Chi-Lites - Have You Seen Her

About "Have You Seen Her"

"Have You Seen Her" is a song by American soul vocal group the Chi-Lites, 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 song begins and ends with a spoken narrator remarking on how he was once happy with a woman; however, she left him, so he passes the days by partaking in leisure activities, where he tries to get relief by telling jokes to the children:



One month ago today

I was happy as a lark

But now I go for walks

To the movies, maybe to the park

I have a seat on the same old bench

To watch the children play, huh

You know tomorrow is their future

But for me just another day

They all gather 'round me, huh

They seem to know my name

We laugh, tell a few jokes

But it still doesn't ease my pain

Much to his dismay, the woman does not return or attempt to communicate with him as he had hoped. The narrator ends the song, in a spoken voice, musing on how foolish he was for believing the woman of his dreams would always be around, thinking that he had her in the palm of his hand. Some radio edits have omitted the spoken dialogue. The song peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and reached the top of the Billboard R&B Singles chart in November 1971. It also reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1972, and was a UK hit again in 1975 when reissued as a double A-side with "Oh Girl", this time peaking at No. 5.

There are two commonly available versions. The original 45 and LP version, and a remix that features the fuzz guitar continuing from 0:29 to 0:40 and the background vocals at the beginning having more reverb - this version was issued on their 1972 "Greatest Hits" LP and then in the UK in 1975 as a double a-side with "Oh Girl" and reaching #5 (after the original had charted in early 1972 at #3).