This Kiss

"This Kiss" is a jubilant celebration of the transformative power of a single, perfect kiss and the intoxicating feeling of falling in love. The song's meaning revolves around the idea that the right romantic connection can instantly erase past heartbreaks and fears, launching a person into a state of euphoric bliss. The lyrics begin with a tone of caution, where the narrator is guarded due to past romantic pains, but this hesitation is swiftly swept away by the overwhelming joy of a new love. The core message is one of optimistic, almost fairytale-like romance, suggesting that a profound connection can feel like a pivotal, life-altering event. It contrasts the cynicism born from experience with the sheer, unadulterated happiness of finding a love that feels both magical and destined. The recurring emphasis on the kiss itself elevates it to a symbol of this entire emotional transformation—a singular moment that represents perpetual bliss and an unstoppable, undeniable connection.

The narrative begins with a declaration of romantic caution, a self-protective stance born from past heartaches. The singer expresses a firm decision to avoid new emotional entanglements, explicitly stating a desire not to cry again or learn painful lessons about love. She is resolved to say "goodbye" before a simple "hello" can escalate into something that might cause pain. However, this defensive wall is immediately shattered by the arrival of a new love interest. This person's effect is instantaneous and powerful, described as a rocket shooting across the sky, a metaphor for the sudden and thrilling trajectory her emotions have taken.

The chorus erupts with an explanation of this overwhelming feeling, attributing it to the specific way her new partner loves her. The experience is a cascade of vivid, almost scientific sensations: "centrifugal motion" and "perpetual bliss." This kiss is not just a kiss; it's a "pivotal moment," a turning point that feels both impossible and unstoppable. The repetition of "this kiss, this kiss" emphasizes its singular importance. The experience is so profound it's described with a sense of wonder and disbelief, using words like "unthinkable" and "unsinkable."

The song then dips into a whimsical, fairytale-inspired verse. The singer imagines a conversation between Cinderella and Snow White, two iconic figures of classic romance, questioning how love can go so wrong. This reveals her own lingering fears and past disappointments. Her desires are simple and archetypal: a "white knight" with a good heart and a gentle touch, who will sweep her off into a storybook sunset for a life of eternal devotion. This verse grounds her euphoric feelings in a relatable longing for a pure and dependable love, contrasting the magic of the moment with the known perils of romance.

The emotional climax builds in the bridge, which shifts from fairytale wishes to a more direct and intimate plea. It becomes a romantic montage of ideal kisses: in the moonlight on a rooftop, with the windows open during a rainstorm, and in sweet, slow motion where all worldly troubles can just "slide." These images paint a picture of a deep, all-encompassing connection that transcends circumstance. The feeling is one of weightlessness and freedom, of being made to feel like she is floating and flying. This section amplifies the passion and intimacy of the titular kiss, showing its power to create a private, perfect world for the two lovers.

Ultimately, the song returns to its central, powerful chorus, reinforcing that this extraordinary, life-changing feeling is all encapsulated in this one specific, sublime kiss. It's a celebration of finding a love that feels both magically transformative and deeply real, powerful enough to overcome past fears and launch the heart into a state of pure, spinning joy.

"This Kiss" was written by a trio of accomplished songwriters: Beth Nielsen Chapman, Robin Lerner, and Annie Roboff. The song was released on February 23, 1998, as the lead single from Faith Hill's third studio album, Faith. Interestingly, the writers initially conceived it as a pop or R&B song and spent about a year pitching it to artists like Brandy and Patti LaBelle with no success. It was only after they learned Hill was looking for material that they re-recorded the demo with a country arrangement, adding steel guitars to give it a new feel. This country version immediately caught the attention of Hill's team. The song was co-produced by Hill herself, alongside her frequent collaborator Byron Gallimore, and recorded at Loud Recording and Ocean Way Recording in Nashville, Tennessee. The track marked a significant moment in Hill's career, as it was designed to be a crossover hit, successfully transitioning her from a country star to a mainstream pop artist. Faith Hill was pregnant with her second daughter, Maggie, during the filming of the music video, which required some last-minute costume adjustments.

The song features a structured and consistent rhyme scheme, primarily using couplets (AABB), which contributes to its catchy and memorable quality. For example, in the verses, "sky" rhymes with "goodbye" and "course" with "horse." This simple, effective scheme makes the lyrics easy to follow and sing along to. The rhythm is upbeat and driving, set in a common 4/4 time signature with a tempo that encourages dancing and creates a feeling of joy and momentum. The lyrical rhythm is syncopated and flows seamlessly with the melody, particularly in the rapid-fire delivery of the chorus. The interplay between the steady, energetic musical rhythm and the playful, cascading vocal melody is a key element of the song's infectious appeal.

"This Kiss" masterfully blends literary and musical techniques to create its infectious, upbeat feel.

• Literary Techniques: The lyrics employ vivid imagery ("kiss me in the moonlight, on the rooftop under the sky") and allusions to fairytales (Cinderella and Snow White) to create a romantic, fantastical atmosphere. The use of sophisticated and unusual vocabulary for a pop song, such as "centrifugal motion," "perpetual bliss," and "pivotal moment," gives the chorus a memorable and clever quality. The structure of the chorus, where a key descriptive word changes with each repetition ("impossible," "unstoppable," "unthinkable," "unsinkable," "subliminal," "criminal"), adds a playful and dynamic layer to the song's hook.
• Musical Techniques: The song is a prime example of 1990s country-pop crossover, blending traditional country instruments like steel guitar and fiddle with a pop-oriented drum beat and production. Faith Hill's vocal performance is powerful and jubilant, conveying pure joy and sincerity. The song's arrangement builds dynamically, leading to a satisfying key change after the bridge (at 1:45), which elevates the emotional energy of the final choruses. This modulation is a classic pop technique used to heighten excitement and create a climactic finale.

"This Kiss" was a massive commercial success and a significant cultural milestone in 1990s music. It became Faith Hill's signature song and a major crossover hit, solidifying her status as a mainstream superstar beyond the country genre. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for three weeks and peaked at No. 7 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. It also performed well internationally, charting in the Top 10 in Australia and the Top 20 in the UK. The song's success was bolstered by its inclusion on the soundtrack of the popular 1998 film Practical Magic, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. "This Kiss" was nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song. Its vibrant, CGI-filled music video won the CMA Award for Music Video of the Year in 1998. The song is considered a quintessential country-pop anthem of its era and was ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the "200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time."

The song is rich with vivid imagery and metaphors that symbolize the overwhelming and magical nature of new love.

• The Kiss: The central symbol is the kiss itself, which represents more than just a physical act. It is a "pivotal moment," a catalyst for profound emotional change that brings "perpetual bliss." It symbolizes the gateway from a past of heartbreak to a future of happiness.
• Rocket Imagery: The line "But you got me like a rocket, shooting straight across the sky" is a powerful metaphor for the sudden, exhilarating, and unstoppable trajectory of falling in love. It conveys a sense of speed, excitement, and being lifted out of the ordinary.
• Fairytale Characters: The reference to "Cinderella said to Snow White, how does love get so off course" uses these iconic figures to symbolize a universal, almost childlike longing for a perfect, storybook romance. It contrasts the ideal of a "white knight" with the reality of past disappointments, highlighting the narrator's renewed hope.
• Centrifugal Motion: This scientific term is used metaphorically to describe the dizzying, spinning sensation of being in love. Although debated for its scientific accuracy in this context, it effectively communicates a feeling of being delightfully out of control, caught in the powerful pull of the relationship.

The most prominent recurring motif is the phrase "this kiss, this kiss," which acts as the song's central hook and anchor. Its repetition at the end of each chorus line emphasizes its singular importance, drilling the theme into the listener's mind. The structure of the chorus itself is a recurring pattern with a slight variation each time: "It's, ah, [adjective], this kiss, this kiss." The changing adjective—from "impossible" to "unstoppable," "unthinkable," and so on—serves as a clever lyrical device that explores different facets of the kiss's overwhelming power while maintaining a familiar structure. Another recurring theme is the fairytale motif, with mentions of "Cinderella," "Snow White," a "white knight," and riding "off into the sunset," which collectively reinforce the song's dreamy and idealized vision of love.