Have You Seen Her

"Have You Seen Her" is a song recorded by the soul vocal group The Chi-Lites and released on Brunswick Records in 1971. Composed by the lead singer Eugene Record and Barbara Acklin, the song was included on the group's 1971 album (For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People.

"Have You Seen Her"
Single by The Chi-Lites
from the album (For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People
B-side"Yes I'm Ready (If I Don't Get To Go)"
ReleasedOctober 1971
Format7"
Recorded1971
GenreR&B, soul
Length5:08
LabelBrunswick
B 55462
Songwriter(s)Barbara Acklin, Eugene Record
Producer(s)Eugene Record
The Chi-Lites singles chronology
"I Want to Pay You Back (For Loving Me)"
(1971)		 "Have You Seen Her"
(1971)		 "Oh Girl"
(1971)

The Chi-Lites recorded "Have You Seen Her" in a style owing much to the doo-wop traditions of the late 1950s; after the success of another such song earlier in the year, The Temptations' "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)." The song begins and ends with a narrator remarking on how he was once happy with a woman; however, she left him, so he passes the days by partaking in leisurely activities. Much to his dismay, the woman does not return or attempt to communicate with him as he had hoped. The narrator ends the song musing on how foolish he was for believing the woman of his dreams would always be around. Some radio edits have omitted the spoken dialogue. The song peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and reached the top of the Billboard R&B Singles chart in November 1971.[1] It also reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1972, and was a UK hit again in 1975 when reissued as a double A-side with "Oh Girl", this time peaking at No. 5.[2]

Charts

Weekly charts
Chart (1971–72) Peak
position
Canada RPM Top Singles[3] 47
Ireland (IRMA)[4] 11
UK Singles Chart 3
US Billboard Hot 100 3
US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 1
Chart (1975) Peak
position
UK [5] 5

Year-end charts
Chart (1972) Position
UK[6] 39

MC Hammer version
"Have You Seen Her"
Single by MC Hammer
from the album Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em
ReleasedMarch 16, 1990 (1990-03-16)
FormatCD single
Recorded1989
GenreHip hop
Length4:42
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)MC Hammer
MC Hammer singles chronology
"U Can't Touch This"
(1989)		 "Have You Seen Her"
(1990)		 "Pray"
(1990)

The most significant cover of "Have You Seen Her" was recorded by MC Hammer, for his successful 1990 LP, Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em, which reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart.[7]

Charts
Chart (1990) Peak
position
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[8] 6
Germany (Official German Charts)[9] 10
US Billboard Hot 100 4
UK Singles Chart 8

Year-end charts
Chart (1990) Position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[10] 20
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[11] 47

Other versions

The Barron Knights produced a parody version.

Patrick Simmons (of The Doobie Brothers) recorded a cover version on his 1983 solo album Arcade.

X Factor series 2 contestant Maria Lawson used a sample of the song for her 2006 debut single "Sleepwalking".

In 2013, voice actors Rob Paulsen and John DiMaggio performed a short parody version mocking the Anthony Weiner scandal. They incorrectly attributed the song to The Stylistics.[12]

The song was included in the 2001 list of songs that Clear Channel Communications warned its radio stations that they "might not want to play" after 9/11 - presumably because family members and loved ones of the victims and those missing would find the lyrics unsettling.

References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 117.
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 103. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1972-01-08. Retrieved 2019-09-19.
  4. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Have You Seen Her". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 103. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  6. 1972 in British music#Best-selling_singles
  7. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 357. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  8. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  9. "Offiziellecharts.de – MC Hammer – Have You Seen Her". GfK Entertainment Charts.
  10. "End of Year Charts 1990". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  11. Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 22, 1990). "1990 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 102 (51): YE-14.
  12. Video on YouTube
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