Good take on the classic Prince track

If I Was Your Girlfriend
Composed By Prince
Performed By Prince


AMG REVIEW: Prince's persona had always been somewhat androgynous, but the 1987 single "If I Was Your Girlfriend" cemented that reputation beyond a doubt. In fact, it probably contributed to the song's lower-than-average chart placing. The second single from Sign o' the Times, it didn't even reach the Top 50, even though the album produced three Top Ten hits, two of which were released after "If I Was Your Girlfriend" — so it certainly wasn't part of a momentum-loss trend. The album credited the song's lead vocal to Camille, reported before Sign o' the Times' release to be a newly discovered female vocalist whose debut album Prince was preparing; of course, Camille turned out to be Prince singing in a high-pitched voice that was later sped up and altered electronically. Prince had gone so far as to record a pre-release tape for the entire Camille album, but quickly withdrew it; however, a few of its songs, including "If I Was Your Girlfriend," did end up on Sign o' the Times. Convoluted history aside, the practical effect of the song's extremely feminine Camille vocal was to create the insinuation that, for the sake of love, Prince was more than willing to make the switch suggested by the title, one way or another. Even if that wasn't really what the song was about, a squeamish public edged away from the gender-line blur as though it were a rabid dog. Which is a real shame, because "If I Was Your Girlfriend" is a playful yet profound attempt to bridge gender differences. Prince bemoans the wary (often deserved) mistrust with which women often treat men and the resulting lack of communication or intimacy. Intimacy, in this song, is the furthest thing from dramatic; it's when his lover is willing to involve him in her everyday domestic activities — dressing, grooming, bathing, cooking. The point is that the simplest, most basic ways of being with someone are often also the most personal, because allowing someone into that sphere requires such a high level of comfort — being not just a lover, but (as Prince sings several times) a best friend as well. The overall sound of the song has a weird, alien quality even for a Prince production, and even beyond the Camille voice, some of the electronic percussion shifts pitch for an odd undulating effect and the background synth parts have a certain shimmer that make it sound as though they were recorded backwards. So, all around, "If I Was Your Girlfriend" is pretty challenging for a pop-funk tune, but the end result is actually one of Prince's most sympathetic and romantic efforts. — Steve Huey

DorothyParkerWasCool said:[quote]Good take on the classic Prince track
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Intimacy, in this song, is the furthest thing from dramatic; it's when his lover is willing to involve him in her everyday domestic activities — dressing, grooming, bathing, cooking. The point is that the simplest, most basic ways of being with someone are often also the most personal, because allowing someone into that sphere requires such a high level of comfort — being not just a lover, but (as Prince sings several times) a best friend as well.
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Thanks for posting this. Great take on a great song.