Words I Never Said
{{Short description|2011 song by Lupe Fiasco}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Words I Never Said
| cover = Lupe Fiasco - Words I Never Said.png
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Lupe Fiasco featuring Skylar Grey
| album = Lasers
| released = February 8, 2011
| recorded = 2010
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| length = 4:21
| label = {{flatlist|
}}
| writer = {{flatlist|
}}
| producer = Alex da Kid
| chronology = Lupe Fiasco
| prev_title = The Show Goes On
| prev_year = 2010
| next_title = Out of My Head
| next_year = 2011
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Skylar Grey
| type = singles
| prev_title = I Need a Doctor
| prev_year = 2011
| title = Words I Never Said
| year = 2011
| next_title = Dance Without You
| next_year = 2011
}}
}}
"Words I Never Said" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Lupe Fiasco, released February 8, 2011, as the second single from his third studio album Lasers.{{cite web|author=Amazon Mp3 |url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MAB1OS |title=Words I Never Said: Lupe Fiasco: MP3 Downloads |website=Amazon |date= |accessdate=2011-02-08}} The song was produced by British music producer Alex da Kid and features vocals from American singer-songwriter Skylar Grey. The song contains references to controversial political and socioeconomic topics, including the September 11 attacks, government fiscal policy, and the Gaza War.{{cite web|author=MTV News|author-link=MTV News|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1657049/lupe-fiasco-words-i-never-said.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110204012203/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1657049/lupe-fiasco-words-i-never-said.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 4, 2011 |title=Lupe Fiasco Gets Political On 'Words I Never Said'|publisher=mtv.com|date= |accessdate=2011-03-31}} The song's message of standing up for the people and being against the government has been used as a theme song for Internet group Anonymous. It was named the 41st best song of 2011 by XXL magazine.[http://www.xxlmag.com/features/2011/12/top-100-songs-of-2011/#101]{{dead link|date=March 2012}}
Background
A teaser video was uploaded on YouTube on January 18, 2011, featuring only samples of lyrics and audio from the song. 'Words I Never Said' officially premiered on Lupe Fiasco's website on February 1, 2011, along with its single cover. When the full audio was released, #wordsineversaid was a trending topic on Twitter.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/LupeFiasco/status/32457717780062208 |title=Twitter / Lupe Fiasco: thank you lasers for trend |publisher=Twitter.com |date=2011-02-01 |accessdate=2012-03-15}} It became available to stores and iTunes on February 8, 2011.{{cite web|author=iTunes Store |url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/words-i-never-said-feat-skylar/id418508752?i=418508753 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211044703/http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/words-i-never-said-feat-skylar/id418508752?i=418508753 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 11, 2011 |title=Words I Never Said (feat. Skylar Grey) - Single |publisher=iTunes |date= |access-date=2011-02-08}}
On February 18, 2011, in an interview with DJ Semtex on BBC 1Xtra, Lupe revealed that the record was given to him by Atlantic, but he cut out a bridge sung by Skylar Grey, who meant for it to be a song about relationships.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00y6pf1/Hip_Hop_with_Semtex_Lupe_Fiasco_and_Sway_Freestyle!/ |title=Hip Hop with Semtex, Lupe Fiasco, and Sway Freestyle|publisher=BBC.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2011-02-18}} This is the second time Fiasco and Grey have been featured on a track together, the first being "Be Somebody" from Fort Minor's album The Rising Tied, with Grey performing under the name Holly Brook.
The song, which was one of the last written for the album, can also be interpreted as a thinly disguised message aimed at Atlantic Records producer, who in Fiasco's opinion forced a lot of material on the album that did not sit right with him.{{cite news|author=Angus Batey |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/mar/03/lupe-fiasco-lasers-atlantic |title=Lupe Fiasco: 'I have the right to speak out' | Angus Batey | Music |work=The Guardian |date= March 3, 2011|accessdate=2012-03-15 |location=London}}
Music video
On April 29, 2011, the official music video for "Words I Never Said" was premiered by MTV and later onto YouTube. It was directed by Sanaa Hamri, who was previously directing Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass".
Use in popular media
British rapper Lowkey sampled the lyric "Limbaugh is a racist, Glenn Beck is a racist, Gaza Strip was getting bombed, Obama didn’t say shit" from the first verse of "Words I Never Said", for the chorus in his song "Obama Nation (Pt. 2)", featuring M-1 and Black the Ripper, from Lowkey's second studio album Soundtrack to the Struggle (2011).
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"|Chart (2011)
!scope="col"|Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com|title=Billboard - Music Charts, News, Photos & Video|publisher=}}
|89 |
| scope="row"|US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2011-05-28/r-and-b-hip-hop-digital-songs|title=R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs : May 28, 2011 - Billboard Chart Archive|magazine=Billboard}}
|26 |
Skylar Grey version
{{Infobox song
| name = Words
| cover = Words Skylar Grey.jpeg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Skylar Grey
| album = The Buried Sessions of Skylar Grey
| released = {{Start date|2015|3|10}}
| recorded = 2010
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Synthpop
| length = {{duration|m=5|s=06}}
| label = {{flatlist|
}}
| writer = {{flatlist|
}}
| producer =
| prev_title = I Know You
| prev_year = 2015
| next_title = Addicted to Love
| next_year = 2015
}}
Grey's solo record of Words I Never Said under the title of Words was first released in 2012, and included on her extended play The Buried Sessions of Skylar Grey, released on January 17, 2012.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/the-buried-sessions-of-skylar-grey-single/1445282887|title=The Buried Sessions of Skylar Grey - Single by Skylar Grey|website=iTunes |date=17 January 2012|publisher=}} After that, the song was also included on the Step Up Revolution film soundtrack, along with another track by the singer, called "Dance Without You" and songs by other artists like Fergie, Jennifer Lopez, Yelawolf, and many more. On March 10, 2015, Skylar Grey officially released the song on iTunes.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/words-single/972189628|title=Words - Single by Skylar Grey|website=iTunes |date=10 March 2015|publisher=}}
=Background=
This song was dedicated to her grandfather who has died. She never really spent time with her grandfather because of her music career.{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/Skylar-grey-words-lyrics|title=Skylar Grey – Words}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Lupe Fiasco singles}}
{{Skylar Grey}}
Category:Song recordings produced by Alex da Kid
Category:Music videos directed by Sanaa Hamri
Category:Songs written by Skylar Grey
Category:Songs written by Alex da Kid
Category:Songs written by Lupe Fiasco
Category:Atlantic Records singles