Love That Girl
{{for|the sitcom|Love That Girl!}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Love That Girl
| cover = Raphael Saadiq - Love That Girl.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Raphael Saadiq
| album = The Way I See It
| released = {{Start date|2008|08|05}}
| recorded = 2008
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Soul
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=04}}
| label = Columbia
| writer = Bobby Ozuna, Raphael Saadiq
| producer = Raphael Saadiq
| prev_title = I Want You Back
| prev_year = 2004
| next_title = 100 Yard Dash
| next_year = 2009
| misc =
}}
"Love That Girl" is a song by American recording artist Raphael Saadiq, released as a single on August 5, 2008, by Columbia Records. It was the lead single for Saadiq's 2008 album The Way I See It. The song was written by Saadiq and co-producer Bobby Ozuna. "Love That Girl" is a Motown-inspired soul song with sweet-natured, innocent lyrics about affection.
The single peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.
Music and lyrics
{{Listen
| pos = left
| type = music
| filename = Raphael Saadiq - Love That Girl.ogg
| title = "Love That Girl" sample
}}
"Love That Girl" is a Motown-inspired soul song with repetitive bass lines, echo chamber-like claps, and call and response choruses.{{cite web|last=Finkel |first=Bari |date=November 16, 2010 |url=http://www.wiux.org/blog/2010/11/16/tuesday-temptations-raphael-saadig-love-that-girl/ |title=Tuesday Temptations: Raphael Saadiq, "Love That Girl" |publisher=WIUX Blog |accessdate=2012-05-20 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130416044243/http://www.wiux.org/blog/2010/11/16/tuesday-temptations-raphael-saadig-love-that-girl/ |archivedate=April 16, 2013 |url-status=live }} It also features Motown-styled instruments by Jack Ashford, including tambourine, vibraphone, bells, and shakers.{{cite journal |last=Farinella |first=David John |date=January 1, 2009 |url=http://mixonline.com/recording/tracking/music-raphael-saadiq/ |title=Music: Raphael Saadiq |journal=Mix |accessdate=2012-04-21 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709035758/http://mixonline.com/recording/tracking/music-raphael-saadiq/ |archivedate=July 9, 2012 |url-status=dead }} Gail Mitchell of Billboard characterizes it as "a swing tune that calls to mind the Temptations' signature brand of suave grooves".{{cite magazine|last=Mitchell |first=Gail |url=https://www.billboard.com/news/the-way-i-see-it-1003852604.story |title=The Way I See It |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media |volume=120 |issue=39 |date=September 27, 2008 |accessdate=2012-04-03 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20240526064025/https://www.webcitation.org/6ApipNYN3?url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/magazine/reviews/albums/e3i4bd22674ba7598a8b5d6aed3c7857031 |archivedate=May 26, 2024 |url-status=live }} Andy Gill of The Independent writes that the song has "the poise of the David Ruffin-era Temptations."{{cite news|last=Gill |first=Andy |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-raphael-saadiq-the-way-i-see-it-columbia-1633101.html |title=Album: Raphael Saadiq, The Way I See It (Columbia) |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=February 27, 2009 |accessdate=2012-04-06 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102220756/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-raphael-saadiq-the-way-i-see-it-columbia-1633101.html |archivedate=November 2, 2012 |url-status=live }} The song's lyrics are sweet, innocent, and expressing affection for a love interest. They also feature rhyme schemes similar to those of classic soul songs and restrained falsetto vocals by Saadiq. About.com's Mark Edward Nero finds its subject matter reminiscent of Mary Wells' 1964 song "My Guy".
Release and reception
"Love That Girl" was released as the lead single from The Way I See It.{{cite web|last=Nero |first=Mark Edward |url=http://randb.about.com/b/2008/07/10/raphael-saadiq-love-that-girl.htm |title=Music: Raphael Saadiq - "Love That Girl" |publisher=About.com. The New York Times Company |date=July 10, 2008 |accessdate=2012-04-07 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121121011308/http://randb.about.com/b/2008/07/10/raphael-saadiq-love-that-girl.htm |archivedate=November 21, 2012 |url-status=live }} It was released as a digital download on August 5, 2008, by Columbia Records.{{cite web|url=http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8748842 |title=Raphael Saadiq - Love That Girl MP3 Download |publisher=CD Universe |accessdate=2012-05-20 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150411135723/http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8748842 |archivedate=2015-04-11 |url-status=live }} Its music video was released on August 27,{{cite journal|date=August 27, 2008|url=http://www.urb.com/2008/08/27/video-premier-saadiqs-love-that-girl/|title=Video Premier: Saadiq's 'Love That Girl'|journal=URB|location=West Hollywood|accessdate=2012-05-20|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205145911/http://www.urb.com/2008/08/27/video-premier-saadiqs-love-that-girl/|archive-date=February 5, 2013|url-status=dead}} and featured Saadiq and his band in vintage attire, including matching suits and a flowing red dress worn by the backing vocalist. "Love That Girl" was later used as the theme song for the sitcom of the same name,{{cite journal|last=Schneider |first=Michael |date=January 4, 2010 |url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1118013312?refCatId=14 |title=TV One acquires 'Love That Girl' |journal=Variety |location=Los Angeles |accessdate=2012-05-20 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104160134/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118013312?refCatId=14 |archivedate=November 4, 2012 |url-status=live }} on which Saadiq served as executive producer.{{cite magazine|editor-last=Tunzi|editor-first=Kristina|date=December 5, 2009|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S5qHDcGdQDEC&pg=PT49|title=Saadiq Preps New Set|magazine=Billboard|location=New York|accessdate=2012-09-17|page=50|issue=48|volume=121}}
"Love That Girl" charted for 20 weeks on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, peaking at number 45 on November 15, 2008.{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=raphael saadiq|chart=R&B/Hip-Hop Songs}}|title=Raphael Saadiq Album & Song Chart History|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|accessdate=2012-05-20}} It also charted for four weeks and peaked at number 15 in Belgium.{{cite web |url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/song/75e33/Raphael-Saadiq-Love-That-Girl |title=Raphael Saadiq - Love That Girl |publisher=ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch |language=Dutch |accessdate=2012-09-18 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409205356/http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Raphael+Saadiq&titel=Love+That+Girl&cat=s |archivedate=2016-04-09 |url-status=live }} The song was nominated for the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.{{cite web|author=Gingerlynn |date=December 4, 2008 |url=http://www.okayplayer.com/news/09-Grammy-Award-Nominations-Al-Green-M_I_A-Estelle-Jazmine-Sullivan-and-more.html |title='09 Grammy Award Nominations: Al Green, M.I.A., Estelle, Jazmine Sullivan and more! |publisher=Okayplayer |accessdate=2012-04-09 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111130085111/http://www.okayplayer.com/news/09-Grammy-Award-Nominations-Al-Green-M_I_A-Estelle-Jazmine-Sullivan-and-more.html |archivedate=November 30, 2011 |url-status=live }}
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes for The Way I See It.{{cite AV media notes|title=The Way I See It|others=Raphael Saadiq|year=2008|type=CD liner|publisher=Columbia Records|id=88697 08585 2|location=New York City}}
- Jack Ashford – bells, shaker, tambourine, vibraphone
- Charles Brungardt – recording engineer
- Tom Coyne – mastering
- Bobby Ozuna – co-producer, composer
- Raphael Saadiq – composer, instrumentalist, mixing, producer, recording engineer, vocals
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" |
| Chart (2008–09)
!Peak |
|---|
| {{singlechart|Flanders Tip|15|artist=Raphael Saadiq|song=Love That Girl}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardrandbhiphop|45|artist=Raphael Saadiq|artistid=141699}} |
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"|Region
!scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Label !scope="col"|Format |
|---|
| Canada{{cite web|url=http://www.hmvdigital.ca/artist/raphael-saadiq/love-that-girl|title=Love That Girl by Raphael Saadiq|publisher=HMV|accessdate=2012-10-19}}
|rowspan="2"|August 5, 2008 |rowspan="3"|Columbia Records |rowspan="3"|digital download |
| United States |
| United Kingdom{{cite web|url=http://www.7digital.com/artist/raphael-saadiq/release/love-that-girl|title=Love That Girl (Album Version) (2010)|publisher=7digital|accessdate=2012-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307031748/https://www.7digital.com/artist/raphael-saadiq/release/love-that-girl|archive-date=2016-03-07|url-status=dead}}
|February 10, 2010 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{MusicBrainz work|id=b0c46fbf-eba8-3d75-aec9-fe282786ae41|name=Love That Girl|type=single}}
{{Raphael Saadiq}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Columbia Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Raphael Saadiq