Faith Hill – “This Kiss”
When Faith Hill released “This Kiss” in 1998, she was already one of country music’s brightest stars. The song, however, helped transform her into an international country-pop superstar.
“This Kiss” was written by Beth Nielsen Chapman, Robin Lerner and Annie Roboff. Interestingly, the writers did not originally imagine it as a country song. Chapman later recalled that they initially pictured a pop performer such as Britney Spears, Brandy or even Patti LaBelle recording it. After learning that Hill was preparing her third studio album, the writers reworked the presentation by stripping back some of the pop elements and adding a more country-flavored arrangement. Hill quickly recognized its potential. American Songwriter
Produced by Hill and Byron Gallimore, “This Kiss” was recorded for Hill’s third album, Faith. The upbeat song captures the dizzy, almost unbelievable feeling of falling deeply in love. Its playful wording, memorable melody and unusual use of scientific-sounding language made it instantly recognizable. Released on February 23, 1998, it offered a bright contrast to many of the heartbreak songs dominating country radio.
“This Kiss” climbed to No. 1 on Billboard’s country chart, where it remained for three weeks. It also crossed over to pop and adult-contemporary radio, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the adult-contemporary chart. The song became an international success as well, reaching No. 4 in Australia and the Top 20 in the United Kingdom.
The colorful music video was nearly as memorable as the record. Directed by Steven Goldmann, it placed Hill inside a whimsical computer-generated fantasy world filled with oversized flowers, flying insects and a giant piece of fruit used as a swing. Hill was pregnant with her second daughter, Maggie, during filming, forcing the production team to adjust some of her wardrobe at the last minute. The clip won Video of the Year at the 1998 CMA Awards.
“This Kiss” also earned Grammy nominations for Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Although it did not win either award, the recording became one of the defining country-pop hits of the late 1990s.
More than two decades later, “This Kiss” remains one of Faith Hill’s signature songs—a joyful celebration of romance that helped open the door for the enormous crossover success she would enjoy with Breathe the following year.
