Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Origins & Roots
Before Milli Vanilli made it famous, “Girl You Know It’s True” was originally a European dance hit by the Maryland-based band The Numarx. The Numarx released it as a 12″ single in 1987, and it ran for 7 minutes and 27 seconds.
Interestingly, the song gained popularity in German dance clubs, which is likely where Milli Vanilli’s mastermind, Frank Farian, first heard it. The Numarx version has a slightly different feel—it’s slower and has more spacing between the elements—but it’s unmistakably the same song
The Milli Vanilli Transformation
German producer Frank Farian used The Numarx track as a guide to create the Milli Vanilli version. He wanted American singers who could capture the emerging Hip-Hop sound popular in the States.
Farian found three guys who had served on the American Army base in Germany: singers John Davis and Brad Howell, along with rapper Charles Shaw. These are the voices you hear on the track.
Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan, the faces of Milli Vanilli, were aspiring entertainers who Farian chose to represent the group. The real singers were various combinations of too old, too ugly, or unwilling to tour. Farian dressed Rob and Fab in wigs and biker shorts, creating an intriguing visual image.
The ruse worked so well that their lip-synched video for “Girl You Know It’s True” became incredibly popular on MTV, and they even toured alongside Paula Abdul and Tone Loc.
The Infamous Club MTCV Tour Incident
During a live performance on the Club MTV tour, their backing track malfunctioned, revealing that they were indeed lip-synching. The controversy led to the unraveling of Milli Vanilli in 1990.
Despite the scandal, the “Girl You Know It’s True” single sold over 7 million copies, making it a massive hit.
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