"Girlfriend" is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released as the sixth track from the Off the Wall album. It was released as a single on July 4, 1980, serving as the fifth and final single from the album. It marks the first collaboration between Jackson and Paul McCartney. An album version of the single was later released as a B-side to the "Liberian Girl" single.
Background[]
McCartney thought of "Girlfriend" as a song that Jackson would want to record, and mentioned the track to him at a party in Hollywood. Jackson was a big fan of The Beatles, as stated in interviews with the music press in the 1970s, and having a chance to record an original song by one of the members helped to inspire his next project. However, McCartney ended up recording it with his band Wings, which was released in 1978 as the seventh track from London Town.
Quincy Jones, the producer of "Girlfriend", heard it and suggested it to Jackson as a possible track for Off the Wall, unaware that it was already written for Jackson in the first place. Jackson recorded his version of "Girlfriend" in June 1979 at Allen Zentz Recording, Westlake Recording, and Cherokee Studios, which were all located in Los Angeles. The middle eight heard in McCartney's version isn't present in Jackson's version.
Audio[]
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
Girlfriend
I'm gonna tell your boyfriend (Yeah)
Tell him (Woo-hoo)
Exactly what we're doin' (Yeah)
Tell him what you do to me
Late at night when the wind is free
[Verse 2]
Girlfriend
I'm gonna show your boyfriend (Yeah)
Show him (Woo-hoo)
The letters I've been savin' (Yeah)
Show him how you feel inside
And how love could not be denied (Oh, no)
[Chorus]
We're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
Huh, do-do-do-do-doot-do-do-do-do
Huh, do-do-do-do-doot-do-do-do-do (Hoo)
Do-do-do-do-doot-do-do-do-do (Hoo)
We're going to have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
[Verse 3]
Girlfriend
You better tell your boyfriend (Yeah)
Tell him (Woo-hoo)
Exactly what we're doin' (Yeah)
Tell him what he needs to know
Or he may never let you go, yeah
[Chorus]
We're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
Huh, do-do-do-do-doot-do-do-do-do (Hoo)
Do-do-do-do-doot-do-do-do-do (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
Do-do-do-do-doot-do-do-do-do (Woohoo)
(Gonna be your boyfriend)
Do-do-do-do-doot-do-do-do-do (Woohoo)
(Gonna be my girlfriend, girlfriend)
Do-do-do-do-doot-do-do-do-do (Woohoo)
Do-do-do-do-doot-do-do-do-do
Gallery[]
![Vinyl[1]](/wiki/File:Girlfriend_cover_single.png "Girlfriend cover single.png (597 KB)")