Girls (Sugababes song)

"Girls"
Single by Sugababes
from the album Catfights and Spotlights
B-side "Don't Look Back"
Released 20 September 2008
Format Download, CD single
Recorded 2008
Genre R&B, funk
Length 3:12 (radio edit)
3:10 (album version)
Label Island
Songwriter(s) Anna McDonald, Nicole Jenkinson, Allen Toussaint, Keisha Buchanan[1]
Producer(s) Si Hulbert, Melvin Kuiters[2]
Sugababes singles chronology
"She's like a Star"
(2008)		 "Girls"
(2008)		 "No Can Do"
(2008)

"She's like a Star"
(2008)		 "Girls"
(2008)		 "No Can Do"
(2008)
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"Girls" is a 2008 single by British girl group Sugababes. It was written by Anna McDonald and Nicole Jenkinson, and produced by Si Hulbert and Melvin Kuiters for the band's sixth studio album Catfights and Spotlights (2008), featuring an interpolation of Ernie K-Doe's record "Here Come the Girls," as written by Allen Toussaint.[2]

"Girls" was released as the album's lead single on 6 October 2008 in the United Kingdom,[3] and features remixes by Fred Falke, Dennis Christopher and Funkerman.[3] A moderate chart success around Europe in comparison with previous single, the song peaked in the top-three in Estonia, and the United Kingdom, and reached the top-twenty in Ireland and Turkey as well as the top-fifty in several countries including Slovakia, Ukraine and the Czech Republic.[4] "Girls" is used as the one of two theme songs of Dagens Mand, the Danish version of Taken Out.

Music video

The music video for "Girls" was filmed on 28 August 2008 and directed by Daniel Wolfe, The video premiered on 4Music and Channel 4 on 6 September 2008.[5] In the clip, bandmembers Amelle Berrabah, Keisha Buchanan and Heidi Range enjoy a girls' night out at a pole-dancing club, embraced by a "1980s disco style."[6] It features the girls dancing and performing, focusing more on the other dancers during the chorus and on the girls while singing their verses. During their verses, Berrabah engages sensual dance moves with one of the fellow female dancers and Buchanan teases a male dancer.[6]

While Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack contestant Latoya Satnarine is featured in a cameo appearance, Buchanan invited her boyfriend Dean Thomas to star in a supporting role in the video.[7] As reported, Berrabah decided to have pole-dancing lessons before filming the video so she "wouldn't make a fool out of herself on the pole."[6] After recruiting female fans to star in the video, producers denied accusations they were being unfair by failing to pay those who starred in the video. A spokesman for the band later stated: "No professional dancers are being asked to do anything for free. This is an opportunity for people who don’t dance for a living but who fancy their chances."[7]

Chart performance

In the UK, the song entered two weeks prior to its physical release, on downloads, at number 8. The following week it climbed four more spots to number 4. The week of 13 October 2008, it climbed one spot to number 3. "Girls" marked their first lead single not to reach number 1 since their debut "Overload" in 2000. In Ireland, the song peaked at number 12.

Critical reception

Girls Received positive reviews from critics. Nick Levine from digital spy stated that "Around it they've built a brassy, funky, Ronsonish pop song with lyrics that push all the usual female empowerment buttons ("With or without a man I feel complete..."). The result is smart, catchy and very, very 2008 - and it sounds pretty good on the radio too. But it's also the first lead single from a Sugababes album that it's difficult to get excited about".

US promotions

Though the song was not officially released in the USA, it was used in commercials to promote American shoe store Payless in 2009. It was also reported that the song would be re-recorded with Jade Ewen's vocals to help promote US department store J. C. Penney in 2010.[8] The original version featuring the third line up (Buchanan, Range and Berrabah) was already used in several commercials for J. C. Penney.

Track listing

  1. "Girls" (radio edit) - 3:12
  2. "Don't Look Back" - 3:10
  3. "Girls" (Danny Dove & Steve Smart club mix) - 6:31
  4. "Girls" (Dennis Christopher remix) - 7:20

Charts

Chart (2008) Peak
position
scope="row"Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[9] 47
European Hot 100 (Billboard)[10] 10
scope="row"Ireland (IRMA)[11] 12
scope="row"Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[12] 26
Turkey (Turkey Top 20 Chart)[13] 7
scope="row"UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[14] 3
scope="row"UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[15] 1

Release history

Region Date Format
United Kingdom 20 September 2008 Digital download
6 October 2008 CD single
Australia 10 November 2008 Digital download
Netherlands 27 February 2009 CD single

References

  1. ↑ Catfights and Spotlights liner notes
  2. 1 2 "Here come the Sugababes: listen to the new single now...". Popjustice. 11 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-14.
  3. 1 2 "New single - GIRLS!". Sugababes.com. 12 August 2008. Archived from the original on 22 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
  4. ↑ "Chart Performance". aCharts. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  5. ↑ "Dance for a Sarnie". Daily Star. 27 August 2008. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  6. 1 2 3 "Sugababes learn pole-dancing for their sexiest video yet". Daily Mail. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  7. 1 2 Lyons, Beverley (29 August 2008). "Sugababe Ropes In Boyfriend For Pole Role". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-19.
  8. ↑ "403". Sugaworld.freetzi.com. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
  9. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200851 into search. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  10. ↑ "European Hot 100 – Week of October 25, 2006". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 25 October 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  11. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 50, 2008". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  12. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200848 into search. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  13. ↑ "Billboard Türkiye Top 20". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 26 October 2008. Archived from the original on 5 November 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  14. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2008-10-18" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  15. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-12-01" UK R&B Chart. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
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