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 September 1993, by Qwest Records, as the lead single from Campbell's second studio album, I'm Ready (1993). The song hit the top ten on the American pop charts, peaking at numbers nine and seven on the US Billboard Hot 100^[2] and the 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]
Genre	R&B soul
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
"Can We Talk" on YouTube

Music video

The accompanying 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 traversing 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, 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 Retail Singles (The Record)[10] 19 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] 50 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] 26 US Billboard Hot 100[13] 9 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[14] 1 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[15] 14 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[16] 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)[17] 75 1994 year-end chart performance for "Can We Talk" Chart (1994) Position Australia (ARIA)[18] 50 US Billboard Hot 100[19] 36 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[20] 4 US Cash Box Top 100[21] 39

Certifications

Certifications for "Can We Talk"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[22]	Gold	35,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[23]	Silver	200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[1]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming 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.^[24]

See also

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