Whenever I Say Your Name
| "Whenever I Say Your Name" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Sting and Mary J. Blige | |
| from the album Sacred Love and Love & Life | |
| Released | 8 December 2003 |
| Length | 5:25 |
| Label | A&M |
| Songwriter(s) | Sting |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Sting singles chronology | |
| Mary J. Blige singles chronology | |
| Music video | |
| "Whenever I Say Your Name" on YouTube | |
"Whenever I Say Your Name" is a duet recorded by English musician Sting and American singer Mary J. Blige, for Sting's seventh studio album Sacred Love (2003). It was written and produced by Sting, and co-produced by Mark "Kipper" Eldridge. Although not originally included on Blige's sixth studio album Love & Life (2003), the track was subsequently added to its international reissue.
"Whenever I Say Your Name" was released as the second single from Sacred Love, and the fourth single from Love & Life, on 8 December 2003, by A&M Records. It peaked at number 60 on the UK Singles Chart, marking Sting's lowest-peaking single since "They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo)" (1988), and Blige's lowest-peaking single ever. Despite its commercial underperformance, the song won Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards (2004).
Background
[edit ]"Whenever I Say Your Name" was written and produced by Sting for his seventh studio album Sacred Love (2003).[1] Production was helmed by Sting and Mark "Kipper" Eldridge.[1] The singer felt inspired to work with Blige ever since they performed together on the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards. In 2003, he told LAUNCHcast : "I was totally blown away by her passionate, open singing [...] I had decided on that night that I'd love to write a song for her one day, and I came up with this idea of "Whenever I Say Your Name" – that's perfect for her, you know? It's very romantic. It also has a kind of religious component – you know, she's very churchy in the way she sings."[2]
Critical reception
[edit ]Alan Light from The Los Angeles Times described "Whenever I Say Your Name" as "a knockout duet,"[2] while Entertainment Weekly 's Tom Sinclair called it a "erotically charged duet" and further wrote: "[Sting] unites the secular and the sacred with the phrase "Whenever I say your name, I’m already praying"."[3] Riff Magazine's Alexander Baechle found that "Blige oozes exuberance on "Whenever I Say Your Name." Both Blige and Sting take the opportunity to play to their strengths. Sting begins the tune with a characteristically moody, subtle verse. Imperceptibly, the song morphs into a borderline funk romp, pushing Blige’s power vocals to the fore."[4]
Music video
[edit ]A music video for "Whenever I Say Your Name" was directed by frequent Sting collaborator Jim Gable.[5]
Track listings
[edit ]All tracks written by Sting.[6]
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Whenever I Say Your Name" (radio version) |
| 4:03 |
| 2. | "Whenever I Say Your Name" (Will.I.Am remix featuring The Black Eyed Peas) | 4:03 | |
| 3. | "Whenever I Say Your Name" (Salaam's Groove mix) |
| 4:48 |
| 4. | "Whenever I Say Your Name" (Billy Mann mix) |
| 3:53 |
Notes
- ^[a] denotes remix producer
Credits and personnel
[edit ]Credits adapted from the liner notes of Sacred Love .[1]
- Mary J. Blige – vocals
- Kipper – producer
- Simon Osborn – engineer
- Sting – producer, vocals, writer
Charts
[edit ]| Chart (2003–2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[7] | 6 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] | 60 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[9] | 50 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[10] | 60 |
Release history
[edit ]| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 8 December 2003 | CD |
References
[edit ]- ^ a b c Sacred Love (Media notes). Sting. A&M Records. 2003.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b Light, Alan (24 August 2003). "Lost and found". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ Sinclair, Tom (3 October 2003). "Sacred Love". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ Baechle, Alexander (15 March 2021). "ALBUM REVIEW: Sting brings out the best in his guests on 'Duets'". riffmagazine.com. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ Marienberg, Evyatar (6 January 2021). Sting and Religion: The Catholic-Shaped Imagination of a Rock Icon. Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 978-1-7252-7226-2 . Retrieved 4 March 2024 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "Whenever I Say Your Name – CD Single". Discogs . Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "Sting & Mary J Blige – Whenever I Say Your Name" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ "Sting & Mary J Blige – Whenever I Say Your Name" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
- ^ "Sting & Mary J Blige – Whenever I Say Your Name". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
- ^ "Sting & Mary J Blige: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
- ^ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . London. November 29, 2003. p. 31. Retrieved June 2, 2024 – via World Radio History.