"Nasty Girl" is a song written and composed by American musician Prince. The song was first recorded by his protégé girl groupVanity 6 in 1982, who charted at number one on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart with their version. Prince gave the songwriting credit to lead singerVanity, although he was the writer and composer. Inaya Day recorded a hit cover version of the song in 2004 that reached number 9 in the UK Singles Chart. There have also been several other versions of this song.
Vanity 6 version
Background
"Nasty Girl" was originally recorded by Vanity 6 on the Warner Bros. Records label for their self-titled debut studio albumVanity 6. The song was produced by Prince and issued as the album's second single on September 24, 1982. Due to its explicit lyrics, "Nasty Girl" met with resistance on mainstream American radio, peaking within the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. It did, however, become a sizable hit on US R&B radio and it hit number one on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart for four weeks in November 1982. The song was knocked off the number one position by Prince's own "1999." The lyrics's explicit content ultimately ends in a let-down for the woman from whose perspective they are written, concluding with the disappointed recitation, "Oh, is that it? / Hmph--wake me when you're done. / I guess you'll be the only one having fun." "Nasty Girl" reached number 7 on the Dutch singles chart in November 1982, and number 11 on the Belgian chart in December 1982. Lead singer Vanity, who later became a Christian preacher, subsequently denounced the song and told members of her congregation who listened to the song to "keep praying for the Holy Spirit". Billboard named the song #37 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.
Track listings
U.S. 7"
"Nasty Girl"
"Drive Me Wild"
U.S. 12" Promo
"Nasty Girl"
"Nasty Girl"
Chart performance
Weekly charts
Appearances in other media
"Nasty Girl" was used as a sample for Japanese rapper Twigy's song "Righ' Now."
"Nasty Girl" was featured in the 1983 Phoebe Cates film Private School.
The 1984 box office hit Beverly Hills Cop and the 1996 film Girl 6, directed by Spike Lee.
The song was used on season 2 of the American TV seriesPose.
Inaya Day version
Background
In 2004, American singer Inaya Day recorded a cover version of "Nasty Girl". It was released in 2004 and peaking at number 18 in Australia the next year, remaining on the chart for 11 weeks. It was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland the same year, peaking at number nine on the UK Singles Chart and number 42 on the Irish Singles Chart. The cover was also successful in American dance clubs, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.
Track listings
"Nasty Girl"
"Nasty Girl"
"Nasty Girl"
"Nasty Girl"
"Nasty Girl"
"Nasty Girl"
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Chart
Position
Australia Club Chart
25
Australia Dance
13
UK Singles
143
Other versions
In 1993, rap trio Nuttin' Nyce covered the song for their album Down 4 Whateva....
In 1997, Dutch girl group Sex U All released their version of the song.
In 2008, pop singer Lene Alexandra covered the song for her album Welcome To The Sillycone Valley.
Lil' Kim performed the song on her European tour in 2009.
Sampling
In 1996, rapper Foxy Brown sampled the song for the original version of "I'll Be", but was disapproved.
In 1999, Mercedes sampled the whole “Nasty Girl” song and a mixture sampled lyrics from Pebbles’ ”Mercedes Boy” for her track called “Do You Wanna Ride” from her album, Rear End.
In 2000, Tech N9ne sampled the chorus for his song entitled "Nasty Girl" off his album "Celcius".
In 2001, producer Pharrell sampled the song for Britney Spears's hit "I'm a Slave 4 U".
In 2010, Jazmine Sullivan sampled the song on "Don't Make Me Wait Too Long" from her album Love Me Back.
In 1982, Rap artists Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde sampled the song for "The Challenge", but was pulled for copyright infringement.
In 2016 Beyoncé mashed up the song for a live rendition of her song “Blow” on her “Formation World Tour”
In 2018, Janelle Monáe sampled this song along with Pharrell Williams in her track 'I Got The Juice'
