Bug a boo

"Bug a Boo" is a song by Destiny's Child, which appears on their second album The Writing's on the Wall. It peaked at number thirty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the UK "Bug a Boo" peaked at number nine and sold over 99,400 copies.

Vocals

Lead vocals: Beyoncé Knowles (2 verses) and Kelly Rowland (bridge)
Background vocals: Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson

Meaning

Bug-a-boo is a colloquial term for someone that is considered bothersome, whether from prying behavior or attachment that can be considered excessive. The term is further explained in the lyrics.
"You make me wanna throw my pager out the window
Tell MCI to cut the phone pole.
Break my lease so I can move,
'Cause you a bug a boo, a bug a boo.
I wanna put your number on the call block,
Have AOL make my e-mails stop.
'Cause you a bug a boo You're bugging what, you're bugging who You're bugging me and don't you see it ain't cool"

hart 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", Destiny's Child follow-up single was a huge success but "Bug a Boo" failed to deliver as both its sales and airplay were 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. It is the group's lowest charting single in the U.S. and spent twenty weeks on the Hot 100. At the start of the Refugee Camp Remix version, which was completely different, 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. This was Destiny's Child's lowest-charting single until "Girl" in 2004.

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 radiostations.

Chart (1999) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[1] 26
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[2] 24
Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[3] 32
Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)[4] 6
France (SNEP)[5] 57
Germany (Media Control AG)[6] 20
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[7] 29
Switzerland (Media Control AG)[8] 60
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[9] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[10] 33

S Maxi-CD
"Bug A Boo" (Album Version) 3:31
"Bug A Boo" (Refugee Camp Remix) (featuring Wyclef Jean)1 4:02
"Bug A Boo" (Maurice's Xclusive "Bug A Boo" Dub Mix)2 8:08
"Bug A Boo" (Maurice's Bug A Dub Mix)2 7:14

US Vinyl, 12", Promo
Side A
"Bug A Boo" (Maurice's Xclusive "Bug A Boo" Club Mix)2 8:08
"Bug A Boo" (Refugee Camp Remix) (featuring Wyclef Jean)1 4:02
Side B
"Bug A Boo" (Maurice's "Bug A Boo" Dub Mix)2 7:14
"Bug A Boo" (Album Version) 3:31
"Bug A Boo" (Maurice's Xclusive "Bug A Boo" Club Mix A Cappella)2 5:58
UK Promo Single

"Bug A Boo" (Album Version) 3:31
UK Maxi-CD Part 1 CA 668188 2[11]
"Bug A Boo" (Album Version) 3:31
"So Good" 3:14
"Bills, Bills, Bills" 4:16
"Bills, Bills, Bills" (Music Video)

UK Maxi-CD Part 2 CA 668188 5
"Bug A Boo" (Album Version) 3:31
"Bug A Boo" (Refugee Camp Remix) (featuring Wyclef Jean)1 4:02
"Bug A Boo" (Maurice's Xclusive "Bug A Boo" Club Mix)2 6:59
includes a poster (the CD-cover in color)
European Maxi-CD COL 667779 5

European Maxi-CD COL 667779 5
"Bug A Boo" (Album Version) 3:31
"Bug A Boo" (Maurice's Xclusive "Bug A Boo" Club Mix)2 8:08
"Bug A Boo" (Maurice's "Bug A Boo" Dub Mix)2 7:14
"Bug A Boo" (Gentleman's Revenge) (featuring Gentleman) 3:55

European 2-Track Single
German Promo SAMPCS 1510
"Bug A Boo" (Album Version) 3:31
"Bug A Boo" (Refugee Camp Remix) (featuring Wyclef Jean)1 4:02

Australian Maxi-CD[12]
"Bug A Boo" (Album Version) 3:31
"Bug A Boo" (Maurice's Xclusive "Bug A Boo" Club Mix)2 8:09
"Bug A Boo" (Maurice's "Bug A Boo" Dub Mix)2 7:14
"Bug A Boo" (A Cappella) 3:13

Notes
1 The "Refugee Camp Remix" is a re-recorded hip-hop version of the single.
2 The "Maurice" Remixes contain additional re-recorded vocals (ad-libs) by Beyoncé, arranged by Maurice Joshua.

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. The video was directed by Darren Grant.

n 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 girl’s 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.