Misplaced Pages

"It Wasn't Me"
Single by Shaggy featuring RikRok
from the album Hot Shot
B-side	"Dance & Shout"
Released	7 November 2000 (2000-11-07)
Studio	Ranch (Valley Stream, New York)
Genre	Reggae
Length	3:47
Label	MCA
Songwriter(s)	Orville Burrell Rickardo Ducent Shaun Pizzonia Brian Thompson
Producer(s)	Shaun "Sting" Pizzonia
Shaggy singles chronology
"Luv Me, Luv Me" (1998) "It Wasn't Me" (2000) "Angel" (2001)
RikRok singles chronology
"It Wasn't Me" (2000) "Your Eyes" (2004)

"It Wasn't Me" is the first single from Jamaican-American reggae musician Shaggy's fifth studio album, Hot Shot (2000). The song features vocals from British-Jamaican singer RikRok (credited as Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent). The lyrics of the song depict one man (portrayed by RikRok) asking his friend (portrayed by Shaggy) what to do after his girlfriend caught him cheating on her with "the girl next door". His friend/Shaggy's character's advice is to deny everything, despite clear evidence to the contrary, with the phrase "It wasn't me."

"It Wasn't Me" was serviced to US contemporary hit radio on 7 November 2000 and has been regarded as Shaggy's breakthrough in the pop market. It is his highest-charting song to date, topping the charts in Australia, Flanders, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It was the best-selling single of 2001 in the UK, selling over 1.15 million copies that year and over 1.42 million as of 2017.

Background

The lyrics of "It Wasn't Me" depict one man asking his friend what to do after his girlfriend catches him having sex with another woman. His friend's advice is to deny everything, despite clear evidence to the contrary, with the phrase "It wasn't me." Ultimately, the narrator says that the advice "makes no sense at all" and decides to confess and apologize. It is written in the key of C major.

The song was inspired by a bit called "No Loyal Men," performed by Eddie Murphy in his comedy special Raw (1987). In an interview in February 2016, Shaggy acknowledged an interpolation of the War song "Smile Happy". The connection is further supported by two later songs that are based on "It Wasn't Me": British singer Liam Payne's 2017 debut single "Strip That Down", which interpolates the song, and the 2019 song "China" by Puerto Rican rappers Anuel AA and Daddy Yankee and Colombian singer Karol G with Puerto Rican singer Ozuna and Colombian singer J Balvin, which samples the song. Both of these songs credited Shaggy (as Orville Burrell), the others writers of "It Wasn't Me", and members of War (despite their song not appearing on either track) as co-songwriters.

The clean version of the song replaces the lyric "Picture this: we were both butt-naked banging on the bathroom floor" with "Picture this: we were both caught making love on the bathroom floor" and "Saw me banging on the sofa" with "Saw me kissing on the sofa".

"It Wasn't Me" was originally never intended to be released as a single. Before the original version of Hot Shot was released in August 2000, Hawaiian DJ Pablo Sato downloaded the album from "a Napster like MP3 site he won't name" and discovered that "It Wasn't Me" was "the album's standout cut." He played the song on American radio the next day, and in an interview, claimed, "The phone lines lit up right away. Within a couple of days, it was our number-one requested song." The song was released to radio on 7 November 2000, then was given a retail release on 6 February 2001 following its airplay success.

Chart performance

"It Wasn't Me" was Shaggy's first number-one hit in the United States. The song reached number two on 23 December 2000. On 30 December, it was bumped down one position to number three. It moved back up to the number-two spot on 13 January 2001, then, on 3 February, it ascended to number one, replacing Destiny's Child's "Independent Women Part I". The song remained at number one for two weeks and spent 25 weeks on the chart altogether.

The song also reached number one on the UK Singles Chart on 4 March 2001, selling 345,000 copies, making the song a transatlantic chart topper. It also reached number one in Australia on 1 April 2001. It is also the 11th biggest selling single of the 21st century in the United Kingdom, with sales of over 1.42 million as of September 2017.

As of August 2014, it is the 49th-best-selling single of the 21st century in France, with 399,500 units sold.

Music video

The music video was directed by Stephen Scott. It begins with RikRok running to Shaggy's mansion to explain to him what has just happened. RikRok tells him that he cheated on his girlfriend and got caught. Shaggy tells him to tell her that "It wasn't me." The video then cuts into a flashback to earlier that day. RikRok has been caught sleeping with another woman, and his girlfriend is outside the apartment in her convertible when two women pull up next to her on their sport bikes.

Then, the three women go into the building. He then sneaks out the window, takes the motorcycle of one of his girlfriend's accomplices and leaves. The women come out and the girlfriend and one of her accomplices get in the convertible and the other gets on her motorcycle and they chase after him. From his mansion, Shaggy, using his futuristic technology, tracks down where RikRok is going and prepares an escape for him. RikRok then gets on a bridge over the highway when the accomplice rode on the bridge in front of him.

He then hits the brakes to stop while she stops her motorcycle. RikRok then hears a noise behind him and it is the other accomplices and the girlfriend driving the convertible on the other side of the bridge with the highway down below. An eighteen-wheeler drives by, and Shaggy leaves RikRok a text message telling him to look behind and he notices the truck and jumps off the side of overhead and lands on the truck. He is then dropped off at Shaggy's mansion, showing the same scene from the start of the video.

Legacy

The lyrical content of "It Wasn't Me" inspired Slate writer Josh Levin to coin the term the "Shaggy defense" to describe R. Kelly's defense at his 2008 child pornography trial stemming from the production of a sex tape: "I predict that in the decades to come, law schools will teach this as the 'Shaggy defense'. You allege that I was caught on camera, butt naked, banging on the log cabin floor? It wasn't me." R. Kelly was ultimately found not guilty on those charges. Levin repeated the term on NPR, and "Shaggy Defense" entered common use to describe a defendant flatly denying guilt despite overwhelming evidence against them.

The song was spoofed by Bob Rivers, as "Caught Me One Handed", and makes a reference to the Scooby-Doo character, Shaggy Rogers. The video focused on him being caught masturbating (about the girl next door) by his mother. The song was also spoofed on Svengoolie. On The Chris Moyles Show, the song was used as a prank call with "Shaggy" (actually impressionist Jon Culshaw) trying to book a taxi, with the final line being "Can you drop me off at The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1?, 97 to 99 FM".

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the Hot Shot album booklet.

Studios

• Recorded and mixed at Ranch Recording Studios (Valley Stream, New York)
• Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York City)

Personnel

• Shaggy – writing (as Orville Burrell)
• Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent – writing (as Rickardo Ducent)
• Shaun "Sting" Pizzonia – writing, background vocals, drums, production, recording, mixing
• Brian Thompson – writing
• Brian and Tony Gold – background vocals
• Robert Zapata – guitar
• Nigel Staff – keyboard
• Jerry Johnson – brass
• Kevin Batchelor – brass
• Gwen Laster – violin
• Chris Gehringer – mastering

Charts

Certifications

Release history

See also

• Alternative facts
• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 2001
• List of best-selling singles and albums of 2001 in Ireland
• List of best-selling singles of the 2000s (decade) in the United Kingdom
• List of best-selling singles of the 2000s (century) in the United Kingdom
• List of million-selling singles in the United Kingdom
• List of 2000s UK Singles Chart number ones
• Shaggy defense

References

1. Billboard Staff (19 October 2023). "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. Retrieved 11 February 2024. One of the most enduring songs about cheating — specifically the denial of it — and another early '00s reggae crossover smash...
2. ^ "Shaggy's single is UK's best-seller". BBC News. 27 December 2001. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
3. "It Wasn't Me". Musicnotes.com. 23 October 2014. MN0137223. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
4. "How I Wrote That Song: Shaggy "It Wasn't Me"". YouTube. 23 April 2015. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
5. "You Can't Deny It: How Shaggy Pioneered Reggae's Pop Crossover with "It Wasn't Me"". Complex Networks.
6. ^ Mench, Chris (19 May 2017). "Liam Payne Interpolates A Shaggy Classic On His New Single "Strip That Down" Featuring Quavo". Genius. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
7. ^ Cobo, Leila. "Anuel AA Taps Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, Ozuna and Karol G For 'China': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
8. Rainbird, Ashleigh (1 September 2017). "Liam Payne insists he did not 'rip off' Shaggy song for new track as he gave singer credit". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
9. Paiva, Derek (18 January 2001). "Isle deejay takes credit for Shaggy hit". The Honolulu Advertiser. Gannett Co., Inc. Archived from the original on 22 February 2001. Retrieved 22 February 2001.
10. ^ "CHR/Pop: Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1375. 3 November 2000. p. 48. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
11. ^ Pietroluongo, Silvio (10 February 2001). "Hot 100 Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 6. p. 89. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
12. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 23 December 2000. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
13. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 30 December 2000. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
14. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 13 January 2001. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
15. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 3 February 2001. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
16. ^ "Shaggy Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
17. "SHAGGY RETURNS IN STYLE". NME. 4 March 2000. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
18. ^ Copsey, Rob (19 September 2017). "The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
19. "Top 100 des singles les plus vendus du millénaire en France, épisode 6 (50-41)". Chartsinfrance. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
20. Josh Levin. 21 May 2008. "Dispatches From the R. Kelly Trial".
21. R. Kelly Found Not Guilty!
22. NPR. 23 May 2008. "Trapped in a Courtroom: The R. Kelly Trial".
23. "Caught Me One-Handed". YouTube. 22 January 2009. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
24. "Shaggy - Taxi". YouTube. 28 April 2015. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
25. It Wasn't Me (Jamaican 7-inch single vinyl disc). Shaggy. MCA Records. 2000. O88155800-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
26. It Wasn't Me (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Shaggy. MCA Records. 2001. 088 155 800-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
27. It Wasn't Me (US CD single liner notes). Shaggy. MCA Records. 2001. 088 155 782-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
28. It Wasn't Me (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Shaggy. MCA Records. 2001. 088 155 782-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
29. It Wasn't Me (European CD single liner notes). Shaggy. MCA Records. 2001. 155 803-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
30. It Wasn't Me (UK CD single liner notes). Shaggy. MCA Records. 2001. 155 802-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
31. It Wasn't Me (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Shaggy. MCA Records. 2001. MCST 40247, 155807-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
32. It Wasn't Me (UK cassette single sleeve). Shaggy. MCA Records. 2001. MCSC 40247, 155807-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
33. It Wasn't Me (Australian CD single liner notes). Shaggy. MCA Records. 2001. 155 800-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
34. Hot Shot (US CD album booklet). Shaggy. MCA Records. 2000. 088 112 096-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
35. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
36. "Issue 578" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
37. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
38. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
39. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
40. "Shaggy Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
41. "Canadian Top 20 in 2001" (PDF). Cross Canada Countdown. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2005. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
42. "HR Top 20 Lista". Croatian Radiotelevision. Archived from the original on 13 April 2001. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
43. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me". Tracklisten. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
44. "Hits of the World: Eurochart Hot 100 (IFPI/Nielsen Marketing Research) 04/07/01". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 14. 7 April 2001. p. 73. ISSN 0006-2510.
45. "Shaggy feat. RikRok: It Wasn't Me" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
46. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
47. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
48. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19, no. 26. 23 June 2001. p. 16. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
49. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – It Wasn't Me". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
50. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
51. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 8, 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
52. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
53. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
54. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me". VG-lista. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
55. "Major Market Airplay – Week 14/2001" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 18, no. 14. 31 March 2001. p. 31. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
56. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19, no. 39. 22 September 2001. p. 13. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
57. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
58. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
59. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
60. "Shaggy feat. RikRok – It Wasn't Me". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
61. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
62. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
63. "Shaggy Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
64. "Shaggy Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
65. "Shaggy Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
66. "Shaggy Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
67. "Most Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 2000". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 8, no. 51. 22 December 2000. p. 56.
68. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2001". ARIA. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
69. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Urban Singles 2001". ARIA. Archived from the original on 15 April 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
70. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2001" (in German). Retrieved 2 January 2021.
71. "Jaaroverzichten 2001" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
72. "Rapports annuels 2001" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
73. "Brazilian Top 100 Year-End 2001". Crowley Broadcast Analysis. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
74. "Canada's Top 200 Singles of 2001 (200–101)". Jam!. Archived from the original on 26 July 2002. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
75. "BDS CHART : Top 100 of 2001". Jam!. Archived from the original on 26 July 2002. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
76. "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2001" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 18, no. 52. 22 December 2001. p. 14. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
77. "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 2001" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
78. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2001" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
79. "Best of Singles 2001". IRMA. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
80. "Single top 100 over 2001" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
81. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2001" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
82. "Årslista Singlar, 2001" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
83. "Swiss Year-End Charts 2001" (in German). Retrieved 2 January 2021.
84. "Top 40 Urban Tracks of 2001" (PDF). Music Week. 19 January 2002. p. 26. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
85. "Billboard Top 100 – 2001". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
86. "The Year in Music 2001: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 52. 29 December 2001. p. YE-44. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
87. "The Year in Music 2001: Hot Rap Singles". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 52. 29 December 2001. p. YE-46. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
88. "Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2001". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. 21 December 2001. p. 60.
89. "Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 2001". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. 21 December 2001. p. 48.
90. "2000sDecadeChartssingles.pdf" (PDF). ARIA. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
91. "Decennium Charts – Singles 2000–2009" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
92. "The Noughties' Official UK Singles Chart Top 100". Music Week. London, England. 30 January 2010. p. 17.
93. "Hot 100 Songs – Decade End Charts". Billboard. Billboard. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
94. "Top 20 of All Time". Archived from the original on 2 June 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
95. Myers, Justin (14 February 2020). "The best-selling singles of all time on the Official UK Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
96. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
97. "Austrian single certifications – Shaggy – It Wasn't Me" (in German). IFPI Austria.
98. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 2001". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
99. "Guld og Platin 2001" (in Danish). IFPI Denmark. Archived from the original on 5 October 2002. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
100. "Danish single certifications – Shaggy – It Wasn't Me". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
101. "French single certifications – Shaggy – It Wasn't Me" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
102. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Shaggy; 'It Wasn't Me')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
103. "Italian single certifications – Shaggy – It Wasn't Me" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
104. "Dutch single certifications – Shaggy – It Wasn't Me" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter It Wasn't Me in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 2001 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
105. "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway.
106. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2001" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
107. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('It Wasn't Me')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
108. "British single certifications – Shaggy ft Rikrok – It Wasn't Me". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
109. "Gavin Top 40/Rhythm Crossover: Impact Dates". Gavin Report. No. 2329. 3 November 2000. p. 7.
110. "AddVance Notice" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1376. 10 November 2000. p. 76. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
111. "The ARIA Report: ARIA New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 26th February 2001" (PDF). ARIA. 26 February 2001. p. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2002. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
112. "New Releases – For Week Starting February 26, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 24 February 2001. p. 27. Retrieved 9 August 2021.

• The Billboard Book of Number One Hits, fifth edition

External links

• Everything Is A Remix Shaggy is inspired by Eddie Murphy

• 2000 songs
• 2000 singles
• Shaggy (musician) songs
• Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
• Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
• European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
• Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
• List songs
• MCA Records singles
• Number-one singles in Australia
• Number-one singles in Poland
• Number-one singles in Scotland
• SNEP Top Singles number-one singles
• Songs about infidelity
• Songs written by Shaggy (musician)
• UK singles chart number-one singles
• Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one singles