"Hey Mama" is a song by American musical group

the Black Eyed Peas Black Eyed Peas (also known as The Black Eyed Peas) is an American musical group consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo. The group's line-up during the height of their popularity in the 2000s featured Fergie, who replaced Kim Hi ...

with additional vocals provided by British reggae singer

Tippa Irie Tippa Irie (born Anthony Henry, 1965, London, England) is a British reggae singer and DJ from Brixton, South London. He first came to prominence in the early 1980s as an MC on the South London reggae soundsystem Saxon Studio International. He fir ...

. It was released in 2004 as the third single from their 2003 album, ''

Elephunk ''Elephunk'' is the third studio album by the American musical group Black Eyed Peas. It was released on June 24, 2003, by the will.i.am Music Group and A&M Records. The album charted at number 14 on the American ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart an ...

'', and became a top-ten hit in 14 countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Recording and release

The song was recorded from March 7 to 8, 2003, at The Stewchia in

Los Feliz, Los Angeles Los Feliz (, ; Spanish for "The Feliz amily, ) is a hillside neighborhood in the greater Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, abutting Hollywood and encompassing part of the Santa Monica Mountains. The neighborhood is named after the Feli ...

. The single version of the song differs from the album version in that it cuts a verse from the end of the song and replaces it with an entirely new one performed by members

Taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...

and apl.de.ap (both of whom did not perform on the original album version), changes some of the lyrics, and slightly alters the instrumentals. "Hey Mama" reached 3 in Switzerland and No. 4 in Australia, Austria, and New Zealand. In the United Kingdom, it peaked No. 6, becoming their third top-ten hit there, and was also a success in Canada and the United States, reaching No. 9 on the Canadian Singles Chart and No. 23 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song was used to promote the 2004 film '' Garfield: The Movie'' which stars

Bill Murray William James Murray (born September 21, 1950) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan delivery. He rose to fame on ''The National Lampoon Radio Hour'' (1973–1974) before becoming a national presence on '' Saturday Nig ...

voicing the titular role. In the film, while not included on its soundtrack album, Garfield has a dance-off with Odie to the song, which was used in the advertisements for the film.

Music video

The music video features 3 main locations, the first shown being a psychedelic limbo, where the Black Eyed Peas do breakdancing and the main verse of the song is sung. The color scheme is mostly yellow, red, brown and off-white. The second is the vertically-black-and-white striped canvas-room. A few parts are sung in here, but the main one is the one featuring Fergie. The third is the club dance scene, which has many background characters dancing. Two versions of the video were made, one with apl.de.ap's and Taboo's rap verses and one without. Both versions add an instrumental breakdown to the end of the song.

Track listings

UK CD1 and Australian CD single # "Hey Mama" – 3:48 # "Positivity" (live from

House of Blues House of Blues is an American chain of live music concert halls and restaurants. It was founded by Isaac Tigrett, the co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, co-star of the 1980 film ''The Blues Brothers''. The first location opened at Ha ...

, Chicago) – 4:58 # "Release" (live from House of Blues, Chicago) – 3:07 # "Hey Mama" (video) UK CD2 and European CD single # "Hey Mama" – 3:48 # "Positivity" (live from House of Blues, Chicago) – 4:58 UK 12-inch single :A1. "Hey Mama" – 3:46 :B1. "Hey Mama" (instrumental) – 3:30 :B2. "The Boogie That Be" – 5:12

Personnel

Personnel are lifted from the ''

'' album booklet. The Black Eyed Peas *

will.i.am William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "Will-I-am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the founding and lead member of the musical group Black Eyed Peas. ...

–

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

, Moog synthesizer, drum programming,

Wurlitzer electric piano The Wurlitzer electronic piano is an electric piano manufactured and marketed by Wurlitzer from the mid-1950s to mid-1980s. Sound is generated by striking a metal reed with a hammer, which induces an electric current in a pickup. It is concept ...

production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...

* Fergie – vocals *

– vocals (only on the single/radio version) * apl.de.ap – vocals (only on the single/radio version) Additional musicians *

– vocals * Dante Santiago –

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are ...

Production personnel *

Tony Maserati Tony Maserati is an American record producer and audio engineer specializing in mixing. He was involved in the development of the New York R&B and hip-hop scene in the 1990s, working with Mary J. Blige, Notorious B.I.G., Puff Daddy, and Queen ...

– mixing

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{Authority control 2003 songs 2004 singles Black Eyed Peas songs Garfield (film series) Interscope Records singles Music videos directed by Fatima Robinson Song recordings produced by will.i.am Songs written by will.i.am