Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 2001
I Wanna Talk About Me
Buy I Wanna Talk About Me now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = I Wanna Talk About Me
| cover = Toby Keith - I Wanna Talk About Me.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Toby Keith
| album = Pull My Chain
| released = August 20, 2001
| recorded = 2000
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
* Country
* country rap
| length = 3:04
| label = DreamWorks
| writer = Bobby Braddock
| producer =
* James Stroud
* Toby Keith
| prev_title = I'm Just Talkin' About Tonight
| prev_year = 2001
| next_title = My List
| next_year = 2002
| misc =
}}
'"I Wanna Talk About Me"' is a song written by Bobby Braddock and recorded by American country music artist Toby Keith. The single was released on August 20, 2001 as the second single from Keith's 2001 album 'Pull My Chain'. The song was his seventh number one single on the US 'Billboard' Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Background
Braddock ("He Stopped Loving Her Today") initially intended the song for Blake Shelton's debut album, which Braddock produced. When audience testing of the song yielded negative results, Shelton's record label decided against including it on the album. Recalling the spoken-word verses of Keith's 1998 single "Getcha Some", Braddock then decided to pitch it to him.Keith, Toby (2002) [https://web.archive.org/web/20020212063831/http://www.tobykeith.com/music/song_song_pull_chain.shtml "Song By Song - Pull My Chain"] TobyKeith.com at The Internet Archive. Retrieved September 19, 2009
Keith told 'Billboard' magazine that he knew he would get "banged a little" for cutting the song. "They're going to call it a rap, [although] there ain't nobody doing rap who would call it a rap."'Billboard' magazine: August 4, 2001
Content
Similar to Keith's 1998 single "Getcha Some", "I Wanna Talk About Me" is cited as an example of country-rap, due to the use of a strong beat and rhythmically spoken lyrics. "I Wanna Talk About Me" tells of a male's frustration in his inability to converse with his partner, who wants to talk about herself. In the chorus, the singer states "I like talking about you, you, you, you, usually / But occasionally / I wanna talk about me". A musical strength of the song is its use of a I-V-vi-IV arpeggio played in a punchy rhythm.
Blake Shelton was originally slated to record the song. However, his label turned it down, as they thought it would be too risky of a debut single.
Critical reception
Ray Waddell, of 'Billboard' magazine said that men could relate to the song, "which Keith manages to sell through sheer force of personality." For 'The Washington Post', Paul Farhi called the song "a good-natured ditty" whose chorus "is either a justified demand for equal time or the response of an egotistical jerk." In contrast, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of All Music Guide called the song a "mocking macho white-rap" and the "weakest track" on 'Pull My Chain'.
Pat Haggerty of the Chicago Sun-Times stated that the song is a wonderful Saturday night anthem and that he can imagine a group of young boys and girls rocking out to it at a cabin.
Reviewing the music video, Edward Morris of Country Music Television called the video a "comic gem and all the proof...that Keith can handle any acting chore."
Music video
The music video was directed by Michael Salomon and shows Keith in many different situations, including a man shopping with his girlfriend or wife, a police officer, a pimp, a motorcycle rider, and a surgeon. It premiered on CMT on August 28, 2001.
Chart performance
"I Wanna Talk About Me" debuted at number 51 on the U.S. 'Billboard' Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of August 25, 2001.
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
Category:2001 singles
Category:2001 songs
Category:Toby Keith songs
Category:Country rap songs
Category:Songs written by Bobby Braddock
Category:Song recordings produced by James Stroud
Category:DreamWorks Records singles
Category:Music videos directed by Michael Salomon
Buy I Wanna Talk About Me now from Amazon
<-- Return to songs from 2001