"Love That Girl"
Single by Raphael Saadiq
from the album The Way I See It
ReleasedAugust 5, 2008 (2008-08-05)
Recorded2008
GenreSoul
Length3:04
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Bobby Ozuna, Raphael Saadiq
Producer(s)Raphael Saadiq
Raphael Saadiq singles chronology
"I Want You Back"
(2004)		 "Love That Girl"
(2008)		 "100 Yard Dash"
(2009)

"Love That Girl" is a song by American recording artist Raphael Saadiq, released as a single on August 5, 2008, by Columbia Records. It was the lead single for Saadiq's 2008 album The Way I See It. The song was written by Saadiq and co-producer Bobby Ozuna. "Love That Girl" is a Motown-inspired soul song with sweet-natured, innocent lyrics about affection.

The single peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.

Music and lyrics

"Love That Girl" is a Motown-inspired soul song with repetitive bass lines, echo chamber-like claps, and call and response choruses.[1] It also features Motown-styled instruments by Jack Ashford, including tambourine, vibraphone, bells, and shakers.[2] Gail Mitchell of Billboard characterizes it as "a swing tune that calls to mind the Temptations' signature brand of suave grooves".[3] Andy Gill of The Independent writes that the song has "the poise of the David Ruffin-era Temptations."[4] The song's lyrics are sweet, innocent, and expressing affection for a love interest.[5] They also feature rhyme schemes similar to those of classic soul songs and restrained falsetto vocals by Saadiq.[1] About.com's Mark Edward Nero finds its subject matter reminiscent of Mary Wells' 1964 song "My Guy".[5]

Release and reception

"Love That Girl" was released as the lead single from The Way I See It.[5] It was released as a digital download on August 5, 2008, by Columbia Records.[6] Its music video was released on August 27,[7] and featured Saadiq and his band in vintage attire, including matching suits and a flowing red dress worn by the backing vocalist.[1] "Love That Girl" was later used as the theme song for the sitcom of the same name,[8] on which Saadiq served as executive producer.[9]

"Love That Girl" charted for 20 weeks on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, peaking at number 45 on November 15, 2008.[10] It also charted for four weeks and peaked at number 15 in Belgium.[11] The song was nominated for the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.[12]

Track listing

Digital single[6]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Love That Girl"Bobby Ozuna, Raphael SaadiqBobby Ozuna (co.), Raphael Saadiq3:04

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes for The Way I See It.[13]

Charts

Chart (2008–09) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[14] 15
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[15] 45

Release history

Region Date Label Format
Canada[16] August 5, 2008 Columbia Records digital download
United States[6]
United Kingdom[17] February 10, 2010

References

  1. 1 2 3 Finkel, Bari (November 16, 2010). "Tuesday Temptations: Raphael Saadiq, "Love That Girl"". WIUX Blog. Archived from the original on September 21, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-20.
  2. ↑ Farinella, David John (January 1, 2009). "Music: Raphael Saadiq". Mix. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
  3. ↑ Mitchell, Gail (September 27, 2008). "The Way I See It". Billboard. Vol. 120, no. 39. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on September 21, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-03.
  4. ↑ Gill, Andy (February 27, 2009). "Album: Raphael Saadiq, The Way I See It (Columbia)". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  5. 1 2 3 Nero, Mark Edward (July 10, 2008). "Music: Raphael Saadiq - "Love That Girl"". About.com. The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on November 21, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-07.
  6. 1 2 3 "Raphael Saadiq - Love That Girl MP3 Download". CD Universe. Archived from the original on 2015-04-11. Retrieved 2012-05-20.
  7. ↑ "Video Premier: Saadiq's 'Love That Girl'". URB. West Hollywood. August 27, 2008. Archived from the original on September 21, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-20.
  8. ↑ Schneider, Michael (January 4, 2010). "TV One acquires 'Love That Girl'". Variety. Los Angeles. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-20.
  9. ↑ Tunzi, Kristina, ed. (December 5, 2009). "Saadiq Preps New Set". Billboard. Vol. 121, no. 48. New York. p. 50. Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  10. ↑ "Raphael Saadiq Album & Song Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-05-20.
  11. ↑ "Raphael Saadiq - Love That Girl" (in Dutch). ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Archived from the original on 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  12. ↑ Gingerlynn (December 4, 2008). "'09 Grammy Award Nominations: Al Green, M.I.A., Estelle, Jazmine Sullivan and more!". Okayplayer. Archived from the original on November 30, 2011. Retrieved 2012-04-09.
  13. ↑ The Way I See It (CD liner). Raphael Saadiq. New York City: Columbia Records. 2008. 88697 08585 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ↑ "Raphael Saadiq – Love That Girl" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  15. ↑ "Raphael Saadiq Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  16. ↑ "Love That Girl by Raphael Saadiq". hmvdigital.ca. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
  17. ↑ "Love That Girl (Album Version) (2010)". 7digital. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
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