Girlfriend (Paul McCartney song)

"Girlfriend"
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album Off the Wall
B-side	"Bless His Soul" (with The Jacksons)
Released	July 16, 1980
Format	7"
Recorded	June 1979
Genre	Pop R&B
Length	3:05
Label	Epic
Writer(s)	Paul McCartney
Producer(s)	Quincy Jones
Michael Jackson singles chronology
"She's out of My Life" (1980) "Girlfriend" (1980) "One Day in Your Life" (1981)
Off the Wall track listing "Off the Wall" (5) "Girlfriend" (6) "She's out of My Life" (7)

"Girlfriend" is a song written by Paul McCartney. McCartney thought of the song as one that Michael Jackson might like to record, and mentioned this to Jackson at a party in Hollywood. Jackson had stated in interviews with the music press in the 1970s that he was a fan of The Beatles and the chance to record a McCartney original helped to inspire his next project. However, McCartney ended up recording it himself with his band Wings, and it was issued in 1978 on the album London Town. Subsequently, it was suggested by Quincy Jones as a possible track for Jackson to record for his 1979 album Off the Wall. Jones was unaware that the song had been written for Jackson in the first place. Jackson's recording omitted the middle eight heard in McCartney's version. It was issued as a single in 1980, in the UK only, as the fifth and final single from the Off the Wall album. This proved to be another hit single for Jackson and one of his first recordings of a Paul McCartney song.

McCartney and Jackson subsequently worked together on "The Girl Is Mine" from Thriller, as well as "Say Say Say", and "The Man" from Pipes of Peace. In 1985, Jackson acquired the ATV Music Publishing catalog (which held the rights to nearly every Beatles song) uncontested by McCartney.^[1][2][3] According to McCartney, they "drifted apart" after he talked to Jackson about getting a "raise" and Jackson did not act on it.^[4]

Track listing

UK single

1. "Girlfriend" – 3:04
2. "Bless His Soul" (with The Jacksons)

Personnel

• Written and composed by Paul McCartney
• Produced by Quincy Jones
• Lead and background vocals: Michael Jackson
• Bass: Louis Johnson
• Drums: John Robinson
• Electric piano: Greg Phillinganes
• Synthesizer: David Foster
• Synthesizer programming: Steve Porcaro and George Duke
• Guitar: Wah Wah Watson and Marlo Henderson
• Horns arranged by Jerry Hey and performed by The Seawind Horns:
  • Trumpet and flugelhorn: Jerry Hey
  • Tenor, alto saxophones and flute: Larry Williams
  • Baritone, tenor saxophones and flute: Kim Hutchcroft
  • Trombone: William Reichenbach
  • Trumpet: Gary Grant
• Alto Sax Solo: Larry Williams
• Rhythm arrangement by Quincy Jones, Tom Bahler and Greg Phillinganes
• Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones

References