Rich Girl (Gwen Stefani song)

Infobox Single
Name = Rich Girl


Artist = Gwen Stefani featuring Eve
from Album = Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
Released = flagicon|USA December 14, 2004
flagicon|Europe March 14, 2005
Format = CD single (global), digital download (global), gramophone record (U.S.)
Recorded = Encore Studios, Ocean Way Record One, Henson Recording Studios
Genre = Pop, ragga
Length = 3:56 (album version)/ 4:01 (radio edit#1)
Label = Interscope
Writer = Gwen Stefani, Eve, Dr. Dre, Kara DioGuardi, Chantal Kreviazuk, Mark Batson, Jerry Bock, Mike Elizondo, Sheldon Harnick
Producer = Dr. Dre
Certification = 2× platinum (RIAA)
Platinum (ARIA)
Chronology = Gwen Stefani singles
Last single = "What You Waiting For?"
(2004)
This single = "Rich Girl"
(2004)
Next single = "Hollaback Girl"
(2005)
Misc = Extra chronology
Artist = Eve
Type = singles
Last single = "Not Today"
(2003)
This single = "Rich Girl"
(2004)
Next single = "1 Thing"
(2005)

"Rich Girl" is a pop-ragga song performed by singer Gwen Stefani featuring Eve. The song was primarily written by Dr. Dre, Eve, and Stefani, with other collaborators for Stefani's debut solo album "Love. Angel. Music. Baby" (2004). "Rich Girl" is based on the Louchie Lou and Michie One song of the same name, which is an adaptation of the "Fiddler on the Roof" song "If I Were a Rich Man". In the song, Stefani discusses her dreams of fame and riches from the perspective of "when she was just an Orange County girl".Wener, Ben. [http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/entertainment/music/features/article_1663622.php "Pop Life: A critic gets locked out"] . "The Orange County Register". April 20, 2007. Retrieved May 2, 2007.]

The last song to be included on the album, "Rich Girl" was released as the album's second single in late 2004 (see 2004 in music) to mixed reviews from music critics. It was a commercial success, reaching the top ten on the majority of the charts it entered, and topped the singles chart in Argentina. In the United States, "Rich Girl" was certified double platinum, and it received a nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 48th Grammy Awards.

Writing process

Gwen Stefani and Eve had previously collaborated together on the 2001 single "Let Me Blow Ya Mind". When Stefani first began recording solo material, Eve expressed interest in working with Stefani again, saying, "She's fly, she's tight and she is talented. It's going to be hot regardless." [Moss, Corey and Downey, Ryan J. [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1471367/20030418/no_doubt.jhtml "Gwen Stefani Recording Solo Material"] . MTV News. April 18, 2003. Retrieved March 3, 2007.] The two decided to work together again after talking in Stefani's laundry room during a party.Ives, Brian and Bottomley, C. [http://www.vh1.com/artists/interview/1495320/20050105/stefani_gwen.jhtml "Gwen Stefani: The Solo Express"] . VH1. January 5, 2005. Retrieved May 22, 2007.] After Stefani had co-written more than twenty songs for her solo debut, she approached Dr. Dre, who had produced for her twice before.Vineyard, Jennifer. [http://www.mtv.com/bands/s/stefani_gwen/news_feature_112204/ "Gwen Stefani: Scared Solo"] . MTV News. Retrieved March 3, 2007.] Dre had produced "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" as well as "Wicked Day", a track that was excluded from No Doubt's 2001 album "Rock Steady". [VanHorn, Teri. [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1450039/20011015/no_doubt.jhtml "Dre, Timbaland Beats Will Be Absent On No Doubt LP"] . MTV News. October 16, 2001. Retrieved May 1, 2007.]

After playing some of the songs on which she had been working, Dr. Dre told her, "You don't want to go back there." Instead of using one of the tracks, Dr. Dre instead suggested using reggae duo Louchie Lou and Michie One's 1993 song "Rich Girl", which itself interpolated "If I Were a Rich Man" from the 1964 musical "Fiddler on the Roof". Stefani and Eve helped each other with their parts, but when they presented Dr. Dre with the demo, he told them to rewrite the song, suggesting that Stefani play a character in the song.

Since she had not seen the musical since she was a child, Stefani went to Broadway to better understand the theme that "even if you're poor and you have love, you're rich." The idea which became the final version came to Stefani while brainstorming on her treadmill. She commented that the troubles in writing the song came because "Dre was really pushing me to write in a new way," but when she presented him with the song, "he just totally tricked the track out." [ [http://www.rebelwaltz.com/gwen_stefani.html "Gwen Stefani"] . Rebel Waltz. Retrieved March 14, 2007.]

Music and structure

"Rich Girl" is a ragga song composed in the key of C minor. It is written in common time and moves at a moderate 100 beats per minute.Sheet music for "Rich Girl". Alfred Publishing. 2005.] The beat is accompanied by an alternating perfect fifth dyad and an accented piano trichord.Damas, Jason. [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/s/stefanigwen-love.shtml "Gwen Stefani: Love.Angel.Music.Baby."] PopMatters. November 29, 2004.] The song is written in verse-chorus form, and its instrumentation includes the electronic keyboard, guitar, and keyboard bass. ["Love. Angel. Music. Baby." (CD liner notes). Interscope Records. November 2004.] Stefani's voice ranges from G₃ to E₅. [ [http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0048981 "Gwen Stefani Digital Sheet Music: Rich Girl"] Musicnotes.com. Retrieved December 26, 2007.]

The introduction consists of the repeated use of the word "na". Stefani reaches her highest note of the song, E₅, as part of a trichord and her lowest, G₃, during this section. After the first chorus, Stefani discusses dreams of wealth and luxury,Browne, David. [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,831435,00.html "Love. Angel. Music. Baby. | Music Review"] . "Entertainment Weekly". November 23, 2004. Retrieved March 4, 2007.] and she namechecks fashion designers Vivienne Westwood and John Galliano. Stefani commented that the references were not product placement but that she included them "because I think they're rad and want to talk about them…I'd give all my money to [Westwood] and buy all her clothes!" [Soghomonian, Talia. [http://www.musicomh.com/interviews/gwen-stefani.htm "Gwen Stefani - A L.A.M.B. In Wolf's Clothing"] . OMH Media. January 2005. Retrieved May 9, 2007.] A bridge, in which Stefani's voice is overdubbed, precedes the second chorus. During the second verse Stefani discusses her Harajuku Girls, and she then repeats the bridge. Following Eve's rap, Stefani sings the chorus and closes the song with a coda, which, like the introduction, consists of repeating the word "na".

Critical reception

"Rich Girl" received mixed reviews from music critics. PlayLouder said that it brought "a much-needed element of diversity" to "L.A.M.B." and called it a "potential hit single." [Smirke, Richard. [http://playlouder.com/review/+loveangelmusicba/ "Gwen Stefani: Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004) review"] . PlayLouder. November 23, 2004. Retrieved March 4, 2007.] The "NME", however, described it as "playground chant featuring a tough-girl ragga cameo from Eve." [Murison, Krissi. [http://www.nme.com/reviews/gwen-stefani/7561 "Reviews - Gwen Stefani : Love Angel Music Baby"] . "NME". Retrieved March 4, 2007.] OMH Media gave it an overall positive review, calling it "a great fun song, and far superior to some of the dross that comes out these days," but also commented that it did not live up to "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" and found the references to the Harajuku Girls "slightly creepy."Murphy, John. [http://www.musicomh.com/singles/gwen-stefani-2.htm "Gwen Stefani - Rich Girl : single review"] . OMH Media. Retrieved April 23, 2007.] The BBC called the song "disco gold, impossibly girly and very easy to dance to." [Haines, Lisa. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/pp4h/ "Rock/Indie Review - Gwen Stefani, Love Angel Music Baby"] . BBC. Retrieved March 4, 2007.] The song drew comparisons to the No Doubt album "Rock Steady", [Cinquemani, Sal. [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=530 "Music Review: Gwen Stefani: Love. Angel. Music. Baby."] "Slant". 2004. Retrieved March 4, 2007.] and "Stylus" magazine described it as "a lite version of 'Hey Baby.'" [Merwin, Charles. [http://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=2541 "Gwen Stefani - Love, Angel, Music, Baby - Review"] . "Stylus". November 24, 2004. Retrieved March 4, 2007.]

Plagiarism

On the postcard of the 1999 Eurovision Song Contest winner, Charlotte Nilsson, a identical line as the chorus of "Rich Girl" was included. The postcast was aired in may 1999. [ [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xGeCtHvlSLs Youtube video - At 1:07] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.gwenstefani.com/default.aspx Gwen Stefani's offical site]
** [http://www.gwenstefani.com/lyrics.aspx?pid=74&tid=908 "Rich Girl" lyrics]
** [http://www.gwenstefani.com/music/default.aspx?pid=74 "Love. Angel. Music. Baby." audio]
*