Sign Your Name

"Sign Your Name"
"Sign Your Name"
Single by Sheryl Crow
from the album 100 Miles from Memphis
Released	September 15, 2010
Length	5:38
Label	A&M
Songwriter	Terence Trent D'Arby
Producers	Sheryl Crow, Doyle Bramhall II, Justin Stanley
Sheryl Crow singles chronology
Music video
	"Sheryl Crow - Sign Your Name (Official Music Video)" on YouTube

"Sign Your Name"
"Sign Your Name"
Single by Terence Trent D'Arby
from the album Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby
B-side	"Greasy Chicken"
Released	December 28, 1987
Genre	Soul
Length	4:37
Label	Columbia
Songwriter	Terence Trent D'Arby
Producers	Martyn Ware, Terence Trent D'Arby, Howard Gray
Terence Trent D'Arby singles chronology
Music video
	"Sign Your Name" on YouTube

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Number One	^[1]

"Sign Your Name" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Terence Trent D'Arby (now known as Sananda Maitreya), released as the fourth single (third in the US) from his debut album, Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby (1987). The song was an international success, reaching number one on the Irish Singles Chart, number two on the UK Singles Chart, and number four on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was remixed by Lee "Scratch" Perry for some European releases. The music video was directed by Vaughan Arnell and was premiered in January 1988.^[2] The music video features model Kelly Brennan.^[3]

Critical reception

Max Bell from Number One noted that the song finds D'Arby "in his quiet, sensitive, loving disguise, as opposed to his crafty, naughty, whoopsadaisy ma'am alter ego." He also felt that "Sign Your Name" "testifies at least to a knowledge of soul", and concluded, "From a Heaven 17 influenced beginning a fair single starts to brood but this could be a sucker punch rather than a knockout."^[1] Roger Morton from Record Mirror commented, "'Bop shoo wop wop/Bop shoo wap wap'. Terence has joined Showaddywaddy? Sadly not. This is the fourth single from the Hardline album, a crooner not a rasper, with some fine quavering from Tel's tonsils and a rhythm closely related to that of Scritti Politti's 'The Sweetest Girl'."^[4] Another editor, James Hamilton, wrote in his dance column, "Moodily shuffling sad 109/54+1⁄2-0bpm lament, not really for floors".^[5]

Track listings

7-inch single

"Sign Your Name" – 4:45
"Greasy Chicken" – 4:40

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1988)	Peak position
Australia (Australian Music Report)^[6]	3
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[7]	7
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[8]	2
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[9]	5
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[10]	5
France (SNEP)^[11]	14
Ireland (IRMA)^[12]	1
Italy Airplay (Music & Media)^[13]	6
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[14]	2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[15]	2
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[16]	13
Spain (AFYVE)^[17]	4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[18]	4
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[19]	8
UK Singles (OCC)^[20]	2
US Billboard Hot 100^[21]	4
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[22]	13
US Dance Club Play (Billboard)^[23]	23
US Hot Black Singles (Billboard)^[24]	2
US Cash Box Top 100^[25]	3
West Germany (GfK)^[26]	7

Year-end charts

Chart (1988)	Position
Australia (ARIA)^[27]	27
Belgium (Ultratop)^[28]	18
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[29]	69
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[30]	26
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[31]	18
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[32]	18
UK Singles (OCC)^[33]	32
US Billboard Hot 100^[34]	58
US Hot Black Singles (Billboard)^[35]	24
US Cash Box Top 100^[36]	41
West Germany (Media Control)^[37]	33

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[38]	Silver	200,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	December 28, 1987	7-inchy vinyl 12-inch vinyl	CBS	^[39]
United Kingdom	January 11, 1988	CD	CBS	^[40]
Japan	June 22, 1988	Mini-CD	Epic	^[41]

Sheryl Crow version

Sheryl Crow released her rendition of the song in 2010 as the second single from her eighth studio album, 100 Miles from Memphis. It features Justin Timberlake on background vocals.^[42] The music video, directed by Wayne Isham, was released on September 16, 2010, through Crow's VEVO account.^[43]

Charts

Chart (2010)	Peak position
US Adult Alternative Airplay (Billboard)^[44]	18

References

^ ^a ^b Bell, Max (January 9, 1988). "Singles". Number One. p. 42. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
^ "Terence Trent d'Arby – "Sign your name"". www.mvdbase.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2005. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
^ "Sign your name - Terence Trent D'Arby - 80sneverend". www.80sneverend.com. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
^ Morton, Roger (January 16, 1988). "Singles". Record Mirror. p. 13.
^ Hamilton, James (January 16, 1988). "BPM". Record Mirror. p. 19.
^ "Australian Top 50 Singles Chart — Week Ending 8th May, 1988". ARIA. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
^ "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Image 8588". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 7. February 13, 1988. p. 16.
^ "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Sign Your Name". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Playlist Report: RAI - Italy" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 11. March 12, 1988. p. 6.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 7, 1988" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
^ "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name". Singles Top 100. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Terence Trent D'Arby Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Terence Trent D'Arby Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Terence Trent D'Arby Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Dance Club Songs". Billboard. August 20, 1988. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. July 30, 1988. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 13, 1988
^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts (West Germany)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1988". ARIA. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Jaaroverzichten 1988" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Top 100 Singles of '88" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 10. December 24, 1988. p. 9. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "1988 Year End Eurocharts: Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 52/1. January 1, 1989. p. 30. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1988" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1988" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ Scaping, Peter, ed. (1991). "Top 100 Singles: 1988". BPI YearBook 1989/90. London, England: British Phonographic Industry. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-0-9061-5410-6.
^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1988". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "No. 1 Awards: Top Black Singles". Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 52. December 24, 1988. p. Y-23.
^ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 31, 1988". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1988" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
^ "British single certifications – Terence Trent D'arby – Sign Your Name". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 8, 2022. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Sign Your Name Terence Trent D'arby in the "Search:" field.
^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. December 26, 1987. p. 8.
^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. January 9, 1988. p. 11.
^ "テレンス・トレント・ダービー | サイン・ユア・ネーム" [Terence Trent D'Arby | Sign Your Name] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
^ Sign Your Name Single and Video
^ Sign Your Name Music Video Interscope Retrieved October 14, 2010
^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[numberonemagazine-1] Bell, Max (January 9, 1988). "Singles". Number One. p. 42. Retrieved March 11, 2023.

[2] "Terence Trent d'Arby – "Sign your name"". www.mvdbase.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2005. Retrieved April 18, 2014.

[3] "Sign your name - Terence Trent D'Arby - 80sneverend". www.80sneverend.com. Retrieved September 1, 2022.

[4] Morton, Roger (January 16, 1988). "Singles". Record Mirror. p. 13.

[5] Hamilton, James (January 16, 1988). "BPM". Record Mirror. p. 19.

[6] "Australian Top 50 Singles Chart — Week Ending 8th May, 1988". ARIA. Retrieved February 18, 2016.

[sc_Austria_Terence_Trent_D'Arby-7] "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[sc_Flanders_Terence_Trent_D'Arby-8] "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[sc_Canadatopsingles_-9] "Top RPM Singles: Image 8588". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[10] "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 7. February 13, 1988. p. 16.

[sc_France_Terence_Trent_D'Arby-11] "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[sc_Ireland2_-12] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Sign Your Name". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[13] "Playlist Report: RAI - Italy" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 11. March 12, 1988. p. 6.

[sc_Dutch40_-14] "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 7, 1988" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[sc_Dutch100_Terence_Trent_D'Arby-15] "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[sc_New_Zealand_Terence_Trent_D'Arby-16] "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[17] Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.

[sc_Sweden_Terence_Trent_D'Arby-18] "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name". Singles Top 100. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[sc_Switzerland_Terence_Trent_D'Arby-19] "Terence Trent D'Arby – Sign Your Name". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[sc_UKsinglesbyname_Terence_Trent_D'Arby-20] "Terence Trent D'Arby Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Terence_Trent_D'Arby-21] "Terence Trent D'Arby Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[sc_Billboardadultcontemporary_Terence_Trent_D'Arby-22] "Terence Trent D'Arby Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[23] "Dance Club Songs". Billboard. August 20, 1988. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[24] "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. July 30, 1988. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[25] Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 13, 1988

[sc_West_Germany_Terence_Trent_D'Arby-26] "Offizielle Deutsche Charts (West Germany)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[27] "ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1988". ARIA. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[28] "Jaaroverzichten 1988" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[29] "Top 100 Singles of '88" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 10. December 24, 1988. p. 9. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[30] "1988 Year End Eurocharts: Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 52/1. January 1, 1989. p. 30. Retrieved January 14, 2020.

[31] "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1988" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[32] "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1988" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[33] Scaping, Peter, ed. (1991). "Top 100 Singles: 1988". BPI YearBook 1989/90. London, England: British Phonographic Industry. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-0-9061-5410-6.

[34] "Billboard Top 100 – 1988". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[35] "No. 1 Awards: Top Black Singles". Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 52. December 24, 1988. p. Y-23.

[36] "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 31, 1988". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2017.

[37] "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1988" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

[United_KingdomTerence_Trent_D'arbySign_Your_NamesingleCertRef-38] "British single certifications – Terence Trent D'arby – Sign Your Name". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 8, 2022. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Sign Your Name Terence Trent D'arby in the "Search:" field.

[39] "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. December 26, 1987. p. 8.

[40] "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. January 9, 1988. p. 11.

[41] "テレンス・トレント・ダービー | サイン・ユア・ネーム" [Terence Trent D'Arby | Sign Your Name] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 10, 2025.

[42] Sign Your Name Single and Video

[43] Sign Your Name Music Video Interscope Retrieved October 14, 2010

[sc_Billboardadultalternativesongs_Sheryl_Crow-44] "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2025.

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v t e Terence Trent D'Arby
Studio albums	Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby Neither Fish nor Flesh Symphony or Damn Vibrator Wildcard Angels & Vampires – Volume I Angels & Vampires – Volume II Nigor Mortis The Sphinx Return to Zooathalon The Rise of the Zugebrian Time Lords Prometheus & Pandora Pandora's PlayHouse
Compilation albums	Greatest Hits
Singles	"If You Let Me Stay" "Wishing Well" "Dance Little Sister" "Sign Your Name" "This Side of Love" "Delicate" "Let Her Down Easy"
Related articles	Discography
Category

v t e Sheryl Crow
Studio albums	Tuesday Night Music Club Sheryl Crow The Globe Sessions C'mon, C'mon Wildflower Detours Home for Christmas 100 Miles from Memphis Feels like Home Be Myself Threads Evolution
Compilation albums	The Very Best of Sheryl Crow Hits & Rarities Icon Sheryl: Music from the Feature Documentary
Live albums	Sheryl Crow and Friends: Live from Central Park
Singles	"Run Baby Run" "What I Can Do for You" "Leaving Las Vegas" "All I Wanna Do" "Strong Enough" "Can't Cry Anymore" "If It Makes You Happy" "Everyday Is a Winding Road" "Hard to Make a Stand" "A Change Would Do You Good" "Home" "Tomorrow Never Dies" "My Favorite Mistake" "There Goes the Neighborhood" "Anything but Down" "Sweet Child o' Mine" "Soak Up the Sun" "Steve McQueen" "The First Cut Is the Deepest" "Light in Your Eyes" "Good Is Good" "Always on Your Side" "Real Gone" "Not Fade Away" "Shine over Babylon" "Love Is Free" "Now That You're Gone" "Summer Day" "Sign Your Name" "Easy" "Callin' Me When I'm Lonely" "Shotgun"
Guest singles	"Sorcerer" "American Girls" "Picture" "Building Bridges" "Just Stand Up!" "Coal Miner's Daughter"
Related articles	Discography Awards and nominations Charles A. Crow
Category