The "Sweetest Girl"

"The “Sweetest Girl”" (sic) is a song written by Green Gartside. It was originally performed by Gartside's band Scritti Politti, and released in 1981 as a single. The single peaked at number 64 in the UK Singles Chart.[1] The keyboards are played by Robert Wyatt.[2]

"Sweetest Girl" redirects here. For the song by rapper Wyclef Jean, see Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill).
For the Sanchez album, see The Sweetest Girl (album).

"The "Sweetest Girl""
Single by Scritti Politti
from the album Songs to Remember
B-side
  • "Lions after Slumber" (UK, US, Germany)
  • "Confidence" (France, Japan)
Released1981
GenreSynthpop, reggae fusion
Length4:37 (single version) 6:18 (album version)
LabelRough Trade
Songwriter(s)Green Gartside
Producer(s)
Scritti Politti singles chronology
"4 A-Sides"
(1979)		 "The "Sweetest Girl""
(1981)		 "Faithless"
(1982)

The song became a marginally bigger hit five years later, when covered by Madness. Their version of the song reached No. 35 in the UK and No. 29 in Ireland in early 1986. Madness changed the title of the song slightly, losing both the definite article and the quotation marks around the last two words in "The “Sweetest Girl”", thereby rendering it as "Sweetest Girl".

Scritti Politti version

Track listing

The B-side "Lions After Slumber" takes its title from, and quotes in its final lines from, the 1819 political poem The Masque of Anarchy by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

7" and 12" vinyl (UK, US, Germany)
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."The "Sweetest Girl""4:34
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Lions After Slumber"4:58

7" vinyl (France, Japan)
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."The "Sweetest Girl""4:37
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Confidence"3:04

Personnel

Source:[3]

  • Robert Wyatt - keyboards
  • Green Gartside - vocals, guitar
  • Joe Cang - bass
  • Nial Jinks - bass
  • Lorenza, Mae, Jackie - chorus
  • Tom Morley - LinnDrum

Madness version
"Sweetest Girl"
Single by Madness
from the album Mad Not Mad
B-side"Jennie (A Portrait Of)"
Released10 February 1986
GenreReggae, pop
Length4:20 (single version)
5:46 (album version)
7:01 (dub mix)
6:34 (extended mix)
LabelZarjazz
Songwriter(s)Green Gartside
Producer(s)Clive Langer
Alan Winstanley
Madness singles chronology
"Uncle Sam"
(1985)		 "Sweetest Girl"
(1986)		 "(Waiting For) The Ghost Train"
(1986)

The cover of the song by ska-pop band Madness was included on their 1985 album Mad Not Mad and released as a single the following year. The song spent six weeks on the British chart, peaking at number 35.

Video

The song video was featured in the 1986 BBC Omnibus documentary Video Jukebox.[4]

7" vinyl
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sweetest Girl"Green Gartside4:20
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Jennie (A Portrait Of)"Lee Thompson, Daniel Woodgate3:24

12" vinyl
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sweetest Girl" (Dub Mix)Gartside7:01
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sweetest Girl" (Extended Mix)Gartside6:34
2."Jennie (A Portrait Of)"Thompson, Woodgate3:05

Chart performance
Chart (1986) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[5][6] 35
Irish Singles Chart[7] 29

References
  1. "The Official Charts Company - Scritti Politti - Sweetest Girl". Retrieved 10 January 2009.
  2. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/oct/17/scritti-politti-sweetest-girl
  3. http://www.disco-robertwyatt.com/images/with_friends/index.htm
  4. "Collections Search | BFI | British Film Institute". Collections-search.bfi.org.uk. 9 May 1986. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  5. "everyhit.com search results". Retrieved 10 January 2009.
  6. "The Official Charts Company - Madness - The Sweetest Girl". Retrieved 10 January 2009.
  7. "irishcharts.ie search results". Retrieved 10 January 2009.
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