Kissing You (Des'ree song)

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| description = A sample of the song, demonstrating its simple piano and string instrumentation

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"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.{{cite AV media notes |title=Romeo + Juliet |others=various artists |year=1996|type=CD liner |publisher=Capitol Records}} The pop ballad uses only piano and string instrumentation.{{cite news|title=Dishwalla's Now Counting Sheep |first1=Melissa |last1=Ruggieri |first2=Leigh Buckley |last2=Fountain |first3=Alex |last3=Bridges |work=Richmond Times-Dispatch |publisher=Media General |date=27 August 1998 |page=D14}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdVPE.asp?ppn=MN0041825 |title=Des'ree – Kissing You Sheet Music |date=10 April 2002 |publisher=T C F Music Publishing, Inc. Musicnotes.com |access-date=6 January 2011}}

"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.{{cite web |url=http://www.tv.com/desree/person/49282/summary.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120917123305/http://www.tv.com/desree/person/49282/summary.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 September 2012 |title=Des'ree – Biography |website=TV.com |access-date=26 January 2011 }}{{cite web |url=http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/07/15/my-movie-crush-leonardo-dicaprio-in-romeo-juliet/ |title=My Movie Crush: Leonardo DiCaprio in 'Romeo + Juliet' |first=Jen |last=Yamato |publisher=Moviefone |date=15 July 2010 |access-date=26 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309134444/http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/07/15/my-movie-crush-leonardo-dicaprio-in-romeo-juliet/ |archive-date=9 March 2012 |url-status=dead }} The song was featured on the film's soundtrack album,{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/William-Shakespeares-Romeo-Juliet-Enhanced/dp/B000002U4X |title=William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet: Music From The Motion Picture (1996 Version) [Enhanced CD] |website=Amazon |year=1996 |access-date=2 February 2011}} and was included on Des'ree's third studio album, Supernatural (1998).{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/supernatural/id285118294 |title=Supernatural |work=iTunes Store |access-date=2 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111131455/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/supernatural/id285118294 |archive-date=11 November 2012 }} Sony Music released the single via compact disc on 18 June 1997.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B00005631P |title=キッスィング・ユー [Maxi] |website=Amazon.co.jp |access-date=29 December 2011}} "Kissing You" was also sold as the B-side to "Life" (1998) in the UK.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-CD-1-Desree/dp/B0000089RS |title=Life [CD 1] |website=Amazon.co.uk |access-date=2 February 2011}} The musical interlude in the middle of "Kissing You" was used to promote the UEFA Euro 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.mfiles.co.uk/composers/Craig-Armstrong.htm |title=Craig Armstrong – bridging the music divide |publisher=mfiles |access-date=28 February 2011}}

New Statesman{{'s}} Lisa Jardine noted "Kissing You" as "a high point" of the film.{{cite web |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/200202180032 |title=Labour of love |first=Lisa |last=Jardine |work=New Statesman |date=18 February 2002 |access-date=26 January 2011}} 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".{{cite news|title=CD Reviews – William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet Music from the Motion Picture |first=J. D. |last=Considine |author-link=J. D. Considine |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |page=7 |edition=Final |date=7 November 1996}} In a review of Supernatural for Entertainment Weekly, Considine later commended the "throaty emotionalism" with which Des'ree sang "Kissing You".{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/1998/08/21/music-review-supernatural/ |title=Music Review: 'Supernatural' |first=J.D. |last=Considine |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=21 August 1998 |access-date=26 January 2011 |archive-date=20 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020182348/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,284551,00.html |url-status=live }} 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."{{cite web |url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/1998-08-02/entertainment/18087625_1_des-ree-daft-daily-affirmation |title=Dull & Daft With Des'ree |first=Jim |last=Farber |work=Daily News |date=2 August 1998 |access-date=6 April 2012 |archive-date=3 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403123129/http://articles.nydailynews.com/1998-08-02/entertainment/18087625_1_des-ree-daft-daily-affirmation |url-status=dead }} The Richmond Times-Dispatch{{'s}} Kate Lipper called the record "an excellent slow song that you can play nonstop".{{cite news|title='Romeo & Juliet' Soundtrack |first=Kate |last=Lipper |work=Richmond Times-Dispatch |date=13 December 1996 |page=F9}} However, Ann Powers from The New York Times wrote that Des'ree is too melodramatic on "Kissing You".{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/02/arts/critic-s-choice-pop-cd-s-the-year-of-the-black-auteur-soulfully-and-seductively.html |title=Critic's Choice: Pop CD's; The Year of the Black Auteur, Soulfully and Seductively |first=Ann |last=Powers |work=The New York Times |date=2 September 1998 |access-date=2 February 2011}} 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."{{Cite news |title=Load-down – The singer with the 'voice of an angel' picks her favourite downloads |first=Charlotte |last=Church |author-link=Charlotte Church |work=The Sunday Telegraph |date=11 September 2005}}

"Kissing You" debuted on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart at number 42 on the week ending 9 March 1997.{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Des'ree&titel=I'm+Kissing+You&cat=s |title=Des'ree – Kissing You |publisher=Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien |accessdate=17 January 2011}} It rose to its peak position of number 17 on 20 April 1997, and spent a total of 13 weeks on the chart. In December 2010, "Kissing You" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 137.{{Cite web|url=http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/101225cluk.txt |title=Chart: CLUK Update 25.12.2010 (wk50) |publisher=Zobbel.de |date=25 December 2010 |access-date=2 February 2011}} In 2013 Abbey Clancy waltzed to "Kissing You" on the 11th series of Strictly Come Dancing,{{cite web |url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/2013092914810/strictly-abbey-clancy-dance-of-the-night/ |title=Strictly Come Dancing: stunning Abbey Clancy performs 'dance of the night' |publisher=Hellomagazine.com |date=29 September 2013 |access-date=6 June 2020}} and the song reentered the UK Singles Chart at number 91.{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/music-charts/ |title=Official Singles Chart UK Top 100 |date=12 October 2013 |publisher=Official Charts Company |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012020203/http://www.officialcharts.com/music-charts/ |archive-date= 12 October 2013 |url-status=dead }} In 2016, "Kissing You" appeared on the French Singles Chart at number 90.{{cite web |url=https://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Des%27ree&titel=I%27m+Kissing+You&cat=s |title=Des'ree – I'm Kissing You" |language=French |publisher=Les classement single |accessdate=12 July 2022}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/review/william-shakespeares-romeo-plus-juliet/73 |title=William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet |first=Sal |last=Cinquemani |website=Slant Magazine |date=29 March 2002 |access-date=28 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111073219/http://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/review/william-shakespeares-romeo-plus-juliet/73 |archive-date=11 January 2011 }}

"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.{{cite AV media notes |title=B'Day deluxe edition |publisher=Sony Music BMG Entertainment |year=2007}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/b/beyonce/videos_07/news_feature_040207/index3.jhtml |title=Beyoncé: Backstage at the B'Day Videos |first=Jennifer |last=Vineyard |publisher=MTV |access-date=2 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624084117/http://www.mtv.com/bands/b/beyonce/videos_07/news_feature_040207/index3.jhtml |archive-date=24 June 2011 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1557909/beyonce-pulls-bday-deluxe-edition-due-lawsuit.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110421044634/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1557909/beyonce-pulls-bday-deluxe-edition-due-lawsuit.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 April 2011 |title=Beyonce's B'Day Over? Singer Pulls Deluxe Editions Due To Lawsuit |first=Jennifer |last=Vineyard |publisher=MTV News |date=24 April 2007 |access-date=4 February 2011}} She called the song "a beautiful ballad".{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qyYEAAAAMBAJ&q=still+in+love+kissing+you&pg=PA93 |title=Get To Poppin' |journal=Vibe |page=89 |date=June 2007 |access-date=3 February 2011 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/b/beyonce/videos_07/news_feature_040207/index2.jhtml |title=Beyoncé: Behind The B'Day Videos |first=Jennifer |last=Vineyard |publisher=MTV News |access-date=2 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214222230/http://www.mtv.com/bands/b/beyonce/videos_07/news_feature_040207/index2.jhtml |archive-date=14 December 2007 }} Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine wrote that the song "sound[s] downright subtle".{{cite web |url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/house/2007/07/upgrade-b|title=Upgrade B|website=Slant Magazine|first=Sal|last=Cinquemani|date=7 April 2007|access-date=1 December 2013}}

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. 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. 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". A music video for the song was shot and directed by Cliff Watts, who had also shot Beyoncé's Sports Illustrated cover. Filmed on Super 8 in Miami, the video was included on the B'Day Anthology Video Album. 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.

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, although the editions had sold over 214,000 copies before the recall.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1052503/beyonces-b-day-hits-copyright-snag |title=Beyonce's 'B-Day' Hits Copyright Snag |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140706111113/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1052503/beyonces-b-day-hits-copyright-snag |first1=Brian |last1=Garrity |first2=Ed |last2=Christman |date=27 April 2007 |archive-date=6 July 2014 |url-status=live}} 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.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20037722,00.html |title='B'Day' Blues |first=Clark |last=Collis |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=4 May 2007 |access-date=27 February 2011 |archive-date=25 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225175052/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20037722,00.html |url-status=dead }}

An injunction hearing was scheduled for 4 May, and later postponed until 14 May 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1559054/want-be-avrils-merch-model.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629172652/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1559054/want-be-avrils-merch-model.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 June 2011 |title=Avril's Merch-Model Search, Plus Nick Cannon, 'NSYNC, Busta, MCR, Fergie, John Mayer, Harry Potter & More In For The Record |publisher=MTV News |date=8 May 2007 |access-date=27 February 2011}} On 12 October 2007, the case was dismissed with prejudice, by agreement of all parties.{{cite court |litigants=The Royalty Network Inc. v. Columbia Recording Corporation et al |court=S.D.N.Y. |date=12 October 2007 |url=https://ecf.nysd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/ShowIndex.pl}} 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.

• CD single{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Kissing-You-Desree/dp/B00005631P |title=Kissing You |website=Amazon |access-date=26 January 2011}}

1. "Kissing You" – 4:56
2. "You Gotta Be" – 4:06
3. "Warm Hands, Cold Heart" – 4:35
4. "Sword of Love" – 4:03
5. "Livin' in the City" (Meme's Extended Club Mix) – 7:46

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "I'm Kissing You"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Des'ree|title=I'm Kissing You|award=Silver|relyear=2004|certyear=2017|id=14581-2189-1|access-date=15 August 2022}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Des'ree}}

{{Beyoncé singles}}

{{Romeo and Juliet}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1996 songs

Category:1997 singles

Category:1990s ballads

Category:Des'ree songs

Category:Beyoncé songs

Category:Songs written for films

Category:Song recordings produced by Nellee Hooper

Category:Song recordings produced by Beyoncé

Category:Pop ballads

Category:Contemporary R&B ballads

Category:Music videos directed by Beyoncé

Category:Songs about kissing