If Your Girl Only Knew

"If Your Girl Only Knew"
Single by Aaliyah
from the album One in a Million
Released July 12, 1996
Format
Recorded 1996;[1] Pyramid Studios
(Ithaca, New York)
Genre
Length 4:50
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Timbaland
Aaliyah U.S. singles chronology
"Are You Ready?"
(1996) Are You Ready?1996		 "If Your Girl Only Knew"
(1996) If Your Girl Only Knew1996		 "One in a Million"
(1996) One in a Million1996
Aaliyah Eurasian singles chronology
"The Thing I Like"
(1995) The Thing I Like1995		 "If Your Girl Only Knew"
(1996) If Your Girl Only Knew1996		 "Got to Give It Up"
(1996) Got to Give It Up1996
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

"If Your Girl Only Knew" is a song written by Missy Elliott and Timbaland for Aaliyah's second studio album, One in a Million (1996). It also was produced by Timbaland, and released as the album's lead single during the third quarter of 1996 (see 1996 in music). The song was re-released in 1997 as a limited edition double A-side single with the single, "One in a Million".

Background

In an interview with Billboard, Aaliyah stated: "I wanted to maintain my smooth street musical image but wanted to be funky and hot yet sophisticated".[4] The song was described by Atlantic product development director Eddie Santiago as "a very funky mid-tempo track with lots of heavy keyboard and organ work along with live drums and a thumping bass line".[4] The song was produced by Timbaland.[4]

Chart performance

Released as the album's lead single in July 1996, it peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending October 19, 1996,[5] becoming her third single to reach the top 20. It reached the top of the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart for two weeks. The single sold 600,000 copies domestically.[6] "If Your Girl Only Knew" was also a hit in the UK, peaking in the top thirty of the UK Singles Chart at number 21 when it was originally released by itself. It was re-issued with "One in a Million" as a double A-side and reached a new peak position of number 15. "If Your Girl Only Knew" was also a hit in other countries including Japan, where the song peaked at number four on the Tokio Hot 100 chart.[7]

Music video

The video was released on July 8, 1996[4] and it begins with Aaliyah, her brother, and their clique arriving to a party on motorcycles. She wears a dark leather outfit with her trademark sunglasses and bandana. Scenes include Aaliyah sitting in a futuristic chair, at a party, (the party scene is shot in black-and-white, but Aaliyah remains in color) Aaliyah and various others in an elevator, and also a close-up of Aaliyah's face. Color editing is used on her eyes here, and they change color towards the end of the video. The video was directed by Joseph Kahn and features cameos from Missy Elliott, Timbaland, 702, Lil' Kim, and her brother Rashad.[4]

Critical reception

In his review of the song, Larry Flick from Billboard described it as a "wickedly infectious jeep chugger" and felt that Aaliyah's break from public view in between albums was "well spent". He also praised Aaliyah's vocal styling, saying: "She reveals a more assured and fully realized vocal style as well as a more flexible note range".[8] Dimitri Ehrlich of Entertainment Weekly described the song as a "low-key funk tune" and commended the overall message of the song, writing: "The message is an enduring one and the sparse, robotic rhythm is entrancing".[9] In a review of One in a Million, Connie Johnson of the Los Angeles Times called the song "teasingly witchy".[10] Shannon Marcec from Complex felt that Aaliyah delivered her sweet but haunting vocals on one of Timbaland's best beats. Marcec also mentioned that the lyrics made the song one of Aaliyah's hottest song. [11]

Track listings

US CD single

  1. "If Your Girl Only Knew" (album mix) featuring Timbaland
  2. "If Your Girl Only Knew" (extended mix)
  3. "If Your Girl Only Knew" (remix) featuring Timbaland and Missy Elliott
  4. "If Your Girl Only Knew" (beat a pella)
  5. "If Your Girl Only Knew" (instrumental)
  6. "If Your Girl Only Knew" (The New Remix)

US cassette single

  1. "If Your Girl Only Knew" (radio edit)
  2. "If Your Girl Only Knew" (remix) featuring Timbaland and Missy Elliott

Charts

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Bite our style (interlude) ; Friendly skies ; Best friends ... [et al.], G thang - song, music - Copyright Info". Faqs.org. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
  2. ↑ "If Your Girl Only Knew". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
  3. ↑ "Singles Review". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Aaliyah Set Courts Broader Fan Base". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
  5. ↑ "If Your Girl Only Knew - Aaliyah". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
  6. ↑ "Best-Selling Records of 1996". Billboard. BPI Communications Inc. 109 (3): 61. January 18, 1997. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Hits In Tokio". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
  8. ↑ "Singles Review". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
  9. ↑ "If Your Girl Only Knew". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
  10. ↑ "Aaliyah's Spirit Sounds Like a 'Million'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
  11. ↑ "The 25 Best Aaliyah Songs". Complex. May 19, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Charts.nz – Aaliyah – If Your Girl Only Knew". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Aaliyah – If Your Girl Only Knew". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  15. ↑ "Aaliyah: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Aaliyah Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Aaliyah Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Aaliyah Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Aaliyah: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1996". Archived from the original on 2009-03-01. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  25. ↑ "1996 Year End Chart: R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-01-27.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.