‘Girls Talk’ is a new wave song written by Elvis Costello and first recorded by Dave Edmunds in 1978. Costello gave an early version of the song to Edmunds, who reworked the song and released it on his album Repeat When Necessary. Edmunds' version peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart and number 12 in Ireland, becoming one of Edmunds' most successful career singles. In the liner notes for the 2002 Rhino reissue of Get Happy!!, Costello stated that the record was about women's gossip.
The most successful version of the song was by Dave Edmunds, to whom Costello says he donated the song "in a moment of drunken bravado." Edmunds said, "Elvis came to the studio one day, and he said, 'I've got a song for you.' And he gave me a cassette. Now, it wasn't very good – it was just him on a guitar, and he was rushing through it at a furious pace. At first I couldn't see it. I really liked the complete new arrangement and feel that I put to it. I'm not sure Elvis liked it, mind you. He's quite an intense person and he's quick to point out things that he doesn't like."
Released in June 1979, Edmunds' version charted at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart, spending 11 weeks on the chart. It was his final top ten hit in that country. The single additionally reached number 65 on the US Hot 100, a rare commercial success for Edmunds there. The success of Edmunds' version also boosted Costello's reputation as a coverable songwriter; Edmunds later joked while introducing the song at a concert, "Here's a song by Elvis Costello, and he thanks you from the bottom of his wallet."
‘Girls Talk’ has seen critical acclaim since its release. In a 1979 article, The New York Times wrote of Edmunds' version, "Mr. Edmunds tackles the sort of airy pop lyricism that is Mr. Lowe's specialty with consummate taste and skill." The Miami Herald opined in 1980, "When Edmunds did 'Girls Talk,' he stole the song away from Costello and made it his own." AllMusic referred to the Edmunds take as a "classic" in a retrospective review.
A music video was produced for the song. It features Edmunds and Rockpile playing on the roof of the Warner Brothers Records building in Midtown Manhattan as well as assorted shots of people walking through Manhattan.
Label – Swan Song
Songwriter – Elvis Costello
Producer – Dave Edmunds
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]
There are some things you can't cover up
With lipstick and powder
Thought I heard you mention my name
Can't you talk any louder?
Don't come any closer, don't come any nearer
My vision of you can't come any clearer
Oh, I just wanna hear girls talk
[Verse 2]
Got a loaded imagination
Being fired by girls talk
It's a more or less situation
Inspired by girls talk
But I can't say the words you wanna hear
I suppose you're gonna have to play it by ear
Right here, and now
[Chorus]
Girls talk
And they wanna know how girls talk
And they say it's not allowed, girls talk
If they say that it's so
Don't they think that I know by now?
[Verse 3]
But the word up on everyone's lipstick
That you're dedicated
You may not be an old-fashioned girl
But you're gonna get dated
Was it really murder? Were you just pretending?
Lately, I have heard you are the living end
[Chorus]
Girls talk
And they wanna know how girls talk
And they say it's not allowed, girls talk
And they think they know how girls talk
If they say that it's so
Don't they think that I know by now?
[Bridge]
But I can't say the words you wanna hear
I suppose you're gonna have to play it by ear, I hear
[Verse 4]
There are some things you can't cover up
With lipstick and powder
Thought I heard you mention my name
Can't you talk any louder?
Don't come any closer, don't come any nearer
My vision of you can't come any clearer
[Chorus]
Girls talk
And they wanna know how girls talk
And they say it's not allowed, girls talk
And they think they know how girls talk
[Outro]
Girls talk, girls talk
Girls talk, girls talk
Girls talk, girls talk
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, girls talk