Say My Name

Album: The Writing's On The Wall (1999)
Charted: 3 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is about a woman who wants to hear her boyfriend speak affectionately to her because she suspects he's in a room with another woman. She says, "When no is around you, you say 'Baby, I love you' Why you playing games?" >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Marquis - Washington, DC
  • Two members of Destiny's Child - LeTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett - sang on this track but didn't appear in the video. Their replacements - Farrah Franklin and Michelle Williams - appear instead. Franklin was fired a few months later and the group continued as a trio.

    Luckett and Roberson alleged they didn't know they were out of the group until they saw Franklin and Williams in the video.
  • In 2000, this won Grammys for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance by a Duo Or Group.
  • In a 2008 interview with Pop Justice, Kelly Rowland revealed that this is her favorite Destiny's Child song. She said: "It was so much fun to record and we crossed over with that song into a whole new world and it was amazing for us. Our audience got bigger."
  • The video, which won for Best R&B Video at the MTV Video Music Awards, was directed by Joseph Kahn, who also helmed the promo for "Jumpin' Jumpin.'"
  • The group wrote this with LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III and Rodney Jerkins - the same team that was busy preparing Jennifer Lopez for a singing career that same year with her debut hit "If You Had My Love."
  • Rodney Jerkins had been working in London with The Spice Girls; this was the first track that he created when he got back to the States. He told Music Business Worldwide in a 2019 interview that it is his favorite song that he's ever produced. "So many people to this day sing that song back to me," Jerkins said.

Comments: 14

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyLaShawn Daniels passed away on September 4th, 2019 in South Carolina as the result of an auto accident, he was 41 years old...
    He won a Grammy Award for co-writing Destiny’s Child’s hit song, “Say My Name”*. In 2003, he co-wrote the popular song “Love and War” for Tamar Braxton and he appeared on her reality shows, 'Braxton Family Values' and 'Tamar & Vince'...
    May he R.I.P.
    * On March 12th, 2000 "Say My Name" peaked at #1 {for 3 weeks} on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart..
  • Kyle from 57760, Sdi like the sick puppies version better....im not into pop :p
  • Sunny from St. Louis, MoAw, I see where you might say that. It's cause the lyrics are "You actin kinda shady, BEEN callin me baby, better say my name"

    You see, it's like in that movie John Tucker Must Die. He has like 3 girlfriends, so calls them by their cutsie names, so he doesn't accidentally say the wrong name, hence Say my name Say my name for the song. :)

    But it's all good Nora, you like Destiny's Child so you're better than 98% of the world ;)
  • Laura from London, EnglandI saw an interweiw with Beyonce and she said they DID have loads of choreography worked out for the video but as a result of bringing in not only 1 but 2 new members in to the group, they didnt have enough time to teach / learn the moves in time for the video shoot so they just did posing on the beats.
  • Annabelle from Eugene, OrHey Nora, if someone calls you "baby", that's an affectionate way of telling you they love you. I believe that's what she means. The girl wants her lover to call her "baby". I don't see anything wrong with this man callin' his lovin' woman "baby". To him, that's her name.
  • Chrystal from Chicago, IlI thought the music video would be more interesting than the group just posing the whole time.
  • X1babigrl from Jaxson, NjThis song is a good song to play when u are suspecting that your boyfriend is cheating on you. if he cant say your name or i love you when he says he is alone then he is cheating on you!
  • Grace from Fairfax Station, VaIn my opinion, this is Destiny's Child best song. Beyonce gives her best performance yet in this song.
  • Katerina from New Britain, CtI love this song Destiny's Child will rule FOREVER!!!!
  • Wes from Springfield, VaThe stuttering beat in this sets my teeth on edge.
  • Mercedes from Portland Yah!, OrI Think This Song Is About A Women Who Wants Respect From Her Man Thats All!!
  • Megan from Royal Oak, MiNo, Nora..."aint calin me baby" you said it right in the quote. He's not calling her baby...he won't say her name..."could it be that you are at home with another lady? if you took it there, first of all, let me say..I am not the one to sit around and be played."
  • Colin from Mt Gilead, OhOriginal rumors about this song were about sex.
  • Nora from Richfield, Mn'Say my name, say my name
    if no one is around you
    say baby i love you
    if you aint runnin game
    Say my name, say my name
    you actin kinda shady
    aint callin me baby
    Better say my name!'

    He never called her baby! How did this fact get approved: About a boyfriend who may be cheating. He keeps calling her "baby" instead of saying her name.
see more comments

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