"Cross My Mind" is a single released in 2005 by American R&B/soul singer/songwriter Jill Scott and from her second album, Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2. The song was an R&B top 40 hit, peaking at number 38 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[1] The song earned Scott her first Grammy Award in 2005, for Best Urban/Alternative Performance.

"Cross My Mind"
Single by Jill Scott
from the album Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2
ReleasedMay 3, 2005
Genre
Length4:45
LabelHidden Beach
Songwriter(s)Jill Scott, Keith Pelzer
Darren Henson
Producer(s)Keith Pelzer & Darren Henson
Jill Scott singles chronology
"Whatever"
(2005)
"Cross My Mind"
(2005)
"The Fact Is (I Need You)"
(2006)

Composition

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"Cross My Mind" includes a jazz piano and loop, with Scott alternating between singing and speaking the lyrics.[2] BBC music critic Daryl Easlea considered the song to reflect her background in poetry.[3] Easlea described the song as a "poem set to minimal piano and beatbox" and considered its chorus "infectious".[3] R&B website Okayplayer included the track in its list of eight Scott songs that "celebrated sexuality through song", highlighting the lyrics "How amazing, how amazing/When you would spread my limbs cross continents", "Bump our bed way over mountains", and "Kiss this and this and this and this".[4]

Reception

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Critical

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Rashod Ollison, writing for The Baltimore Sun, deemed the song a "prime cut" from Beautifully Human.[5]

Commercial

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The song became a top 40 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at number 38 on the chart dated October 22, 2005, and maintaining that position the following week.[6][7] It also became her seventh top 10 hit on the Adult R&B Songs chart, reaching number 6 on the chart dated September 24, 2005.[8]

The September 24, 2005, issue of Billboard reported that the song was the most-played track on two stations: WHUR (Washington, DC) and WSRB (Chicago).[9]

Accolades

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At the 47th Annual Grammy Awards, held in 2005, "Cross My Mind" was nominated for Best Urban/Alternative Performance.[10] It was one of three Grammy nominations for Scott that year, along with Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (for "Whatever") and Best R&B Album (for Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2).[10] Scott ultimately won the award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance, becoming her first Grammy win.[10] She would go on to win two more Grammy awards in 2007 and 2008.[11]

Track listing

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US CD" Promo Single
No.TitleLength
1."Cross My Mind" (Album Version)4:44
2."Cross My Mind" (A Capella)4:32
3."Cross My Mind" (Video)4:44

Charts

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Chart (2005) Peak
position
US Adult R&B Songs (Billboard)[8] 6
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[6] 38

References

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  1. ^ https://www.billboard.com/artist/jill-scott/chart-history/
  2. ^ Jurek, Thom. "Overview: Beautifully Human — Words and Music, Vol. 2". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Easlea, Daryl (2012). "Jill Scott — Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds, Vol. 2 Review". BBC. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  4. ^ Ani, Ivie. "Eight Times Jill Scott Celebrated Sexuality Through Song". Okayplayer. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  5. ^ Ollison, Rashod D. (March 3, 2005). "For Jill Scott, life is 'awesome,' and it shows". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on June 22, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Jill Scott Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  7. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 44. October 29, 2005. p. 79. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Jill Scott Chart History: Adult R&B Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  9. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 39. September 24, 2005. p. 77. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c "Artist: Jill Scott". Recording Academy Grammy Awards. Recording Academy. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  11. ^ Jones, Okla (April 4, 2022). "Jill Scott Turns 50: A Look Back At The Award-Winning Singer's Amazing Career". Essence. Retrieved July 2, 2023.