Diary (song)
Encyclopedia
"Diary" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys
from her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys
. Written by Keys and Kerry Brothers, Jr., the song features the American group Tony! Toni! Toné!
, and was released in June 2004 as the album's third single
. It was nominated for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
at the 2005 Grammy Awards.
At one time, "Diary" had been released as a double A-side with "If I Ain't Got You
". The song's Hani
remixes gave Keys her first—and so far only—chart-topper on the Hot Dance Club Play in late 2004. It also peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100
and number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
. Keys and Tony! Toni! Toné!, never sang the song live together, to date.
, directed by Lamont "Liquid" Burrell, Rod Isaacs, Jeff Robinson, and Brian Campbell, contains footage of several live concerts from both 2004's Verizon Ladies First Tour
, which Keys took part in, and her own 2005 The Diary Tour
. Tony! Toni! Toné! does not appear in the video, and their parts are instead performed by Jermaine Paul
, but he was not credited with being just a backing vocal Keys.
when she lived in New York City
, according to Keys' publicist, Lois Najarian. Callers who used the correct code (347) would have received a voicemail from Keys herself. However, after listening to the song, fans tried calling the number with different area codes, and one of them, 912, turned out to be the number of a retired pastor from Statesboro, Georgia
, named J.D. Turner. He claims to have received more than twenty calls a day from Keys' fans in the weeks after the song's release. This led to a $95 phone bill resulting from charges associated with the *69 last-call return option, which he used to track down each caller. Turner has declined to change his number, having held it for over fourteen years, and is using other methods to block unwanted calls.
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 and Kerry Brothers, Jr., the song features the American group 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...
, and was released in June 2004 as the album's third single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. It was nominated for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1970 and 2011. From 1967 to 1969 and in 1971 the award included instrumental performances...
at the 2005 Grammy Awards.
At one time, "Diary" had been released as a double A-side with "If I Ain't Got You
If I Ain't Got You
"If I Ain't Got You" is a song recorded, written, and produced by American recording artist Alicia Keys for her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys. Released in February 2004 as the album's second single, the song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Keys' second...
". The song's Hani
Hani (producer)
Hani is an American producer and remixer from New York City, New York whose restructuring of hits ranging from Michael Jackson to Alicia Keys have gone on to become club classics...
remixes gave Keys her first—and so far only—chart-topper on the Hot Dance Club Play in late 2004. It also peaked at number eight 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...
and number two on 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,...
. Keys and Tony! Toni! Toné!, never sang the song live together, to date.
Music video
The single's music videoMusic 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...
, directed by Lamont "Liquid" Burrell, Rod Isaacs, Jeff Robinson, and Brian Campbell, contains footage of several live concerts from both 2004's Verizon Ladies First Tour
Verizon Ladies First Tour
-Additional notes:*Elliot and Keys did not perform during the concert at Reliant Stadium. Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams replaced Tamia as the opening act.*Keys did not perform during the concert at the American Airlines Center....
, which Keys took part in, and her own 2005 The Diary Tour
The Diary Tour
The Diary Tour is the second concert tour by American singer-songwriter, Alicia Keys. The tour supports her second studio album The Diary of Alicia Keys. The show visited North America...
. Tony! Toni! Toné! does not appear in the video, and their parts are instead performed by Jermaine Paul
Jermaine Paul
Jermaine Paul is an American R&B/soul singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.-Early life:Jermaine Paul was raised in New York City. When eight years old, he began to acquire a reputation for singing while playing the drums at local churches and talent shows with his family...
, but he was not credited with being just a backing vocal Keys.
The phone number
The song's lyrics tell listeners that they can reach Keys by calling a particular number, 489-4608, which was her former telephone number minus the area codeTelephone numbering plan
A telephone numbering plan is a type of numbering scheme used in telecommunications to allocate telephone numbers to subscribers and to route telephone calls in a telephone network. A closed numbering plan, such as found in North America, imposes a fixed total length to numbers...
when she lived in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, according to Keys' publicist, Lois Najarian. Callers who used the correct code (347) would have received a voicemail from Keys herself. However, after listening to the song, fans tried calling the number with different area codes, and one of them, 912, turned out to be the number of a retired pastor from Statesboro, Georgia
Statesboro, Georgia
Statesboro is a city in southeast Georgia, United States, and is the county seat and most populous city of Bulloch County. Statesboro has a population of 28,422 and the Statesboro, GA Micropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 70,217...
, named J.D. Turner. He claims to have received more than twenty calls a day from Keys' fans in the weeks after the song's release. This led to a $95 phone bill resulting from charges associated with the *69 last-call return option, which he used to track down each caller. Turner has declined to change his number, having held it for over fourteen years, and is using other methods to block unwanted calls.
Track listings and formats
-
- U.S. promo CD single
- "Diary" (Radio Edit) — 4:28
- "Diary" (Instrumental) — 4:45
- "Diary" (Call Out Hook) — 0:10
- "Diary" (Radio Edit) (MP3 format) — 4:28
-
- 12"Promo / Maxi-Single
- A1 "Diary" (Radio Edit) — 4:28
- A2 "Diary" (Instrumental) — 4:45
- B1 "Diary" (Album Version) — 4:45
- B2 "Diary" (Acappella) — 4:45
-
- 12"Promo - HaniHani (producer)Hani is an American producer and remixer from New York City, New York whose restructuring of hits ranging from Michael Jackson to Alicia Keys have gone on to become club classics...
Mixes
- A "Diary" (Hani Extended Club Mix) — 9:00
- B1 "Diary" (Hani Mixshow) — 5:11
- B2 "Diary" (Hani Dub) — 6:11
- 12"Promo - Hani
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...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, 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... - Elijah Baker – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- 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...
- Kerry "Krucial" Brothers – digital programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
- Stockley Carmichael – 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... - Ann Mincieli – engineer
- Jermaine PaulJermaine PaulJermaine Paul is an American R&B/soul singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.-Early life:Jermaine Paul was raised in New York City. When eight years old, he began to acquire a reputation for singing while playing the drums at local churches and talent shows with his family...
– backing vocals - 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...
- Tim Christian Riley – piano
- John "Jubu" Smith – 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...
- Carl "Rev" Wheeler – WurlitzerWurlitzerThe Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to simply as Wurlitzer, was an American company that produced stringed instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments, theatre organs, band organs, orchestrions, electronic organs, electric pianos and jukeboxes....
, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with... - Dwayne "D. Wigg" Wiggins – guitar
Chart positions
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| 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... |
8 |
| U.S. 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,... |
2 |
| U.S. Hot Dance Club Play | 1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2004) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 34 |
| U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 4 |
| Chart (2005) | Position |
| U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 53 |
Decade-end charts
| Chart (2000–09) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 21 |