Love @ 1st Sight

"Love @ 1st Sight" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige, performed along with rapper Method Man. It was written by Blige, Sean Combs, Mario Winans, Stevie Jordan, Clifford Smith, and Mechalie Jamison and produced by Combs, Winans and Jordan for her sixth studio album, Love & Life (2003). The song is built around a sample of "Hot Sex" (1992) by American hip-hop trio A Tribe Called Quest. Due to the inclusion of the sample, several other writers are credited as songwriters. Lyrically, it features the protagonist persistently wondering about a romantic attraction for a stranger on the first sight.

"Love @ 1st Sight"
Single by Mary J. Blige featuring Method Man
from the album Love & Life
Released	June 24, 2003 (2003-06-24)
Recorded	November 6–10, 2002^[1]
Length	5:03
Label	Geffen
Songwriter(s)	Mary J. Blige Sean Combs Mario Winans Mechalie Jamison Clifford Smith Steven Jordan Kamaal Fareed Ali Jones-Muhammed Malik Taylor
Producer(s)	Sean Combs Mario Winans Stevie J
Mary J. Blige singles chronology
"Rainy Dayz" (2002) "Love @ 1st Sight" (2003) "Ooh!" (2003)

The song was released as the album's lead single in the second quarter of 2003. A moderate commercial success, it reached number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. In addition, the song charted within the top 20 in Italy and the United Kingdom, while reaching the majority on most other charts it appeared on. The radio edit of "Love @ 1st Sight" with intro was used for the accompanying music video, which was directed by Chris Robinson.

Critical reception

PopMatters felt that "Love @ 1st Sight" was "a great representation that some of our ghetto superstars are growing up. Reminiscent of No More Drama's "Family Affair", "Love @ 1st Sight" is following in it's [sic] footsteps to the club dance floor with its playful tone and head-bobbing bass line."^[2] BET.com wrote of the song: "With a borrowed rap backdrop and a verse from Method Man, her old "You're All I Need to Get By" partner-in-crime, this song skillfully updated the pair's hip hop-soul heyday for the new millennium."^[3] Now called a "strong street track" as well as a "killer lead single."^[4]

Alexis Petridis, writing for The Guardian, remarked: "Over a tough, insistent groove, [blige] ponders the mysteries of immediate physical attraction, while he sounds like the last person you would want to be immediately attracted to: "You find me just ’bout everywhere the poontang go"."^[5] New York Times editor Jessica Willis described "Love @ 1st Sight" as "a breezy bit of piffle with a solid pogo-ing beat, but the song has seemingly so little to do with Ms. Blige's actual life that she puts herself at risk of sounding like just another tawny, toned and wholesome girl hip-hop singer."^[6] Dallas Observer critic Walton Muyumba found that the song was a "cliché, but the sample helps push to the truth of her reaction."^[7]

Music video

A music video for "Love @ 1st Sight" was directed by Chris Robinson, who also directed Blige in a music video-styled Lady Foot Locker commercial in which "Love @ 1st Sight" is played in the background.^[8] Filming took place in Hollywood on July 2, 2003.^[9] Method Man appears in it, while Sean "Diddy" Combs makes a special cameo appearance. An iPod is featured prominently at the beginning of video, an instance of paid-for product placement on the part of Apple Inc.^[10][11]

Track listings

Australian CD single^[12]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Love @ 1st Sight" (featuring Method Man)	4:41
2.	"Love @ 1st Sight" (Rishi Rich Vocal Remix featuring Method Man)	6:50
3.	"Your Child" (Kiyamma Griffin Uptempo Mix featuring Ghostface Killah)	4:44
4.	"Love @ 1st Sight" (Music video)

UK CD single^[13]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Love @ 1st Sight" (Radio Edit With Intro featuring Method Man)	4:41
2.	"Love @ 1st Sight" (Kurtis Mantronik's Rock Lobster Vocal Mix)	6:50
3.	"Your Child" (Kiyamma Griffin Uptempo Mix featuring Ghostface Killah)	4:44
4.	"Love @ 1st Sight" (Music video)

US CD single^[14]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Love @ 1st Sight" (Radio Edit With Intro featuring Method Man)	4:33
2.	"Love @ 1st Sight" (Radio Edit)	4:00

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the Love & Life liner notes.^[15]

• Mary J. Blige – songwriting, vocals
• Sean Combs – producer, mixing
• Patrick Dillett – recording
• Emery Dobyns – mixing assistance
• Stevie J – producer
• Shannon Jones – background vocals
• Kandace Love – background vocals
• Lynn Montrose – mixing assistance
• Alexis Seton – recording assistance
• Franklin Socorro – recording
• Mario Winans – producer, instruments

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Love @ 1st Sight" Chart (2003) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[16] 32 Australian Urban (ARIA)^[17] 11 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)^[18] 5 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[19] 34 Denmark (Tracklisten)^[20] 15 France (SNEP)^[21] 49 Germany (Official German Charts)^[22] 36 Ireland (IRMA)^[23] 34 Italy (FIMI)^[24] 16 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)^[25] 6 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[26] 56 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[27] 27 Scotland (OCC)^[28] 24 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[29] 23 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[30] 23 UK Singles (OCC)^[31] 18 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)^[32] 8 US Billboard Hot 100^[33] 22 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[34] 10 US Rhythmic (Billboard)^[35] 12

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Love @ 1st Sight" Chart (2003) Position UK Urban (Music Week)^[36] 8 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[37] 69

References

1. "Tony Maserati: Mixing Love & Life -". www.soundonsound.com.
2. "Mary J. Blige: Love & Life". Slant Magazine. September 11, 2003. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
3. "Mary J. Blige's 50 Best Songs – MJB's What's the 411? was released 22 years ago today". BET.com. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
4. Liss, Sarah (August 28, 2003). "Mary J. Blige". Now. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
5. Petridis, Alexis (July 12, 2022). "Mary J Blige's 20 greatest songs – ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
6. Willis, Jessica (August 24, 2003). . Dallas Observer. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
7. Muyumba, Walton (October 2, 2003). "Mary J. Blige". Dallas Observer. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
8. Elliott, Stuart (August 28, 2003). "Foot Locker's new ad campaign timed to the back-to-school crowd". New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
9. "Mary J. Blige on the Set of her "The Love @ 1st Sight" Music Video, Directed by Chris Robinson". Getty Images. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
10. "Product Placement and the "Real World"". Brand Hype. February 26, 2006.
11. Elliott, Stuart (August 28, 2003). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING; Foot Locker's new ad campaign timed to the back-to-school crowd". New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
12. "Mary J. Blige – Love @ 1st Sight (Australian CD Single)". Discogs. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
13. "Mary J. Blige – Love @ 1st Sight (UK CD Single)". Discogs. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
14. "Mary J. Blige – Love @ 1st Sight (US CD Single)". Discogs. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
15. Blige, Mary J. (2003). Love & Life (Liner Notes) (Compact Disc). Mary J. Blige. Geffen Records.
16. "Mary J Blige feat. Method Man – Love @ 1st Sight". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
17. "Issue 712" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
18. "Mary J Blige feat. Method Man – Love @ 1st Sight" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
19. "Mary J Blige feat. Method Man – Love @ 1st Sight" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
20. "Mary J Blige feat. Method Man – Love @ 1st Sight". Tracklisten. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
21. "Mary J Blige feat. Method Man – Love @ 1st Sight" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
22. "Mary J Blige feat. Method Man – Love @ 1st Sight" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
23. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Mary J Blige feat. Method Man". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
24. "Mary J Blige feat. Method Man – Love @ 1st Sight". Top Digital Download. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
25. "week 40 (4 oktober 2003)" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
26. "Mary J Blige feat. Method Man – Love @ 1st Sight" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
27. "Mary J Blige feat. Method Man – Love @ 1st Sight". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
28. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
29. "Mary J Blige feat. Method Man – Love @ 1st Sight". Singles Top 100. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
30. "Mary J Blige feat. Method Man – Love @ 1st Sight". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
31. "Mary J Blige: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
32. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
33. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
34. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
35. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
36. "2003 Urban top 30" (PDF). Music Week. January 17, 2004. p. 18. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
37. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2003". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2021.

External links

• Official website