"Fake" is a song written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and recorded by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. It is the first single from the O'Neal's second studio album, Hearsay (1987). It is one of the artist's most recognizable signature songs, and a favorite of many O'Neal fans worldwide.

Meaning

The song's lyrics are a personal commentary, critical of a loudmouth – implied to be a groupie. The woman being criticized continues to change details about her wardrobe, personality and history with each successive date, causing the narrator's response that she is a fraudulent person. On the accompanying album Hearsay, "Fake" is preceded by a brief interlude in which a belligerent woman accidentally knocks a man's drink onto his shirt at a party and insists it was his fault. He and his friends defend themselves, eventually deriding her bad behavior as the song begins.

Release

The single was O'Neal's most successful song on both the US soul and pop charts. "Fake" went to number one on the Hot Black Singles chart for two weeks, and peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single was also O'Neal's most successful single on the dance charts, peaking at number seven. It initially reached number 33 on the UK Singles Chart in 1987, but would reach a higher peak of number 16 with the release of a remixed version in 1988. The song’s punchy drum/percussion beat pattern was also later sampled for the song “Sleigh Ride” off of O’Neal’s fourth, and specifically, first and only Christmas album “My Gift to You”, in addition to a bass line played similar to that of “Fake”.

In popular culture

Track listing

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.

Sales chart performance

Peak positions