"Girl U Want" is a 1980 single by American new wave band Devo. It was the first single released from their third studio album Freedom of Choice (1980).
"Girl U Want" was allegedly inspired by the song "My Sharona" by the Knack,[1] although Devo bassist and co-writer Gerald Casale has denied this claim.[2] The lyrics, in typical Devo style, describe a relationship marked by unrequited love/lust for a woman. "Girl U Want" was first performed in December 1979 in a similar arrangement to the album version.
Music video
In the music video, Devo performs for a group of young women in the style of a performance from The Ed Sullivan Show, with two robotic backup dancers, one male and one female. Further implying the televised nature of the performance, the color in the video is deliberately altered to make the red of the band's energy dome headgear look almost purple. The band wears the silver naugahyde suits from the cover of Freedom of Choice, and mime the song with Moog Liberation synthesizers.
During the video, the camera focuses on the girls in the audience exaggeratedly enjoying the performance, including one girl who is visually implied to "wet" herself, which transitions to a scene of General Boy controlling the backup dancers. At one point, Mark Mothersbaugh pulls aside the curtain behind the band to show an overweight man on a vibrating exercise machine, attempting to drink a milkshake to the ecstatic reaction of the audience. As the video ends, girls in the audience are shown holding signs with icons, including an electrical outlet.
Track listing
7" Single (American release)
"Girl U Want" – 2:56
"Turn Around" – 2:45
7" Single (American promo)
"Girl U Want (Mono)" – 2:56
"Girl U Want (Stereo)" – 2:56
7" Single (European release)
"Girl U Want" – 2:56
"Turn Around" – 2:10
Critical reception
Steve Huey of AllMusic noted the song in a review of the album, stating: "Several tunes – like the oft-covered "Girl U Want" – have a geeky (but pragmatic) romantic angst that was new to Devo albums, although the band's view of relationships is occasionally colored by their cultural themes of competition and domination." Huey also highlighted "Girl U Want" as an album standout by labeling it an AMG Pick Track.[3] Greg Prato of AllMusic reviewed the song itself, stating it was "definitely one of the most overlooked gems to surface from the early-'80s new wave movement".[4]
Ultimate Classic Rock critic Dave Swanson rated "Girl U Want" as Devo's 7th best song, saying that the song is "about as catchy as Devo songs come" and that "the lyrics are a typical balance of the traditional crashing into the unexpected."[5]
In 1994, "Girl U Want" was covered by English singer Robert Palmer. Produced solely by Palmer, the song was released as the lead single from his twelfth studio album Honey. The track was a moderate success in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at No. 57.[6]
The single was released on 7" vinyl, cassette and CD in the United Kingdom, and on CD in the Netherlands and Japan. The song's B-side was the non-album track "No Fuss". The UK and Netherlands CD release featured an additional track; "The Panaxa Mix" of "Girl U Want" by Pino "Pinaxa" Pischetola. The Japanese CD featured the same remix, but replaced "No Fuss" with "Know By Now" from the Honey album.
A music video was filmed to promote the single.[7] Palmer also performed the song on the UK music show Top of the Pops on June 16, 1994.[8][9]
Critical reception
In a review of Honey, AllMusic said: "Palmer himself sounds as inhumanly suave as ever, though much of the material is a prescription for déjà vu. Tracks like the funk-lashed cover of Devo's "Girl U Want" are dead ringers for the stuff on the Riptide album."[10]People described Palmer's version as "head-banging new wave".[11]
Pino "Pinaxa" Pischetola – mixing, remixer of "The Pinaxa Mix"
David Harper – executive producer
Howard Greenalgh – art montage
Nigel Parry – photography
Bill Smith Studio, London – design
Alternate versions and covers
In 1981, Devo recorded an instrumental easy listening version of the song for a fan club distributed cassette tape. This version was popular enough to be performed live, with vocals, on the 1982 tour. In 1995, a reunited Devo, joined by Bulimia Banquet vocalist Jula Bell, recorded a slowed-down version for the action comedy film Tank Girl.[13] The version with Bell and Devo singing is heard in the film's opening sequence, but the version on the soundtrack album is Devo without Bell. That same year, "Girl U Want" played during the ending credits of the parody film Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde. Another re-recording of "Girl U Want" was used for the music videogame Rock Band. In 2006, Devo re-recorded the song once again for Radio Disney's Devo 2.0 project, the track appearing as "Boy U Want", featuring 13-year-old Nicole Stoehr singing altered lyrics over the familiar backing tracks by Devo.[14][15]
References
^Prato, Greg. "Girl U Want". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-05-10.
^Ivan, DJ (July 2005). "Interview with Gerald Casale of DEVO (6-12-05)". earcandymag.com.
girl, want, 1980, single, american, wave, band, devo, first, single, released, from, their, third, studio, album, freedom, choice, 1980, single, devofrom, album, freedom, choiceb, side, whip, ballroom, released1980genrenew, wave, synth, poplength2, 55labelwarn. Girl U Want is a 1980 single by American new wave band Devo It was the first single released from their third studio album Freedom of Choice 1980 Girl U Want Single by Devofrom the album Freedom of ChoiceB side Whip It Mr B s Ballroom Released1980GenreNew wave synth popLength2 55LabelWarner Bros Songwriter s Gerald Casale Mark MothersbaughProducer s Robert MargouleffDevo singles chronology Gut Feeling 1979 Girl U Want 1980 Whip It 1980 Music video Girl U Want on YouTube Contents 1 Composition 2 Music video 3 Track listing 4 Critical reception 5 Robert Palmer version 5 1 Critical reception 5 2 Track listing 5 3 Chart performance 5 4 Personnel 6 Alternate versions and covers 7 References 8 External linksComposition Edit Girl U Want was allegedly inspired by the song My Sharona by the Knack 1 although Devo bassist and co writer Gerald Casale has denied this claim 2 The lyrics in typical Devo style describe a relationship marked by unrequited love lust for a woman Girl U Want was first performed in December 1979 in a similar arrangement to the album version Music video EditIn the music video Devo performs for a group of young women in the style of a performance from The Ed Sullivan Show with two robotic backup dancers one male and one female Further implying the televised nature of the performance the color in the video is deliberately altered to make the red of the band s energy dome headgear look almost purple The band wears the silver naugahyde suits from the cover of Freedom of Choice and mime the song with Moog Liberation synthesizers During the video the camera focuses on the girls in the audience exaggeratedly enjoying the performance including one girl who is visually implied to wet herself which transitions to a scene of General Boy controlling the backup dancers At one point Mark Mothersbaugh pulls aside the curtain behind the band to show an overweight man on a vibrating exercise machine attempting to drink a milkshake to the ecstatic reaction of the audience As the video ends girls in the audience are shown holding signs with icons including an electrical outlet Track listing Edit7 Single American release Girl U Want 2 56 Turn Around 2 457 Single American promo Girl U Want Mono 2 56 Girl U Want Stereo 2 567 Single European release Girl U Want 2 56 Turn Around 2 10Critical reception EditSteve Huey of AllMusic noted the song in a review of the album stating Several tunes like the oft covered Girl U Want have a geeky but pragmatic romantic angst that was new to Devo albums although the band s view of relationships is occasionally colored by their cultural themes of competition and domination Huey also highlighted Girl U Want as an album standout by labeling it an AMG Pick Track 3 Greg Prato of AllMusic reviewed the song itself stating it was definitely one of the most overlooked gems to surface from the early 80s new wave movement 4 Ultimate Classic Rock critic Dave Swanson rated Girl U Want as Devo s 7th best song saying that the song is about as catchy as Devo songs come and that the lyrics are a typical balance of the traditional crashing into the unexpected 5 Robert Palmer version Edit Girl U Want Single by Robert Palmerfrom the album HoneyB side No Fuss Released1994StudioLogic Studios Milan Italy GenrePop rock hard rockLength2 23LabelEMISongwriter s Gerald Casale Mark MothersbaughProducer s Robert PalmerRobert Palmer singles chronology Witchcraft 1992 Girl U Want 1994 Know by Now 1994 In 1994 Girl U Want was covered by English singer Robert Palmer Produced solely by Palmer the song was released as the lead single from his twelfth studio album Honey The track was a moderate success in the United Kingdom where it peaked at No 57 6 The single was released on 7 vinyl cassette and CD in the United Kingdom and on CD in the Netherlands and Japan The song s B side was the non album track No Fuss The UK and Netherlands CD release featured an additional track The Panaxa Mix of Girl U Want by Pino Pinaxa Pischetola The Japanese CD featured the same remix but replaced No Fuss with Know By Now from the Honey album A music video was filmed to promote the single 7 Palmer also performed the song on the UK music show Top of the Pops on June 16 1994 8 9 Critical reception Edit In a review of Honey AllMusic said Palmer himself sounds as inhumanly suave as ever though much of the material is a prescription for deja vu Tracks like the funk lashed cover of Devo s Girl U Want are dead ringers for the stuff on the Riptide album 10 People described Palmer s version as head banging new wave 11 Track listing Edit 7 Single Girl U Want 2 23 No Fuss 3 11CD Single UK Netherlands release Girl U Want 2 23 Girl U Want The Pinaxa Mix 3 02 No Fuss 3 11CD Single UK promo release Girl U Want 2 23CD Single Japan release Girl U Want 2 23 Know by Now 4 10 Girl U Want The Pinaxa Mix 3 02Chart performance Edit Chart 1994 PeakpositionAustralia ARIA 12 118United Kingdom Official Charts Company 6 57Personnel Edit Robert Palmer vocals arranger producer Pino Pinaxa Pischetola mixing remixer of The Pinaxa Mix David Harper executive producer Howard Greenalgh art montage Nigel Parry photography Bill Smith Studio London designAlternate versions and covers EditIn 1981 Devo recorded an instrumental easy listening version of the song for a fan club distributed cassette tape This version was popular enough to be performed live with vocals on the 1982 tour In 1995 a reunited Devo joined by Bulimia Banquet vocalist Jula Bell recorded a slowed down version for the action comedy film Tank Girl 13 The version with Bell and Devo singing is heard in the film s opening sequence but the version on the soundtrack album is Devo without Bell That same year Girl U Want played during the ending credits of the parody film Dr Jekyll and Ms Hyde Another re recording of Girl U Want was used for the music videogame Rock Band In 2006 Devo re recorded the song once again for Radio Disney s Devo 2 0 project the track appearing as Boy U Want featuring 13 year old Nicole Stoehr singing altered lyrics over the familiar backing tracks by Devo 14 15 References Edit Prato Greg Girl U Want AllMusic Retrieved 2012 05 10 Ivan DJ July 2005 Interview with Gerald Casale of DEVO 6 12 05 earcandymag com Huey Steve Freedom of Choice Devo Songs Reviews Credits Awards AllMusic Retrieved 2013 02 22 Prato Greg Girl U Want Devo AllMusic Retrieved May 4 2022 Swanson Dave July 11 2013 Top 10 Devo Songs Ultimate Classic Rock Retrieved 2022 06 09 a b ROBERT PALMER full Official Chart History Official Charts Company officialcharts com Retrieved 16 July 2018 Robert Palmer Girl U Want YouTube 2014 07 24 Retrieved 2016 10 16 BBC Online Top of the Pops Video Archive Bbc co uk 1994 06 16 Retrieved 2012 05 10 Top of the Pops Videoclips Bbc co uk Retrieved 2012 05 10 Mathew Leslie Honey Robert Palmer AllMusic Retrieved 2012 05 10 Picks and Pans Review Honey People com Retrieved 16 July 2018 Response from ARIA re chart inquiry received 2015 07 15 Imgur Archived from the original on 2015 07 16 Retrieved 2015 12 29 veorens 7 August 2009 Tank Girl Opening Credits OP YouTube Retrieved 16 July 2018 The Strange Saga of Disney s Preteen Devo Cover Band Nerdist com 25 August 2017 Retrieved 16 July 2018 Are They Not Kids Yes They Are And They re Giving Devo A Disney Makeover Mtv com Retrieved 16 July 2018 External links EditSongfacts com on Girl U Want Girl U Want at Discogs list of releases Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Girl U Want amp oldid 1127497317, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
