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Touch of My Hand

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"Touch of My Hand"
Song

"Touch of My Hand" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, taken from her fourth studio album In the Zone (2003). The song was written by Spears, Jimmy Harry, Balewa Muhammad, and Sheppard Solomon, and produced by Harry and Solomon. It was the first track to be recorded for the album. "Touch of My Hand" contains elements of Middle Eastern music, while the song's lyrics controversially hold themes of masturbation. Spears simulates orgasm with "howling" vocals.

"Touch of My Hand" received generally mixed reviews from contemporary critics, some of whom praised the song's artistry and maturity while others criticized Spears' attempts at portraying sexuality as artificial and forced. Despite not being released as a single, official remixes of the song were commissioned and released. The song was performed on The Onyx Hotel Tour (2004) and The Circus Starring Britney Spears (2009).

Background

After the Dream Within a Dream Tour in support of Britney finalized in July 2002, Spears announced she would take a break from her career for six months. In November 2002, she revealed that she had started working on her next studio album. She explained, "Well, actually, I just said that I wanted two or three weeks off. [....] And the whole world was like, 'Ohmigod, [sic] she's gone..."[1][2] "Touch of My Hand" was the first song to be recorded for the album, and Spears said it "really did provide a balance for the rest of the record. We just went from there."[3] Spears described the recording of the song as a "natural process."[4]

Spears previewed the song to Quddus Philippe of MTV in May 2003, alongside "Brave New Girl" and "Everytime".[5] "It's one of my favorite tracks on the album," Spears said. "I like to compare it to 'That's the Way Love Goes,' kind of a Janet Jackson thing."[5] Spears described the themes of masturbation as "tastefully done."[6] She pinpointed the song as one of the most personal to her, saying, "I really love the vibe of "Touch of My Hand." I love the subject that I'm touching on because no one's really talked about some of those things in a lot of songs written lately because people are scared to express themselves in that way. I think it's an empowering thing for girls."[7] In reference to these themes of autoeroticism, Spears stated, "It's a positive thing to indulge in yourself in a sexual way sometimes."[8]

Composition

"Touch of My Hand"
A 24 second sample of the chorus of "Touch of My Hand".
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Touch of My Hand" is a "pop-electronica" song that contains elements of Middle Eastern music.[5][9][10][11] Like many tracks on In the Zone, the song has a "dense multi-layered blend" of a "strong Asian flavour" and "ice cool electronica."[12] Spears sings in a lower register of her desire to be "out of control."[5] The lyrics of the song are about the act of masturbation: "I love myself/ It's not a sin/ I can't control what's happenin'."[10][13][14] Spears simulates orgasm with "high-pitched cooing" and her "alternately growling and howling" vocals.[11][15] The song received many comparisons to the work of Madonna.[16][17][18]

Remixes

Despite being an album track, official remixes of "Touch of My Hand" were commissioned by Jive Records. Bill Hamel produced a "nearly eight-minute trance remix,"[19] although a five-minute edit is featured on B in the Mix: The Remixes, released in 2005. On the remix, "Spears' voice gets chopped up into skittering syllables and sounds that don't form words but become part of the beat instead."[19]

Reception

The song received positive reviews from contemporary music critics. David Browne of Entertainment Weekly pinpointed "Touch of My Hand" as one of the album's finest moments.[20] Jane Stevensen of Jam! also felt the song was a highlight of the album.[9] Ruth Mitchell of BBC Music called the song a "high point" and said that "its sugary sweet harmonies can't help but impress."[21] Caryn Ganz of Spin enjoyed the song, but noted "'Breathe on Me' and 'Touch of My Hand' borrow their shimmer, their discoid throb, and their self-confidence from [Madonna's] recent work."[18]

Similarly, Bernard Zuel of the Sydney Morning Herald described the song as "dull new-age Madonna,"[16] while Nekesa Mumbi Moody of The Associated Press felt the end result was "artificial and forced."[22] Matthew Wilder of City Pages felt that moments of the song "access that queer-o-centric, cool-to-cold club sound of "Vogue"-era Madonna, but with a poignant difference. Britney is too thick, too slow, too homecoming queen to get over in Boys' Town."[17]

Live performances

Spears performed the song on The Onyx Hotel Tour in support of In the Zone in 2004. The song is introduced by a video which sees Britney "lounging on a bed before blowing out some candles, letting her bathrobe drop to the floor and getting into a tub filled with bubbles and rose petals."[23] Spears also disrobed on stage, revealing the diamond bodysuit from the "Toxic" music video.[23] She "writhed in a plexiglass bath while a man in boots and briefs rubbed himself on a bed below her."[24] Spears' dancers stripped themselves and one another, while Spears touched herself, simulating masturbation.[23]

The song was performed on 2009's The Circus Starring Britney Spears tour alongside "Breathe on Me", another In the Zone album track. Spears "was blindfolded and simulated sex on a couch, before two acrobats started grinding against her in mid-air."[25] Spears and one of the male dancers "rose off the ground, writhing together suggestively."[26]

Credits and personnel

  • Britney Spears — lead vocals, background vocals, songwriting
  • Jimmy Harry — arranger, guitar, keyboards, producer, programming, songwriting
  • Balewa Muhammad — songwriting
  • Sheppard Solomon — producer

References

  1. ^ Shaw, William (2003-12-20). "Britney Busts Loose! - Blender". Blender. Alpha Media Group. ISSN 1534-0554. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  2. ^ Moss, Corey (2002-11-05). "Britney Spears' Hiatus Is History - Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV". MTV. Viacom Media Networks. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
  3. ^ "Britney Sexes Up The Music". Billboard. 115 (47). Prometheus Global Media. 2003-11-23. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2011-01-29. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  4. ^ Trunk, Russel A. "Britney Spears: Revealed". Exclusive Magazine. Anne Carlini. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  5. ^ a b c d Vineyard, Jennifer; Philippe, Quddus (2003-05-30). "Britney Previews LP, Denies Rumors Of 'Cry Me A River' Response". MTV. Viacom Media Networks. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  6. ^ Vineyard, Jennifer (2003-09-23). "Britney Gets 'Just A Little Freaky' On In The Zone". MTV. Viacom Media Networks. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
  7. ^ "Pop Queen Britney Spears Gets in the Freaky Zone". Barnes & Noble Music. Barnes & Noble. 2003-11-12. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  8. ^ "'Everybody masturbates'". iafrica.com. Primedia. 2003-11-14. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  9. ^ a b Stevenson, Jane (2003-11-17). "Album Review: In The Zone". Jam!. Canoe.ca. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
  10. ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (2003-11-12). "Britney Spears: In The Zone". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
  11. ^ a b "CD Review: In the Zone and MH". Teen Hollywood. 2003-11-23. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  12. ^ Bishop, Tom (2003-11-21). "Bhangra Britney gets lost in music". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
  13. ^ Pareles, Jon (2003-11-19). "In The Zone". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  14. ^ Vaziri, Aidin (2003-11-20). "There's more to Britney than the porn persona". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  15. ^ Kitchen, Benjamin (2012-12-02). "Top 5 tracks from In The Zone". In Fame We Trust. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  16. ^ a b Zuel, Bernard (2003-11-21). "Britney Spears, In the Zone". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
  17. ^ a b Wilder, Matthew (2003-12-03). "Not a Girl, Not Yet a Porn Star". City Pages. Village Voice Media. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  18. ^ a b Ganz, Caryn (2003-11-18). "Britney Spears, 'In The Zone' (Jive)". Spin. Buzzmedia. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  19. ^ a b Vineyard, Jennifer (2005-11-08). "Surprise: Britney's Releasing An Album In Just Two Weeks". MTV. Viacom Media Networks. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  20. ^ Browne, David (2003-11-21). "In the Zone (2003)". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  21. ^ Mitchell, Ruth (2003-11-17). "Review of Britney Spears - In The Zone". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 2010-11-15.
  22. ^ Moody, Nekese Mumbi (2003-11-19). "Music Review: Britney Spears' 'In The Zone'". The Associated Press. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  23. ^ a b c Wallace, Brian (2004-03-04). "Britney Strips, Gyrates, Sweats, Flirts At Tour Kickoff". MTV. Viacom Media Networks. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
  24. ^ Anderman, Joan (2004-04-08). "Spears dresses up and plays pretend". The Boston Globe. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  25. ^ "Britney Spears is sizzling and sexy at her cracking comeback concert". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  26. ^ Lustig, Jay (2009-03-15). "Britney Spears brings her 'Circus' to town". The Star-Ledger. Advance Publications. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
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