"Barbie Girl" | ||||||||
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Single by Aqua | ||||||||
from the album Aquarium | ||||||||
Released | 14 May 1997 | |||||||
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Recorded | 1996 | |||||||
Genre | Eurodance, bubblegum dance | |||||||
Length | 3:16 | |||||||
Label | Universal, MCA (US) | |||||||
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Producer(s) |
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Aqua singles chronology | ||||||||
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"Barbie Girl" | ||||
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Single by Kelly Key | ||||
from the album Kelly Key | ||||
Released | August 15, 2005 | |||
Format | ||||
Recorded | 2004 | |||
Genre | Teen pop | |||
Length | 3:19 | |||
Label | Warner | |||
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Producer(s) | DJ Cuca | |||
Kelly Key singles chronology | ||||
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"Barbie Girl" is a song by the Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua. It was released in May 1997 as their third single overall, and the first United Kingdom release, it is included on the album Aquarium. The song was written by Søren Rasted, Claus Norreen, René Dif, and Lene Nystrøm, and it was produced by Johnny Jam, Delgado, Rasted, and Norreen. It was written after the group saw an exhibit on kitsch culture.
The song topped the charts worldwide, particularly in European countries such as the UK, where it was a number-one hit for three weeks. It was also on top of the charts in Australia for the same length of time, and debuted and peaked at No. 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on 6 September 1997 and it remains Aqua's biggest hit single in the US to date, and their only one to reach the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. It is Aqua's most popular work. The song became the subject of the controversial lawsuit Mattel v. MCA Records.
The lyrics of the song are about Barbie and Ken, the dolls made by Mattel. Both the song and its music video feature Lene Nystrøm as Barbie and René Dif as Ken. As such, the lyrics drew the ire of Barbie's corporate owners, and a lawsuit was filed by Mattel. It is a melody consisting of baroque chords mixed with dance rhythm.
A footnote on the back of the Aquarium CD case precisely stated that "The song 'Barbie Girl' is a social comment and was not created or approved by the makers of the doll."
The song was performed as the interval act in the Eurovision Song Contest 2001.