Say It Right by Nelly Furtado

Album: Loose (2006)

Charted: 10 1

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

"Say It Right" has a sultry and mysterious vibe with seemingly paradoxical lyrics: "you don't mean nothing at all to me," followed by "you could mean everything to me."

Nelly Furtado often writes her lyrics to evoke a feel and to sing well over the beat, which is the case here. She admitted that she doesn't know what the song is about. Said Furtado, "It captures the feeling I had when I wrote it, and it taps into this other sphere."
Timbaland and Nate Hills produced this track and helped Furtado write it. They experimented a great deal, coming up with layers of distinctive sounds. Furtado adapted her vocals to fit the track.
With its poetic lyrics and layered keyboard sound, The Eurythmics hit "Here Comes The Rain Again" was an influence on this song.
"Say It Right" was a huge hit for Furtado, charting around the world and hitting #1 in America. She emerged from the Toronto music scene in 2000 with the hits "I'm Like A Bird" and "Turn Off The Light," occupying a space somewhere between Britney Spears dance-pop and Jewel singer-songwriter. With her Loose album in 2006, she joined music's A-list. The single "Promiscuous" was a monster hit, and the next one, "Maneater," was also huge. "Say It Right" came next.

The next single was the somewhat prophetic "All Good Things (Come To An End)," co-written with Chris Martin of Coldplay. Furtado never returned to the Top 10 in America and left the scene for long periods to focus on family.
The glamorous music video got a lot of spins on MTV and on their Canadian counterpart, MuchMusic. It starts with Furtado arriving in a helicopter with her name on it. From there, there's no real plot but a few costume changes and some dancers. Timbaland is in it as well - you can also spot him in the "Promiscuous" video.
Furtado wasn't the only singer having hits with Timbaland tracks in 2006 and 2007. He also produced Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds album, with the hits "SexyBack," "My Love" and "What Goes Around... Comes Around." Timbaland had been making hits for a decade by this point, dating back to Ginuwine's "Pony" in 1996.
The music industry was shifting away from CDs and embracing downloads around this time. "Say It Right" wasn't released as a physical single - it was digital only. In America, it sold 4 million downloads (you could get the song for 99 cents on iTunes) and another 1 million ringtones. In the UK, it became the highest-charting digital-only single when it reached #10 (Oasis tied that record with their digital-only "Lord Don't Slow Me Down" in November 2007).

Comments: 17

Mt from UsIt was her soul that was talking in this song. Her soul was talking about choosing between good and bad, how the soul feels trapped in the place we live. The bridge of the song is written in the perspective of the Master of this universe that has created her body, her soul and the Master knows a place in her body that is of True LIGHT. The Master of this universe is questioning her: Do you really want to leave her? Because the Master of this world can entice her.
Megan from Stevenson, AlThis would be perfect marching band music:) lol drums and bells...great idea if I was a band director! HA!
Riki from Tampere, FinlandThe song isn't really the type of music I like, and it isn't really great in any way, but yet, I like it.
It has a certain feeling in it. Gloomy, shady... Hard to explain...
Theresa from Murfreesboro, TnThis song has a cool Miami Vice feel to it, her most interesting song ever.
Elmer from Honolulu, HiThis song is supposedly about Fergie.... Nelly Furtado thought Fergie was talking crap about her on her Dutchess album, and came out with Say It Right as a "response" to that. (Don't believe me? Google it! Nelly actually confirmed this on radio and supposidly MTV.)
- Andrea, Vancouver, Canada

Reply:
Maybe you are talking about "Give It To Me" because she said that she doesn't knows what "Say It Right" about.
Andrea from Vancouver, Canada This song is supposedly about Fergie....
Nelly Furtado thought Fergie was talking crap about her on her Dutchess album, and came out with Say It Right as a "response" to that. (Don't believe me? Google it! Nelly actually confirmed this on radio and supposidly MTV.)
Caitlin from Upper Township, NjI have a strange feeling for this song. It's rhythmic beat sets this fun carefree pace for the moment. For some reason, it always seems to remind me of summer of 2007,when i first heard it.
Elmer from Honolulu, HiSay It Right is the most succesful song for Nelly Furtado, selling almost eight million copies worldwide.
Elmer from Honolulu, Hi"http://www.freewebs.com/elmerson82193/index.htm", it's the website of my personal chart and you can see there that "Say It Right" is the most successful song in my chart. The song is catchy, club-beat and interesting, i can say that the song is one of the most successful song in music history.
Kali from Van Nuys, CaI don't know what its about either but in my perfect worLd this song wouLd be about a reaLtionship in its earLy stages. Like...You don't mean anything to me right now, but it you'll onLy give me a chance we couLd be amazing together. "You've got what it takes to set me free. Oh you couLd mean everything to me". Man...idk...but that's what I Like to think when I hear this song. Even if I am wrong...It makes sense in my head!
Emma from Brisbane, AustraliaYeah its a pretty cool song i like it but i want the old nelly furtado back.
Gerrit from Dillon, CoI guess I am with all of you. I can listen to this song over and over again. I don't know what it is about this song, maybe the the rhythm, maybe the drum beat. I don't know. I certainly am not getting tired of listening to it. There is definetly something magical about it.
Paul Marlo from Perthbest song of 2007 so far!
Danny from Kiev, Otherit'a all about the drums, rythm and back vocals... it's magical...
Chelsea from Wichita, KsGod there's just something about this song,I cam listen to it forever!
Alex from Puerto La Cruz, South Americai love this song. Before it was a single i used to go to bed listening to this song, it has something that i just cant define...!
i love it
Max Robertson from Morrison, IlThis song is really interesting. I'm not a fan of Nelly Furtado, but I find myself listening to this fairly often.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Wrecking BallMiley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus didn't write "Wrecking Ball" but could very much relate to it. She was having problems in her relationship with Liam Hemsworth, so the theme of giving your love only to have it wrecked really resonated with her.

Just A GirlNo Doubt

Gwen Stefani wrote "Just a Girl" as a message to her overprotective father.

Bitter Sweet SymphonyThe Verve

"Bittersweet Symphony" by The Verve samples an obscure orchestral arrangement of the 1965 Rolling Stones song "The Last Time." The Verve had to sign away most of the royalties before they could release the song.

Midnight RiderThe Allman Brothers Band

A roadie for the Allman Brothers came up with the line "The road goes on forever" for "Midnight Rider," and got a songwriting credit for his contribution.

WomanizerBritney Spears

"Womanizer" was Britney Spears' comeback song, going to #1 about 10 months after she was institutionalized to get treatment for addictions and mental health issues.

Video Killed The Radio StarBuggles

"Video Killed The Radio Star" by Buggles was the first video to air on MTV when the network started broadcasting on August 1, 1981.