Whenever I Say Your Name

2003 single by Sting and Mary J. Blige
and Love & Life Released8 December 2003Length5:25LabelA&MSongwriter(s)StingProducer(s)
  • Sting
  • Kipper
Sting singles chronology
"Send Your Love"
(2004) 		"Whenever I Say Your Name"
(2004) 		"Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing)"
(2004)
Mary J. Blige singles chronology
"Not Today"
(2004) 		"Whenever I Say Your Name"
(2004) 		"It's a Wrap"
(2004)
Music video"Whenever I Say Your Name" on YouTube

"Whenever I Say Your Name" is a duet recorded by English musician Sting and American singer Mary J. Blige, for Sting's seventh studio album Sacred Love (2003). It was written and produced by Sting, and co-produced by Mark "Kipper" Eldridge. Although not originally included on Blige's sixth studio album Love & Life (2003), the track was subsequently added to its international reissue.

"Whenever I Say Your Name" was released as the second single from Sacred Love, and the fourth single from Love & Life, on 8 December 2003, by A&M Records. It peaked at number 60 on the UK Singles Chart, marking Sting's lowest-peaking single since "They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo)" (1988), and Blige's lowest-peaking single ever. Despite its commercial underperformance, the song won Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards (2004).

Background

"Whenever I Say Your Name" was written and produced by Sting for his seventh studio album Sacred Love (2003).[1] Production was helmed by Sting and Mark "Kipper" Eldridge.[1] The singer felt inspired to work with Blige ever since they performed together on the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards. In 2003, he told LAUNCHcast: "I was totally blown away by her passionate, open singing [...] I had decided on that night that I'd love to write a song for her one day, and I came up with this idea of "Whenever I Say Your Name" – that's perfect for her, you know? It's very romantic. It also has a kind of religious component – you know, she's very churchy in the way she sings."[2]

Critical reception

Alan Light from The Los Angeles Times described "Whenever I Say Your Name" as "a knockout duet,"[2] while Entertainment Weekly's Tom Sinclair called it a "erotically charged duet" and further wrote: "[Sting] unites the secular and the sacred with the phrase "Whenever I say your name, I’m already praying"."[3] Riff Magazine's Alexander Baechle found that "Blige oozes exuberance on "Whenever I Say Your Name." Both Blige and Sting take the opportunity to play to their strengths. Sting begins the tune with a characteristically moody, subtle verse. Imperceptibly, the song morphs into a borderline funk romp, pushing Blige’s power vocals to the fore."[4]

Music video

A music video for "Whenever I Say Your Name" was directed by frequent Sting collaborator Jim Gable.[5]

Track listings

All tracks written by Sting.[6]

CD single[6]
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Whenever I Say Your Name" (radio version)
  • Sting
  • Kipper
4:03
2."Whenever I Say Your Name" (Will.I.Am remix featuring The Black Eyed Peas)
  • Sting
  • Kipper
  • will.i.am[a]
4:03
3."Whenever I Say Your Name" (Salaam's Groove mix)
  • Sting
  • Kipper
  • Salaam Remi[a]
4:48
4."Whenever I Say Your Name" (Billy Mann mix)
3:53

Notes

  • ^[a] denotes remix producer

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Sacred Love.[1]

  • Mary J. Blige – vocals
  • Kipper – producer
  • Simon Osborn – engineer
  • Sting – producer, vocals, writer

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Whenever I Say Your Name"
Chart (2003–2004) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[7] 6
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] 60
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[9] 50
UK Singles (OCC)[10] 60

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Whenever I Say Your Name"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 8 December 2003 CD

References

  1. ^ a b c Sacred Love (Media notes). Sting. A&M Records. 2003.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ a b Light, Alan (24 August 2003). "Lost and found". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  3. ^ Sinclair, Tom (3 October 2003). "Sacred Love". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  4. ^ Baechle, Alexander (15 March 2021). "ALBUM REVIEW: Sting brings out the best in his guests on 'Duets'". riffmagazine.com. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  5. ^ Marienberg, Evyatar (6 January 2021). Sting and Religion: The Catholic-Shaped Imagination of a Rock Icon. Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 978-1-7252-7226-2. Retrieved 4 March 2024 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ a b "Whenever I Say Your Name – CD Single". Discogs. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Sting & Mary J Blige – Whenever I Say Your Name" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Sting & Mary J Blige – Whenever I Say Your Name" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  9. ^ "Sting & Mary J Blige – Whenever I Say Your Name". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  10. ^ "Sting & Mary J Blige: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  11. ^ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. London. November 29, 2003. p. 31. Retrieved June 2, 2024 – via World Radio History.
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