Me, Myself and I (Beyoncé song)

After the release of her former group Destiny's Child's third studio album Survivor (2001), Beyoncé worked on her debut solo studio album, Dangerously in Love. She stated that it was more personal than her previous records because she only had to write for herself. She contacted various musical collaborators, including Scott Storch and Robert Waller. Following the release of the song, Beyoncé told Corey Moss of MTV News: "['Me, Myself and I'] is really powerful. It talks about women basically listening to their inner voice and knowing that they will never disappoint themselves." "Me, Myself and I" was the third single released from Dangerously in Love, which followed "Crazy in Love" featuring Jay-Z and "Baby Boy" featuring Sean Paul. It was sent to rhythmic contemporary and urban contemporary radio on October 19, 2003. A CD single was released on October 21, 2003, in the United States, which contained Junior Vasquez's dance radio mix of "Krazy in Luv" as its B-side. It officially impacted contemporary hit radio in the United States on November 12, 2003. On December 16, 2003, a 12-inch single was released in the United States. The single was released in selected European countries in January 2004, including Austria, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland. "Me, Myself and I" was released in the United Kingdom as a maxi single on January 12, 2004, as two CD singles and a 12-inch vinyl single; the first disc included a radio edit of the song and "Dangerously in Love 2" (2003), and the second one contained two remixes of "Me, Myself and I"; one of the remixes, the "J'Ty" remix, features a sample of Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz' "Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)", which itself was based on an uncleared sample of Steely Dan's "Black Cow". In 2004, the single was also released in the United Kingdom on an enhanced CD that included videos of live performances of "Naughty Girl" (2003) and "Work It Out" (2002). In Canada, a CD single was released on December 30, 2003, featuring the album version and two remixes of the track. A CD single was released in Australia on January 16, 2004, which included the radio edit and three remixes of the track. The song was also released as a maxi single on January 19, 2004, and later as a three-track single in Germany. ==Composition==

According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Music Publishing, "Me, Myself and I" is an R&B song performed in a moderately slow manner. and the song has a string arrangement. According to Ryan Schreiber of Pitchfork Media, the song's instrumentation consists of a blending of funk keyboards, a slippery bass and minimal, programmed R&B percussion instruments. According to Neil Drumming of Entertainment Weekly, "Me, Myself and I" is similar to the Destiny's Child song "Say My Name" (2000), in terms of " ... its specificity and earnestness ... " and the way Beyoncé defends " ... her chastity [a]gainst some greedy boy ... ." This was echoed by James Poletti of Yahoo! Music who wrote that the song hints at what is to come as the warbling begins to move into overdrive on " ... a faintly sickly, if admirably slick, ode to that old Destiny's Child staple ... ", independence and self-belief in the face of a cheating man. == Critical reception ==

Mark Anthony Neal of PopMatters said: "Beyoncé sounds assured" in her singing of the song and " ... lacking any of the 'shrill overboard' that describes some of the 'melisma fits' ... that marked earlier vocal efforts." Ryan Schreiber of Pitchfork Media noted the song as the "most notable 80s throwback" of the album, as its "augmented chords" call to mind Patti Austin and James Ingram's 1983 single "Baby, Come to Me" and Michael Jackson's 1983 single "Human Nature", or a decelerated version of "Baby Be Mine", from Jackson's 1982 album, Thriller. Neil Drumming of Entertainment Weekly said: Me, Myself, and I rides Storch's signature gangsta guitar, mellowed for Beyoncé's lovesick lament ...  Spence D., writing for IGN Music considered "Me, Myself and I" as a typical sounding R&B ballad with a familiar theme, and in which Beyoncé sings with passion. Awards and nominations At the 2005 American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Pop Music Awards, Beyoncé received the Songwriter of the Year award, sharing it with Storch and Waller. It was recognized as Most Performed Song in 2005, alongside Beyoncé's "Baby Boy" and "Naughty Girl". Beyoncé's live version of "Me, Myself and I" from The Beyoncé Experience Live gained a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009. == Commercial performance ==

"Me, Myself and I" failed to equal the chart-topping performances of "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy". However, like "Baby Boy" and "Naughty Girl", "Me, Myself and I" attained more immediate and commercial success than its predecessors. After its release, the album ascended the US Billboard 200 chart and was certified as multi-platinum. On November 16, 2003, the single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 96, while "Baby Boy" was still at number one. 14 weeks after its debut, the single peaked at number 4 for two weeks, becoming the third consecutive top five release from Dangerously in Love and Beyoncé's fourth consecutive top five hit. "Me, Myself and I" remained on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 24 weeks. On January 30, 2009, the single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). By October 6, 2010, "Me, Myself and I" had sold 119,000 CD copies in the US. The single was less successful internationally, peaking below the top 10. It reached number 11 in Australia and the UK, and the top 20 in the New Zealand and the Netherlands. ==Music video==

Following her first two videos with Jake Nava, Beyoncé hired Johan Renck to direct the music video for "Me, Myself and I". While premiering the video MTVs Total Request Live on December 10, 2003, Beyoncé described the video's conception, When some of the behind-the-scenes footage was used in a BET Access Granted special, some of the scenes that Beyoncé was shown shooting did not appear in the finished video. Beyoncé said that the video did not turn out the way she wanted it to be and she had to reshoot most of it. In 2004, the video was nominated for Best R&B Video at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards. In May 2010, an alternative version of the video was released; this does not show the events in reverse and includes some of the scenes that were not included in the first version. ==Live performances==

During the Verizon Ladies First Tour which also featured Alicia Keys, Missy Elliott and Tamia, Beyoncé performed "Me, Myself and I" in New York City to an audience of over 20,000. "Me, Myself and I" was also included on the set list of Beyoncé's Dangerously in Love World Tour that began in late 2003. During the tour, Beyoncé appeared suspended from the ceiling of the arena, and was lowered onto a red lounger. The song was performed as part of Beyoncé's The Beyoncé Experience in Los Angeles and her I Am... World Tour. On August 5, 2007, Beyoncé performed the song at the Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. Before the song, Beyoncé told the audience that it was very special to her and that she was going to perform a slower version. She was accompanied by her all-female band. In Los Angeles, Beyoncé gave a full-length performance of "Me, Myself and I" without backup dancers and with limited live instrumentation. Beyoncé wore a green belly dancing costume. When Beyoncé performed the song in Sunrise, Florida on June 29, 2009, she wore a leotard. As she sang, animated graphics of turntables, faders and other club equipment were projected behind the dancers and musicians. Beyoncé was accompanied by two drummers, two keyboardists, a percussionist, a horn section, three imposing backup vocalists called the Mamas, bass guitarist Divinity Roxx and lead guitarist Bibi McGill. In 2016, Beyonce included the song on the setlist of her The Formation World Tour, she sang it during the second act of the show and would often stop and talk to the crowd, speaking on the relationship she and the audience have with themselves. In 2018, she performed the song during her Coachella performance in a medley with her song "Sorry". She included the same performance on the first European shows during her co-headlining On the Run II tour with Jay-Z. ==Track listing and formats==

• US 12-inch vinyl single • "Me, Myself and I" (Grizzly Remix featuring Ghostface Killah) • "Me, Myself and I" (J'Ty Remix featuring Grafh) • "Me, Myself and I" (J'Ty Remix [without rap]) • "Me, Myself and I" (Bama Boys Sexy Remix) • "Me, Myself and I" (Eastern Delight Mix) • "Me, Myself and I" (J'Ty Remix [Acapella with rap]) • "Me, Myself and I" ( J'Ty Remix [Instrumental]) • Europe CD single and United Kingdom CD single (Part 1) • "Me, Myself and I" (radio edit) • "Dangerously in Love" (Live from Headliners) • United Kingdom CD single (Part 2) • "Me, Myself and I" (radio edit) – 3:58 • "Me, Myself and I" (Eastern Delight Mix) – 4:25 • "Me, Myself and I" (Bama Boys Sexy Remix) – 4:42 • "Me, Myself and I" (Junior's Radio Mix) – 3:44 • "Work It Out" (Live Video from Headliners) – 3:37 (enhanced video) • Germany maxi single • "Me, Myself and I" (radio edit) • "Me, Myself and I" (album version) • "Me, Myself and I" (instrumental) • "Me, Myself and I" (a cappella) • German Pock It CD (3-inch) • "Me, Myself and I" (radio edit) – 3:58 • "Me, Myself and I" (Bama Boys Throwback Remix) – 3:58 ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts ==Certifications==