It Wasn't Me

by

Shaggy

Album: Hot Shot

Released: 2000

Charted:

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The song is about a guy who gets caught cheating on his girl, but denies it even though he is clearly guilty. It was inspired by a comedy routine Eddie Murphy performed in his movie Raw. Murphy said that no matter what your girl accuses you of, never admit to anything, just say "It Wasn't Me."

This features Rikrok, whose real name is Ricardo Ducent, singing most of the lyrics. Shaggy sings the refrain "It Wasn't Me." Shaggy helped out Rikrok by working with him on his first solo album.

Shaggy said this is not about him, it is just a bunch of hypothetical situations he came up with.

This wasn't supposed to be a single, but it became a hit in Hawaii when it was downloaded and played by a disc jockey on Honolulu station KIKI before the album was released. This convinced the record company to release it as a single.

This samples the 1975 track "Smile Happy" from the band War.

This was the #1 selling album of 2001, selling 5.5 million copies. In England, it was the top-selling single of 2001.

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Comments (14):

Regarding whether this song is disrespectful to women: My ex-girlfriend, a vocal feminist, loved the song and thought it was very funny. If the song casts aspersions on anybody it's men, for being cheaters and idiots. I don't know any men who've said they feel offended though.

- Jeff, Boston, MA

Sandy:

The song was meant to be a satire. It is not meant to be taken seriously. And if you listen to the end, it says he is going to apologize to his girlfriend instead of continue to deny it.

- Lily, Argyle, TX

I can't stand the voice of Shaggy himself! But the song is great. I wander if I got a girlfriend and was caught cheating, if saying "It Wasn't Me" would really work. I should know it probably wouldn't, so why does this song concern using that to cover up what a guy did? Interesting.

- Landon, Winchester, OH

Who is the actress that plays 'the girl next door in this' vid?

- Jonathan, Auckland, New Zealand

I used to work in a warehouse where they had a radio planted somewhere to a station and this song would come on every now and then. Despite that i could never make out the verus as they were sung so rapidly to a point where they were not understandable..I found it rather amusing nonetheless.

- Larry, Coral Springs, FL

This song is funny because Shaggy keeps telling him to deny it even though he is caught red-handed. As if that would ever work.

And Sandy from Warsaw needs to lighten up.

- Jeremy, Scottsdale, AZ

hey veronica, put something constructive or don't bother typing

- Luke, Manchester, England

This song is disgusting! It is disrespectful to women and it is nasty I can't believe you listen to this stuff!! Its like porn only instead of pictures its music!! GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!

- Sandy, Warsaw, IN

Neither Shaggy nor Rikrok sang back up vocals on this great song. Rikrok sang the verses, and Shaggy did the refrain.

- Danny, Philadelphia, PA

very funny at the time!

- marlow, perth

Shaggy wasn't the backup! He made the song, he should be credited with all the singing. Rikrok just did other singing. I love this song, though. I listen to it a lot. : )

- Dawson, Draper, UT

This song makes me depressed because it reminds me of how horrible the music was after in the late 90's

- Matt, Monroe, LA

I think Shaggy was creditted as the main performer because no one knew who RikRok was at that time

- Dave, Cardiff, Wales

Clearly the true singer of this song is Rikrok or also known as Ricardo Ducent because he was the main signer, shaggy was the backup!

- Kristin, Kelowna, Canada

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