Girlfriend (Alicia Keys song)

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"Girlfriend"
Single by Alicia Keys
from the album Songs in A Minor
B-side
ReleasedNovember 25, 2002 (2002-11-25)
StudioSouthside (Atlanta)
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)
Music video
"Girlfriend" on YouTube

"Girlfriend" is a song by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her debut studio album Songs in A Minor (2001). It was written by Keys, Jermaine Dupri, and Joshua Thompson, while production was helmed by Dupri 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" was released as the fourth and final single from Songs in A Minor outside the United States on November 25, 2002, by J Records.

In the US, "Girlfriend" peaked at number 82 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart as an album cut. Although it outpeaked previous single "How Come You Don't Call Me" in the United Kingdom and Australia, it failed to make an impact elsewhere. The song's KrucialKeys Sista Girl Mix, which appears on the re-release Songs in A Minor: Remixed & Unplugged, was used in the song's accompanying music video, directed by Patrick Hoelck, and was serviced to radio instead of the album version.

Music and lyrics[edit]

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[edit]

The video for "Girlfriend" was directed by Patrick Hoelck and shot on location in East London, England, 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 listings and formats[edit]

Credits and personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Songs in A Minor.[7]

Charts[edit]

Weekly chart performance for "Girlfriend"
Chart (2001–2003) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[8] 13
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[9] 17
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[10] 12
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[11] 71
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[12] 85
Germany (Official German Charts)[13] 100
Ireland (IRMA)[14] 40
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] 18
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 18
Scotland (OCC)[17] 37
UK Singles (OCC)[18] 24
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[19] 6
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[20] 82

Release history[edit]

Release dates and formats for "Girlfriend"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Germany November 25, 2002 Maxi CD BMG
[13]
United Kingdom
RCA
[21]
Australia January 13, 2003 Maxi CD BMG
[22]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Neal, Mark Anthony. "Alicia Keys: Songs in A Minor". PopMatters. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  2. ^ Girlfriend (European CD single liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records, BMG. 2002. 74321 97956 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ Girlfriend (European / Australian CD Maxi-single liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records, BMG, MBK Entertainment. 2002. 74321 97957 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ Girlfriend (UK CD and 12" single liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records. 2002. 74321 974972 / 74321 97497 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ^ Girlfriend (UK Cassette single liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records, BMG. 2002. 74321 974974.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ Girlfriend (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Alicia Keys. J Records. 2001. 80813-21041-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ Songs in A Minor (US CD album liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records. 2001. 80813-20002-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  9. ^ "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  10. ^ "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  11. ^ "Top 100 Singles". Jam!. Archived from the original on January 9, 2003. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  12. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 20, no. 51. December 14, 2002. p. 11. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  14. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Alicia Keys". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  15. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 3, 2003" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  16. ^ "Alicia Keys – Girlfriend" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  17. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  18. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  19. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  20. ^ "Alicia Keys Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  21. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 25 November 2002: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. November 23, 2002. p. 29. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  22. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 13th January 2003" (PDF). ARIA. January 13, 2003. p. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 6, 2003. Retrieved July 2, 2021.

External links[edit]

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