Released March 3, 1998 Genre Country pop | Format CD single Label Warner Bros. Nashville | |
B-side "Better Days" "Somebody Stand By Me" Length 3:17 (Album Version)
3:16 (Pop Remix) | ||
"This Kiss" is a song written by Beth Nielsen Chapman, Robin Lerner and Annie Roboff, and recorded by American country music singer Faith Hill. It was released on March 10, 1998 as the first single from her album, Faith. The song became a crossover single, reaching #1 on the U.S. and Canadian country charts, in addition to reaching Top 10 on the US pop and Adult Contemporary charts, as well as Top Ten in Australia and Top 20 in the United Kingdom. "This Kiss" was nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Grammy Award for Best Country Song, losing both to "You're Still the One" by Canadian singer Shania Twain.
Contents
Track listing
US single
- This Kiss [Album Version] 3:18
- Better Days [Album Version] 3:36
UK vinyl, 12", promo
Europe maxi-CD
- This Kiss [Radio Version] 3:18
- Somebody Stand By Me 5:50
- This Kiss [Mr. Mig Mix] 3:47
Content
"This Kiss" is an up-tempo song where the female narrator expresses the joys of being in love through the act of her lover's kiss.
The song's B-side, "Better Days", was previously recorded by Bekka & Billy, a duo composed of former Fleetwood Mac members Billy Burnette and Bekka Bramlett.
Music video
A video was shot to accompany the song, featuring Hill in a colorful fantasy-like sequence. She was featured swinging on a nectarine, jumping from flower to flower, and riding flying bees and butterflies. In her CMT Video Bio, Faith revealed that clothing she tried on and approved for the video just days prior to the shoot, was already too small because of her pregnancy when she arrived on set.
Hill was pregnant with her second daughter Maggie at the time and she was forced to alter her costuming for the video as a result. The video is notable for its extensive use of CGI technology, and won numerous awards for its creativity. A few months after the video's release, Faith (who was further along in her pregnancy by then) performed the song live at the 1998 ACM awards while dancing in a giant flower in the center of the stage, as a tribute.
Use in media
"This Kiss" also became the soundtrack for the 1998 movie Practical Magic. Hill performed the song at the VH1 Divas Live 1999 show. The song also scored Hill the Video Of The Year awards at the 1998 Country Music Association awards.
In 1999, American country music parody artist Cledus T. Judd released a parody of "This Kiss" titled "Christ-Mas" on his album Juddmental.
In 2012, YouTube musician Alex Day recorded a cover of "This Kiss", featuring the vocals of Carrie Fletcher. The album art is also borrowed from the original.
Personnel
The following musicians perform on this track:
Chart positions
"This Kiss" became her fourth solo Number One, and fifth overall, on both the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts and Canadian RPM Country Tracks charts. The song was also a crossover hit, reaching number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts, her first entry on the latter chart. In addition, it reached number 24 on the Canadian pop charts and number 2 on the Canadian AC charts.
It also saw significant chart action outside North America, reaching number 13 on the UK Singles Chart, number 4 on the Australian Singles Chart and number 52 on the German Singles Chart. This was the first time in her career that Hill had international success with a hit.