Girlfriend (Alicia Keys song)

"Girlfriend" is a song by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys. It was written by Keys, Jermaine Dupri, and Joshua Thompson for her debut album, Songs in A Minor (2001), while production was helmed by Durpi and Keys. The song is built around an interpolation from Ol' Dirty Bastard's 1995 song "Brooklyn Zoo". Due to the inclusion of the sample, Robert Diggs and Russell Jones are also credited as songwriters.

"Girlfriend"
Single by Alicia Keys
from the album Songs in A Minor
ReleasedNovember 25, 2002
Recorded2000
StudioSouthside Studios
(Atlanta, Georgia)
Genre
Length3:34
LabelJ
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Alicia Keys
  • Jermaine Dupri
Alicia Keys singles chronology
"Gangsta Lovin'"
(2002)		 "Girlfriend"
(2002)		 "You Don't Know My Name"
(2003)

The track released as the album's fourth and final single outside the United States, where it charted at number eighty-two on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart due to moderate airplay. Although "Girlfriend" managed to outpeak previous single "How Come You Don't Call Me" in the United Kingdom and Australia, it failed to make impact elsewhere. The song's KrucialKeys Sista Girl Mix, which appears on the re-release Songs in A Minor: Remixed & Unplugged, is used in the video, directed by Patrick Hoelck, and was serviced to radio instead of its album version.

Background

Lyrically, in "Girlfriend", Keys cannot help but think that her boyfriend is having a relationship with his close female friend. She says she knows that the woman is only a friend of him, but she cannot stop thinking that her boyfriend may leave her. Keys then proceeds to say that she thinks she is jealous of his "girlfriend". Musically, the song contains an interpolation from Ol' Dirty Bastard's 1995 song "Brooklyn Zoo".[1]

Music video

The video for "Girlfriend" was directed by Patrick Hoelck and shot on location in East London, United Kingdom, the video uses the Krucialkeys Sista Girl Mix. The video starts in Keys' bedroom where her boyfriend is talking to his close female friend on the phone. She gets frustrated so she leaves the house to take a long walk through the city. While walking, she sees her boyfriend also on a walk with his female friend across the street. Keys then walks into a clothing store, performing in the fitting room. Strolling through clothing aisles, she spots a pair of red leather pants—at the same time the female friend had seen them. Keys yanks the hanger into her own hands. After the second verse is performed, the video shifts to a large, empty basement where she plays a musical piece on the piano. The video then goes back to the store, where Keys leaves out of to perform choreography with three other dancers at the corner of a street. Shortly after, she returns home to discover that her boyfriend and his female friend had been planning a surprise party for her all along.

Track listing

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Songs in A Minor.[6]

Charts
Chart (2001) Peak
position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[7] 82
Chart (2002–03) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[8] 13
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[9] 17
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[10] 12
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] 85
Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 100
Ireland (IRMA)[13] 40
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] 18
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] 18
Scotland (OCC)[16] 37
UK Singles (OCC)[17] 24
UK R&B (OCC)[18] 6

References
  1. Neal, Mark Anthony. "Alicia Keys: Songs in A Minor". PopMatters. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  2. "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend (CD) at Discogs". Retrieved June 20, 2011.
  3. "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend (CD) at Discogs". Retrieved June 20, 2011.
  4. "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend (Vinyl) at Discogs". Retrieved June 20, 2011.
  5. "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend (Vinyl) at Discogs". Retrieved June 20, 2011.
  6. Songs in A Minor (liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records. 2001.CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. "Alicia Keys Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 15, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  8. "Australian-charts.com – Alicia Keys – Girlfriend". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  9. "Ultratop.be – Alicia Keys – Girlfriend" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  10. "Ultratop.be – Alicia Keys – Girlfriend" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  11. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 20 no. 51. December 14, 2002. p. 11. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  12. "Offiziellecharts.de – Alicia Keys – Girlfriend". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  13. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Alicia Keys". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  14. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 3, 2003" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  15. "Dutchcharts.nl – Alicia Keys – Girlfriend" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  16. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  17. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  18. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
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