If I Was Your Girlfriend

Infobox Single
Name = If I Was Your Girlfriend


Caption = U.S. 7" single
Artist = Prince
from Album = Sign o' the Times
B-side = "Shockadelica"
Released = 6 May, 1987
Format = 7" single
12" single
Recorded = Sunset Sound; 2 November 1986
Genre = Pop, Experimental, slow jam
Length = 7" edit: 3:46
Album/12": 4:54
Label = Paisley Park Records
Writer = Prince
Producer = Prince
Certification =
Chart position = * #12 R&B
* #67 U.S.
* #20 UK
Last single = "Sign “☮” the Times"
(1987)
This single = "If I Was Your Girlfriend"
(1987)
Next single = "U Got the Look"
(1987)Extra tracklisting
Album = Sign “☮” the Times
Type = studio
prev_track = "U Got the Look"
prev_no = 10
this_track = "If I Was Your Girlfriend
track_no = 11
next_track = "Strange Relationship"
next_no = 12"If I Was Your Girlfriend" was the second single off Prince's widely-acclaimed 1987 double album "Sign o' the Times". While it is today considered one of his most notable songs, at the time of its release, the song did not chart well in the U.S., perhaps due to the record's androgynous vocal and gender-bending lyrics. The track was originally from the "Camille" project of 1986, which was to be released under the guise of an alter ego named Camille (see Prince's poem in the Lovesexy tour program), rather than by Prince. Regardless, the song is actually sung from a male perspective to a woman, wherein Prince explores the possibilities of a more intimate relationship if he were his lover's (platonic) girlfriend. "Trouser Press" names the song as one of the album's highlights, noting that it "redefines a relationship in a surprisingly mature way".cite web|url=http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=prince|title=Prince|accessdate=2007-10-10|last=Green|first=Jim|coauthors=Ira Robbins|format=HTML|work=Trouser Press|publisher=Trouser Press LLC|language=English] Musically, the song is based on a bass and drum machine pattern, punctuated by a keyboard line that evokes sadness. Prince's sped-up vocals are intensely emotional and heartfelt.

According to engineer Susan Rogers, a rare technical error on her part led to distortion-- albeit only on certain words. As recounted in Alex Hahn's book "Possessed: The Rise and Fall of Prince," Rogers thought Prince "was going to rip my head off" for the mistake. Yet, after hearing the playback, Prince loved the effect, which is featured on the released version.

The B-side to the track was another "Camille" track, "Shockadelica." The track was actually written in response to an album of the same name by former Time member, Jesse Johnson. Prince heard Johnson's album before its release, and commented that a great album should have a great title track. Johnson disagreed, so Prince recorded the track and had it played on a Minneapolis radio station before the release of Johnson's album. The public perception would be that Johnson was copying Prince's idea, and this caused tension between Johnson and Prince.

When the "Camille" project was scrapped in favor of "Crystal Ball", "Shockadelica" again made the cut, but was deleted from the tracklist when the set was trimmed to "Sign “☮” the Times". The track was released as a B-side, and later on "The Hits/The B-Sides".

"Shockadelica" is a pop-funk number using a drum machine pattern similar to "Housequake." A funky guitar riff is present throughout the song, as well as a few rock guitar solos. The song is much more upbeat than "If I Was Your Girlfriend," and Prince's sped-up vocal even sounds humorous at times. The theme of the song is a woman with a hypnotic attraction. The 12" single is the full version of the song, while the version on "The Hits/The B-Sides" is an edit.

References

Cover versions

* "If I Was Your Girlfriend" was covered on the TLC album, "CrazySexyCool", released in 1994.

* The song was covered by Eels during their tours of 1997 and 1998. Their version was made commercially available on their 2008 rarities compilation Useless Trinkets.

* In 2003, the Jay-Z/Beyoncé Knowles single, "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" (from "") used several lines of "If I Was Your Girlfriend," and Prince was credited as one of the writers.

*The song was played briefly in Demi Moore's 1996 film, "Striptease".

*George Clinton sampled "If I Was Your Girlfriend" for his song, "Heaven," off of his 2008 album "George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love."

External links

* "If I Was Your Girlfriend" [http://www.dtt-lyrics.com/albums/sign2.html#if lyrics]