Hot Like Fire

"Hot Like Fire"
Single by Aaliyah featuring Timbaland
from the album One in a Million
A-side	"The One I Gave My Heart To"
B-side	"Death of a Playa" (featuring Rashad)
Released	September 16, 1997
Format	CD single
Recorded	1996; Pyramid Studios (Ithaca, New York)
Genre	R&B, hip hop soul
Length	4:24
Label	Blackground/Atlantic
Writer(s)	Missy Elliott, Tim Mosley
Producer(s)	Timbaland
Aaliyah singles chronology
"Up Jumps da Boogie" (1997) "Hot Like Fire"/"The One I Gave My Heart To" (1997) "Journey to the Past" (1998)
Timbaland singles chronology "What About Us?" (1997) "Hot Like Fire" (1997) "Are You That Somebody?" (1998)

"Hot Like Fire" is a song written by Missy Elliott and Tim "Timbaland" Mosley for Aaliyah's second album, One in a Million (see 1996 in music). It is the fifth release overall and the official fourth single in North America (see 1997 in music).

The song was released as part of a double A-side single with "The One I Gave My Heart To".

Background

"Hot Like Fire" was originally recorded for Aaliyah's second studio album, One in a Million. When it was chosen to be the album's fourth and final single in the US, the "Timbaland's Groove Mix" was used for the single release instead of the album version.

Composition

"Hot Like Fire" is R&B/hip hop soul Timbaland's ad-lib is sampled from Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner". The lyrics talk about a relationship between a female and a male; Aaliyah sings that she wants her significant other to wait "a little while longer" before getting intimate, but when she is ready she will "take him higher". Aaliyah performs most of the song, while Timbaland contributes ad libs and Missy Elliott chants "I'ma make it hot like fire" as the outro.

Promotion

Aaliyah performed "Hot Like Fire" at Summer Jam 1997 sponsored by New York City radio station Hot 97 on August 10, 1997 . She also performed the song on the short-lived talk show, VIBE.

Music video

The music video was directed by Lance "Un" Rivera. Fatima Robinson directed the choreography. Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Playa, Changing Faces, Lil' Kim, and Junior M.A.F.I.A. made cameos in the video.

The video starts with a large number of people in an urban neighborhood on a very hot summer day. Aaliyah drives a red car with a fire engine. The setting quickly changes to night as Aaliyah gets out of the car to perform the chorus on a steamy stage with sparks in the background. During the second verse, Aaliyah is seen dancing with the crowd. Aaliyah returns to the stage with the dancers to perform the chorus again. Timbaland performs his verse and Missy Elliott performs her verse.

In 2015, Case claimed in an interview that he was supposed to be in the music video for the single but "got distracted" and "didn't make it."^[1]

Track listing

UK 12-inch single

1. "The One I Gave My Heart To" (radio mix) – 3:53
2. "Hot Like Fire" (album version) – 4:23
3. "Hot Like Fire" (Timbaland's Groove mix) – 4:35
4. "Hot Like Fire" (Feel My Horns mix) – 4:35
5. "Hot Like Fire" (instrumental) – 4:19

U.S. double A-side CD single

1. "The One I Gave My Heart To" (radio mix) – 3:53
2. "Hot Like Fire" (album version) – 4:22

U.S. CD maxi single

1. "The One I Gave My Heart To" (radio mix) – 3:53
2. "Hot Like Fire" (album version) – 4:23
3. "Hot Like Fire" (Timbaland's Groove mix) – 4:35
4. "Hot Like Fire" (Feel My Horns mix) – 4:35
5. "Hot Like Fire" (instrumental) – 4:19
6. "Death of a Playa" (featuring Rashad) - 4:56

U.S. promo 12-inch single

1. "Hot Like Fire" (album version) – 4:23
2. "Hot Like Fire" (Timbaland's Groove mix) – 4:35
3. "Hot Like Fire" (Feel My Horns mix) – 4:35
4. "Hot Like Fire" (instrumental) – 4:19
5. "Hot Like Fire" (Timbaland's Groove mix instrumental) – 4:35
6. "Hot Like Fire" (Feel My Horns mix instrumental) – 4:35

Charts

References

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics