You Don't Know My Name
Encyclopedia
"You Don't Know My Name" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys
from her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys
. Written by Keys, Kanye West
, and Harold Lilly and produced by Keys and West, the track was released as the album's lead single
in November 2003, and contains a sample
from the 1974 song "Let Me Prove My Love to You", written by J. R. Bailey
, Mel Kent, and Ken Williams and performed by The Main Ingredient.
The song became Keys' third top ten hit in the United States, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100
, as well as topping the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
for eight consecutive weeks, his first Top 10 single in both charts since 2002's "A Woman's Worth
". Additionally, the song won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song
in 2005 and a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single, Female
in 2004. "You Don't Know My Name" was sampled on Lil Wayne
's 2008 song "Comfortable" featuring Babyface. Blender
magazine placed the song at number thirty-seven on its list of "The 100 Best Songs of 2004".
, the music video
follows Keys working as a waitress at a café. One day, Keys meets a man (played by Mos Def
) in the café, and she falls in love with him. Later in the video, Keys imagines getting the courage to call him and to tell him about her feelings. However, at the end of the movie, she remembers his order but there is no other recognition and the scene ends with his card still being in the bowl and Keys staring out the window since she will never be able to reveal her true feelings for the man.
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
from her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys
The Diary of Alicia Keys
The Diary of Alicia Keys is the second studio album by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was released in the United States on December 2, 2003 by J Records...
. Written by Keys, Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, and Harold Lilly and produced by Keys and West, the track was released as the album's lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
in November 2003, and contains a sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
from the 1974 song "Let Me Prove My Love to You", written by J. R. Bailey
J. R. Bailey
- Biography :J. R. had been a member of doo wop groups The Halos, The Cadillacs, and The Crickets , and also recorded as a solo artist...
, Mel Kent, and Ken Williams and performed by The Main Ingredient.
The song became Keys' third top ten hit in the United States, peaking at number three 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...
, as well as topping 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,...
for eight consecutive weeks, his first Top 10 single in both charts since 2002's "A Woman's Worth
A Woman's Worth
"A Woman's Worth" is a song by American singer–songwriter Alicia Keys. A piano-driven soul ballad with elements of contemporary R&B and neo soul, it was written by herself and musician Erika Rose and produced by Keys for her debut album, Songs in A Minor .The track was released as the album's...
". Additionally, the song won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song
Grammy Award for Best R&B Song
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song has been awarded since 1959. From 1969 to 2000 it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song, from 1962 to 1968 it was known as Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, and from 1959-1961 as Best Rhythm & Blues Performance...
in 2005 and a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single, Female
Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single, Female
The Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single, Female was given out every year since the first annual Soul Train Music Awards in 1987. From 1989-1992 the award was known as the R&B/Urban Contemporary Single - Female....
in 2004. "You Don't Know My Name" was sampled on Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
's 2008 song "Comfortable" featuring Babyface. Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
magazine placed the song at number thirty-seven on its list of "The 100 Best Songs of 2004".
Music video
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...
, the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
follows Keys working as a waitress at a café. One day, Keys meets a man (played by Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
) in the café, and she falls in love with him. Later in the video, Keys imagines getting the courage to call him and to tell him about her feelings. However, at the end of the movie, she remembers his order but there is no other recognition and the scene ends with his card still being in the bowl and Keys staring out the window since she will never be able to reveal her true feelings for the man.
Track listings and formats
-
- European CD Single
- "You Don't Know My Name" — 5:28
- "Diary" (featuring Tony! Toni! Toné!Tony! Toni! Toné!Tony! Toni! Toné! is an American Soul/R&B group from Oakland, California, popular during the late 1980s and early to mid 1990s. During the band's heyday, it was composed of D'wayne Wiggins on lead vocals and guitar, his brother Raphael Saadiq on lead vocals and bass, and their cousin Timothy...
) — 4:45
-
- European Maxi Single
- "You Don't Know My Name" — 5:28
- "Diary" (featuring Tony! Toni! Toné!) — 4:45
- "You Don't Know My Name" (Instrumental) — 4:28
-
- Enhanced CD Single
- "You Don't Know My Name" — 4:20
- "Fallin'" (Ali Soundtrack Version) — 4:30
- "Butterflyz" (RogerRoger SanchezRoger Sanchez, also known as Roger S. and The S Man, is a Grammy award-winning American House music DJ who has scored many hits in the European and World Charts...
's Release Mix) — 3:54 - "You Don't Know My Name" (Video)
-
- U.S. 12" Single
- A1 "You Don't Know My Name" (Radio Mix) — 4:28
- A2 "You Don't Know My Name" (Instrumental) — 4:28
- B1 "You Don't Know My Name" (Album Mix) — 6:08
- B2 "You Don't Know My Name" (Acappella) — 4:26
-
- U.S. 12" Single (Remixes)
- A1 "You Don't Know My Name" (HeartBeat Remix featuring T-Rex) — 3:54
- A2 "You Don't Know My Name" (G-Mix featuring FabolousFabolousJohn David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...
) — 3:42 - B1 "You Don't Know My Name" (Roc-A-FellaRoc-A-Fella RecordsRoc-A-Fella Records is a record label founded by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Island Def Jam Motown Music Group.-Formation and Early Years:...
Remix featuring FreewayFreeway (rapper)Leslie Edward Pridgen , better known by his stage name Freeway, is an American rapper. Best known for his tenure on Roc-A-Fella Records and his affiliation with Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel, he is recognized by his high-pitched delivery and for the long beard he keeps due to his Muslim faith...
) — 4:21 - B2 "You Don't Know My Name" (Smooth) — 3:13
- B3 "You Don't Know My Name" (Reggae Mix) — 3:00
-
- European 12" Single
- A1 "You Don't Know My Name" (Radio Edit) — 3:07
- A2 "Fallin'" (Ali Soundtrack Version) — 6:08
- B1 "You Don't Know My Name" (Instrumental Version) — 4:27
Personnel
- Alicia Keys – lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, producerRecord 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... - Sanford Allen – concertmasterConcertmasterThe concertmaster/mistress is the spalla or leader, of the first violin section of an orchestra. In the UK, the term commonly used is leader...
, violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello.... - Tony Black – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Richard Brice – violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- Kurt Briggs – violin
- Avril Brown – violin
- Robert Chausow – viola
- Ray ChewRay ChewRay Chew is an American musician who specializes in keyboards and contemporary and orchestral arranging.Chew was a member of the Saturday Night Live Band from 1980 to 1983...
– stringStrings (music)A string is the vibrating element that produces sound in string instruments, such as the guitar, harp, piano, and members of the violin family. Strings are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely, but controllably. Strings may be "plain"...
conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, string arrangements - Barry Finclair – viola
- Eileen FolsonEileen FolsonEileen M Folson was a Broadway composer, professional cellist and a Grammy nominee. She died on February 4, 2007.-Early life:Eileen was born in 1956 as the fourth of six children. On a whim in junior high school, Eileen and a friend auditioned for the orchestra. Eileen really wanted the bass but...
– celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is... - Sharief Hobley – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Stanley Hunte – violin
- John LegendJohn LegendJohn Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
– backing vocals
- Harold Lilly – backing vocals
- Manny MarroquinManny MarroquinManny Marroquin, born 21 September 1971 in Guatemala, is a Grammy winning mixing engineer. His family moved to Los Angeles when he was nine due to the Guatemalan Civil War....
– 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... - Lori Miller – violin
- Ann Mincieli – engineer
- Caryl Paisner – cello
- Marion Pinheiro – violin
- Herb Powers Jr. – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Artie Reynolds – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Maxine Roach – viola
- Al Schoonmaker – copyistCopyistA copyist is a person who makes written copies. In ancient times, a scrivener was also called a calligraphus . The term's modern use is almost entirely confined to music copyists, who are employed by the music industry to produce neat copies from a composer or arranger's manuscript.-Music...
- Alexander Vselensky – violin
- Kanye WestKanye WestKanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
– producer - Xin Zhao – violin
Chart positions
| Chart (2003/2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... ) |
48 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... Flanders) |
2 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 40 Ultratop 40 Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization... Wallonia) |
2 |
| Canada (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... ) |
19 |
| Europe (European Hot 100) | 62 |
| France (SNEP Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... ) |
43 |
| Germany (Media Control Charts Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... ) |
68 |
| Ireland (IRMA Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... ) |
33 |
| Italy (FIMI Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... ) |
17 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... ) |
20 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... ) |
54 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 26 |
| U.K (UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... ) |
19 |
| 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... |
3 |
| U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2004) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 29 |
| U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 6 |
Decade-end charts
| Chart (2000–09) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 38 |
Chart procession and succession
See also
- Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2004
- List of number-one R&B singles of 2004 (U.S.)