"Girlfriend" is a song by American singer Pebbles from her 1987 self-titled debut studio album. Written and produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface, "Girlfriend" was released as the album's

lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release ...

on October 26, 1987, by record label

MCA MCA may refer to: Astronomy * Mars-crossing asteroid, an asteroid whose orbit crosses that of Mars Aviation * Minimum crossing altitude, a minimum obstacle crossing altitude for fixes on published airways * Medium Combat Aircraft, a 5th gene ...

. The song charted in several countries, peaking at number five on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and reaching the top 10 in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Background

The song was originally intended for

Vanessa Williams Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. She gained recognition as the first African-American woman to receive the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984. She resigne ...

' debut album '' The Right Stuff''. According to L.A. Reid, Williams' record label

Wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is exp ...

showed interest in Williams' recording "Girlfriend", which Reid played for her alone in his apartment. However, Pebbles heard the song and offered Reid more money and two cars for the chance to record it. As a result, the production team were not asked to work on more songs on Williams' debut. Reid said due to that incident, Williams never spoke to him again.

Chart performance

"Girlfriend" became Pebbles' first top-five hit on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and her first number one song on the

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

chart. In the United Kingdom, the single peaked at number eight, becoming Pebbles' only top-10 hit there.

Awards and accolades

"Girlfriend" earned Pebbles her first nomination for the

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (previously called Best Rhythm and Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Female) was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards ...

at the 1989 Grammy Awards, losing to " Giving You the Best That I Got" by

Anita Baker Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. She is one of the most popular singers of soulful ballads, especially renowned for her work during the height of the quiet storm Quiet storm is a radio format and ge ...

Track listings

7-inch and Japanese mini-CD single # "Girlfriend" – 4:19 # "Girlfriend" (instrumental) – 4:19 US, European, and Australian 12-inch single :A1. "Girlfriend" (extended version) – 6:49 :B1. "Girlfriend" (instrumental) – 6:49 :B2. "Girlfriend" (dub version) – 4:54 UK 12-inch single :A1. "Girlfriend" (extended version) – 6:49 :B1. "Girlfriend" (extended instrumental) – 6:49 :B2. "Girlfriend" (vocal edit) – 5:45 UK 12-inch remix single :A1. "Girlfriend" (dance remix) – 8:30 :B1. "Girlfriend" (extended instrumental) – 6:49 :B2. "Girlfriend" (7-inch edit) – 3:45 UK CD single # "Girlfriend" (7-inch version) – 3:43 # "Love/Hate" (radio edit) – 5:24 # "Girlfriend" (dance remix) – 8:27

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Release history

Covers

Caramel version

UK garage UK garage, abbreviated as UKG, is a genre of electronic dance music which originated in England in the early to mid-1990s. The genre was most clearly inspired by garage house, but also incorporates elements from dance-pop, R&B, and jungle. I ...

duo

Caramel Caramel ( or ) is an orange-brown confectionery product made by heating a range of sugars. It can be used as a flavoring in puddings and desserts, as a filling in bonbons, or as a topping for ice cream and custard. The process of caramelizat ...

released their version as a single in 1999, featuring Paule van Wijngaarden on vocals. It reached No. 9 on the

UK Dance Singles Chart The UK Dance Singles Chart and the UK Dance Albums Chart are music charts compiled in the United Kingdom by the Official Charts Company from sales of songs in the dance music genre (e.g. house, trance, drum and bass, garage, synthpop) in record ...

. ;Track listing UK CD single # "Girlfriend" (Radio Mix) - 4:06 # "Voodoo Man" (Radio Mix) - 3:35 # "Girlfriend" (Master Mix) - 6:57 ;Charts

Other versions

* British band

the Beautiful South The Beautiful South were an English pop rock group formed in 1988 by Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway, two former members of the Hull group The Housemartins, both of whom performed lead and backing vocals. Other members throughout the band's exi ...

also covered the song for their 1989 debut album '' Welcome to the Beautiful South''. * Japanese singer Takako Ohta released her version from the 1989 album ''Thanks'', sung in Japanese and English. * Girl group Rísquée recorded a version for their only album ''Risquing It All'' in 1999. * British singer

Sinitta Sinitta Malone (born 19 October 1963), known mononymously as Sinitta, is an American-born British singer, actress and television personality. She initially found commercial success in the mid-1980s with the single " So Macho" and had several o ...

covered the song in 2016.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Girlfriend (Pebbles Song) 1987 songs 1987 singles 1999 singles MCA Records singles Perri "Pebbles" Reid songs Song recordings produced by Babyface (musician) Song recordings produced by L.A. Reid Songs written by Babyface (musician) Songs written by L.A. Reid