Can't Speak French

Infobox Single
Name = Can't Speak French


Artist = Girls Aloud
from Album = Tangled Up
B-side = "Hoxton Heroes" "Je Ne Parle Pas Français" "With Every Heartbeat" (Live Lounge Cover)
Released =
14 March 2008 (UK digital)
17 March 2008 (UK physical)
Format = CD
Digital download
Recorded = London, England
Genre = Dance pop
Length = 3:19 (radio edit)
4:04 (album version)
Label = Fascination
Writer = Miranda Cooper
Brian Higgins
Tim Powell
Nick Coler
Jody Lei
Carla Marie Williams
Producer = Xenomania
Last single = "Call the Shots"
(2007)
This single = "Can't Speak French"
(2008)
Next single = "The Promise"
(2008)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Tangled Up
Type = studio
prev_track = "Girl Overboard"
prev_no = 4
this_track = "Can't Speak French"
track_no = 5
next_track = "Black Jacks"
next_no = 6Extra album cover
Upper caption = Alternate covers
Background = khaki


Lower caption = UK CD2 coverExtra album cover
Background = khaki


Lower caption = Digital EP cover

"Can't Speak French" is the eighteenth single by the British girl group Girls Aloud; the third and final to be taken from their fourth studio album "Tangled Up". It was released physically on 17 March 2008. cite web | url=http://www.dailystar.co.uk/playlist/view/28187/Girls-Attack-/| title=Girls Attack! | author=Kim Dawson | publisher=The Daily Star | date=2008-01-31 | accessdate=2008-01-31 ]

Release and reception

The single was confirmed on 15 January 2008 on the official site. [ cite web | url=http://www.girlsaloud.com/ | title=News on the Girls' next single | publisher=GirlsAloud.co.uk| date=2008-01-15 | accessdate=2008-01-15 ] The first televised performance was a month prior on the Christmas special of "The Friday Night Project".

Promotion for "Can't Speak French" was initially put on hold, so that Cheryl Cole could sort through her marital problems with Chelsea and England player Ashley Cole, [ cite web | url=http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/showbiz/showbiznews/2008/02/03/nadine-coyle-makes-most-of-band-crisis-98487-20308413/ | title=Nadine Coyle makes most of band crisis | publisher=Sunday Mirror | date=2008-02-03 | accessdate=2008-02-03] but had since resumed. During February and March, they appeared on a number of television shows to promote the single, including Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, [ cite web | url=http://www.girlsaloud.com/ | title=GA TV | publisher=GirlsAloud.co.uk| date=2008-02-19 | accessdate=2008-02-19 ] The Paul O'Grady Show, and T4. [ cite web | url=http://www.girlsaloud.com/ | title=Tune in... | publisher=GirlsAloud.co.uk| date=2008-03-13 | accessdate=2008-03-15] Their new television series, "Passions of Girls Aloud", also premiered on 14 March, with the Passions Mix of "Can't Speak French" being used as the programme's theme. [ cite web | url=http://www.girlsaloud.com/ | title=The Passions are coming! | publisher=GirlsAloud.co.uk| date=2008-03-05 | accessdate=2008-03-11 ]

Girls Aloud also held a competition on their official website for a signed poster. Fans submitted their own original verse for "Can't Speak French", with five winners being announced throughout the week of the single's release. [ cite web | url=http://www.girlsaloud.com/ | title=Signed posters | publisher=GirlsAloud.co.uk| date=2008-03-04 | accessdate=2008-03-11 ]

The song received mostly positive reviews from critics. On a positive note, The Guardian called the song "a prime example of Xenomania's ability to throw wildly disparate musical elements together." [ cite web | url=http://music.guardian.co.uk/pop/reviews/story/0,,2207509,00.html/ |title=Girls Aloud, Tangled Up |publisher=The Guardian | date=2007-11-09 | accessdate=2008-02-13] The Daily Star said that "Can't Speak French" was a "swirling, slower cut with great jazzy guitar changes". [ cite web | url=http://www.dailystar.co.uk/playlist/view/20415/Girls-Aloud-track-by-track/ |title=Girls Aloud track by track |publisher=The Daily Star | date=2007-11-07 | accessdate=2008-02-13] A reviewer for musicOMH.com felt that the "mid-paced groove isn't all that funky," but "creeps up when you're not looking, lodging itself in your head." [ cite web | url=http://www.musicomh.com/singles/girls-aloud-12_0308.htm | title=Girls Aloud - Can't Speak French (Polydor) | publisher=musicOMH.com | author=Ben Hogwood | date=2008-03-12 | accessdate=2008-04-07 ] Less impressed was Sarah Walters of the Manchester Evening News, who stated that she was "undecided whether this is a bad joke or a stroke of genius" and described the chorus as "pure idiocy." [ cite web | url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/music/single_reviews/s/1040744_girls_aloud__cant_speak_french_fascination | title=Girls Aloud - Can't Speak French (Fascination) | publisher=Manchester Evening News | author=Sarah Walters | date=2008-03-13 | accessdate=2008-04-07 ]

Music video

.

The music video features Girls Aloud in elaborate costumes inspired by Marie Antoinette and 18th century French fashions. They crash a sophisticated dinner party and seduce the male guests. They dance provocatively and flirt with the men. Throughout the video, individual shots of each girl in front of a coloured wall are interpolated.

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Can't Speak French". [ cite web | url=http://girlsaloud.co.uk/site.php| title=Can't Speak French - Out 17th March| |publisher=GirlsAloud.co.uk |date=2008-02-13 | accessdate=2008-02-13 ]

Live Performances

The band performed the song at the following events:

* The Friday Night Project (Christmas Special)
* Live At The Local
* The Paul O'Grady Show
* Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
* T4
* G-A-Y
* BBC Switch: Sound
* Tangled Up Tour

B-side

The single's B-side "Hoxton Heroes" was first mentioned in a November interview with The Guardian. Miranda Cooper, a songwriter and member of the Xenomania production house, said "We've written a song called Hoxton Hero. Me and the girls got on an amazing rant, taking the piss out of the whole indie scene." Kimberley Walsh stated, "They say we're a manufactured band, but they're just as manufactured." The song was considered too controversial to go on the album. [ cite web | url=http://music.guardian.co.uk/pop/story/0,,2206702,00.html | title=Smashed hits | publisher=The Guardian | date=2007-11-11 | accessdate=2008-01-31 ]

On 31 January, 2008, it was confirmed on Girls Aloud's official website and in The Daily Star that "Hoxton Heroes" would appear as a B-side, alongside a French version of the single. [ cite web | url=http://www.girlsaloud.co.uk/site.php | title=More details on Can't Speak French | publisher=GirlsAloud.co.uk | date=2008-01-31 | accessdate=2008-01-31 ] A 30-second clip of "Hoxton Heroes" was posted on Girls Aloud's official MySpace on 6 February. [ cite web | url=http://www.girlsaloud.co.uk/site.php | title=EXCLUSIVE: Hear Hoxton Heroes! | publisher=GirlsAloud.co.uk | date=2008-02-06 | accessdate=2008-02-12 ] Some indie music fans have attacked Girls Aloud for the song. [ cite web | url=http://www.nme.com/news/girls-aloud/34202| title=Music fans react to Girls Aloud criticising indie bands | publisher=NME |date=2008-02-08 | accessdate=2008-02-12 ] Heatworld.com exclusively streamed a clip of "Je Ne Parle Pas Français" on 26 February. [ cite web | url=http://www.heatworld.com/Article/4554/Girls+Aloud/Hear+Girls+Aloud+sing+Can%e2%80%99t+Speak+French+%e2%80%93+IN+FRENCH! | title=Hear Girls Aloud sing Can’t Speak French – IN FRENCH! | publisher=Heatworld.com | date=2008-02-26 | accessdate=2008-03-11 ]

References