Sweetest Sin

Infobox Single
Name = Sweetest Sin


Artist = Jessica Simpson
from Album = In This Skin
B-side =
Released = July 22 2003
Format = CD single
Recorded =
Genre = Pop R&B
Length = 3:14 (album version)
3:03 (single version)
Label = Columbia
Writer = Diane Warren
Producer = Ric Wake
Certification =
Last single = "Irresistible" (So So Def Remix) (featuring Lil Bow Wow)
(2002)
This single = "Sweetest Sin"
(2003)
Next single = "With You"
(2004)
Misc =

"Sweetest Sin" is a song by Jessica Simpson, and was the first single from her third album, "In This Skin". Released in 2003 (see 2003 in music), the single became Simpson's second not to chart in the United States.

Background and recording

"Sweetest Sin" was written by Diane Warren and produced by Ric Wake.

The recording process of "Sweetest Sin" was documented in an episode of Simpson's reality series, "Newlyweds". 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.

Music video

The video 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 Simpson alone.

The video was filmed in cold temperatures, causing Lachey to announce that it was one of the most difficult videos he had filmed. It was filmed in the same period as the video for "Shut Up", the first single from his solo debut album. When Simpson, her family, and Lachey were watching a rough copy of "Sweetest Sin", Lachey was impressed with it and asked how much it cost. Simpson said that the budget had been around 172,000 dollars, which angered Lachey because the "Shut Up" music video had cost much less. Lachey consequently reshot his music video, although he was again given a much lower budget than Simpson.

Chart performance

"Sweetest Sin" became Simpson's second consecutive single, after "A Little Bit", not to chart on the U.S. "Billboard" Hot 100. After the release of a CD single, the song reached number six on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart.

References