Length 4:37 | Label Big Beat | |
Released 17 February 1994 (U.S.)
30 May 1994 (UK) Format 12-inch maxi single
CD single
Digital download Genre Reggae
dancehall
rocksteady Writer(s) Dawn Penn
Bo Diddley
Willie Cobbs | ||
"You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" is a song by Jamaican recording artist Dawn Penn from her debut studio album, No, No, No (1994). The song's lyrics are credited to Penn, Bo Diddley and Willie Cobbs, and production was handled by Steely and Clevie. Penn recorded a song in 1967 called "You Don't Love Me", which incorporates elements of the music and lyrics of Cobbs' 1960 song "You Don't Love Me". The Cobbs song was, in turn, based on Diddley's 1955 song "She's Fine, She's Mine". Thus, both are credited as songwriters on Penn's recording. In 1994, after a 17-year break from the music industry, she re-recorded a dancehall version of the song retitled "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)".
Contents
Penn's 1994 version of the song became a commercial success worldwide. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number three on the Singles Chart. The song also reached the top 20 in Austria and Switzerland, and the top 40 in the Netherlands and New Zealand. In the United States, the single also charted at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and at number 42 on the Hot R&B Singles chart. Multiple recording artists have performed cover versions and sampled "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" in their own works. Barbadian singer Rihanna remade the song for her debut studio album, Music of the Sun (2005), and American entertainer Beyoncé performed the song on her I Am... World Tour concert tour (2009–10).
Background
In Jamaica in 1967, Penn recorded a song titled "You Don't Love Me", which "she first sang for Studio One, although the song itself originated in the American south, courtesy of R&B singer Willie Cobbs". Cobb himself had based his song on blues singer Bo Diddley's 1955 recording "She's Fine, She's Mine". Penn's cover of Cobb's song was recorded at Kingston's Studio One by influential producer Coxsone Dodd. Dodd, who had lived for a while in the United States, imported American rhythm and blues records to play for his sound system entertainment businesses. Penn's song used lyrical and melodic elements of Cobbs' song, but was performed in the emerging rocksteady style – a precursor to reggae. It starts out with a drum roll, "then a chugging bass line kicks in and Penn's dreamy voice wails":
No no no, you don't love me and I know now (2×) 'Cause you left me baby, and I got no place to go now ...Dawn Penn's "You Don't Love Me" was successful in Jamaica, where it was a major hit. She recorded some other songs due to the positive feedback and reviews of "You Don't Love Me", such as "Blue Yes Blue" and a reggae cover version of Scottish singer Lulu's "To Sir, with Love". Despite her initial success, Penn decided to take a break from singing, which lasted 17 years. In the late 1980s, after working for banks, accountant agencies, and airlines, she returned to Jamaica in the hopes of reviving her career. In the early 1990s, she re-recorded a version of "You Don't Love Me" with the new title "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)". The noted Jamaican production team Steely and Clevie produced it and it featured an updated dancehall arrangement. Songwriting is credited to Penn, Cobbs, and Diddley.
Chart performance
In the United States, "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" peaked at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; it remained on the chart for 12 weeks. It also peaked at number 42 on the Hot R&B Singles chart, number 41 on the Hot R&B Airplay chart, and number 45 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. In the Wallonia region of Belgium, "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" debuted at number 44 on the chart week of 23 July 1994, and peaked at number eight in its eighth week; it remained on the chart for a total of 13 weeks. The song placed within the top 20 in Austria and Switzerland, peaking at numbers 13 and 17, respectively. "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" also reached number 25 in New Zealand and number 38 in the Netherlands, and peaked at number 41 in both France and Germany. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number nine on the UK Singles Chart during the week of 11 June 1994, later peaking at number three and remaining in the position for two consecutive weeks.
Formats
- "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" (Extended Mix) – 4:35
- "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" (Instrumental Dub) – 3:02
- "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" (Original Radio Edit) – 3:19
- "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" (Remix) – 5:13
- "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" (Remix Instrumental) – 6:07
- "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" (Album version) – 4:37
Covers and other versions
Reggae group Aswad sampled "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" for their song "You're No Good", taken from their album Rise and Shine (1994). "You're No Good" peaked at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart on 2 February 1995.
Female rapper Eve released a cover version with brothers Damian Marley and Stephen Marley on her 2001 album Scorpion. Maurice Bottomley for PopMatters reviewed the song, writing "Stephen Marley leads Eve through a note-for-note re-creation of the Dawn Penn (‘90s version) rocksteady classic “No, No, No”. She sings it well enough, but it adds nothing to the original (literally)."
British music DJ's Hexstatic included a mix of the song on "Mr. Scruff's Ninja Tune Megamix" (Hexstatic Edit) by DJ Food on their 2002 DJ mix album Listen & Learn.
Barbadian recording artist Rihanna recorded a cover version of the song as a duet with dancehall recording artist Vybz Kartel, for her debut studio album Music of the Sun (2005). It was produced by Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken and D. "Supa Dups" Chin-quee. Jason Birchmeier, writing for AllMusic, described Rihanna's cover as "catchy", while Chantal Jenoure, writing for The Jamaica Observer, labelled it as "hilarious".
English recording artist Lily Allen sampled the song for her "Shame for You", included on her debut studio album, Alright, Still (2006). Lucy Davies for the BBC reviewed the song, writing "Many of her reggae-fused songs stick in your head whilst you desperately suss out why they're familiar, but she rips off her influences with a comic acknowledgement, like 'Shame for You', which blatantly lifts the chorus hook from 'You Don't Love Me (No No No)' by Dawn Penn".
In 2007, American rapper Ghostface Killah covered the song on his compilation album, Hidden Darts: Special Edition, which consists of his rare album B-sides, unreleased songs and mixtape tracks.
American recording artist Beyoncé performed a part of the song on her I Am... World Tour concert tour (2009–10). After being lifted out of a 20-foot train by a harness and over the audience, she was lowered to the B-stage, where she finished one song and continued with Penn's "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)". It was later included on the CD/DVD release of the tour.
In 2010, American recording artist Usher sampled You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" for his song "Pro Lover", from his studio album Raymond v. Raymond (2010).