Girl You Know It's True
This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2009) |
Girl You Know It's True | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 7 March 1989 | |||
Recorded | 1988 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 44:15 | |||
Label | Arista | |||
Producer | Frank Farian | |||
Milli Vanilli chronology | ||||
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Singles from Girl You Know It's True | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Girl You Know It's True is a 1989 album that served as the North American debut of German R&B duo Milli Vanilli. It is a reconfigured and repackaged version of the group's album All or Nothing for the North American market.
The album was a major success in the US, producing five singles that entered the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100, three of which reached the top position. In January 1990, Girl You Know It's True was certified 6× platinum by the RIAA after spending seven weeks atop the Billboard Top 200.[5] Additionally, the album spent 41 weeks within the top 10 of the Billboard Top 200 and 78 weeks within the charts overall.[6] The album was also certified Diamond in Canada, denoting shipments of over one million units. The success of the album earned the duo a Grammy Award for Best New Artist on 22 February 1990.
On 16 November 1990, Los Angeles Times reporter Chuck Philips reported that the group, which consisted of reputed vocalists Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan, did not sing a single note on the album.[7] Arista Records dropped the act from its roster and deleted their album and its masters from their catalog, making it one of the largest-selling albums to ever be deleted. In addition to this, their Grammy Award was revoked,[8] marking the first time a Grammy was ever rescinded from an artist.
According to producer Frank Farian, the decision to repackage All or Nothing as Girl You Know It's True was made by Arista Records president Clive Davis.[9] In addition to including five of the tracks that originally appeared on All or Nothing ("I'm Gonna Miss You", "All or Nothing", "Baby Don't Forget My Number", "Dreams to Remember" and "Girl You Know It's True"), Girl You Know It's True featured several new tracks, including "Blame It on the Rain", which would go on to be a worldwide hit single, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In Europe, the track later appeared in an extended version on the album All or Nothing - The U.S. Remix Album.[10]
Errors[edit]
The track orders of some US releases are out of sequence with the listings printed on their cover art, while several tracks are listed with incorrect running times, and some of the writers' credits are inconsistent with what is listed in external sources.
Track listing[edit]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Girl You Know It's True" |
| 4:13 |
2. | "Baby Don't Forget My Number" (Subway mix edit) |
| 6:28 |
3. | "More Than You'll Ever Know" (original version) | Ernesto Phillips | 4:00 |
4. | "Blame It on the Rain" | Diane Warren | 4:19 |
5. | "Take It as It Comes" (original version) |
| 3:41 |
6. | "It's Your Thing" | 3:51 | |
7. | "Dreams to Remember" |
| 3:54 |
8. | "All or Nothing" |
| 3:17 |
9. | "I'm Gonna Miss You" |
| 3:57 |
10. | "Girl You Know It's True" (N.Y. Subway extended mix) |
| 6:27 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Girl You Know It's True" |
| 4:13 |
2. | "Baby Don't Forget My Number" |
| 4:16 |
3. | "More Than You'll Ever Know" | Phillips | 4:32 |
4. | "Blame It on the Rain" | Warren | 4:19 |
5. | "Take It as It Comes" |
| 4:15 |
6. | "It's Your Thing" | The Isley Brothers | 3:51 |
7. | "Dreams to Remember" |
| 3:54 |
8. | "All or Nothing" |
| 3:17 |
9. | "I'm Gonna Miss You" |
| 3:57 |
10. | "Girl You Know It's True" (N.Y. Subway extended mix) |
| 6:27 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Girl You Know It's True" |
| 4:13 |
2. | "Baby Don't Forget My Number" |
| 4:16 |
3. | "More Than You'll Ever Know" | Phillips | 4:32 |
4. | "Blame It on the Rain" | Warren | 4:19 |
5. | "Take It as It Comes" |
| 4:15 |
6. | "It's Your Thing" | The Isley Brothers | 3:51 |
7. | "Dreams to Remember" |
| 3:54 |
8. | "All or Nothing" |
| 3:17 |
9. | "Girl I'm Gonna Miss You" (single version) |
| 4:24 |
10. | "Girl You Know It's True" (N.Y. Subway extended mix) |
| 6:27 |
Personnel[edit]
Milli Vanilli[edit]
- Fab Morvan – visual performance (credited with "vocals")
- Rob Pilatus – visual performance (credited with "vocals")
Session musicians[edit]
- John Davis – lead vocals (credited with "backing vocals")
- Brad Howell – lead vocals (credited with "backing vocals")
- Charles Shaw – lead vocals (credited with "backing vocals")
- P. G. Wilder – keyboards, arrangements
- Pit Loew – keyboards, arrangements
- Volker Barber – keyboards, arrangements
- Peter Weihe – guitars
- Jens Gad – guitars
- Ike Turner – guitars
- Bruce Ingram – guitars
- Mel Collins – saxophone
- Curt Cress – drums, percussion
- Dino Solera – horns
- Felice Civitareale – horns
- Franz Weyerer – horns
- Dino Solera – horns, horn arrangements
- Linda Rocco – backing vocals
- Jodie Rocco – backing vocals
- Joan Faulkner – backing vocals
- Felicia Taylor – backing vocals
- The Jackson Singers – backing vocals
- Charles Christopher – backing vocals
- Herbert Gebhard – backing vocals
- Bimey Oberreit – backing vocals
- Peter Rishavy – backing vocals
Production[edit]
- Frank Farian – producer, synthesizer programming
- Tobias Freund – engineering
- Bernd Berwanger – engineering
- Norbert Janicke – engineering
- Jens Seekamp – engineering
Charts[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
Chart (1989–1990) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[11] | 1 |
US Billboard 200[12] | 1 |
Certifications[edit]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[13] | Diamond | 1,000,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[14] | 6× Platinum | 6,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References[edit]
- ^ Blake, Meredith (27 October 2023). "'We wanted to sing all along': A new documentary seeks to reframe the Milli Vanilli controversy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
Their North American debut album, "Girl You Know It's True," featured a distinct blend of R&B, rap and dance music, produced three No. 1 singles and sold more than 6 million copies in the US alone.
- ^ "Girl You Know It's True - Milli Vanilli - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ JOHNSON, CONNIE (4 June 1989). "MILLI VANILLI "Girl You Know It's True." Arista ** 1/2: POP STARS ***** Great Balls of Fire **** Knockin' On Heaven's Door *** Good Vibrations ** Maybe Baby * Ain't That a Shame : ROXETTE "Look Sharp!" EMI**" – via LA Times.
- ^ Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 543. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
rolling stone milli vanilli album guide.
- ^ "Billboard magazine January 13 1990" (PDF). Billboard. 13 January 1990 – via American Radio History.
- ^ "Girl You Know It's True Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ Philips, Chuck (16 November 1990). "It's True: Milli Vanilli Didn't Sing : Pop music: The duo could be stripped of its Grammy after admitting it lip-synced the best-selling 'Girl You Know It's True.'". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Philips, Chuck (20 November 1990). "Milli Vanilli's Grammy Rescinded by Academy : Music: Organization revokes an award for the first time after revelation that the duo never sang on album". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Milli Vanilli: reaction to the first album". Archived from the original on 28 May 2002.
- ^ Milli Vanilli- All Or Nothing _ The U.S. Remix Album (released in Germany) @Discogs.com Retrieved 8 August 2015.
- ^ "Milli Vanilli Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
- ^ "Milli Vanilli Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Milli Vanilli – Girl You Know It's True". Music Canada.
- ^ "American album certifications – Milli Vanilli – Girl You Know It's True". Recording Industry Association of America.