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Cover of 11 by The Smithereens
Cover: 11

Song · The Smithereens

“A Girl Like You” by The Smithereens

From the album 11 (1989)

“A Girl Like You” by The Smithereens appears on 51 radio countdowns from 16 stations between 1989 and 2026. It was first released in 1989 on the album 11. Its best result is #30 on the KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1989. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #52 alternative song of 1989, #774 alternative song of all time and #371 of the '80s.

51countdowns
16stations
#30best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1989–2026years charted

Watch

The Smithereens - A Girl Like You

Video from YouTube (The Smithereens Official). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"A Girl Like You" led the charge for 11, the Smithereens' third album, released on Enigma in 1989, and it was never meant to be theirs to keep. Pat DiNizio wrote it on commission for Cameron Crowe's Say Anything..., building the words out of lines of dialogue from the script. When the film's producer wanted the lyrics changed because they gave away too much of the plot, DiNizio said no, the song was cut from the movie, and the band took it home for their own record. He later said he'd had a different meaning in mind all along.

DiNizio credited the new producer, Ed Stasium, with the heavier guitar sound, and it shows: this is power pop with a crunch and a scowl. Madonna was lined up to sing harmony but never turned up for the session, so Maria Vidal handled the backing vocals.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

Hard Rock & Metal

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1989 30 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1989 107
1989 46 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1989 90
1990 62 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1990 91
1990 82 CFNY 102.1 The Edge Toronto, ON CFNY Top 90 Songs of 1990 90

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1991 123 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991) 500
1992 228 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992) 500
1994 435 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994) 497
1994 384 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994) 500
1994 856 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1994) 1000
1995 462 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995) 500
1995 899 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1995) 1000
1996 366 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1996) 500
1996 383 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996) 498
1996 955 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1996) 1000
1998 454 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1998) 488
1999 497 WHFS WHFS Top 500 Songs of the '90s (December 1999) 500
1999 397 91X 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999) 500
1999 456 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 268 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999) 500
1999 656 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 598 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
2000 369 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000) 500
2000 656 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 369 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001) 498
2001 662 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2002 341 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002) 500
2002 662 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 1714 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 337 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003) 500
2003 662 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2003 1123 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) 2044
2004 662 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2005 334 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005) 500
2005 662 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2005 893 99X 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005) 1000
2007 1710 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 1677 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 1693 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2010 1732 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 1806 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2012 825 WXPN WXPN 885 Greatest Rock Songs (2012) 885
2013 1863 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2013 953 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Grand Jam 1000 (2013) 1000
2014 1878 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2014 874 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX 1K Countdown (2014) 1000
2015 963 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Classic Rock Countdown (2015) 1007
2016 573 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Countdown for 2016 1007
2021 126 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s 909
2023 764 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s 850
2023 992 101.5 WPDH WPDH Top 1015 (2023) 1015
2026 454 WFPK WFPK Top 500 Songs of the '80s 498

Charting alongside it in 1989

Best songs of 1989 →
  1. 1Love SongThe Cure
  2. 2StandR.E.M.
  3. 3Here Comes Your ManThe Pixies
  4. 4She Drives Me CrazyFine Young Cannibals
  5. 5Love ShackThe B-52's
  6. 6Personal JesusDepeche Mode

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