Can We Talk

For the album by Sanchez, see Can We Talk?

"Can We Talk" is a song performed by American R&B singer-songwriter Tevin Campbell. It was written and produced by Babyface and Daryl Simmons, and released in 1993 by Qwest Records as the lead single from Campbell's second studio album, I'm Ready (1993). The song hit top ten on the American pop charts, peaking at numbers nine and seven on the US Billboard Hot 100^[2] and Cash Box Top 100.^[3] It also spent a total of three weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B chart.^[4] It sold 500,000 copies and earned a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[5][6] The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and won the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single – Male.

"Can We Talk"
Single by Tevin Campbell
from the album I'm Ready
Released	September 21, 1993[1]
Length	4:45
Label	Qwest
Songwriter(s)	Babyface Daryl Simmons
Producer(s)	Babyface Simmons
Tevin Campbell singles chronology
"One Song" (1993) "Can We Talk" (1993) "I'm Ready" (1994)

Music video

A music video for "Can We Talk" was filmed by German film director Marcus Nispel.^[7] Shot in New York City's Central Park, it features Campbell and friends traverse the park while he tries to catch the eye of his love interest.

Track listings

US single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Can We Talk" (Edit)	Babyface Daryl Simmons	Babyface Simmons	4:21
2.	"Look What We'd Have (If You Were Mine)"	Narada Michael Walden Tevin Campbell Tony Lindsay	Walden	4:40

US promo CD

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Can We Talk" (Remix Radio Version)	Babyface Simmons	Babyface Simmons Def Def[a] Meech Wells[a]	3:53
2.	"Can We Talk" (Full Remix)	Babyface Simmons	Babyface Simmons Def Def[a] Wells[a]	4:55
3.	"Can We Talk" (Let's Talkstramental Mix)	Babyface Simmons	Babyface Simmons Def Def[a] Wells[a]	4:26
4.	"Can We Talk" (Backward Beats Mix)	Babyface Simmons	Babyface Simmons Def Def[a] Wells[a]	4:21
5.	"Can We Talk" (Album Radio Edit)	Babyface Simmons	Babyface Simmons Def Def[a] Wells[a]	4:21

European CD maxi-single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Can We Talk" (Edit)	Babyface Simmons	Babyface Simmons	4:21
2.	"Strawberry Letter" (Club Mix)	Shuggie Otis	Quincy Jones Quincy D III[a]	6:28
3.	"Strawberry Letter" (LP Version)	Otis	Jones Quincy D III[a]	4:07
4.	"Strawberry Letter" (QD III Mix With Rap)	Otis	Jones Quincy D III[a]	4:12

Notes

• ^{^[a]} denotes co-producer

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.^[8]

Tevin Campbell – lead and background vocals, additional background vocals Michael Jackson (Not Credited) Babyface – writer, composer, producer, all music and background vocals Daryl Simmons – writer, composer and producer Randy Walker – MIDI technician

Jim Zumpano, Donnell Sullivan – recording engineers Rail Rogut, Steve Warner, Ulrich Wild – assistant engineers Dave Way – mixing engineer Ivy Skoff – production coordinator

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Can We Talk" Chart (1993–1994) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[9] 12 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 50 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11] 26 US Billboard Hot 100[12] 9 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[13] 1 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[14] 14 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[15] 3 US Cash Box Top 100[3] 7

Year-end charts 1993 year-end chart performance for "Can We Talk" Chart (1993) Position US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[16] 75 1994 year-end chart performance for "Can We Talk" Chart (1994) Position Australia (ARIA)[17] 50 US Billboard Hot 100[18] 36 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[19] 4

Certifications

Certifications for "Can We Talk"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[20]	Gold	35,000^
United States (RIAA)[1]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Code Red version

"Can We Talk"
Single by Code Red
from the album Scarlet
Released	1997
Length	4:04
Label	Polydor
Songwriter(s)	Babyface Daryl Simmons
Code Red singles chronology
"This Is Our Song" (1996) "Can We Talk" (1997) "Is There Someone Out There" (1997)

The song was covered by many other artists, most successfully by British boy band Code Red in 1996 for their debut album Scarlet. It was released as the album's third single in 1997, reaching number 29 on the UK Singles Chart.^[21]

See also

• List of number-one R&B singles of 1993 (U.S.)
• List of number-one R&B singles of 1994 (U.S.)

References

1. "American single certifications – Tevin Campbell – Can We Talk". Recording Industry Association of America.
2. www.billboard.com Chart History (website has changed layout, link needs updating)
3. "Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LVII. January 22, 1994. p. 14. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 99.
5. "Best-Selling Records of 1993". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 3. BPI Communications. January 15, 1994. p. 73. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
6. "American certifications – Campbell, Tevin – Can We Talk". Recording Industry Association of America.
7. "Tevin Campbell: Can We Talk (1994)". IMDb. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
8. Tevin Campbell - I'm Ready (CD liner notes) - Qwest/Warner Bros 9362-45388-2
9. "Tevin Campbell – Can We Talk". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2354." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
11. "Tevin Campbell – Can We Talk". Top 40 Singles.
12. "Tevin Campbell Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
13. "Tevin Campbell Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
14. "Tevin Campbell Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
15. "Tevin Campbell Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
16. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
17. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1994". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
18. "Billboard Top 100 - 1994". Archived from the original on 2009-03-01. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
19. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
20. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 48.
21. "Music Video". Youtube.com. 2006-02-02. Archived from the original on 2011-11-14. Retrieved 2011-12-26.