Girlfriend (Pebbles song)#Caramel version

{{Infobox song

| name = Girlfriend

| cover = Pebbles-girlfriend-single-cover.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Pebbles

| album = Pebbles

| B-side = "Girlfriend" (instrumental)

| released = 1987

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| length =

6:43 (album version)
4:16 (single version)

| label = MCA

| writer =

| producer =

L.A. Reid
Babyface

| prev_title = Love/Hate

| prev_year = 1987

| next_title = Mercedes Boy

| next_year = 1988

}}

"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 on October 26, 1987, by record label MCA. 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' debut album The Right Stuff.{{cite web|last1=Harris|first1=Mark|title=Vanessa Williams talks about her success|url=https://ew.com/article/1992/04/24/vanessa-williams-talks-about-her-success/|website=ew.com|publisher=Time Inc.|access-date=December 30, 2016}} According to L.A. Reid, Williams' record label Wing 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.{{cite web|last1=Hunt|first1=Dennis|title=Pebbles Is Leaving No Stone Unturned|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-05-22-ca-4676-story.html|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=December 30, 2016}} 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.{{cite web|last1=Portwood|first1=Jerry|title=10 Things We Learned From L.A. Reid's Juicy Tell-All|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/10-things-we-learned-from-l-a-reids-juicy-tell-all-20160210|website=rollingstone.com|date=February 10, 2016|publisher=Rolling Stone|access-date=March 6, 2016}}

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 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=454}} The single also peaked at number eight in the United Kingdom and at number nine in Ireland, becoming Pebbles' only top-10 hit in both countries, reached the top 20 in Switzerland, Canada, and West Germany, and was a Top 40 hit in New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

Awards and accolades

"Girlfriend" earned Pebbles her first nomination for the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 1989 Grammy Awards, losing to "Giving You the Best That I Got" by Anita Baker.{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/pebbles|title=Pebbles|date=November 23, 2020}}

Track listings

7-inch and Japanese mini-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Girlfriend|others=Pebbles|year=1987|type=US 7-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=MCA Records|id=MCA-53185}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Girlfriend|others=Pebbles|year=1987|type=Japanese mini-CD single liner notes|publisher=MCA Records|id=10SW-31}}

"Girlfriend" – 4:19
"Girlfriend" (instrumental) – 4:19

US, European, and Australian 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Girlfriend|others=Pebbles|year=1987|type=US 12-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=MCA Records|id=MCA-23794}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Girlfriend|others=Pebbles|year=1987|type=European 12-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=MCA Records|id=258 083-0}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Girlfriend|others=Pebbles|year=1987|type=Australian 12-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=MCA Records|id=0-23794}}

:A1. "Girlfriend" (extended version) – 6:49

:B1. "Girlfriend" (instrumental) – 6:49

:B2. "Girlfriend" (dub version) – 4:54

UK 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Girlfriend|others=Pebbles|year=1987|type=UK 12-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=MCA Records|id=MCAT 1233}}

:A1. "Girlfriend" (extended version) – 6:49

:B1. "Girlfriend" (extended instrumental) – 6:49

:B2. "Girlfriend" (vocal edit) – 5:45

UK 12-inch remix single{{cite AV media notes|title=Girlfriend|others=Pebbles|year=1987|type=UK 12-inch remix single vinyl disc|publisher=MCA Records|id=MCAX 1233}}

:A1. "Girlfriend" (dance remix) – 8:30

:B1. "Girlfriend" (extended instrumental) – 6:49

:B2. "Girlfriend" (7-inch edit) – 3:45

UK CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Girlfriend|others=Pebbles|year=1987|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=MCA Records|id=DMCA 1233}}

"Girlfriend" (7-inch version) – 3:43
"Love/Hate" (radio edit) – 5:24
"Girlfriend" (dance remix) – 8:27

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="row"\|Australia (Australian 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}} \|86
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"\|Chart (1987–1988) !scope="col"\|Peak position
{{single chart\|Flanders\|33\|artist=Pebbles\|song=Girlfriend\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2022}}
{{single chart\|Canadatopsingles\|17\|chartid=8939\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2022}}
scope="row"\|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine\|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles\|magazine=Music & Media\|volume=5\|issue=18\|page=23\|date=April 30, 1988}} \|28
{{single chart\|Ireland2\|9\|song=Girlfriend\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2022}}
{{single chart\|Dutch40\|21\|year=1988\|week=9\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2022}}
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|23\|artist=Pebbles\|song=Girlfriend\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2022}}
{{single chart\|New Zealand\|22\|artist=Pebbles\|song=Girlfriend\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2022}}
{{single chart\|Switzerland\|13\|artist=Pebbles\|song=Girlfriend\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2022}}
{{single chart\|UK\|8\|date=19880423\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2022}}
scope="row"\|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1988-04-23/\|title=Billboard Hot 100\|magazine=Billboard\|date=April 23, 1988\|access-date=June 25, 2023}} \|5
scope="row"\|US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-dance-singles-sales/1988-03-19/\|title=Dance Singles Sales\|magazine=Billboard\|date=March 19, 1988\|access-date=June 25, 2023}} \|1
scope="row"\|US Dance Club Play (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/dance-club-play-songs/1988-03-19/\|title=Dance Club Songs\|magazine=Billboard\|date=March 19, 1988\|url-access=subscription\|access-date=June 25, 2023}} \|24
scope="row"\|US Hot Black Singles (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/r-b-hip-hop-songs/1988-02-20/\|title=Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs\|magazine=Billboard\|date=February 20, 1988\|access-date=June 25, 2023}} \|1
{{single chart\|West Germany\|14\|artist=Pebbles\|song=Girlfriend\|songid=1769\|rowheader=true\|access-date=February 20, 2022}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"\|Chart (1988) !scope="col"\|Position
scope="row"\|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web\|url=http://billboardtop100of.com/1988-2/\|title=Billboard Top 100 – 1988\|website=Billboardtop100of.com\|access-date=February 20, 2022}} \|60
scope="row"\|US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard){{cite magazine\|title=No. 1 Awards: Top Dance Sales 12-Inch Singles\|magazine=Billboard\|volume=100\|issue=52\|page=Y-25\|date=December 24, 1988}} \|17
scope="row"\|US Hot Black Singles (Billboard){{cite magazine\|title=No. 1 Awards: Top Black Singles\|magazine=Billboard\|volume=100\|issue=52\|page=Y-23\|date=December 24, 1988}} \|2

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!scope="col"|Chart (1988)

!scope="col"|Position

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://billboardtop100of.com/1988-2/|title=Billboard Top 100 – 1988|website=Billboardtop100of.com|access-date=February 20, 2022}}

|60

scope="row"|US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=No. 1 Awards: Top Dance Sales 12-Inch Singles|magazine=Billboard|volume=100|issue=52|page=Y-25|date=December 24, 1988}}

|17

scope="row"|US Hot Black Singles (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=No. 1 Awards: Top Black Singles|magazine=Billboard|volume=100|issue=52|page=Y-23|date=December 24, 1988}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" !scope="col"\|Region !scope="col"\|Date !scope="col"\|Format(s) !scope="col"\|Label(s) !scope="col"\|{{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference}}
scope="row"\|United States \|October 26, 1987 \|rowspan="2"\|{{hlist\|7-inch vinyl\|12-inch vinyl}} \|rowspan="4"\|MCA \|{{citation needed\|date=January 2023}}
scope="row" rowspan="3"\|United Kingdom \|March 7, 1988 \|{{cite magazine\|title=New Singles\|magazine=Music Week\|page=11\|date=March 5, 1988}}
March 14, 1988 \|12-inch remix vinyl \|{{cite magazine\|title=New Singles\|magazine=Music Week\|page=39\|date=March 12, 1988}}
April 4, 1988 \|CD \|{{cite magazine\|title=New Singles\|magazine=Music Week\|page=27\|date=April 2, 1988}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United States

|October 26, 1987

|rowspan="2"|{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl}}

|rowspan="4"|MCA

|{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

scope="row" rowspan="3"|United Kingdom

|March 7, 1988

|{{cite magazine|title=New Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=11|date=March 5, 1988}}

March 14, 1988

|12-inch remix vinyl

|{{cite magazine|title=New Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=39|date=March 12, 1988}}

April 4, 1988

|CD

|{{cite magazine|title=New Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=27|date=April 2, 1988}}

Covers

=Caramel version=

{{Infobox song

| name = Girlfriend

| type = single

| artist = Caramel

| released = 1999

| genre = UK garage

| length = 4:06

| label = Brothers

| writer = Kenneth Edmonds, Antonio Reid

| producer = Andy Lee, Pete Lee

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

UK garage duo Caramel released their version as a single in 1999, featuring Paule van Wijngaarden on vocals. It reached No. 9 on the UK Dance Singles Chart.

;Track listing

UK CD single