Don't Know What to Tell Ya

"Don't Know What to Tell Ya"
Single by Aaliyah
from the album I Care 4 U
B-side "Miss You" (UK)
"Got to Give It Up" (U.S.)
Released May 20, 2003 (UK CD)
June 17, 2003 (German CD)
August 25, 2003 (U.S. 12")[1]
Format CD single, 12"
Recorded 2001; Manhattan Center
(New York City, New York)
Length 5:01
Label Blackground
Writer(s) Steve "Static" Garrett, Timothy Mosley
Producer(s) Timbaland
Aaliyah singles chronology
"I Care 4 U"
(2003)		 "Don't Know What to Tell Ya"
(2003)		 "Come Over"
(2003)
Alternative cover
Alternative cover for "Don't Know What to Tell Ya"

"Don't Know What to Tell Ya" is a song by American recording artist Aaliyah. It was initially written by Static Major and Timbaland for the singer's third studio album Aaliyah (2001). While it failed to make the final cut, it was eventually included on the singer's first posthumous compilation album, I Care 4 U (2002).

Released in mid-2003 in European and Asian market, the song was the second and final single from Aaliyah's in North America & Asia, the final single off the album was "Come Over".

Background

"Don't Know What to Tell Ya" is about a broken relationship. The song contains uncredited samples of "Batwannis Beek" by Algerian singer Warda Al-Jazairia and "No Respect" by Kool Moe Dee for a drum pattern. In the song, Aaliyah expresses her view on how a man cannot trust his girlfriend and keeps on comparing her to his previous lover, "Don't compare me to your last one/I can't help that she was a fast one, a sassy one/I'm a classy one". "Don't Know What to Tell Ya" was another hit single for Aaliyah in Europe and Asia, peaking in the top forty in countries such as China, Ireland, and Israel.

Music video

The music video for "Don't Know What to Tell Ya" was directed by Bill Schacht for Aesheticom and incorporates different scenes from most of Aaliyah's music videos synced to the beat. It went top 5 on MTV Base and MTV Germany. There were two versions of the video - one for the UK and one for Germany.

Cover versions and interpolations

In 2012, Danny! incorporated the drum pattern from "Don't Know What to Tell Ya", as well as vocals from Aaliyah, into the bridge for "Evil" as homage to the late singer. A sample from the aforementioned "Batwannis Beek" was also utilized.

Track listing

UK CD single[2]
  1. "Don't Know What to Tell Ya" (edit version) – 3:03
  2. "Don't Know What to Tell Ya" (Handcuff Remix) – 5:18
  3. "Miss You" (music video)
European CD single[3]
  1. "Don't Know What to Tell Ya" (radio edit) – 3:35
  2. "Don't Know What to Tell Ya" (Thomas Eriksen Mix) – 5:18
  3. "Don't Know What to Tell Ya" (Intenso Project Remix) – 6:58
  4. "Don't Know What to Tell Ya" (album version) – 5:02

Charts

Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[4] 34
France (SNEP)[5] 49
Germany (Official German Charts)[6] 57
Ireland (IRMA)[7] 45
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[8] 57
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[9] 49
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[10] 30
UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[11] 5
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[12] 22

References

  1. ↑ http://new.music.yahoo.com/aaliyah/news/aaliyah-releases-new-single--12061748
  2. ↑ "Don't Know What to Tell Ya (1)". Discogs. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  3. ↑ "Don't Know What to Tell Ya (2)". Discogs. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  4. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Aaliyah – Don't Know What to Tell Ya". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  5. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Aaliyah – Don't Know What to Tell Ya" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  6. ↑ "Musicline.de – Aaliyah Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  7. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 16, 2003". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  8. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Aaliyah search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  9. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2003-05-04". Scottish Singles Top 40.
  10. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Aaliyah – Don't Know What to Tell Ya". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  11. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2003-04-27" UK R&B Chart. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Aaliyah: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 23, 2011.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/16/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.