That's Not My Name
Encyclopedia
"That’s Not My Name" is the third single by British
duo The Ting Tings
from their debut studio album We Started Nothing
. Vocalist Katie White states that the song was written "with me ranting about my frustrations with the record industry." The song was originally released as a double A-side
with "Great DJ
" by independent record label Switchflicker Records
on 28 May 2007. After heavy promotion and support from BBC Radio 1
and the NME
, the single was re-released individually on 12 May 2008 on Columbia Records
.
"That's Not My Name" went to number one in the United Kingdom
on 18 May 2008, seeing off competition from well-established acts like Rihanna
, Madonna
and will.i.am
. The following week, however, the single was replaced by Rihanna's single "Take a Bow
" at number one. The song was a sleeper hit
in North America for about five months before finally becoming a Top 40 hit on the charts. The single has sold over a million digital copies.
describing it as "no-flab electro-pop nugget", while Q Magazine described it as "a snatch of Hey Mickey-style handclaps and a gobbily staccato vocal, stitched together to fashion a groove that’s as instant and familiar". Digital Spy
compared the single to a "well-shaken can of cola", and added "[the track is] brimming with sticky, yummy, fizzy goodness".
's "Mickey
," in keeping with the audio similarities. This video was directed by Sophie Muller
and Stacey Hartly
Columbia
produced a 2008 video for the US release, with director David Allain and with them performing again on a different set, with more equipment and flashing lights in the background. The video premiered on mtvU.com on 26 January 2009. Another video was made for the acoustic version. All videos are live action
. The third music video was directed by AlexandLiane
and features The Ting Tings in a park, where some people costumed by skeletons start to show themselves, with some words of the lyrics of That's Not My Name.
performed a version of this song in the Live Lounge
on BBC Radio 1
, changing the chorus to: "They call me 'blood'/ They call me 'rude boy
'/They call me oi/They call me mate/ ...They use the 'N-word
' like it's a game/ That's not my name..."
During the Pittsburgh Penguins
Stanley Cup
run in 2009, Pittsburgh radio station WDVE
did a spoof of the song entitled "That Is My Name" about Penguins player Evgeni Malkin
, in which a man sounding like Malkin sang about his multiple nicknames.
In 2010 Boston based radical cheerleading group Boston Sass Attack rewrote the song as an anti-catcalling cheer and performed it at TraniWreck
at number one on 18 May 2008, ending Madonna
and Justin Timberlake
's four-week reign at the top with "4 Minutes
". The following week, however, it slipped to number two after Rihanna
's "Take a Bow
" climbed to number one. In Ireland
, it peaked at number two for five consecutive weeks.
In Australia, after week after week of slow rising, it eventually peaked inside the top 10, and was certified Gold on 3 November. On the Australian Physical Singles Chart, it peaked at 20, and on the Australian Digital track chart at number eight. In the United States
, "That's Not My Name" has peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100
, giving the band their first top 40 there. The song was certified Gold on 2 April 2009, selling over 500,000 copies.
during the summer of 2008. A remixed version of the song was also used as the music for the PINK segment of the 2008 Victoria's Secret
Fashion Show (remixed by Cho Dongho). The song is also used in Slovenian mobile operator Mobitel's commercial for their new subscription package, Itak Džabest. This song is used in the trailer for the 2009 summer movie Post Grad, with Alexis Bledel, and on the shows 90210
on The CW, Brothers & Sisters on ABC, Taking the Stage
, and The City
on MTV, and in the movie Fired Up
.
. The character played by Charlie Day
, Dale, sang the song in a car.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
duo The Ting Tings
The Ting Tings
The Ting Tings are an English music duo comprising Jules de Martino and Katie White . They formed in December 2007 while based at Islington Mill Studios in Salford...
from their debut studio album We Started Nothing
We Started Nothing
We Started Nothing is the debut album by the English New Wave duo The Ting Tings. It was released by the Columbia Label Group on 19 May 2008 in the United Kingdom. The US edition has a different cover image in several background colours....
. Vocalist Katie White states that the song was written "with me ranting about my frustrations with the record industry." The song was originally released as a double A-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
with "Great DJ
Great DJ
"Great DJ" is the second single by English Indie pop band The Ting Tings. Vocalist Katie White states that the song was written by "playing a D chord on the guitar for hours, because that's all I could play. And then I put my finger on the wrong string, and got what I discovered was an augmented...
" by independent record label Switchflicker Records
Switchflicker Records
Switchflicker Records is an independent British record label based in Manchester, England. The company was established in 2000 by Jayne Compton...
on 28 May 2007. After heavy promotion and support from BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
and the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, the single was re-released individually on 12 May 2008 on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
.
"That's Not My Name" went to number one in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 18 May 2008, seeing off competition from well-established acts like Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
and will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
. The following week, however, the single was replaced by Rihanna's single "Take a Bow
Take a Bow (Rihanna song)
"Take a Bow" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from the re-release, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded , of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad . The song was written and produced by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen and Shaffer Smith, under their stage names Stargate and Ne-Yo...
" at number one. The song was a sleeper hit
Sleeper hit
A sleeper hit, a.k.a. surprise hit , refers to a film, book, single, album, TV show, or video game that gains unexpected success or recognition...
in North America for about five months before finally becoming a Top 40 hit on the charts. The single has sold over a million digital copies.
Critical reception
The single received favourable reviews from critics upon re-release, with the NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
describing it as "no-flab electro-pop nugget", while Q Magazine described it as "a snatch of Hey Mickey-style handclaps and a gobbily staccato vocal, stitched together to fashion a groove that’s as instant and familiar". Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
compared the single to a "well-shaken can of cola", and added "[the track is] brimming with sticky, yummy, fizzy goodness".
Music videos
The song has three music videos. The first features The Ting Tings on a white background performing the song on a set, with alternating scenes of Katie with blue and pink backgrounds. This version of the video was used to promote the song and album upon its 2007 release. This video is visually similar to the video for Toni BasilToni Basil
Antonia Christina Basilotta , better known by her stage name Toni Basil, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, filmmaker, film director, choreographer, and dancer, best known for her multi-million-selling worldwide #1 hit "Mickey" from 1982.-Early life:Basil was born Antonia Christina...
's "Mickey
Mickey (song)
"Mickey" is a 1982 U.S. new wave song recorded by singer and choreographer Toni Basil. Written by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn as "Kitty", it was first recorded by UK popular music group Racey during 1979...
," in keeping with the audio similarities. This video was directed by Sophie Muller
Sophie Muller
Sophie Muller is a British music video director, noted for her long-time collaborations with artists like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, No Doubt, Sade, Shakira, Shakespears Sister, Garbage, Blur, Annie Lennox and Eurythmics.-Background:...
and Stacey Hartly
Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
produced a 2008 video for the US release, with director David Allain and with them performing again on a different set, with more equipment and flashing lights in the background. The video premiered on mtvU.com on 26 January 2009. Another video was made for the acoustic version. All videos are live action
Live action
In filmmaking, video production, and other media, the term live action refers to cinematography, videography not produced using animation...
. The third music video was directed by AlexandLiane
AlexandLiane
Alex Large and Liane Sommers are a British directing team who have been based in Berlin since 2000. They have made music videos for Kylie Minogue, La Roux, Tiga, Take That, Cheryl Cole, Scissor Sisters, Dido, Mika, Bloc Party, The Ting Tings, Sam Sparro, Armand Van Helden, Tocotronic and...
and features The Ting Tings in a park, where some people costumed by skeletons start to show themselves, with some words of the lyrics of That's Not My Name.
Covers
Dizzee RascalDizzee Rascal
Dylan Kwabena Mills , better known by his stage name Dizzee Rascal, is a Ghanaian British rapper, songwriter and record producer. His music is a blend of garage, hip hop, grime, ragga, pop and electronic music, with eclectic samples and more exotic styles...
performed a version of this song in the Live Lounge
Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
, changing the chorus to: "They call me 'blood'/ They call me 'rude boy
Rude boy
Rude boy, rudeboy, rudie, rudi or rudy are common terms used in Jamaica. In the 1960s it was also used for juvenile delinquents and criminals in Jamaica, and has since been used in other contexts...
'/They call me oi/They call me mate/ ...They use the 'N-word
Nigger
Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...
' like it's a game/ That's not my name..."
During the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
run in 2009, Pittsburgh radio station WDVE
WDVE
WDVE is a mainstream rock music formatted radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA at 102.5 MHz. It is often referred to by Pittsburghers as simply "DVE." WDVE's transmitter is located on Pittsburgh's North Side...
did a spoof of the song entitled "That Is My Name" about Penguins player Evgeni Malkin
Evgeni Malkin
Evgeni "Geno" Vladimirovich Malkin is a Russian professional ice hockey center and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League ....
, in which a man sounding like Malkin sang about his multiple nicknames.
In 2010 Boston based radical cheerleading group Boston Sass Attack rewrote the song as an anti-catcalling cheer and performed it at TraniWreck
Chart performance
In the United Kingdom, the single entered the UK Singles ChartUK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number one on 18 May 2008, ending Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
and Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
's four-week reign at the top with "4 Minutes
4 Minutes (Madonna song)
"4 Minutes" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her eleventh studio album Hard Candy. It was released as the lead single from the album on March 17, 2008, by Warner Bros. Records. The song's development was motivated by a sense of urgency to save the planet from destruction, and...
". The following week, however, it slipped to number two after Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
's "Take a Bow
Take a Bow (Rihanna song)
"Take a Bow" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from the re-release, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded , of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad . The song was written and produced by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen and Shaffer Smith, under their stage names Stargate and Ne-Yo...
" climbed to number one. In Ireland
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
, it peaked at number two for five consecutive weeks.
In Australia, after week after week of slow rising, it eventually peaked inside the top 10, and was certified Gold on 3 November. On the Australian Physical Singles Chart, it peaked at 20, and on the Australian Digital track chart at number eight. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, "That's Not My Name" has peaked at number 39 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...
, giving the band their first top 40 there. The song was certified Gold on 2 April 2009, selling over 500,000 copies.
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... Singles Chart |
8 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 39 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
57 |
| Czech Airplay Chart | 7 |
| Danish Singles Charts | 10 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 | 7 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 8 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 23 |
| Turkey Top 20 Chart (Billboard) | 12 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1 |
| 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... |
39 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Platinum | 70,000+ |
| New Zealand | Gold | 7,500+ |
| United Kingdom | Platinum | 300,000+ |
| United States | Platinum | 1,141,280+ |
End of year charts
| Country | Chart | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | ARIA End of Year Singles | #48 |
| New Zealand | RIANZ End of Year Singles | #50 |
| United Kingdom | UK Year-end Singles Chart 2008 | #22 |
Use in advertising
The instrumental of the track was used in a UK cinema advert for BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
during the summer of 2008. A remixed version of the song was also used as the music for the PINK segment of the 2008 Victoria's Secret
Victoria's Secret
Victoria's Secret is an American retailer of women's wear, lingerie and beauty products. It is the largest segment of publicly-traded Limited Brands with sales of over US$5 billion and an operating income of $1 billion in 2006...
Fashion Show (remixed by Cho Dongho). The song is also used in Slovenian mobile operator Mobitel's commercial for their new subscription package, Itak Džabest. This song is used in the trailer for the 2009 summer movie Post Grad, with Alexis Bledel, and on the shows 90210
90210 (TV series)
90210 is an American teen drama television series developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. 90210 is the first series produced by CBS Productions under the company's re-launch, but is now produced by CBS...
on The CW, Brothers & Sisters on ABC, Taking the Stage
Taking the Stage
Taking the Stage is a musical reality show set at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is produced by Nick Lachey, a SCPA alumnnus, for MTV. The first season chronicled the lives of five high school students and their friends as they train for careers in the arts...
, and The City
The City (MTV series)
The City is an MTV reality television series. The first spin-off of MTV's, The Hills, it follows one of the show's former cast members, Whitney Port, as she moves to New York City to work for fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg. The program premiered on December 29, 2008 and concluded its first...
on MTV, and in the movie Fired Up
Fired Up (film)
Fired Up! is a 2009 teen comedy film produced and directed by Will Gluck and written by Freedom Jones. The main plot revolves around two popular high school football players who create their lie to attend cheerleading camp for the summer and get close to its female cheerleaders.-Plot:Nick Brady...
.
Use in film
The single was used in the 2011 film Horrible BossesHorrible Bosses
Horrible Bosses is a 2011 black comedy film directed by Seth Gordon, written by Michael Markowitz, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, based on a story by Markowitz. It stars Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx...
. The character played by Charlie Day
Charlie Day
Charles Peckham "Charlie" Day is an American television and film actor, from Middletown, Rhode Island, best known for playing Charlie Kelly on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia".-Early life:...
, Dale, sang the song in a car.