Girl Like Me (Japan Edition)
Encyclopedia
Girl Like Me is the nineteenth single by Dutch girl group Luv'
, released in early 1990 by the labels Toco/Beaver Records/Alfa International. It appears on the EP
For You
. The song was only released in Japan
as a commercial single, especially for discos and clubs
, where it was marketed as a Eurobeat
track.
s heyday (1977–1981), the female pop act failed in its attempt to get a hit record in Japan, whereas it dominated the music charts in a large part of Continental Europe
, South Africa
and Mexico
. In 1980, the trio planned to take part in the Yamaha Music Festival
but cancelled its participation to this competition. It prevented indeed Luv'
from reaching the mainstream Japanese music market.
A decade later, as the Dutch vocal formation made its comeback with a different line-up, it tried to promote new material (produced by Nigel Wright) through the network of discos and clubs in the Asian archipelago. That's why, Luv'
s record company decided to release the song Girl Like Me as a Maxi single, hoping to have a club hit and later a mainstream chart topper. It was promoted as a Eurobeat
song (this style of music was very popular back then in Japan
). It also was included on Japanese Various Artists Eurobeat
compilations. However, this strategy to adapt the Japanese market didn't succeed. Nowadays, this single is a rare collector item among Luv'
s fans.
The music arrangements of this song were inspired by those of the hits composed by Stock Aitken Waterman
, the successful British producers in the late 1980s.
Luv'
Luv is a Dutch pop girl group that scored a string of hit records in Continental Europe as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1979, Luv' was "Holland's best export act" and thus received the "Conamus Export Prize"...
, released in early 1990 by the labels Toco/Beaver Records/Alfa International. It appears on the EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
For You
For You (Luv' EP)
For You is an EP by Dutch girl group Luv' released in September 1989 by Dureco/High Fashion records. It was recorded by a formation different from the original line-up ....
. The song was only released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as a commercial single, especially for discos and clubs
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
, where it was marketed as a Eurobeat
Eurobeat
Eurobeat is a form of italo-disco/hi-NRG music that developed in the late 1980s.In the United States, Eurobeat was sometimes marketed as Hi-NRG and for a short while shared this term with the very early freestyle music hits....
track.
Song history
During Luv'Luv'
Luv is a Dutch pop girl group that scored a string of hit records in Continental Europe as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1979, Luv' was "Holland's best export act" and thus received the "Conamus Export Prize"...
s heyday (1977–1981), the female pop act failed in its attempt to get a hit record in Japan, whereas it dominated the music charts in a large part of Continental Europe
Continental Europe
Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands....
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. In 1980, the trio planned to take part in the Yamaha Music Festival
Yamaha Music Festival
The World Popular Song Festival, also known as Yamaha Music Festival and unofficially as the "Oriental Eurovision", was an international song contest held in 1970-1989. It was organised by the Yamaha Music Foundation in Tokyo, Japan from 1970 until 1989...
but cancelled its participation to this competition. It prevented indeed Luv'
Luv'
Luv is a Dutch pop girl group that scored a string of hit records in Continental Europe as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1979, Luv' was "Holland's best export act" and thus received the "Conamus Export Prize"...
from reaching the mainstream Japanese music market.
A decade later, as the Dutch vocal formation made its comeback with a different line-up, it tried to promote new material (produced by Nigel Wright) through the network of discos and clubs in the Asian archipelago. That's why, Luv'
Luv'
Luv is a Dutch pop girl group that scored a string of hit records in Continental Europe as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1979, Luv' was "Holland's best export act" and thus received the "Conamus Export Prize"...
s record company decided to release the song Girl Like Me as a Maxi single, hoping to have a club hit and later a mainstream chart topper. It was promoted as a Eurobeat
Eurobeat
Eurobeat is a form of italo-disco/hi-NRG music that developed in the late 1980s.In the United States, Eurobeat was sometimes marketed as Hi-NRG and for a short while shared this term with the very early freestyle music hits....
song (this style of music was very popular back then in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
). It also was included on Japanese Various Artists Eurobeat
Eurobeat
Eurobeat is a form of italo-disco/hi-NRG music that developed in the late 1980s.In the United States, Eurobeat was sometimes marketed as Hi-NRG and for a short while shared this term with the very early freestyle music hits....
compilations. However, this strategy to adapt the Japanese market didn't succeed. Nowadays, this single is a rare collector item among Luv'
Luv'
Luv is a Dutch pop girl group that scored a string of hit records in Continental Europe as well as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1979, Luv' was "Holland's best export act" and thus received the "Conamus Export Prize"...
s fans.
The music arrangements of this song were inspired by those of the hits composed by Stock Aitken Waterman
Stock Aitken Waterman
Stock Aitken Waterman, sometimes known as SAW, were a UK songwriting and record producing trio consisting of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman. They had great success during the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s...
, the successful British producers in the late 1980s.
Track listings and formats
- 7" Vinyl Single
- "Girl Like Me" (Single Version) — 4:12
- "No Cure No Pay" — 3:39
- CD Single and 12-inch single
- "Girl Like Me" (Extended Version)
- "Girl Like Me" (Single version) — 4:12
- "No Cure No Pay" — 3:39