Deep Inside
| "Deep Inside" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| Single by Mary J. Blige | ||||
| from the album Mary | ||||
| Released | October 12, 1999 | |||
| Length | 5:26 | |||
| Label | MCA | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Producer | Deane | |||
| Mary J. Blige singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Deep Inside" is a song by the American singer Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige, Tara Geter, and Kevin Deane for Blige's fourth studio album, Mary (1999), while production was led by Deane. The song features a sample of piano playing from Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets" (1974). John and co-writer Bernie Taupin are also credited as songwriters.
The song was released as the second US single from Mary and the third single elsewhere. Like the preceding single, "All That I Can Say" (1999), it was a moderate success in the United States, peaking at number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, it failed to enter the UK Singles Chart top 40. The music video for "Deep Inside" has Blige and her dancers performing to the song "Sincerity", which appears on the deluxe edition of the Mary album in the United States and the United Kingdom single of "Deep Inside".
Music video
[edit]The music video was shot on October 8, 1999, in New York City and was directed by Marcus Raboy. Another version of the music video has Elton John playing the piano. "Deep Inside" was premiered on November 10, 1999, on MTV during a season finale of the adults-only animated TV show, Beavis and Butt-head.
In the beginning, Blige steps on the stage, wearing a blonde glitter dress, before the screen fades out, flashing back all of the music videos that starred Blige herself, including "Love Is All We Need", "Seven Days", "Everything", "Be Happy", "I'm Goin' Down", "You Bring Me Joy", "Real Love" and "I Can Love You". The next scene begins with two security guards blocking the red carpet and Blige begins singing. After the first verse, she stands on the red carpet waving her hands at the whole audience taking pictures of her. She steps inside the tour bus looking in the mirror at herself, pushing her hand singing the hook.
In the next scene, Blige walks out of a 1997 Dodge Caravan, talking off a hoodie being exposed. Then she walks away from an electrical fence with a bronze-raccoon coat and a white tank. She stands in a Harlem neighborhood with the Manhattan Bridge mocking her 15 feet away. The next scene starts with black-suited dancers and Blige in a red suit dancing to her song "Sincerity". After the song ends, they clearly dance to "Deep Inside", with Blige singing loudly by herself. She looks at the screen screaming her quote "MJB" at the end of the song, where the Manhattan Bridge is shown.
Track listings
[edit]|
UK CD 1 – MCSTD 40224
UK CD 2 – MCXTD 40224
UK 12-inch single – MCST 40224
|
Italian 12-inch single 1 – NL 19-99
Italian 12-inch single 2 – NL 23-99
French 12-inch single – 155 703-1
|
Personnel
[edit]Personnel are adapted from the Mary liner notes.[1]
- Mary J. Blige – lead vocals, songwriter
- Elton John – acoustic piano, songwriting (sample)
- Dustin Adams - background vocals
- Kevin Deane – additional instruments, songwriting
- Tara Geter – songwriting
- Terri Robinson - background vocals
- Bernie Taupin – songwriting (sample)
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Year-end charts[edit]
|
Release history
[edit]| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | October 12, 1999 | MCA | [11] | |
| United Kingdom | November 29, 1999 |
|
[12] | |
| New Zealand | December 13, 1999 | CD | [13] |
References
[edit]- ^ Mary (Compact Disc). MCA Records. 1999.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 5, 2000" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
- ^ "Mary J Blige – Deep Inside" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 5/12/1999 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
- ^ "Mary J Blige Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
- ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart on 5/12/1999 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
- ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart on 5/12/1999 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
- ^ "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
- ^ "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
- ^ "The Year in Music 2000: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 53. December 30, 2000. p. YE-56. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved February 17, 2026 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Going for Adds / AddVance Notice". Radio & Records. No. 1320. October 8, 1999. pp. 54, 61.
- ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 29 November, 1999: Singles". Music Week. November 27, 1999. p. 23.
- ^ "New Releases". netcd.co.nz. December 13, 1999. Archived from the original on December 17, 1999. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
