It Wasn't Me

Infobox Single
Name = It Wasn't Me


Artist = Shaggy featuring Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent
from Album = Hot Shot
B-side =
Released = November 2000
Format = CD maxi single
Recorded =
Genre = Reggae/R&B
Length = 3:47
Label = MCA Records
Writer = Orville Burrell, RikRok, Shaun Pizzonia, Braun Thompson
Producer = Shaun Pizzonia
Certification = Platinum (BPI)
Chronology = Shaggy singles
Last single = "Dance and Shout"
(2000)
This single = "It Wasn't Me"
(2000)
Next single = "Angel"
(2001)Extra album cover
Upper caption = Alternate covers
Background = khaki


Lower caption = European CD single cover

"It Wasn't Me" is a 2000 number one hit song by reggae artist Shaggy, featuring Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent. It achieved a huge success in many countries, topping the charts in France, UK, the Netherlands, Australia and Ireland.

Background

The song was originally never intended to be released as a single, MCA Records wanted "Dance and Shout" to be the first single released from the "Hot Shot" album and didn't offer other tracks to DJs. Hawaiian DJ Pablo Sato downloaded the album from "a Napster-like MP3 site he won’t name" and discovered it "was the album’s standout cut." He played the song on the radio the next day. "The phone lines lit up right away. Within a couple of days, it was our number-one requested song." [ [http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/2001/Jan/18/118islandlife13.html Honolulu Advertiser] ]

The lyrics depict one man (Rikrok) asking his friend (Shaggy) what to do after his girlfriend caught him with another woman. Shaggy's advice is to deny everything with the phrase "It wasn't me", despite all evidence to the contrary.

Two versions of the song and video exist: the radio and television edit version replace the word "bangin'" with "making love".

Music video

The video starts out with Rikrok running to Shaggy's mansion to explain to him what just happened to him. Rikrok tells him that he cheated on his girlfriend and got caught and 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 2 women come & pull up next to her on their motorcycles (sport bikes). Then the 3 women go into the building. He then sneaks out the window He then takes the motorcycle of one of his girlfriends accomplices and leaves. The women come out & the girlfriend & one of the accomplices get in the convertible & the other women got on your motorcycle (sport bike) & they chase after him. Shaggy, from his house, and using his futuristic technology tracks down where he 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 & its the other accomplices & the girlfriend driving the convertible on the other side of the bridge with the highway down below, an 18-wheeler drives by and Shaggy leaves him 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.

Chart performances

The song was Shaggy's first number-one hit in the U.S., and the follow-up, "Angel," also reached number one. The single also reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on 4 March 2001, making the song a transatlantic chart topper. It also reached number one in Australia on April 1, 2001. It is also the 4th biggest selling single of the 21st century in the United Kingdom.

In popular culture

Like many popular songs of the time, "It Wasn't Me" was subject to parody. It was parodied on an episode of "Svengoolie". In addition, a parody by an unknown author was made about "Scooby-Doo" character Shaggy. It was about him being caught masturbating (about the girl next door) by his mother.

Track listings

; CD single
# "It Wasn't Me" (radio edit) — 3:43
# "It Wasn't Me" (vocal 12" mix) — 3:49

Certifications

ee also

* Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 2001 (USA)
* Top selling singles and albums in Ireland 2001
* Psychopathic Rydas
* List of number-one singles from the 2000s (UK)

References

*"The Billboard Book of Number One Hits", fifth edition