Can We Talk#Code Red version
{{short description|1993 single by Tevin Campbell}}
{{for|the album by Sanchez|Can We Talk?}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Can We Talk
| cover = Tevin Campbell - Can We Talk song.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Tevin Campbell
| album = I'm Ready
| released = September 21, 1993
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = {{duration|m=4|s=45}}
| label = Qwest
| writer =
| producer =
- Babyface
- Simmons
| prev_title = One Song
| prev_year = 1993
| next_title = I'm Ready
| next_year = 1994
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|3SoYkCAzMBk|"Can We Talk"}}}}
}}
"Can We Talk" is a song performed by American R&B singer-songwriter Tevin Campbell. It was written and produced by Babyface and Daryl Simmons, and released in September 1993, by Qwest Records, as the lead single from Campbell's second studio album, I'm Ready (1993). The song hit top ten on the American pop charts, peaking at numbers nine and seven on the US Billboard Hot 100[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=tevin campbell|chart=all}} www.billboard.com Chart History] (website has changed layout, link needs updating) and Cash Box Top 100.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/90s/1994/CB-1994-01-22.pdf|title=Top 100 Pop Singles|magazine=Cash Box|volume=LVII|issue=|date=January 22, 1994|page=14|access-date=April 22, 2024}} It also spent a total of three weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B chart.{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=99}} It sold 500,000 copies and earned a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FwgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA73 |title=Best-Selling Records of 1993 |magazine=Billboard|publisher=BPI Communications|date=January 15, 1994 |access-date=May 4, 2015 |page=73 |issn=0006-2510|volume=106|number=3}}{{cite certification|region=United States|artist=Campbell, Tevin|title=Can We Talk}} The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and won the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single – Male.
Music video
The accompanying music video for "Can We Talk" was filmed by German film director Marcus Nispel.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12603986/fullcredits|title=Tevin Campbell: Can We Talk (1994)|website=IMDb|accessdate=July 19, 2024}} Shot in New York City's Central Park, it features Campbell and friends traversing the park while he tries to catch the eye of his love interest.
Track listings
{{tracklist
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| headline = US single
| title1 = Can We Talk
| note1 = Edit
| writer1 = {{hlist|Babyface|Daryl Simmons}}
| extra1 = {{hlist||Babyface|Simmons}}
| length1 = 4:21
| title2 = Look What We'd Have (If You Were Mine)
| writer2 = {{hlist|Narada Michael Walden|Tevin Campbell|Tony Lindsay}}
| extra2 = Walden
| length2 = 4:40
}}
{{tracklist
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| headline = US promo CD
| title1 = Can We Talk
| note1 = Remix Radio Version
| writer1 = {{hlist|Babyface|Simmons}}
| extra1 = {{hlist|Babyface|Simmons|Def Def{{ref|a|[a]}}|Meech Wells{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| length1 = 3:53
| title2 = Can We Talk
| note2 = Full Remix
| writer2 = {{hlist|Babyface|Simmons}}
| extra2 = {{hlist|Babyface|Simmons|Def Def{{ref|a|[a]}}|Wells{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| length2 = 4:55
| title3 = Can We Talk
| note3 = Let's Talkstramental Mix
| writer3 = {{hlist|Babyface|Simmons}}
| extra3 = {{hlist|Babyface|Simmons|Def Def{{ref|a|[a]}}|Wells{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| length3 = 4:26
| title4 = Can We Talk
| note4 = Backward Beats Mix
| writer4 = {{hlist|Babyface|Simmons}}
| extra4 = {{hlist|Babyface|Simmons|Def Def{{ref|a|[a]}}|Wells{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| length4 = 4:21
| title5 = Can We Talk
| note5 = Album Radio Edit
| writer5 = {{hlist|Babyface|Simmons}}
| extra5 = {{hlist|Babyface|Simmons|Def Def{{ref|a|[a]}}|Wells{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| length5 = 4:21
}}
{{tracklist
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| headline = European CD maxi-single
| title1 = Can We Talk
| note1 = Edit
| writer1 = {{hlist|Babyface|Simmons}}
| extra1 = {{hlist||Babyface|Simmons}}
| length1 = 4:21
| title2 = Strawberry Letter
| note2 = Club Mix
| writer2 = Shuggie Otis
| extra2 = {{hlist|Quincy Jones|Quincy D III{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| length2 = 6:28
| title3 = Strawberry Letter
| note3 = LP Version
| writer3 = Otis
| extra3 = {{hlist|Jones|Quincy D III{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| length3 = 4:07
| title4 = Strawberry Letter
| note4 = QD III Mix With Rap
| writer4 = Otis
| extra4 = {{hlist|Jones|Quincy D III{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| length4 = 4:12
}}
Notes
- {{note|a|[a]}} denotes co-producer
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.Tevin Campbell - I'm Ready (CD liner notes) - Qwest/Warner Bros 9362-45388-2
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
- Tevin Campbell – lead and background vocals, additional background vocals Michael Jackson (Not Credited)
- Babyface – writer, composer, producer, all music and background vocals
- Daryl Simmons – writer, composer and producer
- Randy Walker – MIDI technician
{{col-2}}
- Jim Zumpano, Donnell Sullivan – recording engineers
- Rail Rogut, Steve Warner, Ulrich Wild – assistant engineers
- Dave Way – mixing engineer
- Ivy Skoff – production coordinator
{{col-end}}
Charts
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for "Can We Talk" ! Chart (1993–1994) ! Peak |
| {{single chart|Australia|12|artist=Tevin Campbell|song=Can We Talk|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"| Canada Retail Singles (The Record){{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1994/BB-1994-02-26-N.pdf|title=Hits of the World: Canada|magazine=Billboard|date=February 26, 1994|page=42|access-date=May 21, 2025}}
| 19 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|50|chartid=2354|rowheader=true|access-date=January 16, 2021}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|26|artist=Tevin Campbell|song=Can We Talk|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|9|artist=Tevin Campbell|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|1|artist=Tevin Campbell|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|14|artist=Tevin Campbell|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrhythmic|3|artist=Tevin Campbell|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"| US Cash Box Top 100
| 7 |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 1993 year-end chart performance for "Can We Talk" |
| Chart (1993)
! Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1993/hot-r-and-and-b-hip-hop-songs|title=Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1993|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 8, 2020}}
| 75 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Can We Talk"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|artist=Tevin Campbell|title=Can We Talk|award=Gold|relyear=1993|certyear=1994|source=book|id=48}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Tevin Campbell|title=Can We Talk|award=Gold|relyear=1993|certyear=1993|refname=RIAA}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
Code Red version
{{Infobox song
| name = Can We Talk
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Code Red
| album = Scarlet
| B-side =
| released = 1997
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 4:04
| label = Polydor
| writer =
| producer =
| prev_title = This Is Our Song
| prev_year = 1996
| next_title = Is There Someone Out There
| next_year = 1997
}}
The song was covered by many other artists, most successfully by British boy band Code Red in 1996 for their debut album Scarlet. It was released as the album's third single in 1997, reaching number 29 on the UK Singles Chart.{{cite web |author= |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-vT_GqYG-E |url-status=dead |title=Music Video |publisher=Youtube.com |date=2006-02-02 |access-date=2011-12-26 |archive-date=2011-11-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114220623/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-vT_GqYG-E&gl=US&hl=en }}