Hey Girl

Album: Freddie Scott Sings And Sings (1963)
Charted: 10
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Songfacts®:

  • This song was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King during one of their most productive periods. They composed the song in 1962 and had another Brill Building songwriter, Freddie Scott, sing the demo. Chuck Jackson was supposed to record the song, but when he didn't make the session, Scott recorded it instead. Released in 1963, it became his biggest pop hit and revived his singing career. Before devoting himself to songwriting, Scott was a recording artist as well, releasing his first single, "Running Home," in 1956. After "Hey Girl," he had several R&B chart entries, including "Are You Lonely For Me," which went to #1 in 1966. In 1968 he released "(You) Got What I Need," which was famously interpolated by Biz Markie on his 1989 hit "Just A Friend." Scott died on June 4, 2007 at age 74. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France
  • Scott gets rather dramatic on this song, wondering how he can go on without his girl, and pleading with her to stay. The end of the song is a pretty vivid description of how this plays out, with Scott singing:

    Hey girl, now sit yourself down
    I'm not ashamed to get down on the ground
    Don't go away


    His begging doesn't work; we hear him calling after her ("Hey girl!!!") as she leaves.
  • Garry Sherman, whose Broadway credits include Amen Corner and Purlie, did the string arrangement.
  • In 1968, Bobby Vee recorded a mash-up of this song with "My Girl" that hit #35 US. The Lettermen took it to #104 in 1970, and Donny Osmond reached #9 with his version in 1972.

Comments: 4

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1963 {August 2nd} Freddie Scott performed "Hey, Girl" on the Dick Clark ABC-TV network weekday-afternoon program 'American Bandstand'...
    At the time the song was at #54 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; a little over four weeks later it would peak at #10 {for 1 week} and it spent 12 weeks on the Top 100...
    It would also reached #10 on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart...
    He had six other Top 100 records; "I Got A Woman" {#48 in 1963}, "Where Does Love Go" {#82 in 1964}, "Are You Lonely For Me" {#39 in 1967}, "Cry To Me" {#70 in 1967}, "Am I Grooving You" {#71 in 1967}, and "He Ain't Give You None" "#100 in 1967}...
    Freddie Scott passed away at the age of 74 on June 4th, 2007...
    May he R.I.P.
    Personal note: On the above day, August 2nd, 1963, I was in my 3rd day of U.S. Navy boot camp, had three years and 362 days to go and was already counting down...
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 9th 1972, "Hey Girl" by the Donny Osmond peaked at #9 (for 2 weeks) on the Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it had entered the chart on November 21st, 1971 and spent 10 weeks on the Top 100...
    It reached #21 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart...
    The record's flip-side was a cover of Billy Joe Royal's 1965 #14 hit "I Knew you When"; and it got a fair amount of AM radio air play...
    Mr. Osmond celebrated his 56th birthday one month ago today on December 9th (2013).
  • David from Pen Argyl, PaBilly Joel recorded a decent version that's pretty loyal to Freddie Scott's.
  • Sara from Silver Spring, MdMichael McDonald and Ray Charles sang it on the Genius Loves Company album in 2004. Charles had loved Michael's version from his Blink of an Eye album. They had previously sung it at a Yamaha celebration but it wasn't included on the video.
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