Kissing You (Des'ree song)
Encyclopedia
"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 A major
, the record uses a simple instrumentation consisting only of piano
and string instrument
s. "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. Released as a single
in in 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.
"Kissing You" has been covered by Beyoncé Knowles
(2007), Taylor Dayne
(2008) and Stan Walker
(2010). Knowles filmed a music video for her rendition, which she retitled "Still in Love (Kissing You)". The change of title and music video went against copyright terms, and thus Des'ree's publishers filed a lawsuit against Knowles and her representatives. Infringing albums were recalled, and both parties agreed that the case be dismissed with prejudice.
and Timothy Atack, and was produced by Nellee Hooper
. The string instrument
s were arranged
by Craig Armstrong, while Andy Todd
and Jim Abbiss
engineered
the record. The pop
ballad
uses only piano
and string instrumentation. 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 major
, it has a basic 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.
"Kissing You" is featured during Romeo + Juliet, directed by Baz Luhrmann
, when Romeo Montague
(Leonardo DiCaprio
) and Juliet Capulet
(Claire Danes
) first meet at a ball at the Capulets' mansion. The song was featured on the film's soundtrack
, and was included on Des'ree's third studio album, Supernatural
(1998). Sony Music
released the single
via compact disc in 1997. "Kissing You" was also sold as the B-side to "Life
" (1998) in the UK. The musical interlude in the middle of "Kissing You" was used to promote the UEFA Euro 2004.
Lisa Jardine noted "Kissing You" as "a high point" of the film. 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". In a review of Supernatural for Entertainment Weekly
, Considine later commended the "throaty emotionalism" with which Des'ree sang "Kissing You". 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." The Richmond Times-Dispatch
Kate Lipper called the record "an excellent slow song that you can play nonstop". However, Ann Powers from The New York Times
wrote that Des'ree is too melodramatic on "Kissing You". In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Charlotte Church
described the song as one of her favourite downloads, "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."
"Kissing You" debuted on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart
at number forty-two on the week ending 9 March 1997. It rose to its peak position of number seventeen on 20 April 1997, and slipped of the chart in June, having spent thirteen weeks on the chart. In December 2010, "I'm Kissing You" entered the UK Singles Chart
at number 137.
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.
, whose version appears as the eighth track on her fifth studio album, Satisfied
(2008). Australian Idol
winner Stan Walker
recorded his rendition of the song as the twelfth track on his second studio album, From the Inside Out
(2010).
singer Beyoncé Knowles
under the title "Still in Love (Kissing You)". Knowles' rendition was included on the deluxe edition of her second studio album, B'Day
. Knowles contributed to the writing and production processes, and it was one of the last tracks to be added to the album. She called the song "a beautiful ballad" and said, "I've always loved ['Kissing You']. It gives you this emotion – I don't care who you are, you just feel it. And it meant a lot for me to do this."
cover. The video for the song served as the closing clip for the B'Day Anthology Video Album
, and was filmed on Super 8 mm film
in Miami. Knowles discussed the music video with MTV
, stating that, "[The video] feels like something you shouldn't be seeing, like you found a home video. It's very raw: no retouching, no special effects. That's who I am. You can see my soul." In an interview with Vibe Knowles recalled the video, "I didn't have any hair and makeup. [The video features] just me on the beach and in the sun, and I brought one bathing suit 'cause I was there for myself. It's very artistic and grimy, and [there is] no retouching. It is what it is."
against Sony BMG, Sony BMG Sales Enterprise, Knowles, B-Day Publishing and EMI April Music, claiming that Knowles' cover of the song infringed copyright conditions. On 13 February 2007, Knowles' representatives had sought permission to use interpolations
of "Kissing You". The Royalty Network offered Knowles the use 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. Knowles 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". 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 Manhattan Federal Court, 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. 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.
An injunction hearing was scheduled for 4 May, and later postponed until 14 May 2007. On October 12, 2007, the case was dismissed with prejudice, by agreement of all parties. Knowles' 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.
Des'ree
Des'ree is an English pop/soul singer who was popular during the 1990s. She is well known for her hits: "Feel So High", "You Gotta Be", "Life", and "Kissing You"...
. It was written by the singer with Timothy Atack for Baz Luhrmann
Baz Luhrmann
Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann is an Australian film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for The Red Curtain Trilogy, which includes his films Strictly Ballroom, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!...
's 1996 film Romeo + Juliet. The song was included on the film's soundtrack album
Romeo + Juliet (soundtrack)
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...
and Des'ree's third studio album, Supernatural
Supernatural (Des'ree album)
Supernatural is the third studio album by British recording artist Des'ree. Released by 550 Music and Epic Records on 11 August 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 critics, who...
(1998). A pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
set in A major
A major
A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
, the record uses a simple instrumentation consisting only of piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and string instrument
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
s. "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. Released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in in 1997, it appeared on the ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
and the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. A music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
accompanied the single, which included scenes from Romeo + Juliet.
"Kissing You" has been covered by Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
(2007), Taylor Dayne
Taylor Dayne
Taylor Dayne was born Leslie Wunderman on March 7, 1962 before later adopting her current stage name. She is an American pop vocalist, songwriter, and dance artist. Overall, she has had eighteen individual hit songs reach the top ten in Billboard magazine...
(2008) and Stan Walker
Stan Walker
Stan Walker , is an Australian recording artist and actor. In 2009, Walker was the winner on the seventh season of Australian Idol. He subsequently signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia....
(2010). Knowles filmed a music video for her rendition, which she retitled "Still in Love (Kissing You)". The change of title and music video went against copyright terms, and thus Des'ree's publishers filed a lawsuit against Knowles and her representatives. Infringing albums were recalled, and both parties agreed that the case be dismissed with prejudice.
Background and composition
"Kissing You" was written by Des'reeDes'ree
Des'ree is an English pop/soul singer who was popular during the 1990s. She is well known for her hits: "Feel So High", "You Gotta Be", "Life", and "Kissing You"...
and Timothy Atack, and was produced by Nellee Hooper
Nellee Hooper
Nellee Hooper is a British producer/remixer/composer best known for his work with Björk, No Doubt/Gwen Stefani, Madonna, Sinéad O'Connor, Garbage, Andrea Corr, U2, Sneaker Pimps, Soul II Soul and Massive Attack...
. The string instrument
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
s were arranged
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
by Craig Armstrong, while Andy Todd
Andy Todd (musician)
Andy Todd is an English musician, who started out as a remixer before becoming keyboardist with Republica, famous for the smash hit "Ready to Go" in 1996. He left the band in late 1997 and became a songwriter for other bands, including songs on 7 by S Club 7.- References :...
and Jim Abbiss
Jim Abbiss
Jim Abbiss is a British music producer, best known for his work on records including Arctic Monkeys' Mercury Music Prize winning debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, Ladytron's Witching Hour, Sneaker Pimps' debut Becoming X, Editors' debut The Back Room, Kasabian's...
engineered
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
the record. The pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
uses only piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and string instrumentation. 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
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 112 beats per minute. Written in the key of A major
A major
A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
, it has a basic sequence of Dm7–Am7–G/B–C–G/B–Am7–C/G as its chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
. Des'ree's voice spans from the low note of A3 to the high note of D5.
"Kissing You" is featured during Romeo + Juliet, directed by Baz Luhrmann
Baz Luhrmann
Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann is an Australian film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for The Red Curtain Trilogy, which includes his films Strictly Ballroom, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!...
, when Romeo Montague
Romeo Montague
Romeo is one of the fictional protagonists in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Romeo is the son of old Montague and his wife, who secretly loves and marries Juliet, a member of the rival House of Capulet...
(Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio is an American actor and film producer. He has received many awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Aviator , and has been nominated by the Academy Awards, Screen Actors Guild and the British Academy of Film and Television...
) and Juliet Capulet
Juliet Capulet
Juliet is one of the title characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet, the other being Romeo. She is the daughter of old Capulet, head of the house of Capulet. The story has a long history that precedes Shakespeare himself....
(Claire Danes
Claire Danes
Claire Catherine Danes is an American actress of television, stage and film. She has appeared in roles as diverse as Angela Chase in My So-Called Life, as Juliet in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet, as Kate Brewster in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, as Yvaine in Stardust and as Temple Grandin in...
) first meet at a ball at the Capulets' mansion. The song was featured on the film's soundtrack
Romeo + Juliet (soundtrack)
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...
, and was included on Des'ree's third studio album, Supernatural
Supernatural (Des'ree album)
Supernatural is the third studio album by British recording artist Des'ree. Released by 550 Music and Epic Records on 11 August 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 critics, who...
(1998). Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
released the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
via compact disc in 1997. "Kissing You" was also sold as the B-side to "Life
Life (Des'ree song)
"Life" is a popular song recorded by the British pop and soul singer Des'ree. It was the third single from her third album Supernatural and was released on 2 June 1998...
" (1998) in the UK. The musical interlude in the middle of "Kissing You" was used to promote the UEFA Euro 2004.
Reception
New StatesmanNew Statesman
New Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
Lisa Jardine noted "Kissing You" as "a high point" of the film. J. D. Considine
J. D. Considine
J. D. Considine is an established music critic who has been writing about music professionally since 1977. His work has been published in numerous newspapers and music magazines, and he has contributed to several books. Over the years, he has claimed to have put over three million words into...
wrote for The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
that "the tremulous intensity of Des'ree's 'Kissing You' has more emotional impact than many films". In a review of Supernatural for Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, Considine later commended the "throaty emotionalism" with which Des'ree sang "Kissing You". 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." The Richmond Times-Dispatch
Richmond Times-Dispatch
The Richmond Times-Dispatch is the primary daily newspaper in Richmond the capital of Virginia, United States, and is commonly considered the "newspaper of record" for events occurring in much of the state...
Kate Lipper called the record "an excellent slow song that you can play nonstop". However, Ann Powers from The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
wrote that Des'ree is too melodramatic on "Kissing You". In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Charlotte Church
Charlotte Church
Charlotte Maria Church is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress and television presenter. She rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching into pop music in 2005. By 2007, she had sold more than 10 million records worldwide including over 5 million in the United States...
described the song as one of her favourite downloads, "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."
"Kissing You" debuted on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
at number forty-two on the week ending 9 March 1997. It rose to its peak position of number seventeen on 20 April 1997, and slipped of the chart in June, having spent thirteen weeks on the chart. In December 2010, "I'm Kissing You" entered the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number 137.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
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.
Track listing
- CD single
- "Kissing You" – 4:56
- "You Gotta BeYou Gotta Be"You Gotta Be" is a song recorded by the British pop and soul singer Des'ree. Written by the singer with the track's producer Ashley Ingram, "You Gotta Be" was the first single release from Des'ree's second album I Ain't Movin .-Background:...
" – 4:06 - "Warm Hands, Cold Heart" – 4:35
- "Sword of Love" – 4:03
- "Livin' in the City" (Meme's Extended Club Mix) – 7:46
Cover versions
"Kissing You" was covered by Taylor DayneTaylor Dayne
Taylor Dayne was born Leslie Wunderman on March 7, 1962 before later adopting her current stage name. She is an American pop vocalist, songwriter, and dance artist. Overall, she has had eighteen individual hit songs reach the top ten in Billboard magazine...
, whose version appears as the eighth track on her fifth studio album, Satisfied
Satisfied (Taylor Dayne album)
Satisfied is the fifth studio album released by singer-songwriter Taylor Dayne. It includes the lead single, "Beautiful" which went to Number 1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Charts in May 2008. "Crash" was used in a promotional commercial for the ABC network...
(2008). Australian Idol
Australian Idol
Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
winner Stan Walker
Stan Walker
Stan Walker , is an Australian recording artist and actor. In 2009, Walker was the winner on the seventh season of Australian Idol. He subsequently signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia....
recorded his rendition of the song as the twelfth track on his second studio album, From the Inside Out
From the Inside Out
From the Inside Out is the second studio album by Australian recording artist Stan Walker, released on 20 August 2010 through Sony Music Australia. Walker worked with several record producers and songwriters for the album, including Audius Mtawarira, Israel Cruz, Ryan Tedder, Phil Tan and Stuart...
(2010).
Beyoncé Knowles version
"Kissing You" was covered by American R&BContemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
singer Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
under the title "Still in Love (Kissing You)". Knowles' rendition was included on the deluxe edition of her second studio album, B'Day
B'Day
B'Day is the second studio album by American R&B recording artist Beyoncé Knowles, released on September 4, 2006 by Columbia Records in collaboration with Music World Music and Sony Urban Music. It was released to coincide with Knowles' twenty-fifth birthday. The album was originally planned for a...
. Knowles contributed to the writing and production processes, and it was one of the last tracks to be added to the album. She called the song "a beautiful ballad" and said, "I've always loved ['Kissing You']. It gives you this emotion – I don't care who you are, you just feel it. And it meant a lot for me to do this."
Music video
A music video for the song was shot and directed by Cliff Watts, who had also shot Knowles' Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
cover. The video for the song served as the closing clip for the B'Day Anthology Video Album
B'Day Anthology Video Album
B'Day Anthology Video Album is the first video album by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles. It features thirteen music videos for songs from her second studio album, B'Day and its deluxe re-release . It was released by Columbia Records exclusively through Wal-Mart stores on April 3, 2007...
, and was filmed on Super 8 mm film
Super 8 mm film
Super 8 mm film is a motion picture film format released in 1965 by Eastman Kodak as an improvement of the older "Double" or "Regular" 8 mm home movie format....
in Miami. Knowles discussed the music video with MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, stating that, "[The video] feels like something you shouldn't be seeing, like you found a home video. It's very raw: no retouching, no special effects. That's who I am. You can see my soul." In an interview with Vibe Knowles recalled the video, "I didn't have any hair and makeup. [The video features] just me on the beach and in the sun, and I brought one bathing suit 'cause I was there for myself. It's very artistic and grimy, and [there is] no retouching. It is what it is."
Lawsuit
Des'ree's publishers, the Royalty Network, filed a lawsuitLawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
against Sony BMG, Sony BMG Sales Enterprise, Knowles, B-Day Publishing and EMI April Music, claiming that Knowles' cover of the song infringed copyright conditions. On 13 February 2007, Knowles' representatives had sought permission to use interpolations
Interpolation (music)
Interpolation in music refers to an abrupt change in musical elements from the main theme.-In classical music:In music and musical composition, especially 20th century and later, interpolation is an abrupt change of elements, with continuation of the first idea...
of "Kissing You". The Royalty Network offered Knowles the use 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. Knowles 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". The publishing company requested that Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
(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 Manhattan Federal Court, sought US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
150,000 in damages
Damages
In law, damages is an award, typically of money, to be paid to a person as compensation for loss or injury; grammatically, it is a singular noun, not plural.- Compensatory 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. 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.
An injunction hearing was scheduled for 4 May, and later postponed until 14 May 2007. On October 12, 2007, the case was dismissed with prejudice, by agreement of all parties. Knowles' father and manager, Mathew Knowles
Mathew Knowles
Mathew Knowles is an American music executive and manager. He is the father and former manager of R&B singer Beyoncé , Knowles also managed Kelly Rowland as well as girl group Destiny's Child . He was also the manager of Solange Knowles.-Manager and producer:Knowles is an alumnus of Fisk...
, 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.