This week’s From The Vault salutes the ladies of TLC this week. Our pick is 2002’s ‘Girl Talk.’
The feisty track was issued as the lead single from the group’s fourth studio album ‘3D,’ which served as their first following the passing of member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes.
‘Talk’ saw the trio press on with the female-empowering / male-bashing formula that made songs such as ‘No Scrubs’ and Destiny’s Child’s ‘Bug A Boo’ such towering hits. This time, TLC were putting men up on game about their need to bring their A-game or run risk of having their tea spilt. An unreleased Left Eye rap is featured in the song as it was the case with half of the album.
Penned by Kandi Burruss alongside Lopes and fellow member T-Boz, the track was a moderate(ish) hit in the US where it peaked at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #23 on the Hip-Hop/R&B tally. It earned the R&B outfit another UK Top 30 too.
The mighty Dave Meyers was tapped to direct the track’s visual. Surviving members T-Boz and Chilli are seen “girl-talking” in the Dirty South, Tokyo and Africa. Boasting trademark TLC choreography. Midway through the video, the three members are reunited thanks to an animated film during Left Eye’s rap.
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With the ladies having just released their last album, it’s interesting to reflect on how strong their catalogue is. It still saddens us when we ponder all the amazing places their careers – as a group and solo acts – could have gone if Lisa was still with us today.
Still, no matter how the story goes, their names are etched in the history books forever and we’re elated to have lived in a world where TLC were the blueprint for everything crazy, sexy and cool in music and culture.