The song was originally never intended to be released as a single, MCA Records wanted "Dance and Shout" to be the first single released from the Hot Shot album and didn't offer other tracks to DJs. Hawaiian DJ Pablo Sato downloaded the album from "a Napster-like MP3 site he won’t name" and discovered it "was the album’s standout cut." He played the song on the radio the next day. "The phone lines lit up right away. Within a couple of days, it was our number-one requested song."
The lyrics depict one man (Rikrok) asking his friend (Shaggy) what to do after his girlfriend caught him with another woman. Shaggy's advice is to deny everything with the phrase "It wasn't me", despite all evidence to the contrary.
Two versions of the song and video exist: the radio and television edit version replace the lyric "Picture this; we were both butt-naked banging on the bathroom floor" with "Picture this; we were both caught making love on the bathroom floor."
The song is particularly famous on the Case Western Reserve University campus for being played excessive amounts of times on the jukebox in the Leutner Commons Cafe.
The song was Shaggy's first number-one hit in the U.S., and the follow-up, "Angel," also reached number one. The single also reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on 4 March 2001, making the song a transatlantic chart topper. It also reached number one in Australia on April 1, 2001. It is also the 4th biggest selling single of the 21st century in the United Kingdom. Prior to this the song reached number 31 on import sales in the UK before its release.
Wasn't Me
Shaggy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Yo)
Open up, man
(Yeah, what do you want, man?)
My girl just caught me
(You let her catch you?)
I don't know how I let this happen
(With who?)
Man, I don't know what to do
(Say it wasn't you)
Alright
Honey came in and she caught me red-handed
Creepin' with the girl next door
Picture this, we were both butt naked
Bangin' on the bathroom floor
How could I forget that I had
Given her an extra key
All this time she was standing there
She never took her eyes off me
How yuh fi give the woman access to your villa?
Trespasser and a witness all the hacklin' a yuh pillow
You better watch your back before she turn into a killer
Let's review the situation that you're caught up inna
To be a true player, yuh haffi know how fi play
If she say, "A night," convince her say, "A day"
Never admit to a word when she say
And if she claims ah yuh, tell her, "Baby, no way"
But she caught me on the counter (it wasn't me)
Saw me bangin' on the sofa (it wasn't me)
I even had her in the shower (it wasn't me)
She even caught me on camera (it wasn't me)
She saw the marks on my shoulder (it wasn't me)
Heard the words that I told her (it wasn't me)
Heard the screams get louder (it wasn't me)
She stayed until it was over
Honey came in and she caught me red-handed
Creepin' with the girl next door
Picture this, we were both butt naked
Bangin' on the bathroom floor
I had tried to keep her from what
She was about to see
Why should she believe me
When I told her it wasn't me?
Make she know say that she really no have right fi vex
A never you she see yah make the gigolo flex
A smaddy else a favor you inna di complex
Seein' is believin', so you better change your specs
You know she a go bring a whole heap a things up from the past
All the likkle evidence, yuh better know fi mask
Quick pon yuh answer, know how fi talk
But if she pack a gun, you know you better run fast
But she caught me on the counter (it wasn't me)
Saw me bangin' on the sofa (it wasn't me)
I even had her in the shower (it wasn't me)
She even caught me on camera (it wasn't me)
She saw the marks on my shoulder (it wasn't me)
Heard the words that I told her (it wasn't me)
Heard the screams get louder (it wasn't me)
She stayed until it was over
Honey came in and she caught me red-handed
Creepin' with the girl next door
Picture this, we were both butt naked
Bangin' on the bathroom floor
How could I forget that I had
Given her an extra key
All this time she was standing there
She never took her eyes off me
Wanna tell her that I'm sorry
For the pain that I've caused
I've been listenin' to your reasonin'
It makes no sense at all
Need to tell her that I'm sorry
For the pain that I've caused
You may think that you're a player
But you're completely lost
That's why I sing
Honey came in and she caught me red-handed
Creepin' with the girl next door
Picture this, we were both butt naked
Bangin' on the bathroom floor
How could I forget that I had
Given her an extra key
All this time she was standing there
She never took her eyes off me
The song "It Wasn't Me" by Shaggy tells a story of a man who has been caught cheating on his girlfriend by the girl himself. He confesses the details of his infidelity to his friend, who advises him to deny everything instead of admitting to it. He then goes on to give excuses for why it could not have been him, but she saw him in various compromising positions with the other girl. In the end, he apologizes for the pain he caused and his own foolishness.
The song is not just a cleverly written tale of infidelity, but it is also a satirical commentary on the lengths to which some men will go to get out of trouble. The catchy hook and humorous lyrics made it an instant hit, and it remained at the top of the charts for several weeks. It has since become one of the most recognizable songs of the early 2000s.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, man
Addressing the listener
Open up, man
Asking the listener to open up
My girl just caught me
Admitting to being caught
I don't know how I let this happen
Confessing inability to control the situation
With who?
Asking the listener who they were caught with
The girl next door, ya know?
Naming the person they were caught with
Man, I don't know what to do
Expressing confusion and uncertainty
Say it wasn't you
Suggesting denial as a solution
Alright
End of conversation
Honey came in and she caught me red-handed
Confirming being caught in the act
Creeping with the girl next door
Reiterating the identity of the person they were caught with
Picture this we were both butt naked
Describing the scene of their affair
Banging on the bathroom floor
Describing the location of their affair
How could I forget that I had
Reflecting on their mistake
Given her an extra key
Acknowledging the reason for the girl's access to their home
All this time she was standing there
Realizing they were caught in the act for a while
She never took her eyes off me
Noting the girl's focus on them
How you can grant your woman access to your villa
Questioning the listener's decision-making
Trespasser and a witness while you cling to your pillow
Describing the risk taken and the listener's state of mind
You better watch your back before she turn into a killer
Warning about the girl's potential reaction
Let's review the situation that you're caught up inna
Analyzing the situation
To be a true player you have to know how to play
Asserting the importance of skill in relationships
If she say a night, convince her say a day
Advocating for manipulation to get what they want
Never admit to a word when she say
Proposing denial as a defense
And if she claims ah you tell her baby no way
Insisting on denial despite an accusation
She saw the marks on my shoulder (It wasn't me)
Denying evidence of the affair
Heard the words that I told her (It wasn't me)
Denying any confession made to the girl
Heard the screams get louder (It wasn't me)
Denying their involvement in any altercation during the affair
She stayed until it was over
Describing the girl's reaction to the affair
Gonna tell her that I'm sorry
Proposing an apology as a solution
For the pain that I've caused
Acknowledging the negative impact on the girl
I've been listening to your reasoning
Acknowledging having heard the girl's complaints and objections
It makes no sense at all
Dismissing the girl's point of view
We should tell her that I'm sorry
Reiterating the need for an apology
You may think that you're a player
Addressing the listener's self-image
But you're completely lost
Dismissing the listener's ability to navigate relationships
That's why I sing
Explaining the reason for the song
Lyrics © DistroKid, FRENCH FRIED MUSIC, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Allen Thomas, Brian Thompson, Charles Miller, Harold Brown, Lee Livitin, Leroy Jordan, Morris Dickerson, Orville Burrell, Ricardo Ducent, Scott Howard, Shaun Pizzonia, THOMAS ALLEN, LEE LEVITIN, HOWARD SCOTT
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