"That's Not My Name" is the debut single of British musical duo the Ting Tings. The song was originally released as a double A-side with "Great DJ" by independent record label Switchflicker Records on 28 May 2007. After heavy promotion from BBC Radio 1 and the NME, the single was re-released individually on 12 May 2008 on Columbia Records. It was later included on their first studio album, We Started Nothing (2008).
Following the Columbia re-release, "That's Not My Name" debuted atop the UK Singles Chart, seeing off competition from well-established acts like Rihanna, Madonna, and will.i.am. The song was a sleeper hit in North America, peaking within the top 40 of the charts in the United States in August 2009. The single has sold over a million digital copies.
Composition
"That's Not My Name" is written in the key of E major with a tempo of 145 beats per minute. The vocals in the song span from G3 to G5. Vocalist Katie White stated that the song was written "with me ranting about my frustrations with the record industry."
Music videos
The song has three music videos. The first features the Ting Tings on a white background performing the song on a set, with alternating scenes of White with blue and pink backgrounds. This version of the video was used to promote the song and album upon its 2007 release. This video is visually similar to the video for Toni Basil's "Mickey", in keeping with the audio similarities. This video was directed by Sophie Muller and Stacey Hartly.
Columbia produced a 2008 video for the US release, with director David Allain and with them performing again on a different set, with more equipment and flashing lights in the background. The video premiered on mtvU.com on 26 January 2009. Another video was made for the acoustic version. All videos are live action. The third music video, known as the alternate video, was directed by AlexandLiane and features the Ting Tings in a desert ghost town. Double dutchers, cheerleaders, marching band drummers and sign spinners come out from the woods wearing black clothes with reflective material. The Ting Tings perform the song, while behind them the double dutchers skip rope, the cheerleaders cheer, the drummers drum, and the sign spinners spin signs featuring the names from the song's lyrics on them.
Reception
Critical
The single received favourable reviews from critics upon re-release, with the NME describing it as "no-flab electro-pop nugget", while Q magazine described it as "a snatch of Hey Mickey-style handclaps and a gobbily staccato vocal, stitched together to fashion a groove that's as instant and familiar". Digital Spy compared the single to a "well-shaken can of cola", and added "[the track is] brimming with sticky, yummy, fizzy goodness".
Commercial
In the United Kingdom, the single entered at the top of the UK Singles Chart on 18 May 2008 – for the week ending dated 24 May 2008 – ending Madonna and Justin Timberlake's four-week reign at the top with "4 Minutes". The following week, however, it slipped to number two after Rihanna's "Take a Bow" climbed to number one. In Ireland, it peaked at number two for five consecutive weeks.
In Australia, after slowly rising up the singles chart, it eventually peaked inside the top 10, and was certified Platinum in 2009. On the Australian Physical Singles Chart, it peaked at 20, and on the Australian Digital track chart at number eight. In the United States, "That's Not My Name" peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving the band their first top 40 there. The song was certified Gold on 2 April 2009, selling over 500,000 copies.
Covers and usage in media
Dizzee Rascal performed a version of this song in the Live Lounge on BBC Radio 1, changing the chorus to: "They call me 'blood'/ They call me 'rude boy'/They call me oi/They call me mate/ ...They use the 'N-word' like it's a game/ That's not my name..." During the Pittsburgh Penguins' Stanley Cup run in 2009, Pittsburgh radio station WDVE did a spoof of the song titled "That Is My Name" about Penguins player Evgeni Malkin, in which a man sounding like Malkin sang about his multiple nicknames. The song was also parodied as "He's Got My Name" for Cartoon Network's Johnny Test. Additionally, the song was used in a parody music video by Norwegian comedy duo Ylvis on their talk show I kveld med YLVIS (Tonight with YLVIS), titled "Jeg Heter Finn" ("My Name Is Finn").