"Girls" is a song by American rap rock group the Beastie Boys, released in 1987 as the seventh and final single from their debut album Licensed to Ill.
| "Girls" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Beastie Boys | ||||
| from the album Licensed to Ill | ||||
| B-side | "She's Crafty" | |||
| Released | May 6, 1987 | |||
| Recorded | 1986 | |||
| Genre | Comedy hip hop | |||
| Length | 2:14 | |||
| Label | Def Jam, Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Beastie Boys, Rick Rubin | |||
| Producer(s) | Rick Rubin | |||
| Beastie Boys singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Song structure and lyrics
editThe song is the shortest on the album, lasting just over two minutes long.
Lyrically, the song talks about the narrator (Ad-Rock)'s desire for women. He recalls an experience from two years before with a woman who had an interest in the narrator's bandmate MCA. MCA did not share her feelings and permitted the narrator to pursue her romantically. Ad-Rock takes the woman for a walk near a bay and asks her out but rejects his proposal. She moves to a far away location but in the present day the narrator sees her back in town showing interest in his other bandmate, Mike D.
The arrangement is supplied by a drum machine beat and a simple melody on an electronic keyboard. Mike D and MCA provide wordless backing vocals reminiscent of doo wop that occasionally break into giggles at the song's humorous lyrics and Ad-Rock's exaggerated delivery. The song is meant to mock misogynistic rappers.
GoldieBlox cover
editIn 2013, the toy company GoldieBlox used the song with alternative lyrics in a video of a Rube Goldberg machine made primarily out of traditional girls' toys. The group accused the company of copyright infringement, and stated that Adam Yauch's last will prevented the use of their music in advertising. In November 2013, GoldieBlox countersued the Beastie Boys and producer Rick Rubin, saying the use of the song was a parody.[1][2] In March 2014, the Beastie Boys settled out of court, with GoldieBlox issuing a public apology and making a donation to a charity of the band's choice.[3]
Charts
edit| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 27 |
| UK Singles Chart[4] | 34 |
References
edit- ^ McGovern, Kyle (2013-11-22). "Toy Company Sues Beastie Boys, Rick Rubin Over 'Girls' Parody Commercial". Spin. Retrieved 2013-11-22.
- ^ Gardner, Eriq (2013-11-22). "Beastie Boys, 'Girls' Viral Video in Copyright Infringement Fight". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
- ^ "Beastie Boys Settle Lawsuit over 'Girls' Toy Ad". Rolling Stone. 18 March 2014.
- ^ "The Official Charts Company - Beastie Boys". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
External links
edit- GoldieBlox, Rube Goldberg, & Beastie Boys "Princess Machine" (a concert for little girls) on YouTube
 | This 1980s single–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |