Say Hey (I Love You)

"Say Hey (I Love You)"
Single by Michael Franti & Spearhead featuring Cherine Anderson
from the album All Rebel Rockers
Released	June 2, 2009
Recorded	2008
Genre	Pop rock, reggae fusion, ska punk, hip hop
Length	3:55 (Album Version) 3:40 (Radio Edit)
Label	ANTI-
Writer(s)	Michael Franti, Carl Young
Michael Franti & Spearhead featuring Cherine Anderson singles chronology
"Say Hey (I Love You)" (2009) "Shake It" (2010)

"Say Hey (I Love You)" is a single by Michael Franti & Spearhead featuring Jamaica soulstress Cherine Anderson released in 2009 from their album All Rebel Rockers. The single is produced by Sly & Robbie. The music video peaked at number five on the VH1 Top 20 countdown and the single has peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Franti's first Hot 100 chart entry. It also peaked at #3 on Billboard Digital Songs, #1 on Billboard R&B Songs, and #3 on Billboard Modern Rock Songs. Digital sales of "Say Hey (I Love You)" have topped 120,000 downloads.^[1]

The video for this song was filmed at Vigário Geral favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil^[2]

Background

In a January 2010 interview Franti said he wrote the lyrics to this song in the steam of a mirror just after a shower. He joked to noted UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning Blues & Soul: "I was staying at (US actor) Woody Harrelson's house. And, when Woody called and asked how the songwriting was going, I was like 'It's going great! I think I just wrote a hit song in the bathroom!'... And straightaway he was like 'So, is it a Number One or a Number Two?'!!"^[3]

Use in other media

The song appeared in the Showtime series Weeds for a flash mob in the season five premiere episode and during the opening credits of the 2010 film Valentine's Day. It also appeared on the 2010 films Ramona and Beezus and The Back-Up Plan and the 2011 film Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star. This song is featured in EA Sports video game 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. It was also featured in a 2010 advertisement for Corona Light beer, and in advertisements for The Oprah Winfrey Show's final season. Franti recorded a version with alternate lyrics in support of the San Francisco Giants in connection with their World Series appearance in 2010.^[4] The song is featured in the 2015 animated musical comedy Strange Magic.

Chart positions

Weekly

Chart (2008-2010)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[5]	22
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[6]	72
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[7]	33
Ukraine (FDR Pop Singles)[8]	15
US Billboard Hot 100[9]	18
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[10]	14
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[11]	17
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[12]	5
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[13]	40
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[14]	17

Year-end

Chart (2009)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100[15]	97

Cover versions

The Chipmunks and The Chipettes covered this song for both the Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked: Music from the Motion Picture album and the film Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked. The song was also covered for the 2015 film Strange Magic.

Certifications

Country	Certification (sales thresholds)
United States	2x Platinum [16]

References

1. Michael Franti "Say Hey (I Love You)" Digital Single Sales Top 120,000, Anti.com (2009-06-04).
2. http://www.antilabelblog.com/?p=348
3. Michael Franti & Spearhead interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' February 2010
4. "Say Hey (I love you) - Giants Version". michaelfranti.com.
5. "Ultratop.be – Michael Franti & Spearhead – Say Hey (I Love You)" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
6. "Michael Franti & Spearhead – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Michael Franti & Spearhead. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
7. "Charts.org.nz – Michael Franti & Spearhead – Say Hey (I Love You)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
8. "Pop" (in Ukrainian). FDR Music Charts. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
9. "Michael Franti & Spearhead – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Michael Franti & Spearhead. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
10. "Michael Franti & Spearhead – Chart history" Billboard Adult Alternative Songs for Michael Franti & Spearhead. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
11. "Michael Franti & Spearhead – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Michael Franti & Spearhead. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
12. "Michael Franti & Spearhead – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Michael Franti & Spearhead. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
13. "Michael Franti & Spearhead – Chart history" Billboard Hot Rock Songs for Michael Franti & Spearhead. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
14. "Michael Franti & Spearhead – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Michael Franti & Spearhead. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
15. "Hot 100 Songs: 2009 Year-end". Billboard.com. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
16. http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS