original third studio album, All Eyez on Me (2002). When the album was shelved for release outside Japan, the song was one out of five original records that were transferred into its new version, After the Storm (2003). A contemporary R&B slow jam, "U Should've Known Better" contains elements of soul music and rock music. Built on an pulsating backbeat, the song's instrumentation consists of screeching guitars and an understated harp pattern. Lyrically, Monica, as the protagonist, delivers a message of loyalty to her imprisoned love interest and sings about staying down for him despite his doubts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The First Night</span> 1998 single by Monica

"The First Night" is a song by American singer Monica for her second studio album, The Boy Is Mine (1998). It was written by Tamara Savage and Jermaine Dupri, featuring production and additional vocals from the latter. Built around a sample of Diana Ross's 1976 recording "Love Hangover", penned by Marilyn McLeod and Pam Sawyer, who share co-writing credits, the song is about the protagonist's battle with sexual temptations on the night of her first date, despite her conflicting emotions and strong sexual desires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World of Our Own (song)</span> 2002 single by Westlife

"World of Our Own" is a song by Irish boy band Westlife. It was released on 18 February 2002 as the second single from their third studio album of the same name (2001). The song peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming their 10th number-one single. "World of Our Own" was the 40th-best-selling single of 2002 in the UK and received a platinum sales certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for over 600,000 sales and streams. It is the band's fourth-most-streamed song and 12th-best-selling single in both paid-for and combined sales in the United Kingdom as of January 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nobody's Supposed to Be Here</span> 1998 single by Deborah Cox

"Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" is a song by Canadian recording artist Deborah Cox, released as the lead single from her second studio album, One Wish (1998). Written by Montell Jordan and its producer, Anthony "Shep" Crawford, the song was released on the same day as the album, on September 15, 1998, by Arista Records. It is Cox's most successful song, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks and spending a then-record 14 weeks at number one on the Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart. In 2017, Billboard ranked the song at number five on its "Greatest of All Time Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs" chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You're Makin' Me High</span> 1996 single by Toni Braxton

"You're Makin' Me High" is the lead single from American singer Toni Braxton's second studio album, Secrets (1996). The mid-tempo song represents a joint collaboration between the Grammy Award-winning producer Babyface and Bryce Wilson. The beat of the song was originally for singer-songwriter Brandy, with Dallas Austin pegged to write a lyric to override; however, Braxton had Babyface write lyrics for the song. It was ultimately issued in the United States as a double A-side with "Let It Flow", the airplay hit from the 1995 film Waiting to Exhale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Step Too Far</span> 2002 single by Faithless

"One Step Too Far" is a song by British electronic music group Faithless. The track features member Rollo Armstrong's sister Dido on vocals and was remixed for single release. "One Step Too Far" was released on 8 April 2002 as the fourth and final single from their third studio album, Outrospective (2001). The song peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart, number four on the US Dance Club Play chart, and number 21 on the Australian Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">We Come 1</span> 2001 single by Faithless

"We Come 1" is a song by British electronic band Faithless from their third studio album, Outrospective (2001). The song was issued as the album's lead single on 4 June 2001, two weeks before Outrospective was released. The remixes by Wookie and Dave Clarke that appear on the single releases are included on the bonus disc of the album Reperspective: The Remixes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bop Bop Baby</span> 2002 single by Westlife

"Bop Bop Baby" is a song by Irish boy band Westlife and it was released on 20 May 2002 as the third and final single from their third studio album, World of Our Own (2001). The single peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart; during an interview, the band claimed this was due to the obscure choice of single, as they would have much preferred to release "Why Do I Love You", for which they had recorded a video. It is the band's 18th-best-selling single in paid-for sales and in combined sales in the United Kingdom as of January 2019. Billboard named the single one of the "Top 15 Underrated Boy Band Jams" in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girl on TV</span> 1999 single by LFO

"Girl on TV" is a song written and performed by American boy band LFO. It was released in November 1999 from their debut album, LFO (1999). The song peaked at number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number six in the United Kingdom, where it is their highest-charting hit. "Girl on TV" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in December 1999 for the shipment of over 500,000 copies in the US. This was the band's first single to feature Devin Lima on lead vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unbreakable (Westlife song)</span> 2002 single by Westlife

"Unbreakable" is a song by Irish boy band Westlife. It was released on 4 November 2002 by RCA Records and Syco Music as the first and only single from their first greatest hits album, Unbreakable – The Greatest Hits Volume 1 (2002). The song was written by Jörgen Elofsson and John Reid, and produced by Steve Mac. It was composed in the traditional verse–chorus form in G major, with the group's vocals ranging from the chords of D4 to C♯6.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just a Friend 2002</span> 2002 single by Mario

"Just a Friend 2002" is a song by American R&B singer Mario, written by Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, Harold Lilly, John Smith, and Biz Markie. It is a loose cover of Markie's hit "Just a Friend" and was the first single released from Mario's self-titled debut album. Mario's version is different, as the story is changed from a man who discovers his girlfriend has been cheating on him to a story about unrequited love. Produced by Campbell, the song was released in April 2002 and peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in August 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crying at the Discoteque</span> 2000 single by Alcazar

"Crying at the Discoteque" is a song by Swedish band Alcazar from their debut studio album, Casino (2000). The track samples Sheila and B. Devotion's 1979 hit "Spacer". Alexander Bard produced the song and can be heard in the middle of this song. Released in April 2000, "Crying at the Discoteque" became Alcazar's first international hit single the following year, reaching number one in Hungary and the top 10 in Flanders, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everybody Get Up (Five song)</span> 1998 single by Five

"Everybody Get Up" is a song by English boy band Five. It was released on 31 August 1998 as the fourth single from their debut studio album Five (1998). The song was written by Five, Herbie Crichlow, Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker and produced by Denniz Pop and Jake Schulze. Merrill and Hooker are credited as songwriters because the track contains samples from Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll". "Everybody Get Up" has received a gold certification for sales and streams of over 400,000 units in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number two on 6 September 1998. Worldwide, the song topped the New Zealand Singles Chart and reached the top five in Australia, Ireland, Spain, and Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liquid Dreams (song)</span> 2000 single by O-Town

"Liquid Dreams" is a song recorded by American boy band O-Town. It was released on October 31, 2000, as the lead single from their debut album, O-Town. The song reached number one in Canada, number 10 in the United States, and number three in the United Kingdom. The song is about wet dreams filled with sexual innuendos and pop culture references, including references to Destiny's Child, Madonna, and Janet Jackson.

References

  1. ↑ Neal, Mark Anthony. "Alicia Keys: Songs in A Minor". PopMatters . Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  2. ↑ Girlfriend (European CD single liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records, BMG. 2002. 74321 97956 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ↑ Girlfriend (European / Australian CD Maxi-single liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records, BMG, MBK Entertainment. 2002. 74321 97957 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ↑ Girlfriend (UK CD and 12" single liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records. 2002. 74321 974972 / 74321 97497 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ↑ Girlfriend (UK Cassette single liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records, BMG. 2002. 74321 974974.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ↑ Girlfriend (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Alicia Keys. J Records. 2001. 80813-21041-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ↑ Songs in A Minor (US CD album liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records. 2001. 80813-20002-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ↑ "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Top 100 Singles". Jam! . Archived from the original on January 9, 2003. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 20, no. 51. December 14, 2002. p. 11. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  13. 1 2 "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Alicia Keys". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 3, 2003" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Alicia Keys Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  21. ↑ "New Releases – For Week Starting 25 November 2002: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . November 23, 2002. p. 29. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  22. ↑ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 13th January 2003" (PDF). ARIA. January 13, 2003. p. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 6, 2003. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.