Liberian Girl
"Liberian Girl" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Girlfriend" (album version)[1] | ||||
Released | July 3, 1989[1] | |||
Recorded | 1986–1987[1] | |||
Studio | Westlake Recording Studios (studio D), Los Angeles | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length |
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Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Michael Jackson | |||
Producer(s) |
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Michael Jackson singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Liberian Girl" on YouTube |
"Liberian Girl" is the ninth and final
Critical reception
The New York Times editor Jon Pareles wrote that a melody line from "Billie Jean" reappears in this song.[2] Rolling Stone's Davitt Sigerson praised the song: "'Liberian Girl' – is Michael's filler, which makes it richer, sexier, better than Thriller's forgettables" and he also described that it "glistens with gratitude for the existence of a loved one."[3] In 2003, Q magazine ranked the song at number 1,001 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever".[4]
Reaction in Liberia
The song received a positive reception in Liberia,[5] with women from the country viewing the song as empowering.[5] Liberian woman Margaret Carson said in an interview with The Washington Times "when that music came out ... the Liberian girls were so astonished to hear a great musician like Michael Jackson thinking about a little country in Africa. It gave us hope, especially when things went bad ... . It made us to feel that we are still part of the world."[5]
Music video
Directed by Jim Yukich and produced by Paul Flattery for FYI (Flattery Yukich Inc.), the
- Beverly Johnson
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner
- Sherman Hemsley
- Mayim Bialik
- Brigitte Nielsen
- Paula Abdul
- Carl Weathers
- Whoopi Goldberg
- Quincy Jones
- Jackie Collins
- Amy Irving
- Jasmine Guy
- Rosanna Arquette
- Billy Dee Williams
- Lou Diamond Phillips
- Olivia Newton-John
- John Travolta
- Corey Feldman
- Steven Spielberg
- Debbie Gibson
- Rick Schroder
- Blair Underwood
- "Weird Al" Yankovic
- Bubbles
- Suzanne Somers
- Lou Ferrigno
- Don Kingand "Son"
- Virginia Madsen
- David Copperfield
- Richard and Emily Dreyfuss
- Danny Glover
- Olivia Hussey
- Dan Aykroyd
- Steve Guttenberg
There was also someone dressed as a mummy in the video. In the ending credits the mummy was credited with a question mark.
The music video of the song was included on the video albums: HIStory on Film, Volume II, Vision and the Target version DVD of Bad 25.
Track listings
7-inch
- "Liberian Girl" (edit) – 3:40
- "Girlfriend" – 3:05
12-inch
- "Liberian Girl" (edit) – 3:40
- "Get on the Floor" – 4:44
- "Girlfriend" – 3:05
CD single
- "Liberian Girl" (edit) – 3:40
- "Girlfriend" – 3:05
- "The Lady in My Life" – 5:00
- "Get on the Floor" – 4:44
CD 3-inch
- "Liberian Girl" (edit) – 3:40
- "Get on the Floor" – 4:44
- "Girlfriend" – 3:05
Personnel
- Michael Jackson – songwriter, co-producer, solo and background vocals, drums, rhythm arrangement, vocal arrangement
- Quincy Jones – producer, rhythm arrangement, synthesizer arrangement
- John Barnes – rhythm arrangement, vocal arrangement, synthesizer arrangement, synthesizers
- Michael Boddicker – synthesizers
- Miko Brando – drums
- Christopher Currell – Synclavier
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion
- Douglas Getschal – drum programming
- Jerry Hey – synthesizer arrangement
- Letta Mbulu – Swahili chant
- David Paich – synthesizers
- Steve Porcaro – synthesizer programming
- John Robinson – drums
- Caiphus Semenya – Swahili chant arrangement
- Larry Williams – synthesizers
Charts
Chart (1989) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[7] | 50 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] | 12 |
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] | 24 |
Finland ( Suomen virallinen singlelista)[10]
|
9 |
France ( SNEP)[11]
|
15 |
Ireland (IRMA)[12] | 1 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] | 15 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] | 14 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] | 31 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] | 12 |
13 | |
West Germany (Official German Charts)[18] | 23 |
Chart (2009) | Peak position |
---|---|
French Digital Singles Chart (SNEP)[19] | 34 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] | 36 |
86 |
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-78840057-2.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (August 31, 1987). "Pop: Michael Jackson's 'Bad,' Follow-Up To A Blockbuster". The New York Times.
- ^ Sigerson, Davitt (October 22, 1987). "Michael Jackson Bad Album Review". Rolling Stone.
- ^ "Q - 1001 best songs ever (2003)".
- ^ a b c "Memory of Michael Jackson uplifts Liberia". The Washington Times. July 2, 2009.
- ISBN 978-1-50762440-1.
- ^ "Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 32. August 12, 1989. p. V. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Michael Jackson". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 113. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
- Les classement single. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Liberian Girl". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 30, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- ^ "Download French Single Top 50". lescharts. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011. Retrieved December 31, 2009.
- ^ "Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 28, 2018.