My Girl (Madness song)

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“My Girl”
“My Girl” cover
Single by Madness
from the album One Step Beyond...
Released December 21, 1979
Format 7"
12"
CD
Recorded 1979
Genre Ska/Pop
Length 2:44
Label Stiff Records
Writer(s) Mike Barson
Producer Clive Langer
Alan Winstanley
Madness singles chronology
"One Step Beyond"
(1979)
---
"House of Fun"
(reissue-1992)		 "My Girl"
(1979)
---
"My Girl"
(reissue-1992)		 "Work Rest and Play EP"
(1980)
---
"The Harder They Come"
(1992)
Music sample
"My Girl"
Problems? See media help.
One Step Beyond... track listing
Side One
  1. "One Step Beyond"
  2. "My Girl"
  3. "Night Boat to Cairo"
  4. "Believe Me"
  5. "Land of Hope and Glory"
  6. "The Prince"
  7. "Tarzan's Nuts"
Side Two
  1. "In the Middle of the Night"
  2. "Bed and Breakfast Man"
  3. "Razor Blade Alley"
  4. "Swan Lake"
  5. "Rockin' in A-flat"
  6. "Mummy's Boy"
  7. "Madness"
  8. "Chipmunks Are Go!"
Alternate Cover
Front cover of 1992 reissue
Front cover of 1992 reissue
This article is about the 1979 Madness song. "My Girl" is also the name of an unrelated song by The Temptations.

"My Girl" is a song by British ska/pop group Madness from their debut album, One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson.[1] The song was released as a single on December 21, 1979. The song spent 10 weeks on UK charts peaking at number 3.[2]

The song was reissued in 1992 following the success of the reissued "It Must Be Love". It reached number 27 in the UK singles chart.

Contents

[edit] Song history

The song first made its way into the band's set when they were performing as "The Invaders".[2] The first performance of the song came in July 1978, when it was performed by the band at the "Blind Alley Shop" and simply titled "New Song".[2] Barson originally performed lead vocals, and even sang on the demo for the song. However, Suggs took over the vocal duties before long, and sang the album version of the song.[2]

When the group performed the song on Top of the Pops in January 1980, they were the first band of the new decade performing on the TV show.[3]

[edit] Music video

Lee Thompson in the music video.
Lee Thompson in the music video.

The music video for "My Girl" features Madness performing the song at the Dublin Castle, London.[2] For the video, the stage was extended especially, in order to ensure that the band could perform comfortably.[2]

[edit] Other versions

A demo version of the song was released on the B-Side of the 12" version of "The Return of the Los Palmas 7", featuring Mike Barson on vocals. In 2006, the Ordinary Boys released a live recording of the song at the Brixton Academy featuring Suggs as the B-Side to their single "Nine-2-Five". The song was also covered by Tracey Ullman as "My Guy" in 1984.[4] Her version was in the UK Top 40 at the same time as Madness' "Michael Caine" and peaked at number 23.[5]

On May 2, 2008 Graham McPherson (Suggs) and Carl Smyth (Chas Smash) performed a new arrangement by the Pet Shop Boys live at the Heaven in London. They appeared as part of Pet Shop Boys' live set during the benefit evening for Dainton Connell's family, "Can You Bear It?".[6]

[edit] Appearances

In addition to its single release and appearance on the album One Step Beyond... "My Girl" also appears on the Madness collections Divine Madness (a.k.a. The Heavy Heavy Hits), Complete Madness, It's... Madness, Total Madness and The Business.

Perhaps surprisingly for such a well-known song in the UK, the song is largely ignored by the group's various US compilations, appearing only on Ultimate Collection.

[edit] Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "My Girl".

[edit] 1980 release

  • 7" Single
  1. "My Girl" (Barson) - 2:41
  2. "Stepping Into Line" (Hasler/McPherson/Foreman) - 2:16
  • 12" Single
  1. "My Girl" (Barson) - 2:41
  2. "Stepping Into Line" (Hasler/McPherson/Foreman) - 2:16
  3. "In the Rain" (McPherson/Thompson) - 2:44

[edit] 1992 release

  • 7" Single
  1. "My Girl" (Barson) - 2:41
  2. "Madness (Live)" (Campbell) - 3:05
  • CD Single (Disc One)
  1. "My Girl" (Barson) - 2:41
  2. "E.R.N.I.E. (Live)" (McPherson/Foreman) - 2:17
  3. "Embarrassment (Live)" (Thompson/Barson) - 3:15
  4. "Tomorrow's Dream (Live)" (Thompson/Barson) - 4:05
  • CD Single (Disc Two)
  1. "My Girl" (Barson) - 2:41
  2. "Precious One (Live)" (Thompson/Smyth) - 3:40
  3. "My Girl (Live)" (Barson) - 3:20
  4. "Disappear (Live)" (McPherson/Bedford) - 2:33

The song "Precious One" is to date the only Madness original to have been released only as a live version and never in a studio version.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Greene, Jo-Ann."Allmusic.com One Step Beyond Overview". Retrieved on June 30, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "The Madness Timeline: 1979". Retrieved on June 29, 2007.
  3. ^ "The Madness Timeline: 1980". Retrieved on June 30, 2007.
  4. ^ Woodstra, Chris. "Allmusic.com You Caught Me Out overview". Retrieved on July 10, 2007.
  5. ^ "My Guy chart information". Retrieved on July 12, 2007.
  6. ^ See http://www.petshopboys.co.uk , News-Section April 23, 2008 and May 3, 2008
v • d • e
Madness
Suggs • Mike Barson • Lee Thompson • Chris Foreman • Mark Bedford • Daniel Woodgate • Chas Smash
Studio Albums
One Step Beyond... • Absolutely • 7 • The Rise & Fall • Keep Moving • Mad Not Mad • Wonderful • The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1 • The Liberty of Norton Folgate
Compilation Albums
Live Albums
Singles
Associated Articles