So Help Me Girl

"So Help Me Girl"
Single by Joe Diffie
from the album Third Rock from the Sun
B-side	"The Cows Came Home"[1]
Released	January 30, 1995
Format	CD single
Recorded	1994
Genre	Country
Length	3:29
Label	Epic
Writer(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)

"So Help Me Girl" is a song written by Howard Perdew and Andy Spooner, and recorded by American country 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 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[1]

Music video

The music video was directed by Gerry Wenner and premiered in early 1995.

Chart positions

"So Help Me Girl" debuted at number 59 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of February 4, 1995.

Year-end charts

Gary Barlow version

"So Help Me Girl"
Single by Gary Barlow
from the album Open Road
B-side	"Million to One"
Released	July 11, 1997 (Europe) September 30, 1997 (U.S.)
Format	CD single
Recorded	1996
Genre	Pop
Length	4:29
Label	Sony BMG, Arista
Writer(s)	Howard Perdew, Andy Spooner
Producer(s)	David Foster
Gary Barlow singles chronology
"Love Won't Wait" (1997) "So Help Me Girl" (1997) "Open Road" (1997)
Alternative cover American Cover

"So Help Me Girl" was covered by Gary Barlow and released as the third single from his debut solo album Open Road (1997) in Europe on July 11, 1997, and as the lead single from the album in the United States on September 30, 1997. The single was released in 65 countries around the world and topped the charts in 13 countries.^[7]

Background

Following the success of the album in the United Kingdom, Barlow signed a record deal with Arista records for the album to be released in America. He reworked the album for the American market and subsequently released a remixed version of "So Help Me Girl" as the lead single there. Billboard gave the American version a positive review, saying that it did not stray from Barlow's work in the group Take That. He also praised Barlow's "boyish teen-idol charm" and "flexible tenor."^[8]

Music video

Two music videos were released for So Help Me Girl. The first video, accompanying the European release of the single, 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.^[9]

Track listings

UK CD1

1. "So Help Me Girl" (4:28)
2. "Million To One" (3:25)
3. "Offer My Peace" (3:56)
4. "So Help Me Girl" (C Swing Mix) (4:30)

UK CD2

1. "So Help Me Girl" (4:28)
2. "So Help Me Girl" (Peter Mokran Mix) (4:38)
3. "Interview" (11:35)

Cassette / 7" Jukebox Vinyl

1. "So Help Me Girl" (4:28)
2. "Million To One" (3:25)

American Single

1. "So Help Me Girl" (US Edit) (4:38)
2. "Back For Good" (Live) (4:01)

Chart performance

The single achieved relative success through Europe, and peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. In America the single peaked at number 3 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart, number 44 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 58 on the US Billboard Radio Charts.^[10]

References

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics