Sweetest Sin

Updated on Jan 15, 2024

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B-side "In This Skin" Format CD single Length 3:14		Released July 22, 2003 Genre R&B, pop Label Columbia

"Sweetest Sin" is a song by American recording artist Jessica Simpson. It was written by Diane Warren and produced by Ric Wake for Simpson's third studio album, In This Skin (2003). It was released as the album's first single on July 22, 2003 through Columbia Records. The R&B song, speaks about what would be the sweetest sin between a couple. "Sweetest Sin" received positive reviews from critics, with some calling it a catchy tune and an "ode to booty knocking". Simpson performed the song on her Reality Tour Live (2003). An accompanying music video, directed by Constantine Paraskavopoulos, showed Simpson swaying on a beach and flirting with singer Nick Lachey during the whole video.

Background and composition

"Sweetest Sin" was written by Diane Warren and produced by Ric Wake. According to the sheetmusic published at Music Notes by Real Songs (ASCAP), the R&B song is composed in the key of D minor and is set in the time signature of common time with a tempo of 96 beats per minute. It has the sequence of C–D–B♭ as its chord progression. Simpson's vocals in the song span from the note of D₄ to the high note of F₅.

The recording process of "Sweetest Sin" was documented in an episode of Simpson's reality series, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. Simpson originally recorded "Sweetest Sin" confidentially in a slightly remixed form and announced she was pleased with its progress. However, her superiors at Columbia Records told her that she had made the song too "challenging"; in essence, they felt that potential listeners of the song would be alienated by singing they would not be able to duplicate. Simpson was filmed breaking into tears when she received the news. Later, she re-recorded her vocals with the assistance of her then-husband, Nick Lachey, whom she brought along because she felt he was a good vocal producer.

Reception

Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine said, "[Sweetest Sin], the catchy tune, penned by Diane Warren, is a glossy, ever-so-slightly over-produced affair." Clem Bastow of Stylus Magazine noticed the song "is concerned with 'a picture of perfection... your skin upon my skin'." Abbey Goodman of MTV said Simpson "maintains the good-girl image that made her popular" with the song, while Joe D'Angelo, also of MTV, called it an "ode to booty knocking." The song was also a Track Pick from the AllMusic review of In This Skin by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, along with "Be", "I Had to Love You" and "With You". On August 9, 2003, the song debuted at number forty on Billboard Pop Songs, reaching number thirty-seven two weeks later.

Music video and live performances

The music video, directed by Dean Paraskavopoulos, starts with black-and-white shots of Simpson dancing and looking at viewers. It cuts to Simpson swaying on a beach, and embracing Nick Lachey underneath a waterfall on the beach. Further scenes are presented, such as one in which Simpson lies on a bed by herself. The video continues with intercut footage of the previous scenes, until the final seconds of the song, when Simpson is joined by her husband, in which they move on their bed on the beach. The video ends when Lachey disappears, leaving the singer alone.

Simpson performed "Sweetest Sin" live at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The performance, dedicated to Lachey, was recorded and later broadcast on the second season of Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. The song was also performed on 2003's Reality Tour Live.