Released January 15, 2002 Genre R&B Label Blackground, Virgin | Format CD single, 12" Length 4:35 | |
Recorded Manhattan Center(New York City, New York) | ||
"Rock the Boat" is a song by American recording artist Aaliyah. It was written by Static Major, Eric Seats and Rapture Stewart for her 2001 self-titled album Aaliyah. "Rock the Boat" was released as a single in January 2002 in the United States and May 2002 in the United Kingdom. Prior to its release as a single, "Rock the Boat" charted as an "album cut" and peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the week of January 5. The song stayed on the chart for twenty-five weeks.
Contents
Aaliyah initially started promotion for the expected second single "More Than a Woman". "Rock the Boat" was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony.
Composition
"Rock the Boat" features an atmospheric groove, hypnotic rhythms, and fluctuating instrumentation such as synthesizer effects. Lyrically, its female narrator instructs a lover on how to please her sexually and equates her erotic high to a drug high: "Work the middle / Change positions / Now stroke it for me / ... I feel like I'm on dope / Explore my body / ". The words "high" and "dope" were censored on MTV.
Reception
"Rock the Boat" was included on Channel V's Vault's countdown for the top 10 beach scenes in music videos and became the first video to be played twice as a "New Joint of the Day" on BET's music countdown show, 106 & Park. After making the countdown 65 times, the video was retired and inducted into 106 & Park's "Hall of Fame". The follow-up "More Than a Woman" made the number-one spot after "Rock the Boat" was retired. "Rock the Boat" appeared at #2 on the BET: Notarized Top 100 Videos of 2001.
Chart performance
On the Billboard Hot 100, the song entered on the chart September 8, 2001, at number 57, and peaked at number 14 in its twelfth week. The song stayed on the chart for twenty-five weeks. The song reached the top 20 of Belgium (Wallonia), Netherlands and United Kingdom. "Rock the Boat" still receives heavy rotation on worldwide radio stations among other Aaliyah hits.
Promotion
Aaliyah appeared on BET's 106 & Park on August 21, 2001, and announced the video shoot would start the following day, August 22, 2001, and the video would be released in early September in time for Back to School. She also announced that it would be released back-to-back with "More Than a Woman".
Music video
The music video for the song was directed by Hype Williams. It features Aaliyah walking on a beach having been inspired by the poem "Footprints", also dancing on a yacht, and on a beach in Marsh Harbour and swimming in a pool in Miami which appears to be the ocean. Aaliyah appears to be dancing on water, in a CGI scene. The dance routine was choreographed by Aaliyah's close friend Fatima Robinson. Dancers in the video include Carmit Bachar, Denosh Bennett, Nadine Ellis and Electrik Red members Binkie and Lesley. Filming started on August 22, 2001, and made its world premiere on BET's Access Granted on October 9, 2001.
On August 25, 2001, Aaliyah and eight others were killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas after filming the music video for "Rock the Boat". The investigation of the crash found that the plane was over its total gross weight by 700 pounds (300 kg) and was loaded with one more passenger than it was allowed to carry. The pilot, Luis Morales III, was not licensed at the time of the accident, and had traces of cocaine and alcohol in his system.