"Touch My Body" is a song co-written by American singer Mariah Carey, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Crystal "Cri$tyle" Johnson and The-Dream for Carey's eleventh studio album, E=MC². Produced by Carey, Stewart and Nash, it was released as the lead single of the album. The song is Carey's eighteenth number 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 and it gave Mariah her 79th week at number 1on that chart.
The song was chosen as the lead single of the album during a vote with producer L.A. Reid and staff in Island Records. Carey stated that the group "decided to just go with the mid-tempo and everybody kinda liked the song 'cause it's just fun and cute and sexy and sweet."
The song was transmitted digitally to radio stations on February 12, 2008 at 6:30 pm EST for immediate airplay via All Access and made its debut on Chicago radio station B96, ahead of schedule at 2:20pm. 65 different stations played "Touch My Body" five hours after its digital release to radio. The single officially went for adds on radio station playlists on February 19, 2008. The single was released digitally on March 24, 2008.
Critical reception
Critics' reviews of the song have been generally positive. Billboard was quite positive, saying that "this sensual jam is 100% Mariah, packed with satisfying harmonic layers and hooky background 'oh's,' supersonic verses and a chorus as catchy as a winter sniffle," and Blender stated that it was a "pop genius making genius pop." Bill Lamb from About.com also gave "Touch My Body" a positive review, giving it 4 out of 5 stars, stating that the single "is simple, sexy elegance from one of the most enduring of pop stars." Newsday also named it as the "Song of the Week." commenting that it was "the best opening single she's ha since "Heartbreaker." Digital Spy was also positive, saying "its cooing, sensual charms soon take hold, suggesting the wind's still very much behind the Carey comeback bandwagon."
Some critics were less positive. Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani said that the single "isn't exactly filled with combustible energy and it lacks the full-throttle belting that accompanied the Return of the Voice three years ago, but it features all of the characteristics one expects from a latter-day Mariah track." Rolling Stone gave it 3.5 stars in its March 6, 2008 issue, as they felt that "this hyperdirty single [has] Mariah's storied vocal range...blunted in favor of generic, highly digitized heavy breathing, [but it is] a spare, slick track composed mostly of synths and finger snaps."
Promotion
Carey promoted the song on various shows, including Saturday Night Live, the season premiere party of The Hills, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Good Morning America, and the Teen Choice Awards.
Awards and nominations
The video won in the category Best Comedic Video at the 2008 BET Awards and was nominated for Best Female Video at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards.
Thanks to "Touch My Body" single, Mariah Carey received a Honorary Achievement Award for her record-breaking accomplishments of 18 number 1 singles and most weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 at the 2008 American Music Awards and she was also honoured with a Special Achievement Award for most number 1 singles (18) achieved by any female solo recording artist at the 2008 World Music Awards.
Touch My Body lyrics - Mariah Carey
MC, you're the place to be
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
I know that you've been waiting for it
I'm waiting too
In my imagination I'd be all up on you
I know you got that fever for me
Hundred and two
And boy I know I feel the same
My temperature's through the roof
If there's a camera up in here
Then it's gonna leave with me
When I do (I do)
If there's a camera up in here
Then I'd best not catch this flick
On YouTube (YouTube)
'Cause if you run your mouth and brag
About this secret rendezvous
I will hunt you down
'cause they be all up in my bizness
Like a Wendy interview
But this is private
Between you and I
Touch my body
Put me on the floor
Wrestle me around
Play with me some more
Touch my body
Throw me on the bed
I just wanna make you feel
Like you never did.
Touch my body
Let me wrap my thighs
All around your waist
Just a little taste
Touch my body
Know you love my curves
Come on and give me what I deserve
And touch my body.
Boy you can put me on you
Like a brand new white tee
I'll hug your body tighter
Than my favorite jeans
I want you to caress me
Like a tropical breeze
And float away with you
In the Caribbean Sea
If there's a camera up in here
Then it's gonna leave with me
When I do (I do)
If there's a camera up in here
Then I'd best not catch this flick
On YouTube (YouTube)
'Cause if you run your mouth and brag
About this secret rendezvous
I will hunt you down
'cause they be all up in my bizness
Like a Wendy interview
But this is private
Between you and I
Touch my body
Put me on the floor
Wrestle me around
Play with me some more
Touch my body
Throw me on the bed
I just wanna make you feel
Like you never did.
Touch my body
Let me wrap my thighs
All around your waist
Just a little taste
Touch my body
Know you love my curves
Come on and give me what I deserve
And touch my body.
I'm a treat you like a teddy bear
You won't wanna go nowhere
In the lap of luxury
Baby just turn to me
You won't want for nothing boy
I will give you plenty
Touch my body
Touch my body
Put me on the floor
Wrestle me around
Play with me some more
Touch my body
Throw me on the bed
I just wanna make you feel
Like you never did.
Touch my body
Let me wrap my thighs
All around your waist
Just a little taste
Touch my body
Know you love my curves
Come on and give me what I deserve
And touch my body.
Oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah
Oh yeah oh yeah
Oh oh oh oh yeah
Touch my body...