"Are You Gonna Be My Girl" is a song by the Australian rock band Jet, featured on their 2003 album Get Born. It was the first single from the album, released in 2003 in Australia and the UK, and in 2004 in the United States. Written by Nic Cester & Cameron Muncey, the song is often cited for similarities to Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life" and The White Stripes's "Screwdriver".^[1][2] However, the beat has been found to have been common in numerous 60s' Motown songs, including "I'm Ready For Love" by Martha And The Vandellas and "You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes.

Chris Cester responded to the media debacle, stating in a Jared Story interview that the beat was taken from Motown, referring to a meeting between Iggy Pop and himself:

"It's funny because I asked him point blank about that. He said I was crazy. He said that when he and David Bowie were writing "Lust for Life", they were ripping off Motown's beat. It's funny that he said that to me because we also thought we were ripping off Motown more than "Lust for Life". To be honest with you that kind of annoyed me a lot, because I always thought it was really lazy. People just go well Lust for Life is more well-known so that's what they go for, but if you listen to a song like "You Can't Hurry Love" (The Supremes) I think you'll find its closer to "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" than "Lust for Life" ever was. And that's what Iggy said as well." ^[3]

Other versions

An acoustic version of the song features on the bonus CD of Get Born. Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine covered it in a Vegas Lounge style on the 2004 album I'd Like a Virgin. Australian singer Delta Goodrem covered the song on her Visualize Tour in 2005. Irish pop punk band TheElement also covered this song in their shows in Europe in 2011.

Music video

The music video is shot in black and white, and shows Jet performing in a blank studio. As they play, black ink starts pouring out of their equipment and forms a landscape resembling the cover art on their album Get Born and The Beatles album Revolver. The video was shot at Vinopolis, London. Note that in the video Cameron Muncey can be seen wearing an AC/DC shirt.

Australian versions

• iTunes EP

1. "Are You Gonna Be My Girl"
2. "Last Chance"
3. "Hey Kids"
4. "You Were Right"

American versions

• iTunes EP

1. "Are You Gonna Be My Girl (UK Acoustic Version)"
2. "Thats Alright Mama"
3. "Cigarettes and Cola"
4. "You Were Right"
5. "Are You Gonna Be My Girl"

Personnel

• Nic Cester lead vocals, guitar
• Chris Cester drums, tambourine, backing vocals
• Cameron Muncey lead guitar, backing vocals
• Mark Wilson bass guitar

Awards and nominations

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA).^[4] |- | 2007 || "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" - Nicholas Cester, Cameron Muncey || Most Performed Australian Work Overseas^[5] ||

Notes

it:Are You Gonna Be My Girl pt:Are You Gonna Be My Girl