Candy Girl (New Edition song)
{{Infobox song
| name = Candy Girl
| cover = NE candygirl single.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = New Edition
| album = Candy Girl
| released = February 24, 1983{{cite web|author=Dart Adams|url=https://killerboombox.com/kbb-project/new-editions-candy-girl-turns-30-a-retrospective|title=NEW EDITION'S "CANDY GIRL" TURNS 30: A RETROSPECTIVE|publisher=KillerBoomBox|date=2013-03-15|access-date=2019-11-07}}
| studio = Unique Recording Studios, New York City{{Cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/candy-girl-mw0000315708 | title=Candy Girl - New Edition | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic | website=AllMusic }}{{cite web|url=http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_unique_recording_studio/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060324005414/http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_unique_recording_studio |archive-date=March 24, 2006 |title=Unique Recording Studio |publisher=Mixonline.com |date=August 1, 2000 |access-date=July 6, 2020}}
| genre = R&B, bubblegum pop, funk, post-disco
| length = 3:52
6:58 (12')
| label = {{hlist|Streetwise|Warlock}}
| writer = {{hlist|Maurice Starr|Michael Jonzun}}
| producer = {{hlist|Maurice Starr|Michael Jonzun}}
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Is This the End
| next_year = 1983
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|yeVUstjxPyU|"Candy Girl" (Audio)}}}}
}}
"Candy Girl" is the debut single by New Edition from their debut album Candy Girl. It was released as a single in late February 1983 and the song hit number one on the UK Singles Chart,{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= British Hit Singles & Albums
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 423}} becoming the 31st-best-selling single of the year. It also peaked at number 1 on the Hot Black Singles chart, passing Michael Jackson’s song "Beat It" on May 14, 1983.
"Candy Girl" established New Edition as a bubblegum pop group with stylings from contemporary R&B.{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7SsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA86 |pages=82–86 |title=Pieces of a Dream |last=Good |first=Karen R. |date=November 1996 |magazine=Vibe |volume=4 |number=9 |issn=1070-4701 }}
History
New Edition was first discovered and mentored by their manager Brooke Payne. He entered them in a local talent show where they met songwriter/producer Maurice Starr who wrote "Candy Girl" for the group, envisioning them as a 1980s answer to the Jackson 5. Ralph Tresvant was positioned as the lead singer, because Starr considered his high tenor as reminiscent of a younger Michael Jackson, while having members Ricky Bell and Bobby Brown sharing alternate leads.
The 12" version features producers Starr and Michael Jonzun doing some additional instrumentation in the outro.
=Release and reaction=
Released as a single in February 1983 before the album was released, the song made a slow ascent up the chart, peaking on June 25, 1983, at number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart singles chart,{{Cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/new-edition/chart-history/hsi/ | title=New Edition | magazine=Billboard }} and number 1 on the R&B singles chart in the US.{{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=427}} It was most successful in the UK, where it peaked at number 1 for one week in May 1983.
Personnel
- Ralph Tresvant: lead and background vocals; rap
- Bobby Brown: lead and background vocals; rap
- Ricky Bell: lead and background vocals; rap
- Michael Bivins: rap and background vocals
- Ronnie DeVoe: rap and background vocals
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1983-1984) !Peak |
| scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, NSW|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}
|10 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Flanders|13|artist=New Edition|song=Candy Girl|accessdate=September 16, 2020|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|11|chartid=6300|accessdate=September 16, 2020|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland2|2|artist=New Edition|song=Candy Girl|accessdate=September 16, 2020|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch40|13|year=1983|week=27|accessdate=September 16, 2020|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|16|artist=New Edition|song=Candy Girl|accessdate=September 16, 2020|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|2|artist=New Edition|song=Candy Girl|accessdate=September 16, 2020|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|url=http://rock.co.za/files/sa_charts_1969_1989_songs_(C-D).html|title=SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Songs C–D|website=South African Rock Lists|access-date=September 16, 2020}}
|1 |
| {{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|1|artist=New Edition|accessdate=July 8, 2020|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|46|artist=New Edition|accessdate=November 7, 2019|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboarddanceclubplay|17|artist=New Edition|accessdate=November 6, 2019|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"|US Hot Black Singles (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/new-edition/chart-history/bsi/|title=New Edition Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 7, 2019}}
|1 |
| {{single chart|West Germany|22|artist=New Edition|song=Candy Girl|songid=14857|accessdate=September 16, 2020|rowheader=true}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1983) !Position |
| scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web |url=https://i.imgur.com/860ttad.jpg |title=Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983 |publisher=Kent Music Report |via=Imgur.com |access-date=22 January 2023}}
|76 |
|---|
| scope="row"|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1983-12-31|title=End of Year Charts 1983|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=September 16, 2020}}
|24 |
| scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|url=http://rock.co.za/files/sahits_1983.html|title=Top 20 Hit Singles of 1983|website=South African Rock Lists|access-date=September 16, 2020}}
|12 |
| scope="row"|UK Singles (Official Charts Company){{cite book|editor-first=Peter|editor-last=Scaping|chapter=Top 100 singles: 1983|title=BPI Year Book 1984|publisher=British Phonographic Industry|pages=42–43|date=1984|isbn=0-906154-04-9}}
|33 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=New Edition|title=Candy Girl|award=Silver|relyear=1983|certyear=1983|id=1172-749-1|access-date=September 16, 2020}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{New Edition}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Number-one singles in South Africa
Category:Songs written by Maurice Starr
Category:Songs written by Michael Jonzun