Girl Talk (TLC song)

Last updated
"Girl Talk"
Girl Talk.jpg
Single by TLC
from the album 3D
ReleasedSeptember 6, 2002 (2002-09-06)
Length3:35
Label Arista
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Eddie Hustle
TLC singles chronology
"What It Ain't (Ghetto Enuff)"
(2000)		"Girl Talk"
(2002)		"Hands Up"
(2002)

"Girl Talk" is a song by American group TLC. It was written by band members Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins along with Anita McLoud, Edmund "Eddie Hustle" Clement, and Kandi Burruss for the group's fourth studio album, 3D (2002). Recorded a few days before Lopes' death in April 2002, production on the song was helmed by Clement. Lyrically, "Girl Talk" has the protagonist warning men that if they lack in the bedroom, it will spread on the street amongst the women.

Contents

The song was released as the album's lead single on September 6, 2002. While the song contains vocals by Lopes, the music video for "Girl Talk," directed by Dave Meyers, marked the band's first release without Lopes, following her death in April of the same year. Upon its release, "Girl Talk" reached number 23 on the US Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, [1] becoming the group's 12th top 40 entry on the latter chart. In addition, the song reached the top 20 in Denmark and New Zealand, the top 30 in the UK and the top 50 in Australia.

Background

"Girl Talk" was written by TLC members Lisa Lopes and Tionne Watkins along with Anita McLoud, Edmund "Eddie Hustle" Clement, and Kandi Burruss, while production was helmed by Clement. [2] On the song, the trio address being disappointed by their "jive-talking lovers," [3] singing: "Put in work / 'cause if you don't, that girl just gonna go spreading the word [...] Girls talk about the booty too." [3] Watkins and Rozonda Thomas called the "controversial." [3] In an interview with MTV News they further elaborated: "Iit's talking about [...] all the stereotypes of men, with the big hands and big feet. Just because you have big hands and big feet does not mean you have big thaaangs [...] And just because you have a big thing does not mean you know how to work it. Some people always say they have big things and they don't. And just like how men talk about women — 'I had her, I had her' — we talk about you, too." [3] In 2019, rapper Dashun "Eastwood" Woodard, who had ghost written and was featured in Lopes' verse on "Girl Talk," told Variety that her vocals were recorded three days before her passing. [4]

Critical reception

Chuck Taylor from Billboard called the song "one solid, signature track" and "a return to celebrate." He found that "Girl Talk" was a "lot more than a tribute to the memory of Lopes," with TLC showing "its younger contemporaries how to make some real music, marrying a bumpy, funky street jam with a wonderfully singable melody, chantlike hook [...] a vocal oozing with attitude, and a center-section rap from Left Eye." [5] In his review for parent album 3D, BBC Music editor Christian Hopwood remarked that "Quickie" and "Girl Talk" are "upfront party jams propelled by bare faced cheek and female power." [6] People magazine called "Girl Talk" a "funky, fresh-mouthed first single." [7]

Music video

The music video for "Girl Talk" was filmed in various locations in Atlanta. Peachtree St in Midtown.jpg
The music video for "Girl Talk" was filmed in various locations in Atlanta.

A music video for "Girl Talk" was directed by Dave Meyers and filmed in Atlanta, Georgia on October 21–23, 2002, six months after Lisa Lopes' death. [8] The video depicts the two remaining members, Watkins and Thomas, in several locations that are supposed to take place in the Southern United States, in an African rain forest and in a metropolitan area in Japan, dancing and talking with other girls, representing how girls all over the world "are chatting amongst themselves about guys who are no good in the bedroom." [3] An animated segment is used during Lopes's rap verse, where all three girls appear as cartoon versions of themselves. The video ends with a tribute to Left Eye, reading: "In Loving Memory of Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes." [8]

Regardings Lopes' absence, Watkins remarked that "it was hard to come up with ideas [for the video]" after her death. [8] In an interview with MTV News, she said: "She isn't here. That's reality. It's not easy to come up with how to incorporate her, especially when she has a whole rap in the song." [8] Thomas further commented: "What we didn't want to do is [make] your typical video [where] you see old clips. Sometimes, stuff like that fits certain songs, but to show old clips of Lisa didn't fit "Girl Talk." What you'll get from the video is no matter where you go [and whatever language you speak], women will talk about men." [8]

Track listing

European, Australian, South African, and Japanese CD maxi single
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Girl Talk" (Radio Mix)
Eddie Hustle3:37
2."Girl Talk" (Jacknife Lee Remix)
  • Lopes
  • McLoud
  • Clement
  • Burruss
  • Watkins
3:50
3."Girl Talk" (Kidstuff Vocal Mix)
  • Lopes
  • McLoud
  • Clement
  • Burruss
  • Watkins
  • Hustle
  • Kevin "K-Boy" Brookes [a]
  • Mark Wilkinson [a]
  • Paul Jackson [a]
7:53
4."Get Away"
 Organized Noize 4:14
UK CD single 1, UK 12" single
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Girl Talk" (Radio Mix)
  • Lopes
  • McLoud
  • Clement
  • Burruss
  • Watkins
Hustle3:37
2."Girl Talk" (Jacknife Lee Remix)
  • Lopes
  • McLoud
  • Clement
  • Burruss
  • Watkins
3:50
3."Girl Talk" (Kidstuff Vocal Mix)
  • Lopes
  • McLoud
  • Clement
  • Burruss
  • Watkins
7:53
UK CD single 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Girl Talk" (Radio Mix)
  • Lopes
  • McLoud
  • Clement
  • Burruss
  • Watkins
Hustle3:37
2."Waterfalls"
  • Ethridge
  • Brown
  • Wade
  • Murray
Organized Noize4:36
3."No Scrubs"
She'kspere3:39
European CD single
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Girl Talk" (Radio Mix)
  • Lopes
  • McLoud
  • Clement
  • Burruss
  • Watkins
Hustle3:37
2."Girl Talk" (Jacknife Lee Remix)
  • Lopes
  • McLoud
  • Clement
  • Burruss
  • Watkins
3:50
US 12" single
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Girl Talk" (Radio Mix)
  • Lopes
  • McLoud
  • Clement
  • Burruss
  • Watkins
Hustle3:37
2."Girl Talk" (Instrumental)
  • Lopes
  • McLoud
  • Clement
  • Burruss
  • Watkins
Hustle3:34
3."Girl Talk" (Radio Mix)
  • Lopes
  • McLoud
  • Clement
  • Burruss
  • Watkins
Hustle3:37
4."Girl Talk" (A cappella)
  • Lopes
  • McLoud
  • Clement
  • Burruss
  • Watkins
Hustle3:17
US DVD single
No.TitleLength
1."Hands Up" (Music video)4:01
2."Girl Talk" (Music video)3:34
3."Photo gallery slideshow"0:32

Notes

Credits and personnel

Credits lifted from the liner notes of 3D. [2]

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Girl Talk"
Chart (2002)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [9] 46
Australian Urban (ARIA) [10] 15
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) [11] 5
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) [12] 14
Denmark (Tracklisten) [13] 13
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) [14] 78
Germany (GfK) [15] 79
Ireland (IRMA) [16] 46
Italy (FIMI) [17] 49
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade) [18] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [19] 54
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [20] 18
Scotland (OCC) [21] 42
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [22] 96
UK Singles (OCC) [23] 30
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) [24] 9
US Billboard Hot 100 [25] 28
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [26] 23
US Pop Airplay ( Billboard ) [27] 21
US Rhythmic ( Billboard ) [28] 15

Year-end charts

Chart (2002)Position
UK Urban ( Music Week ) [29] 17

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References

  1. ↑ "Artist Chart History – TLC". billboard.com. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3D (Media notes). TLC. Arista Records. 2002.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "TLC Make Sexy 'Girl Talk' — Ladies Flip It On Men's 'Thaaangs'". MTV.com . October 28, 2002. Archived from the original on February 28, 2015. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  4. ↑ Ju, Shirley (April 25, 2019). "Eastwood Recalls Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes' Last Days, and Working With Tupac". Variety . Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Reviews & Previews – Spotlights". Billboard . October 19, 2002. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  6. ↑ "TLC, 3D, Review". BBC Music . Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  7. ↑ "This week's reviews: 'Harry Potter,' TLC's '3D,' more". People . November 13, 2002. Retrieved July 13, 2022– via CNN.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Reid, Shaheem (October 18, 2002). "TLC Ready To Shoot First Video From 3D". MTV.com . Archived from the original on February 28, 2015. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  9. ↑ "TLC – Girl Talk". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
  10. ↑ "Issue 672" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  11. ↑ "TLC – Girl Talk" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 2016-11-06.
  12. ↑ "TLC – Girl Talk" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 2016-11-06.
  13. ↑ "TLC – Girl Talk". Tracklisten. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
  14. ↑ "Euro Chart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. 2002-12-21. p. 11. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  15. ↑ "TLC – Girl Talk" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  16. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography TLC". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  17. ↑ "TLC – Girl Talk". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 2016-11-06.
  18. ↑ "week 1 (4 januari 2003)" (in Dutch). top40.nl. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  19. ↑ "TLC – Girl Talk" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 2016-11-06.
  20. ↑ "TLC – Girl Talk". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
  21. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  22. ↑ "TLC – Girl Talk". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
  23. ↑ "TLC: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
  24. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  25. ↑ "TLC Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
  26. ↑ "TLC Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
  27. ↑ "TLC Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
  28. ↑ "TLC Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  29. ↑ "Top 40 Urban Tracks Of 2002" (PDF). Music Week . January 18, 2003. p. 32. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
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