A Girl Like You (Edwyn Collins song)

"A Girl Like You" is a song by Scottish singer-songwriter Edwyn Collins from his third solo studio album, Gorgeous George (1994). The song samples the drum track of Len Barry's single "1-2-3" (1965). It was released as a single in December 1994 by Setanta Records and became a worldwide hit, reaching number one in Flanders and Iceland and peaking within the top 10 in several countries, including Australia, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. In North America, "A Girl Like You" reached number 16 on Canada's RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, number 32 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 28 on the US Cash Box Top 100. There were different versions of the music video made for the song, directed by John Flansburgh and Gavin Evans. NME ranked "A Girl Like You" number 38 in their "NME Writers' Top 50 Singles of 1995", while Spin ranked it number eight in their list of the 20 best singles of 1995.

Background and production
Collins both wrote and produced the song, and has told that it was about a "mystical girl". The Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook performed on the recording. The song had started out as "a more thrashy kind of guitar thing" and there had been a suggestion that Iggy Pop might record a version for the US market but before that could happen Collins' version was gaining airplay.

Critical reception
Steve Baltin from Cash Box felt that Collins "has one of the year's more surprising hits with this very Bowie-esque song that's been all over Modern Rock for the past month." He added, "Slightly funky and very catchy, "A Girl Like You" is a track that will get under your skin." In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton declared it as "magical", noting that here "hardcore Northern Soul meets the 1990s to delicious effect." Cathi Unsworth from Melody Maker viewed it as a "John Barry-spiked thriller" and a "little mystery", where "Collins sings with demonic relish over creepy jazz piano and fretful guitars. Overtly cool." A reviewer from Music Week gave it four out of five, commenting, "Ignored by the UK last November but scoring throughout the rest of Europe, the white-soul-swinging track gets a timely re-release." Keith Cameron from NME called it a "flared nostril Motown-patented stomp".

Another NME editor, Mark Sutherland, wrote, "So while, to us, the chart success of "A Girl Like You" may seem but a curious sideshow to the whole Britpop fandango, to Edwyn it must surely be glorious vindication: proof positive that the world will listen. Even if Belgium, where "A Girl Like You" reached Number One FIRST time around, has to lead the way." Sutherland also felt that its "mix of pop classicism and indie off-kilterness is a great deal more at home in a Top 40 where something as bonkers as Robson & Jerome rules the roost." Charles Aaron from Spin commented that here, Collins "opens his throat (and maybe even his heart), crooning with what sounds like aching conviction, "You've made me acknowledge the devil in me / I hope to God I'm talkin' metaphorically." The production is irresistibly off-beat with Spectorish drums, tinkling vibes, laconically searing fuzz guitar and squishy faux-turntable scratches. Plus, I love the way he pronounces "protest singers" (rhymes with "Miss Otis lingers")."

Track listings

 * CD single
 * 1) "A Girl Like You" – 3:59
 * 2) "A Girl Like You" (Macramé remix by Youth) – 5:42


 * French CD single
 * 1) "A Girl Like You" – 3:59
 * 2) "Out of This World" (Remixé par St-Etienne) – 4:58


 * CD maxi
 * 1) "A Girl Like You"
 * 2) "Don't Shilly Shally"
 * 3) "Something's Brewing"
 * 4) "Bring It On Back"


 * Cassette single
 * 1) "A Girl Like You" – 3:59
 * 2) "If You Could Love Me" (acoustic version)


 * CD maxi
 * 1) "A Girl Like You"
 * 2) "If You Could Love Me" (acoustic version)
 * 3) "Don't Shilly Shally" (spotter's 86 demo version)
 * 4) "You're on Your Own"

Appearances
The song appeared on the soundtrack of the 1995 film Empire Records and on that of 2003 film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. It was featured in season 1, episode 5 of Lucifer ("Sweet Kicks"), and in the 2022 horror film Goodnight Mommy. It plays over the end credits in season 5, episode 7 of The Crown. Sabrina Spellman and her date Chad Corey Dylan dance to this song in season 1, episode 5 of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch ("Dream Date" ) as well as Ted Lasso in Season 3.