"Kissing You" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Single by Des'ree | ||||
from the album William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet: Music from the Motion Picture | ||||
B-side | "You Gotta Be" | |||
Released | 24 February 1997 | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 4:57 | |||
Label | Sony Music | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Nellee Hooper | |||
Des'ree singles chronology | ||||
|
"Kissing You" (or "I'm Kissing You") is a song by British singer Des'ree. It was written by the singer with Timothy Atack for Baz Luhrmann's 1996 film Romeo + Juliet . The song was included on the film's soundtrack album and Des'ree's third studio album, Supernatural (1998). A pop ballad set in the key of A minor, the record uses a simple instrumentation consisting only of piano and string instruments. "Kissing You" featured in Romeo + Juliet when the title characters meet at a ball. The song was well received by critics for its emotional melody and toned-down production. First released as a single in Australia on 24 February 1997, it appeared on the ARIA Singles Chart and the UK Singles Chart. A music video accompanied the single, which included scenes from Romeo + Juliet. This song is also used in Season 2, Episode 2 of ‘’The Summer I Turned Pretty’’.
"Kissing You" was covered by Beyoncé in 2007, and an accompanying music video was filmed, titled "Still in Love (Kissing You)". The change of title and music video went against copyright terms, and Des'ree's publishers filed a lawsuit against Beyoncé and her representatives. Infringing albums were recalled, and both sides agreed that the case be settled out of court.
"Kissing You" was written by Des'ree and Timothy Atack, and was produced by Nellee Hooper. The string instruments were arranged by Craig Armstrong, while Andy Todd and Jim Abbiss engineered the record. [1] The pop ballad [2] uses only piano and string instrumentation. [3] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by T C F Music Publishing, Inc., "Kissing You" is set in 12/8 time with a moderately slow tempo of 112 beats per minute. Written in the key of A minor, it has a sequence of Dm7–Am7–G/B–C–G/B–Am7–C/G as its chord progression. Des'ree's voice spans from the low note of A3 to the high note of D5. [2]
"Kissing You" is featured during Romeo + Juliet , directed by Baz Luhrmann, when Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Juliet (Claire Danes) first meet at a ball at the Capulets' mansion; Des'ree also appears in the scene performing the song. [4] [5] The song was featured on the film's soundtrack album, [6] and was included on Des'ree's third studio album, Supernatural (1998). [7] Sony Music released the single via compact disc on 18 June 1997. [8] "Kissing You" was also sold as the B-side to "Life" (1998) in the UK. [9] The musical interlude in the middle of "Kissing You" was used to promote the UEFA Euro 2004. [10]
New Statesman 's Lisa Jardine noted "Kissing You" as "a high point" of the film. [11] J. D. Considine wrote for The Baltimore Sun that "the tremulous intensity of Des'ree's 'Kissing You' has more emotional impact than many films". [12] In a review of Supernatural for Entertainment Weekly , Considine later commended the "throaty emotionalism" with which Des'ree sang "Kissing You". [13] Jim Farber from the Daily News noted the song as the standout track from Supernatural and claimed that it "stands as the only track to deepen the mood, bringing out the indigo pleasures of her voice." [14] The Richmond Times-Dispatch 's Kate Lipper called the record "an excellent slow song that you can play nonstop". [15] However, Ann Powers from The New York Times wrote that Des'ree is too melodramatic on "Kissing You". [16] In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph , Charlotte Church described the song as one of her favourites: "This is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. It's an original sound and they sing it so well. There's no beat, it's just a lovely, lulling song." [17]
"Kissing You" debuted on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart at number 42 on the week ending 9 March 1997. [18] It rose to its peak position of number 17 on 20 April 1997, and spent a total of 13 weeks on the chart. [18] In December 2010, "Kissing You" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 137. [19] In 2013 Abbey Clancy waltzed to "Kissing You" on the 11th series of Strictly Come Dancing , [20] and the song reentered the UK Singles Chart at number 91. [21] In 2016, "Kissing You" appeared on the French Singles Chart at number 90. [22]
The music video for "Kissing You" features scenes of Romeo + Juliet, mainly those when Romeo and Juliet first meet at the Capulets' ball. Interspersed are clips of Des'ree singing the song in an empty building, with water on the floor. Towards the end of the video, some of the final scenes of the film are displayed, and the building that Des'ree is in is illuminated through the windows. The video was included on the film's special edition DVD, released in 2002. [23]
"Kissing You" was covered by American R&B singer Beyoncé, included on the 2007 deluxe edition of her second studio album, B'Day . Beyoncé contributed to the writing and production. [24] [25] [26] She called the song "a beautiful ballad". [27] [28] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine wrote that the song "sound[s] downright subtle". [29]
A music video for the song was shot and directed by Cliff Watts, who had also shot Beyoncé's Sports Illustrated cover. [25] Filmed on Super 8 in Miami, the video was included on the B'Day Anthology Video Album . [25]
Des'ree's publishers, the Royalty Network, filed a lawsuit against Sony BMG, Sony BMG Sales Enterprise, Beyoncé, B-Day Publishing and EMI April Music, claiming that Beyoncé's cover of the song infringed copyright conditions. [30] On 13 February 2007, Beyoncé's representatives had sought permission to use interpolations of "Kissing You". The Royalty Network offered Beyoncé the use of the song under certain terms. Two of the conditions of the proposal were that the song's title remain the same, and that the song was not published in video form. [26] Beyoncé made no further contact with the Royalty Network, and planned to release "Still in Love (Kissing You)" and its video, regardless of the two requested conditions, which the Royalty Network called "completely unacceptable". [26] The publishing company requested that Sony Music Entertainment (SME)—the parent company of Columbia Records—halt distribution of B'Day with the retitled song. Nevertheless, the album was released on 3 April 2007; the Royalty Network considered the action "willful disregard", and retracted their permission to use the song. [26] The lawsuit, filed on 16 April 2007 in the District Court for the Southern District of New York, sought US$150,000 in damages and a recall of the infringing material. The same day, SME ceased distribution of both the deluxe edition of B'Day and the anthology video album, [26] although the editions had sold over 214,000 copies before the recall. [30] Later reissues of the albums did not include "Still in Love (Kissing You)" and its video, with "If" replacing the track on the B'Day deluxe edition. [31] An injunction hearing was scheduled for 4 May, [26] and later postponed until 14 May 2007. [32] On 12 October 2007, the case was dismissed with prejudice, by agreement of all parties. [33] Beyoncé's father and manager, Mathew Knowles, stated that his daughter did not know about the copyright issues prior to the legal action, and that recording artists rarely involve themselves with such matters. [31]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [35] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
B'Day is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé. It was released on September 4, 2006, by Columbia Records, Music World Entertainment and Sony Urban Music. Originally set to be released in 2004, B'Day was planned as a follow-up to Beyoncé's solo debut Dangerously in Love (2003); however, it was delayed to accommodate the recording of Destiny's Child's final studio album Destiny Fulfilled (2004) and Beyoncé's starring role in the 2006 film Dreamgirls. While on vacation after filming Dreamgirls, Beyoncé began contacting various producers and rented Sony Music Studios, completing the album within two weeks. Most of the lyrical content of the album was inspired by Beyoncé's role in the film, with its musical style ranging from 1970s–1980s funk influences and balladry to urban contemporary elements such as hip hop, pop, and R&B. Live instrumentation was employed in recording most of the tracks as part of Beyoncé's vision of creating a record using live instruments.
"Déjà Vu" is a song by American singer Beyoncé, featuring rapper Jay-Z. It was produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, 808-Ray and Beyoncé for her second solo album, B'Day (2006). "Déjà Vu" is an R&B song, which incorporates elements of 1970s funk and soul music. Its music is largely based on live instrumentation, including bass guitar, hi-hat and horns, except the Roland TR-808 drum machine, which is a non-live instrument. The song's title and lyrics refer to a woman being constantly reminded of a past lover.
"Ring the Alarm" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her second studio album, B'Day (2006). It was written by Knowles, Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, and Sean Garrett. Columbia Records released "Ring the Alarm" as the second single from B'Day in the United States on October 17, 2006, while "Irreplaceable" (2006) was serviced as the album's second international and third US single. The song's development was motivated by Knowles' role in the Broadway musical adaptation Dreamgirls (2006). The cover art of "Ring the Alarm" proved controversial because Knowles used alligators during the photography session. PETA declared that Knowles' posing with a baby alligator was arguably abusive to an animal.
"Get Me Bodied" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her second solo studio album B'Day (2006). It was written by Beyoncé, Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, Sean Garrett, Makeba Riddick, Angela Beyincé, and Solange Knowles, while the production was handled by Dean, Beyoncé and Garrett. Beyoncé was inspired by her sister Solange and former Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams for the writing process. Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment released "Get Me Bodied" as the album's fifth single in the United States on July 10, 2007.
"Irreplaceable" is a song by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé for her second studio album, B'Day (2006). The song was written by Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Espen Lind, Amund Bjørklund, Beyoncé and produced by Stargate and Beyoncé. "Irreplaceable" was originally a country record; it was re-arranged as a mid-tempo ballad with pop and R&B influences by modifying the vocal arrangements and instrumentation. During the production and recording sessions, Beyoncé and Ne-Yo wanted to create a record which people of either gender could relate to. The song's lyrics are about the breakdown of a relationship with an unfaithful man and the song contains a message about female empowerment.
"Listen" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé. The song was written by Beyoncé, Henry Krieger, Scott Cutler, Samantha Worley and Anne Preven, and produced by The Underdogs, Matt Sullivan and Randy Spendlove for the 2006 musical film Dreamgirls, in which Beyoncé's character Deena Jones sings the song in an expression of independence from her controlling husband. Columbia Records released "Listen" as the lead single from the Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture soundtrack album on January 19, 2007. It additionally appeared as a hidden track on international editions, and on the deluxe edition of Beyoncé's second solo studio album, B'Day. The Spanish version of the song, "Oye", was released on the EP, Irreemplazable, and the Spanish deluxe edition of B'Day.
"Upgrade U" is a song by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé from her second studio album B'Day (2006). The song features additional vocals from American rapper Jay-Z. It was composed by Swizz Beatz, Cameron Wallace, Beyoncé, MK, Makeba, Sean Garrett, Angela Beyincé, Jay-Z, Willie Clarke, Clarence Reid, and Beyoncé's sister, Solange. Columbia Records released "Upgrade U" as a promotional single on October 8, 2006 in the United States only. "Upgrade U" draws from the genres of hip hop and contemporary R&B. The concept of the song is that of a woman describing herself as the key to upgrading a man's lifestyle.
"Beautiful Liar" is a song by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé and Colombian singer Shakira. It was written by Beyoncé, Amanda Ghost, Ian Dench, and Stargate members Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen, and produced by Stargate and Beyoncé for the deluxe edition of Beyoncé's second solo studio album, B'Day (2006). The mixing of the song was done by Gustavo Celis. "Beautiful Liar" was released on February 12, 2007, through Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment as the only single from the deluxe edition of the album. A Spanglish mixed version of the song was produced and titled "Bello Embustero".
"Hollywood" is a song recorded by American rapper Jay-Z for his ninth studio album, Kingdom Come (2006). It features Jay-Z's now-wife, American singer-songwriter Beyoncé, and was released as a single in the US on January 23, 2007. Jay-Z co-wrote the song with its producers Ne-Yo and Reggie "Syience" Perry. "Hollywood" is a disco-influenced R&B song with lyrics that detail the tiredness music stars, working in the American cinema industry, sometimes feel. The song was well received by music critics who praised its musical arrangement as well as the guest vocals by Knowles.
B'Day Anthology Video Album is the third DVD by American singer Beyoncé. It was released through Columbia Records, Sony Music and Music World Entertainment exclusively through Walmart stores on April 3, 2007 alongside the deluxe edition, but was later serviced to other retailers. The DVD features thirteen music videos for songs from her second studio album, B'Day (2006) and its deluxe edition (2007). Beyoncé shot nine videos for the album, and four pre-filmed videos were also included. B'Day Anthology Video Album has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Outside North America, the album was featured as a bonus disc to the deluxe edition of B'Day. The "Still in Love " video was the subject of a copyright infringement lawsuit, therefore only initial pressings of the album contain its video.
William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack to the 1996 film of the same name. The soundtrack contained two separate releases: the first containing popular music from the film and the second containing the score to the film composed by Nellee Hooper, Craig Armstrong and Marius de Vries.
"Flaws and All" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé from the deluxe edition of her second studio album, B'Day (2006). It was composed by Ne-Yo, Shea Taylor, Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, while Beyoncé Knowles and Taylor produced it. In the R&B song, Beyoncé shows appreciation for the love given by her man, who sees through all of her flaws and loves her unconditionally. "Flaws and All" received positive reviews from critics, who lauded Beyoncé's emotion and vulnerability on the track. Some critics also noted that the song was better than some of the songs on the standard edition of B'Day.
"Amor Gitano" is a Latin pop duet recorded by Mexican singer Alejandro Fernández and American singer Beyoncé. The song contains a mixture of cultures, mostly influenced by the language of Fernández, that is Spanish, and Beyoncé's pop and R&B influences. Along with Jaime Flores and Reyli Barba, Beyoncé wrote the song, while Rudy Pérez and Beyoncé herself produced the song. "Amor Gitano" serves as the theme song of the telenovela El Zorro and it was released on February 12, 2007, during the premiere of the episode of the telenovela.
"Green Light" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé. The song was written by Beyoncé, Sean Garrett, and Pharrell for Beyoncé's second solo studio album, B'Day (2006). Produced by the Neptunes, it was released as the fourth UK and sixth overall single on July 27, 2007 through Columbia Records. "Green Light" is an R&B-funk song with lyrics detailing a break-up song in which the female protagonist gives her love interest the permission to move out. The song also finds Beyoncé using fairly aggressive tone. A remix of the song features American rapper Young Buck, and was produced by Swizz Beatz.
"Kitty Kat" is a song by American singer Beyoncé for her second studio album, B'Day (2006). It was composed by Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, and Shawn Carter. "Kitty Kat" is a mid-tempo electro, hip hop soul and R&B song whose lyrics detail a situation where a woman feels that her man has underestimated her. The song was generally well received by music critics who noted it to be a seductive track thanks to its "I'm not feelin[g] it" vibe. However, some music critics felt that the production does not live up to those of other songs featured on B'Day.
"Young Hearts Run Free" is a disco song written by David Crawford and originally recorded by American soul singer Candi Staton in 1976.
"Life" is a song by the British pop and soul singer Des'ree. It was the third single from her third album, Supernatural (1998), and was released on 2 June 1998. This song remains Des'ree's biggest hit, peaking at number one in Austria, Hungary, Italy, and the Netherlands, as well as on the UK R&B Chart.
Desirée Annette Weekes, known by her stage name Des'ree, is a British pop recording artist who rose to popularity during the 1990s. She is best known for her hits "Feel So High", "You Gotta Be", "Life", and "Kissing You". At the 1999 Brit Awards she received the Brit Award for Best British female solo artist.
"Freakum Dress" is a song by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé from her second solo studio album B'Day (2006). It was written by Beyoncé, Rich Harrison, Angela Beyincé and Makeba Riddick. "Freakum Dress" received comparisons to Destiny's Child songs recorded in the 1990s. The song's production includes whistles, cymbal dominated scatter rhythms and a beat augmented by hi-hats and plinking keyboard pulses. Lyrically, Beyoncé advises women who have partners with straying eyes to put on alluring dresses and grind on other guys in dance clubs, to regain their affections.
Supernatural is the third studio album by British recording artist Des'ree. Released by 550 Music and Epic Records on 29 June 1998, it follows four years after the singer's previous album, I Ain't Movin'. Predominantly an R&B album, Supernatural received mixed to positive reviews from music critics, who praised Des'ree's voice, but noted that the album lacked memorable songs. The album appeared on several record charts, reaching the top ten in Austria and the Netherlands, and the top twenty in Flanders, France, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)