Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)
Encyclopedia
"Hey Daddy" is a song by American R&B singer, Usher
. The song is the first single in the United States from Usher
's sixth studio album Raymond v. Raymond, following the buzz single "Papers
". The song was written by longtime Usher collaborator Rico Love
, Usher, Plies
and The Runners
and it was also produced by the Love and The Runners. The remix version of the song, featuring Plies was released to radio stations on December 8, 2009, and subsequently available for digital download on December 15, 2009. It will be released as the fourth international single on March 20, 2011.
The song received positive reviews with critics praising Usher's return to the style of music in 2004
's Confessions
, as also with "Papers". The song has peaked at number twenty-four on the Billboard Hot 100
, and at number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
, giving Usher his third consecutive U.S. R&B top five hit.
, back to Confessions
-style, was one of six tracks co-written by Rico Love
for the album. In an exclusive with Rap-Up
, Love said of Usher's return to that style, "I feel like he’s got his mind right and it’s focused. He went through a lot. He had lost his father when he was creating the Here I Stand record, a lot of controversy with his marriage, he had kids, he parted ways with his mother’s management, and there were just a lot of things going on and he kind of lost focus. It’s not like Here I Stand wasn’t a good album. I just feel like he lost touch with his demographic." According to MTV News
, the song provides the reasons behind Usher's crumbling marriage as narrated in "Papers
". The remix version featuring Plies made its way onto the internet in late November, a few days before the song's radio and digital release.
said that the song is "a clear indication that the R&B crooner is bringing sexy back," "atop a silky piano pattern and hand claps." She also said, "Plies makes a nice addition to the already sexified track, as the self-proclaimed goon drops a raunchy verse in his raspy Southern drawl." The review went on to say, "'Hey Daddy' may not be a chart-topper-yet-but it sure will make the naysayers pay attention again." Mark Edward Nero of About.com
said that the song was "is not only the album's first official single," but "also a declaration." He goes on to say, "In the song, Usher's basically sending a message to his female fans that the Usher they knew and loved is back in their lives and that they don't need to stray any more: "You know your daddy's home, and it's time to play, so you ain't got to give my lovin' away." Nero calls 'Hey Daddy' "one of more than half a dozen sex songs on the album." Sara D. Anderson of AOL Music
said that the song has a "catchy R&B tune" and "the song showcases Usher's role as the ladies' man as he croons: "You know your daddy's home (daddy's home) / And it's time to play (so it's time to play) / So you ain't got to give my loving away." James Reed of The Boston Globe
said that the track was one of the album's songs to showcase "Usher's signature loveman moves" however called them "hollow as a chocolate Easter bunny", as he pointed out the whole album had a lack of emotion Andrew Rennie of Now Magazine
said that on the song and on "Lil Freak
" that Usher shows "he’s unafraid to get lewd".
. The song fell of the chart its second week, but re-entered the chart four weeks later at number 100. It then dropped out the chart again, before re-entering yet again, this time at eighty. It has since peaked at twenty-four. The song peaked at number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart, and was Usher's third consecutive top five R&B hit, and his fourteenth top three R&B title. With the charting, Usher passed Ludacris
for the most top three hits. The song also peaked at number sixty-eight on the Austrian Singles Chart. It debuted at number forty-eight on the Canadian Hot 100
chart.
, and was shot in West Hollywood at "The London". It premiered on MTV
on January 28, 2010. French fashion model Noemie Lenoir
portrays Usher's love interest. Like the album version of the song, the music video does not feature Plies or his verse. In the video, Usher struggles to get home to his wife, however due to several obligations and his partying, he cannot make it. Previous shots are given of Usher and Lenoir in a brown backdrop, and assumed previous situations of their love life and Usher coming home. Scenes are seen with Usher in a boardroom setting, and then teaching dance to a group of women in a studio, then in a club. Several instances in the video are unknown as in the scene in which Usher takes a phone call, unknown to the viewer for "business or pleasure," as explained by James Montgomery of MTV News. In describing the video, he went on to say, "...you can kind of see why it'd be about both. Such is the life he's chosen, and now he must deal with the repercussions." In following scenes the threat of infidelity is seen even clearer as Usher gets close to the "over-friendly dancers" and "sipping — and spitting — champagne in a place that looks very much like a strip club."
Montgomery went on to say that the video is full of "temptation, love and lust," and "about distance and the effect it has on all those things." He goes on to say that in the video "All Ush wants to do is make it back to her, to do all those things that husbands and wives tend to do. The only problem is he can't." At the end of the video, Lenoir has enough, and walks out. Montgomery notes that it is not clear whether Usher even makes it home, or if the song was even referring to the wife character, and not "someone special stashed in a nearby suite." In resolving the video's review, Montgomery said, "Distance may make the heart grow fonder, but there are limits to everything. Usher may want to be no place but home, but there's a big, wide world out there with pitfalls aplenty. He's a superstar, a businessman, a father and an (ex-) husband, but at the end of the day, Ush is also human, and "Hey Daddy" is proof of that." In a review of the video, Rap-Up
said that "Even though it’s been a minute since his last video, the ladies man still knows how to bust a move."
and The Late Show with David Letterman. In promoting Raymond v. Raymond, he performed the song along with a medley of the songs from the album on Good Morning America
.
Source
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
. The song is the first single in the United States from Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
's sixth studio album Raymond v. Raymond, following the buzz single "Papers
Papers (song)
"Papers" is a song by American recording artist Usher. The song was a buzz single for his sixth studio album Raymond v. Raymond. It was written by Usher, Alonzo "Gorilla Zoe" Mathis, Sean Garrett and Zaytoven, and was produced by the latter two. Although it was never identified as a track from the...
". The song was written by longtime Usher collaborator Rico Love
Rico Love
Richard Preston Butler, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Love wrote and produced hit records such as Usher’s "There Goes My Baby" and "Hey Daddy ”, Nelly's "Just a Dream" and "Gone", Beyoncé Knowles' "Sweet Dreams"...
, Usher, Plies
Plies (rapper)
Algernod Lanier Washington , better known by his stage name Plies, is an American rapper and founder of Big Gates Records. Born in Fort Myers, Florida, Washington was a wide receiver on the football team of Miami University in Ohio in 1996 and 1997 before he became a rapper. After dropping out of...
and The Runners
The Runners
The Runners is a hip hop production duo from Orlando, Florida, consisting of Andrew "Dru Brett" Harr and Jermaine "Mayne Zayne" Jackson. They came together to form the team in 2000, but they have known each other since they were in kindergarten. They are best known for producing the hit singles "Go...
and it was also produced by the Love and The Runners. The remix version of the song, featuring Plies was released to radio stations on December 8, 2009, and subsequently available for digital download on December 15, 2009. It will be released as the fourth international single on March 20, 2011.
The song received positive reviews with critics praising Usher's return to the style of music in 2004
2004 in music
See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
's Confessions
Confessions (Usher album)
Confessions is the fourth studio album by American R&B recording artist Usher, released March 23, 2004, on Arista-imprint label LaFace Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2003 to 2004 with production by Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Lil Jon...
, as also with "Papers". The song has peaked at number twenty-four on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, and at number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
, giving Usher his third consecutive U.S. R&B top five hit.
Background and composition
The song was leaked onto the internet in later October 2009 with several preliminary tracks from Raymond v. Raymond. "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)", one of the tracks that follows-up Usher's divorce, and the change in content from Here I StandHere I Stand (Usher album)
Here I Stand is the fifth studio album by American R&B recording artist Usher, released on May 13, 2008 by LaFace Records. Inspired by love for his new wife—Tameka Foster—and son, Usher recorded many ballads for the album. Prior to the album's recording, Usher split with his...
, back to Confessions
Confessions (Usher album)
Confessions is the fourth studio album by American R&B recording artist Usher, released March 23, 2004, on Arista-imprint label LaFace Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2003 to 2004 with production by Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Lil Jon...
-style, was one of six tracks co-written by Rico Love
Rico Love
Richard Preston Butler, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Love wrote and produced hit records such as Usher’s "There Goes My Baby" and "Hey Daddy ”, Nelly's "Just a Dream" and "Gone", Beyoncé Knowles' "Sweet Dreams"...
for the album. In an exclusive with Rap-Up
Rap-Up
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...
, Love said of Usher's return to that style, "I feel like he’s got his mind right and it’s focused. He went through a lot. He had lost his father when he was creating the Here I Stand record, a lot of controversy with his marriage, he had kids, he parted ways with his mother’s management, and there were just a lot of things going on and he kind of lost focus. It’s not like Here I Stand wasn’t a good album. I just feel like he lost touch with his demographic." According to MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
, the song provides the reasons behind Usher's crumbling marriage as narrated in "Papers
Papers (song)
"Papers" is a song by American recording artist Usher. The song was a buzz single for his sixth studio album Raymond v. Raymond. It was written by Usher, Alonzo "Gorilla Zoe" Mathis, Sean Garrett and Zaytoven, and was produced by the latter two. Although it was never identified as a track from the...
". The remix version featuring Plies made its way onto the internet in late November, a few days before the song's radio and digital release.
Critical reception
Mariel Concepcion of BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
said that the song is "a clear indication that the R&B crooner is bringing sexy back," "atop a silky piano pattern and hand claps." She also said, "Plies makes a nice addition to the already sexified track, as the self-proclaimed goon drops a raunchy verse in his raspy Southern drawl." The review went on to say, "'Hey Daddy' may not be a chart-topper-yet-but it sure will make the naysayers pay attention again." Mark Edward Nero of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
said that the song was "is not only the album's first official single," but "also a declaration." He goes on to say, "In the song, Usher's basically sending a message to his female fans that the Usher they knew and loved is back in their lives and that they don't need to stray any more: "You know your daddy's home, and it's time to play, so you ain't got to give my lovin' away." Nero calls 'Hey Daddy' "one of more than half a dozen sex songs on the album." Sara D. Anderson of AOL Music
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
said that the song has a "catchy R&B tune" and "the song showcases Usher's role as the ladies' man as he croons: "You know your daddy's home (daddy's home) / And it's time to play (so it's time to play) / So you ain't got to give my loving away." James Reed of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
said that the track was one of the album's songs to showcase "Usher's signature loveman moves" however called them "hollow as a chocolate Easter bunny", as he pointed out the whole album had a lack of emotion Andrew Rennie of Now Magazine
NOW (magazine)
Now is a free weekly newspaper in Toronto, Canada. It was first printed on September 10, 1981 by Michael Hollett and Alice Klein. Now is an alternative weekly mixing arts and entertainment news with political coverage....
said that on the song and on "Lil Freak
Lil Freak
"Lil Freak" is a song by American recording artist Usher, taken from his sixth studio album, Raymond v. Raymond. Featuring guest vocals by Trinidadian recording artist Nicki Minaj, the song was written by her, Usher, Ester Dean, Blac Elvis and Polow da Don, the latter two producing the track...
" that Usher shows "he’s unafraid to get lewd".
Chart performance
After its release to digital download, the song debuted at number ninety-four on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The song fell of the chart its second week, but re-entered the chart four weeks later at number 100. It then dropped out the chart again, before re-entering yet again, this time at eighty. It has since peaked at twenty-four. The song peaked at number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart, and was Usher's third consecutive top five R&B hit, and his fourteenth top three R&B title. With the charting, Usher passed Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
for the most top three hits. The song also peaked at number sixty-eight on the Austrian Singles Chart. It debuted at number forty-eight on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
chart.
Music video
The music video was directed by Chris RobinsonChris Robinson (director)
Chris Robinson is an American film director working mostly with music videos and commercials. He has directed commercials for brands such as iPod, Coca Cola and Verizon and music videos for songs like "Fallin'" and "You Don't Know My Name" by Alicia Keys, "Roc Boys" by Jay-Z, the grammy nominated...
, and was shot in West Hollywood at "The London". It premiered on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
on January 28, 2010. French fashion model Noemie Lenoir
Noémie Lenoir
Noémie Lenoir is a French model and actress of African and European descent.-Career:Lenoir was first spotted by Ford Models when she was 16 years old. In 1995, Lenoir signed with L'Oréal, and has since appeared in their advertisements alongside Laetitia Casta and long-term model and actress Andie...
portrays Usher's love interest. Like the album version of the song, the music video does not feature Plies or his verse. In the video, Usher struggles to get home to his wife, however due to several obligations and his partying, he cannot make it. Previous shots are given of Usher and Lenoir in a brown backdrop, and assumed previous situations of their love life and Usher coming home. Scenes are seen with Usher in a boardroom setting, and then teaching dance to a group of women in a studio, then in a club. Several instances in the video are unknown as in the scene in which Usher takes a phone call, unknown to the viewer for "business or pleasure," as explained by James Montgomery of MTV News. In describing the video, he went on to say, "...you can kind of see why it'd be about both. Such is the life he's chosen, and now he must deal with the repercussions." In following scenes the threat of infidelity is seen even clearer as Usher gets close to the "over-friendly dancers" and "sipping — and spitting — champagne in a place that looks very much like a strip club."
Montgomery went on to say that the video is full of "temptation, love and lust," and "about distance and the effect it has on all those things." He goes on to say that in the video "All Ush wants to do is make it back to her, to do all those things that husbands and wives tend to do. The only problem is he can't." At the end of the video, Lenoir has enough, and walks out. Montgomery notes that it is not clear whether Usher even makes it home, or if the song was even referring to the wife character, and not "someone special stashed in a nearby suite." In resolving the video's review, Montgomery said, "Distance may make the heart grow fonder, but there are limits to everything. Usher may want to be no place but home, but there's a big, wide world out there with pitfalls aplenty. He's a superstar, a businessman, a father and an (ex-) husband, but at the end of the day, Ush is also human, and "Hey Daddy" is proof of that." In a review of the video, Rap-Up
Rap-Up
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...
said that "Even though it’s been a minute since his last video, the ladies man still knows how to bust a move."
Live performances
Usher performed the song on Lopez TonightLopez Tonight
Lopez Tonight was an American late-night television talk show hosted by comedian George Lopez. The hour-long program premiered on November 9, 2009, on cable network TBS. Lopez was the first Mexican American to host a late-night talk show on an English-language network in the United States. The...
and The Late Show with David Letterman. In promoting Raymond v. Raymond, he performed the song along with a medley of the songs from the album on Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
.
Track listing
- Digital download
- "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home) [featuring PliesPlies (rapper)Algernod Lanier Washington , better known by his stage name Plies, is an American rapper and founder of Big Gates Records. Born in Fort Myers, Florida, Washington was a wide receiver on the football team of Miami University in Ohio in 1996 and 1997 before he became a rapper. After dropping out of...
]" – 4:16
Credits and personnel
- Songwriting - Usher RaymondUsher (entertainer)Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
, Rico LoveRico LoveRichard Preston Butler, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Love wrote and produced hit records such as Usher’s "There Goes My Baby" and "Hey Daddy ”, Nelly's "Just a Dream" and "Gone", Beyoncé Knowles' "Sweet Dreams"...
, Andrew Harr, Jermaine JacksonThe RunnersThe Runners is a hip hop production duo from Orlando, Florida, consisting of Andrew "Dru Brett" Harr and Jermaine "Mayne Zayne" Jackson. They came together to form the team in 2000, but they have known each other since they were in kindergarten. They are best known for producing the hit singles "Go...
, PliesPlies (rapper)Algernod Lanier Washington , better known by his stage name Plies, is an American rapper and founder of Big Gates Records. Born in Fort Myers, Florida, Washington was a wide receiver on the football team of Miami University in Ohio in 1996 and 1997 before he became a rapper. After dropping out of... - ProductionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
- Rico Love, Andrew Harr, Jermaine Jackson - Background vocals - Rico Love, Tocarra Hamilton
- Vocal productionSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
- Rico Love - Vocal recordingSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
- Ian Cross - MixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Manny Marroquin, assisted by Erik Madrid
Source
Charts
| Chart (2009–2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
Year-end charts
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
82 |
| U.S Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 7 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| United States | December 8, 2009 | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
| Urban and rhythmic Rhythmic Contemporary Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may... airplay |
||
| United Kingdom | March 20, 2011 | CD Single, Digital download |