WHO SUNG IT BETTER ANYWAY?: BEYONCE V.S DES’REE
Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Beyonce remade a song called “Still In Love (Kissing You)”, but it’s being reported she never had permission to record the song and is being hit with a lawsuit:
According to a lawsuit filed yesterday in Manhattan Federal Court by music administators, Beyonce allegedly never obtained proper clearance to cover a song called “I’m Kissing You,” originally co-written by a singer named Des’ree — famous for her 1994 smash hit, “Gotta Be.” Des’ree’s version was used in Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film “Romeo and Juliet,” Beyonce’s version can be found on the re-release of her album, “B’Day.”
In the lawsuit, Des’ree and her reps claim that Beyonce, along with her record company people, originally tried to work out a deal to use the song. When they weren’t satisfied with the proposed terms — which included not being able to change the title or make a music video for the song — Beyonce’ allegedly blew off copyright law completely, and recorded the song and video without permission. The song was eventually released on Beyonce’s album, “B’Day - Deluxe Edition” on April 3, 2007, with the title “Still in Love (Kissing You).”
Des’ree is suing to halt distribution of the song, video and album and seeking at least $150,000 in damages. READ MORE
Looks like Bee went hard on them and said she gonna do this song for her man. I’ve always like Des’ree though, she has a beautiful voice and I found it odd for Beyonce to remake the song anyway seeing how it was released and plenty people know about it. I’ll let you guys be the judge in this challenge: Who sung it better anyway?
Beyonce - Still In Love (Kissing You) - LISTEN/DOWNLOAD








404 Comments
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376.
MAndee
Thursday, April 26, 2007 /
Des’ree has a beautiful voice…….her bottom is sick and she can carry weight. Just because its Beyonce pple want to side with her. First off the 25 seconds did not do Des’ree justice…she rips that song to pieces. Yea Beyonce put her lil riffs in but dats about it. Des’ree did it up and i loved the song for years
377.
Liam
Friday, April 27, 2007 /
I see no competition. I love Beyonce, always have, from the very first days of DC, when I was 4. However, Des’ree has an appeal in this song that I doubt anybosy would be able to recreate. Don’t get me wrong, I also love Beyonce’s version, but it doesn’t send chills down my spine like Des’ree. (I also hate Beyonce’s psycho spiel about making love mid-song.) Des’ree deserves every cent she gets, but I think it’s a shame that it elevated to this. And to all the people who think it would be small change to B, I still doubt that she’d wanna lose 150,000. So in conclusion, although B does her THING on this track, I’ma support Des’ree.
378.
Robert
Sunday, April 29, 2007 /
Ummm…HELLO!!!!! Beyonce sang it better…no doubt about it. I mean, I never even heard of this Des’ree girl. I heard Beyonce sing that song and I fell in love with it. I just think that that girl is trying to get noticed by trying to pull this stunt. Beyonce is the best. Beyonce sings it, sang it, and will keep on singing it better…ANY SONG!!!!!!!! Beyonce rocks!
379.
UH HO
Monday, April 30, 2007 /
I love Des’Ree so Des’Ree!!!
380.
strawberries
Wednesday, May 2, 2007 /
I Like Beyonce But To Be Honest….
She Is An Industry Hog..
She Definetely Has Talent
But She Tends To Hog Everything Whenever She Gets The Chance To
I Think She Needs To Learn How To Share The Shine With Other People Before Everyone Starts To Tire Of Her…
381.
Beyonce
Thursday, May 3, 2007 /
(Number 193)
Now you know that you are a fake Kelly. My bestfriend is right here by my side at the photo shoot with me and you try to act like you putting words in her mouth. {Hey everybody it’s Kelly}. If you are a little girl then that is cool but to be older and matured and do that is just crazy! My girl wouldnt never say that and if you was more matured than that you would have known that me, Kelly, and Michelle advertise each other on one anothers websites. And for everybody else… you can talk bad all you want… read my article called “Speaking on Dealing With the Haters” it could really teach you a thing or two. But for my encouraging fans that have positive things to say about me come join my virtual message board at any of me and my friends Kelly and Michelle’s offical websites. (listed below)
♥Beyonce
http://www.beyonceonline.com
http://www.welovebeyonce.com
http://www.welovekelly.com
http://www.welovemichelle.com
382.
Solange
Thursday, May 3, 2007 /
Can you all just please stop talking bad about my sister. She can sometimes be all about herself, but can’t we all. I don’t understand why so many of you are saying all these negative things about her. Is it that so many of you are jealous maybe and think that it is all fun and games to be in the music industry. Or is it because she was accused of “stealing” a song and now everybody wants to say she cannot write her own music. Well if that is how many of you feel then let me just ask you this “how come your not at the top of your game, and how come your not producing hot songs that have been at the top of the charts for 6 months now, and how come all of you are not bringing home the big bucks, but instead critcizing how hard this woman is really working?” IF YOUR NOT DOING ALL OF THOSE THINGS THEN WHY ARE ALL OF YOU EVEN COMPLAINING…SHE DID NOT STEAL THE SONG FROM YOU DID SHE?
♠Solange
383.
Beyonce
Thursday, May 3, 2007 /
Aww thank you Juju for having my back like that, that was so sweet of you. Can you come by moms today for dinner?
♥♥♥Beyonce
384.
Solange
Thursday, May 3, 2007 /
Anytime Mothe! Hey Bee how come so many think that you have the nickname Juju when it is really me who has it? Don’t answer this online answer it over moms tongiht okay. I’m about to get off line now so anything you say your just going to have to back up by yourself. Love you girl.
♠♠♠Solange
385.
Booo whooooooooo
Tuesday, May 8, 2007 /
The only reason why boys liked beyonce
because she was on the beach naked
386.
Lovely
Friday, May 11, 2007 /
Desiree killed it and it never should have been remade. The original is always better.
387.
Jahlia
Friday, May 11, 2007 /
Most definately hands down Desree. Beyonce’s the shit but Desree sings it with more soul. No Doubt!
388.
Jahlia
Friday, May 11, 2007 /
Fell in love with song after watching Romeo & Juliet when it came out. Desree’s version is more passionate has more soul and you can feel it it’s meaningful. Then comes along Beyonce and flips it into her own love song to her husband and the song completely looses the plot. Desree wins this one hands down, No Doubt.
389.
Jahlia
Friday, May 11, 2007 /
And please for the sake of the song is there some kind of device that could erase Beyonce’s version from our memory????
390.
Jahlia
Friday, May 11, 2007 /
Oh and not to get it twisted I lurrv Beyonce’s music just not this time around in this paticular case.
391.
jo
Sunday, June 17, 2007 /
wow…is there really a fake beyonce and solange on here? i remember when people used to fake celebrity identities on this website called teenopendiary.com
never heard of it? it’s because it’s childish and that’s why it was common for kids to do things like that.
i heard des’ree sing it years ago on my way to ocmulgee georgia for a spanish trip…one of my friends had the soundtrack. i bought the movie a few days later just for that song. i don’t much care for beyonce’s interpretation.
392.
Nina B.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007 /
BEY!!!!!!!!!!!! Her version is way longer, and sooo beautiful. The song is really beautiful, and you get the feeling. It touches you. D’s version got me mad, I was like…. Where’s the rest of it?????
393.
Mrs.Pryce
Friday, August 31, 2007 /
I like Beyonce’ I think she is a little too pressed for her man…but hey “young love” what can you say? Anyway, as for the versions of this song….I have loved this song since I first heard it in Romeo and Juliet. This is the song that I walked down the cliff on in Jamaica when I got married….(mind you this happened years after I heard the song) No one can sing this song like Des’Ree….When she sings this song…it raises something in your soul…you can just feel her emotion…and it transfers….Beyonce’s version is ok….but I wouldn’t have chosen to walk down the aisle to that…..sorry.
394.
Nicole Little
Saturday, September 29, 2007 /
I like Beyonce when she was with Destiny’s Child and when she first started solo with her Dangerously in Love album. I noticed that she didn’t have as much flack with her first album that she did with her B’Day album. Even though she was sued with Baby Boy, that’s pretty much about it, but when B’Day came out, that’s when she changed. Beyonce can sing her ass off, and she tored that infringed song up, but she shoudn’t steal from other people. Beyonce, come back to the Dangerously In Love days, please. You were much humble then. You’re too overrated now.
395.
bree
Tuesday, October 2, 2007 /
Um, Desiree did co- write the song. She was out a lot longer than Beyonce and I’m not surprised half you idiots have never heard of her- you all probably were like three when Romeo and Juliet came out. Beyonce did not simply cover ths song- if you have one third of a brain, you can tell that lyrics have been changed as well as the song arrangement ,which would make someone ignorant think Beyonce wrote the entire song and probably to aid Beyonce in court when she tries to claim she didn’t rip this lady off. But she clearly did just that. When are people going to be able to realize that just because you are famous doesn’t mean you are above the law? If this was the other way around( Desiree stealing Beyonce’s shit) you people would be passing out and crying and saying how that bitch needs to give Beyonce her money. She needs to pay up, regardless of who’s version is better or who’s more famous. I would take it as a compliment if none of you dumb fucks knew who I was.
And while we’re on the subject of black people coming to the aid of black celebrities clearly in the wrong, just because Chocolate City was an ok album does NOT mean R. Kelly is innocent. And you wonder why the criminal justice system has shut us out.
396.
Jessica
Tuesday, October 2, 2007 /
To the person who asked whether B changed the name of the song, yes she did. D’s version is called I’m Kissing You ( Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet) [I doubt they wanted her to leave theme...in] and B’s version is called Still In Love (Kissing You).
Both versions are very good, I like them both in their own right. B should have complied with the rules, which were not bad or ridiculous. It is obvious that B owes D money. No matter how much/how little B sampled, she still sampled illegally.
And B and her camp would be pissed if someone else took her work, likewise all of you who are saying that it is no big deal, let someone steal the work that you worked hard to create, and let’s see what happens. I for one would be pissed, and I would have sued for a lot more, an amount of money that would have put a dint into her pocket so she learns a lesson, and learns that it’s not okay, alright, or cute.
397.
Danielle
Friday, November 9, 2007 /
The original is the best. Extremely powerful, except no one will vote for it here, because you only can hear 20 seconds of it. PS. DesRee didn’t write it. Sade did. DesRee performed it for the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack. Watch it with the movie and you will see why I think the original is the best. Blew me away.
398.
tsebiso
Thursday, November 15, 2007 /
Des’ree’s song is better, the beat, the words and the voice. It’s unisexual - beyonce’s talking about a boy and quite frankly with the additional lyrics, she makes the song very cheesy. it’s enjoyable and beyonce has a nice voice, but if u’ve heard the original then u’ll definitely like the original better - bcos it really is better! and yes, she does ruin the song.
399.
Booboos
Sunday, December 2, 2007 /
DES’REE defiinitely has a SUPERIOR QUALITY VOICE - BEYONCÉ LACKS the richness and feeling that DES’REE has. And not only is Des’ree a talented singer - she also composed this beautiful song. Beyconé has a nice voice, nothing to write home about. What she has going for her most is her great looks and image - and I think that’s cool - good for her. But where great voice and musicality is concerned - she’s definitely not the winner here.
400.
toni
Sunday, December 16, 2007 /
i love the original version by deseree. when i first saw that romeo and juliet movie long time ago, that song was the only thing that stood out to me. the remake doesn’t have the power behind it that make you wanna cry like desree’s version does. and on the album cover inside it says that ms. knowles wrote it, which she switched it up a bit but she should had gave desree her props. originality is key!
401.
bey faN!
Thursday, February 14, 2008 /
ok im a beyonce fan die hard!! i love my bey’s version des’ree’s is nice but its kinda super super drepressing she holds out alllllllll the notes like thiiiiiissssssssssssssss and its not interesting if u can predict the way she’s gonna sing the next note … i’ve def hear the full versions of both songs and i have got to say beys not just because i love her u have to enjoy music to want to listen to it… and yes bey could have made a better vid. yes she could have worked out somethin else with des’ree but she didnt so thats that… des’ree verion is somethin u listen to when u loose ya lover bey’s is somethin u listen to when u showin ya lover ya love him or her simple
hate it or love it
402.
tezion
Sunday, June 15, 2008 /
you oh ignorant ass bitches wanna go with bee even though she stole that womans song. Desree has had a hard time because they always said she isn’t black enough. If yall would by here first cd, yall would see that Beyonce copies a lot of her style though and puts more soul it. I must admit beyonce doesn’t have the voice, but it was her song. Beyonce has had it easy cause she show skin, and all that other shit. Im a fan of both but shit she needs to give that woman her money
403.
Sammii
Sunday, July 6, 2008 /
I must admit that I prefer Des’ree’s version better. It has more meaning, more soul to it. Beyonce ruined the song with her additional lyrics. E.g.- “you’re my father..” Now that’s pushing it as far as I’m concerned.
404.
td
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 /
‘When we make love i can feel all your spirits deep inside me”- WTF
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