Bug a Boo


"Bug a Boo" is a song by American girl group Destiny's Child. It was written by band members Beyoncé Knowles, LeToya Luckett, LaTavia Roberson and Kelly Rowland along with Kandi Burruss and Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs for their second album The Writing's on the Wall, featuring production by the latter. The song uses interpolations of the 1978 song "Child's Anthem" by Toto.
The song was released as the album's second single on August 23, 1999. It peaked at number thirty-three on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside the United States, the song peaked within the top ten of the charts in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Chart performance

"Bug a Boo" debuted at number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 25, 1999 and ascended to number 33 before descending down the charts. Following the huge success of "Bills, Bills, Bills", "Bug a Boo" was a disappointment in its sales and airplay. It performed better on the R&B charts reaching number 15, but remains one of two Destiny's Child singles not to reach the top 10 on this chart. The song spent twenty weeks on the Hot 100. At the start of the Refugee Camp Remix version, the opening lyrics refer to the band doing "it right the second time". The single also made it to number 26 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart.
In the Netherlands the song peaked at number 6 on the Mega Single Top 100, it remained in the charts for 15 weeks and it had a lot of airplay on the radio stations.

Music video

Despite not being a big chart hit, the song's music video was very popular receiving lots of airplay from both MTV and BET music networks. It was also Destiny's Child first to chart on the popular TRL Top 10 countdown and the last music video to feature former members LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett. The video was directed by Darren Grant in July 1999.
In the video the group are walking down a shopping boulevard. Four men driving a red car who seem to be trying to attract their attention then approach them but the girls of Destiny's Child don't seem very interested as the men are "bugging" them. In another shot the girls trying to escape the men accidentally run into a men’s locker room where they see basketball star Kobe Bryant getting ready for a game. In the next shot the group are wearing cheerleader outfits doing a routine cheer with Wyclef Jean as bandleader. The marching band in the video were actual members of the UCLA Marching Band. Wyclef Jean is also seen clearly wearing the UCLA Drum Major uniform. The final shot shows the group back on the boulevard and fed up with hiding from the unwanted attention from the men in the car they give in and jump in the car and all drive off.
In the remix version of the video all the sequences are the same except in the shot where Wyclef is seen as the band leader. The remix then starts to play as the band, the cheerleaders, and even the players start to dance. The next shot shows the girls at a party salsa dancing with male partners while Wyclef raps. The video then finishes with the group back on the boulevard and fed up with hiding from the unwanted attention from the men in the car they give in and jump in the car and all drive off.
The original music video is featured on the video compilation The Platinum's on the Wall, whereas the video for the "Refugee Camp Remix" was never released to any disc, but could be later found on YouTube in low quality.
Beyoncé's gold two piece outfit from the shoot is on display at the Hard Rock Cafe restaurant in San Francisco, California.

Track listing

US Maxi-CD
  1. "Bug a Boo" – 3:31
  2. "Bug a Boo" 1 – 4:02
  3. "Bug a Boo" 2 – 8:08
  4. "Bug a Boo" 2 – 7:14
US promo 12" vinyl
Side A
  1. "Bug a Boo" 2 – 8:08
  2. "Bug a Boo" 1 – 4:02
Side B
  1. "Bug a Boo" 2 – 7:14
  2. "Bug a Boo" – 3:31
  3. "Bug a Boo" 2 – 5:58
UK promo single
  1. "Bug a Boo" – 3:31
UK Maxi-CD Part 1 CA 668188 2
  1. "Bug a Boo" – 3:31
  2. "So Good" – 3:14
  3. "Bills, Bills, Bills" – 4:16
  4. "Bills, Bills, Bills"
UK Maxi-CD Part 2 CA 668188 5
  1. "Bug a Boo" – 3:31
  2. "Bug a Boo" 1 – 4:02
  3. "Bug a Boo" 2 – 6:59
  4. includes a poster
European Maxi-CD COL 667779 5
  1. "Bug a Boo" – 3:31
  2. "Bug a Boo" 2 – 8:08
  3. "Bug a Boo" 2 – 7:14
  4. "Bug a Boo" – 3:55
European 2-track single
German promo SAMPCS 1510
  1. "Bug a Boo" – 3:31
  2. "Bug a Boo" 1 – 4:02
Australian Maxi-CD
  1. "Bug a Boo" – 3:31
  2. "Bug a Boo" 2 – 8:09
  3. "Bug a Boo" 2 – 7:14
  4. "Bug a Boo" – 3:13
Notes

Weekly charts

Year-end charts