MC Hammer: "Have You Seen Her" (1990)

"Have You Seen Her" is a song recorded by the soul vocal group, The Chi-Lites, and released on Brunswick Records in 1971. Composed by the lead singer Eugene Record and Barbara Acklin, the song was included on the group's 1971 album (For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People.

The Chi-Lites recorded "Have You Seen Her" in a style owing much to the doo-wop traditions of the late 1950s, after the success of another such song earlier in the year, The Temptations' "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)."[citation needed] The song begins and ends with a spoken narrative that tells the story that once he was happy. However, his girl left him, and so he takes walks to the movies, or to the park, and tries to hide from his misery by telling jokes to the kids who know him. However, this does not work, believing that she would be back, but it does not happen. Towards the end of the song, as another day comes to an end, he hopes to see a letter from her. He ends his narration thinking that he had the girl in the palm of his hand. The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and reached the top of the Billboard R&B Singles chart in November 1971. It also reached number three in the UK Singles Chart in February 1972.

The most significant cover of "Have You Seen Her" was recorded by MC Hammer, for his successful 1990 LP, Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em, which reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #8 on the UK Singles Chart.

The Barron Knights produced a parody version.

X Factor series 2 contestant Maria Lawson used a sample of the song for her 2006 debut single "Sleepwalking."


- Lyrics:

ah yeah, I'm glad I put this tape in,
I'm just gon' cruise down the road,
look at the stars in the sky,
and drift off into the sweet memorys that I have,
of a love that my heart has been searching for,
for so long, and I know somewhere,
If I keep searching, that love I'll find,
the picture grows clearer and clearer,
from the back to the front of my mind,
and like love, a love I know I'll have,
the girl that I want, she'll be mine, she'll be fly, and it'll last,

I see her face and I can't let go,
she's in my dreams and my heart, so let me know,
(have you seen her?)
have you seen her?,
(tell me have you seen her?)
I'm looking for that love,
she's a thought and a vision in my memory,
I haven't met her, but tell me where could she be,
(have you seen her?)
have you seen her?,
(tell me have you seen her?)
I'm looking for that special love,
(love, oh love, love is a feeling that I need)
love is a feeling that the Hammer definetly needs,
(please be mine)
baby be mine,
(I need your love to make it)
I need your love to make it,
so why don't you be mine,
the search is going on,
from coast to coast,
a women for the man, who's propping the most,
(have you seen her?)
have you seen her?,
(tell me have you seen her?)
my heart is beating strong,
this love cannot be wrong,
I need her and I want her, so come on to my home,
(have you seen her?)
have you seen her?,
(tell me have you seen her?)
I'm a keep looking,
at the movies, in my car, on my stero,
at a game of Different World or the Cosby Show,
(have you seen her?)
have you seen her?,
(tell me have you seen her?)
yo veo, tell me what's up,
at the track, at the club, or out buying dub,
if you've seen her, then I'll have her, cause I'm in love,
(have you seen her?)
have you seen her?,
(tell me have you seen her?)
my heart is hurting so bad,
(love, oh love, love is a feeling that I need)
love is a feeling that I know I need,
(please be mine)
be mine baby,
(I need your love to make it)
I need your love to make it,
why don't you be mine,
(baby, be mine)
where could she be?,
at the store around the corner,
or wondering at night,
or chilling with another brother holding the mic,
(have you seen her?)
have you seen her?,
(tell me have you seen her?)
Hammer, you know I'm looking,
calling all my friends all around the place,
Guy, Lavertte, or my homey Rob Base,
(have you seen her?)
have you seen her?,
(tell me have you seen her?)
if you've peeped her out, tell me,
yo, veo on the phone,
Ted, Dre, or Ed Lover,
Fab Five, homeys won't you help a young brother,
(have you seen her?)
have you seen her?,
(tell me have you seen her?)
I got a picture in my mind,
the thought is so clear of the love I need here,
like D-B magic, and why don't you appear,
(have you seen her?)
oh baby, why don't you appear,
(tell me have you seen her?)
I can see yo' face,
I'm seeing her face, again and again,
come knocking at my door, and you know I'll let you in,
(have you seen her?)
have you seen her?,
(tell me have you seen her?)
oh, my sweet love,
searching 'round the world, what more can I say?,
the girl is hard to see like an unseen VJ,
(have you seen her? tell me have you seen her? have you seen her?)