So Help Me Girl

"So Help Me Girl" is a song written by Howard Perdew and Andy Spooner and recorded by American country music singer Joe Diffie. It was released in January 1995 as the third single from his fourth studio album, Third Rock from the Sun (1994). The song reached number two on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, where it debuted at number 59 for the week of February 4, 1995, and number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1]

"So Help Me Girl"
Single by Joe Diffie
from the album Third Rock from the Sun
B-side"The Cows Came Home"[1]
ReleasedJanuary 30, 1995
Recorded1994
GenreCountry
Length3:29
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Howard Perdew, Andy Spooner
Producer(s)Johnny Slate, Joe Diffie
Joe Diffie singles chronology
"Pickup Man"
(1994)		 "So Help Me Girl"
(1995)		 "I'm in Love with a Capital "U""
(1995)

Music video

The music video for "So Help Me Girl" was directed by Gerry Wenner and premiered in early 1995.

Charts

Gary Barlow version
"So Help Me Girl"
Single by Gary Barlow
from the album Open Road
B-side"Million to One"
ReleasedJuly 14, 1997 (1997-07-14)[7]
GenrePop
Length4:29
LabelSony BMG, Arista
Songwriter(s)Howard Perdew, Andy Spooner
Producer(s)David Foster
Gary Barlow UK singles chronology
"Love Won't Wait"
(1997)		 "So Help Me Girl"
(1997)		 "Open Road"
(1997)
Gary Barlow US singles chronology
"So Help Me Girl"
(1997)		 "Superhero"
(1998)
Music video
"So Help Me Girl" on YouTube
Alternative cover
American cover

"So Help Me Girl" was covered by English singer and songwriter Gary Barlow, and released as the third single from his debut solo album, Open Road (1997), in the United Kingdom on July 14, 1997, and as the lead single from the album in the US later in the year. Following the success of the album in the UK, Barlow signed a record deal with Arista records for it to be released in the US. He reworked the album for the American market and subsequently released a remixed version of "So Help Me Girl" as the lead single there. Produced by David Foster, it was released in 65 countries around the world and topped the charts in 13 countries.[8] In the UK, it peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. And in the US, the single peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100, number three on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart and number 58 on the Billboard Radio Charts.[9]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard gave the American version of "So Help Me Girl" a positive review, saying that it did not stray from Barlow's work in the group Take That. He also praised his "boyish teen-idol charm" and "flexible tenor."[10] A reviewer from Music Week rated it three out of five, adding that "the song's Nashville roots are barely discernible on this David Foster update which turns it into a swoony, low-key ballad to give Barlow another hit."[11] David Sinclair from The Times wrote, "Old country song given a dreary, pop ballad treatment."[12]

Music video

Two music videos were released for So Help Me Girl. The first video, accompanying the European release of the single, similar to the music video for Diffie's version, features Barlow taking a girl home after a night out, and waking up the next morning and realising that he has cheated on his girlfriend. He performs the majority of the song in the bedroom, before moving to a piano for the final scenes, which depict a fight between his girlfriend and the girl he took home. The second video, accompanying the American release of the single, begins with Barlow sitting alone on a bridge and throwing a rose into the water below, whilst a mysterious woman looks on. He then continues to perform the song whilst looking through the windows of a darkened house, where he spots a young girl. The video continues with Barlow walking through a lighted tunnel of moving cars, before returning to the house and performing the final line of the song to the girl personally.[13]

Track listings
  1. "So Help Me Girl"
  2. "Million to One"
  3. "Offer My Peace"
  4. "So Help Me Girl" (C Swing mix)
  1. "So Help Me Girl"
  2. "So Help Me Girl" (Peter Mokran mix)
  3. "Interview"
  • UK cassette single and European CD single[17][18]
  1. "So Help Me Girl"
  2. "Million to One"
  1. "So Help Me Girl" – 4:29
  2. "Back for Good" (live) – 4:03
  • Japanese CD single[21]
  1. "So Help Me Girl"
  2. "Million to One"
  3. "Offer My Peace"

Charts
Chart (1997) Peak
Position
Australia (ARIA)[22] 36
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[23] 7
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[24] 41
Germany (Media Control AG)[25] 78
Ireland (IRMA)[26] 14
Japan (Oricon)[27] 7
Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)[28] 58
Scotland (OCC)[29] 13
Taiwan (IFPI)[30] 3
UK Singles (OCC)[31] 11
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 44
US Adult Contemporary Chart (Billboard)[9] 3

References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. pp. 125–126. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  2. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 9044." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. May 1, 1995. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  3. "Joe Diffie Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  4. "Joe Diffie Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  5. "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1995". RPM. December 18, 1995. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  6. "Best of 1995: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1995. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  7. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. July 12, 1997. p. 31.
  8. http://springbarrelsongpluggingservices.com/success.html Gary Barlow So Help Me Girl SpringBarrell Songwriter Services. Accessed 28/12/13
  9. https://www.billboard.com/artist/gary-barlow/chart-history/
  10. Flick, Larry (August 16, 1997). "Single Reviews". Billboard. p. 62.
  11. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 5, 1997. p. 30. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  12. Sinclair, David (July 19, 1997). "Albums; The week's top pop releases". The Times.
  13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSoJ5uR1rqU Official Music Video of So Help Me Girl
  14. So Help Me Girl (UK CD1 liner notes). Gary Barlow. RCA Records, BMG. 1997. 74321 501202 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. So Help Me Girl (Australian CD single liner notes). Gary Barlow. RCA Records, BMG. 1997. 74321 507072.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. So Help Me Girl (UK CD2 liner notes). Gary Barlow. RCA Records, BMG. 1997. 74321 501 212.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. So Help Me Girl (UK cassette single sleeve). Gary Barlow. RCA Records, BMG. 1997. 74321 501 204.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. So Help Me Girl (European CD single liner notes). Gary Barlow. RCA Records, BMG. 1997. 74321 506572.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. So Help Me Girl (US CD single liner notes). Gary Barlow. Arista Records. 1997. 07822-13428-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. So Help Me Girl (US cassette single sleeve). Gary Barlow. Arista Records. 1997. 07822-13428-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. So Help Me Girl (Japanese CD single liner notes). Gary Barlow. RCA Records, BMG. 1997. BVCP-8872.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. italiancharts.com - Gary Barlow - So Help Me Girl
  23. ultratop.be - Gary Barlow - So Help Me Girl
  24. "Billboard". August 2, 1997.
  25. http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/BARLOW%2CGARY/?type=single German Music Archive.
  26. The Irish Charts - All there is to know
  27. Oricon Singles Chart Oricon Singles Chart (Retrieved November 2, 2012)
  28. dutchcharts.nl - Discografie Gary Barlow
  29. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  30. IFPI Taiwan - Single Top 10 (1997/31)
  31. everyHit.com - UK Top 40 Chart Archive, British Singles & Album Charts
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