"Say What You Want" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Texas | ||||
from the album White on Blonde | ||||
B-side |
| |||
Released | 6 January 1997 | |||
Length | 3:53 | |||
Label | Mercury | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Texas | |||
Texas singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Say What You Want" on YouTube |
"Say What You Want" is a song by Scottish rock band Texas, written by band members Johnny McElhone and Sharleen Spiteri. It was the first single to be released from the group's fourth studio album, White on Blonde (1997), and released via the bands record label Mercury Records. [1]
A commercial success for the band, it has featured on all the bands compilation albums ― The Greatest Hits (2000), [2] I Don't Want a Lover: The Collection (2004), [3] Say What You Want: The Collection (2012), [4] Texas 25 (2015) [5] and The Very Best of 1989–2023 (2023). [6] [7]
Released in January 1997 by Mercury, it is the band's biggest hit commercially, peaking at number three on the UK Singles Chart. As of March 2023, the single is certified platinum in the United Kingdom for sales and streams exceeding 600,000 units. The accompanying music video released to promote the single shows lead singer Sharleen Spiteri in a futuristic room.
In 1998, Texas collaborated with Wu-Tang Clan members Method Man and RZA to remix the song as "Say What You Want (All Day, Every Day)". This version features Method Man and RZA on vocals and was released as a single in March 1998, peaking at number four on the UK Singles Chart and reaching the top 10 in Iceland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. Both version of the song are included on Texas's 2000 compilation album The Greatest Hits .
Quentin Harrison from Albumism wrote in his retrospective review of the album, that "the bulk of White on Blonde examines the high and lows of modern love as best heard on its lead single 'Say What You Want'." [8] Andy Gill from The Independent opined that it crosses a lyric line from "Sexual Healing" with a guitar line from "Tired of Being Alone" "without quite emulating either." [9] Kevin Courtney from Irish Times felt it "has a bit of Marvin Gaye going on." [10] Catherine Eade from Music Week noted the "easy-on-the-ear nature" of the song, "with its Marvin Gaye-influenced chorus". [11] David Sinclair from The Times complimented it as "charming". [12]
Personnel are lifted from The Greatest Hits album booklet. [17]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [40] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"Say What You Want (All Day, Every Day)" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Texas featuring the Wu-Tang Clan | ||||
A-side | "Insane" | |||
B-side | "Polo Mint City" | |||
Released | 9 March 1998 | |||
Length | 4:06 | |||
Label | Mercury | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | RZA | |||
Texas singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Wu-Tang Clan singles chronology | ||||
|
The song was remixed as "Say What You Want (All Day, Every Day)", featuring Method Man and RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan, and re-released as a double A-side with "Insane" on 9 March 1998. This version was also a success, peaking at number four on the UK Singles Chart and reaching number three in New Zealand, becoming the band's highest-charting hit in the latter country. A second music video was created, showing Spiteri in a park.
Regarding this version, Spiteri said in Q magazine, "They're the biggest guys I've ever seen in my life. They're like basketball players. I'd just recorded a vocal, and Chef Raekwon's like, 'Yo! Who's that singing?' And RZA goes, 'It's Girlie' – 'cos they called me Girlie. And Raekwon goes, 'Man, you black!' And I laughed so loud. Method Man's a pussycat." [41]
Personnel are lifted from The Greatest Hits album booklet. [17]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Version | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref(s). |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | "Say What You Want" | 6 January 1997 |
| Mercury | [61] |
United States | 7 July 1997 | [62] | |||
14–15 July 1997 | Contemporary hit radio | [62] [63] | |||
30 July 1997 | College radio | [62] | |||
United Kingdom | "Say What You Want (All Day, Every Day)" / "Insane" | 9 March 1998 |
| [64] |
Texas is a Scottish rock band from Glasgow, founded in 1986 by Johnny McElhone, Ally McErlaine, and Sharleen Spiteri. Texas made their performing debut in March 1988 at the University of Dundee. They took their name from the 1984 Wim Wenders movie Paris, Texas.
White on Blonde is the fourth studio album by Scottish rock band Texas, released by Mercury Records on 3 February 1997. The album was the band's first number one on the UK Albums Chart, and became their biggest seller. A major commercial success for the band, it has been certified 6× Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry for shipments of over 1.8 million copies, and has sold 1.65 million as of January 2017.
Sharleen Eugene Spiteri is a Scottish singer and guitarist, best known as the lead singer of the rock band Texas. She has a contralto vocal range. In 2013, Texas's worldwide album sales were counted at 40 million records.
"I Don't Want a Lover" is the debut single of Scottish band Texas, taken from their first album, Southside (1989). The music starts with blues slide guitar followed by a throbbing rhythm section before the vocals break in. It was released in January 1989 and peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart.
"Black Eyed Boy" is the third single from Scottish rock band Texas's fourth studio album, White on Blonde (1997). The song was released on 28 July 1997 and reached number five on the UK Singles Chart. Elsewhere, the song reached the top 50 in Australia, Belgium, France, Ireland, Israel and Sweden.
"Inner Smile" is a song by Scottish alternative rock band Texas, originally released on their greatest hits album, The Greatest Hits (2000). Written by Gregg Alexander and Rick Nowels and arranged by Texas, the song is based on Alexander's unreleased demo "Inner Child", which was written and performed between 1995 and 1998.
"Hey God" is a song from American rock band Bon Jovi's sixth studio album, These Days (1995), released as the album's fifth and final single on June 24, 1996. Although it did not chart in the United States, it became a moderate hit in Canada and several European countries.
"In Demand" is a song by Scottish band Texas, written by Dallas Austin with band members Johnny McElhone and Sharleen Spiteri. The song was released in Europe on 25 September 2000 and in the United Kingdom on 2 October 2000 as the first single from their compilation album The Greatest Hits, reaching number six on the UK Singles Chart and number 10 in Spain.
"In Our Lifetime" is a song by Scottish pop rock band Texas. The first single from their fifth studio album, The Hush (1999), it was released on 12 April 1999 in Europe and on 19 April 1999 in the United Kingdom. The song peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart and became the band's second number one on the Scottish Singles Chart. It was also included on the soundtrack of the 1999 romantic comedy Notting Hill.
"Carnival Girl" is a song by Scottish band Texas featuring Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall. The single was released on 6 October 2003 and was the first to be taken from the band's seventh studio album, Careful What You Wish For (2003). The song reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart and became a top-20 hit in Denmark and Spain.
"Summer Son" is a song by Scottish band Texas, released as the second single from their fifth studio album, The Hush (1999). The song was released in Europe on 9 August 1999 and in the United Kingdom on 16 August 1999, peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart. In mainland Europe, "Summer Son" became one of the band's biggest hits, reaching the top five in Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Switzerland, and Wallonia. It has received gold certifications in Belgium and Germany and a silver certification in the United Kingdom.
"When We Are Together" is a song by Scottish band Texas from their fifth studio album, The Hush (1999). It was released as the third and final single from the album on 15 November 1999. The song debuted and peaked at No. 12 in the United Kingdom and spent nine weeks on the UK Singles Chart, and it became a top-20 hit in Finland, where it reached No. 17.
"Put Your Arms Around Me" is a song by Scottish alternative rock band Texas, released on 3 November 1997 by Mercury as the fourth single from their fourth studio album, White on Blonde (1997). The song peaked at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. The Autumn Breeze mix, which was the version released as a single, was included on the soundtrack to Ever After: A Cinderella Story.
"Halo" is a song by Scottish alternative rock band Texas, released on 7 April 1997 as the second single from their fourth studio album, White on Blonde (1997). The song was written by Texas frontwoman Sharleen Spiteri and guitarist Johnny McElhone and was produced by Texas and Mike Hedges. "Halo" debuted and peaked at number 10 on the UK Singles Charts. The music video, filmed in Hong Kong, features Spiteri and a Chinese woman acting as her "halo".
"Thrill Has Gone" is the second single released from Scottish band Texas's first studio album, Southside (1989). The song peaked at number 60 on the UK Singles Chart and number 19 in New Zealand, becoming their last top-20 hit there until "Say What You Want " in 1998.
"Alone with You" is the third and final single from Scottish band Texas' second album, Mothers Heaven (1991). It returned the band to the UK Singles Chart top 40 for the first time since 1989, reaching number 32. The song also reached number 28 in France, where it was released in late 1991.
"You Owe It All to Me" is a song by Scottish band Texas, released as the second single from their third studio album, Ricks Road (1993). It reached number 39 on the UK Singles Chart in October 1993.
"Insane" is a song by British band Texas and was the fifth and final single to be released from their fourth studio album White on Blonde. It was released as a double A-side with "Say What You Want " in 1998. The song was later included on their 2000 compilation album The Greatest Hits.
"Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)" is a song by American rock musician John Mellencamp. It was released as the first single from his 14th studio album, Mr. Happy Go Lucky (1996), and peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it his final top-40 hit in the US. In Canada, it gave Mellencamp his fourth number-one single on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, staying at number one for five weeks. It additionally reached the top 40 in Australia and New Zealand. The song's music video features American actor Matthew McConaughey.
"Hi" is a song by Scottish alternative rock band Texas featuring American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released as the lead single from their tenth studio album of the same name (2021). The track was written by Eddie Campbell, Robert Hodgens, Sharleen Spiteri, Johnny McElhone, Jack McElhone, Robert Diggs, and Dennis Cole and was produced by John McElhone and Angelica Bjornsson. The single was released in December 2020 through BMG.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)