My Neck, My Back (Lick It)

"My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" is a song by American rapper Khia, released in April 2002 as the lead single from her debut studio album, Thug Misses. Owing to its sexually explicit lyrics, an edited version of the song was released to mainstream radio. The song reached number 42 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also reached number four in the United Kingdom two years later, number 10 in Greece, and number 12 in Australia.[4][5] Lyrically, “My Neck, My Back (Lick It)” is about a woman searching for and pursuing a man at a club, demanding that he perform sexual acts on her, including cunnilingus and anilingus, and encouraging other women to do the same.

"My Neck, My Back (Lick It)"
Single by Khia
from the album Thug Misses
ReleasedApril 23, 2002 (2002-04-23)[1]
StudioGrooveland, Clearwater, Florida
Genre
Length3:42
LabelArtemis
Songwriter(s)
  • Khia
  • Edward Meriwether
Producer(s)
  • Michael "Taz" Williams
  • Plat'num House
Khia singles chronology
"My Neck, My Back (Lick It)"
(2002)
"You My Girl"
(2002)
Alternative cover
UK cover

Background and meaning

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The lyrics contain detailed, explicit descriptions of both cunnilingus and anilingus,[6] so a heavily edited version was used for radio broadcasting and the official music video.[7] Khia later stated in a 2002 interview for MTV News concerning the song's big success: "I guess the world is just nasty and freaky like that […] It's not even my favorite song, and I was kind of surprised that's the song that everybody jumped on. … That song is just nothing compared to my other music. It's like, 'That's what the world is about today,' so hey, it works for me."[8]

In 2018, NPR ranked the song as #184 for their The 200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women list, saying: "'My Neck, My Back' is the most enduring erotic pleasure procedural of this era, and rightfully so. Underscoring the dirty in Dirty South, Khia raps simple demands as to where she wants to be licked (short version: 'all over'), with explicit suggestions towards technique that span two dedicated verses. It's a delightfully nasty club classic where a woman's pleasure is presented as a debt owed her."[9]

Recording and composition

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"My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" is a dirty rap song,[10] and India Mae Alby of Keakie.com described it as a "low beat Club song".[11] The song is noted for its chorus, in which Khia raps "My neck, my back, lick my pussy and my crack".[12] The song was written by Khia herself and Edward Meriwether.[13] During a studio session, Khia recorded "My Neck, My Back" at Grooveland Studios in Clearwater, Florida.[14]

Music video

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Background

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The music video was directed by Diane Martel, and was released during the spring of 2002.[15] In the United Kingdom, a different video was used, which did not feature Khia, instead depicting a group of bikini-clad models washing a Hummer H2 in a seductive manner while lip-synching the words to the song.[16]

Synopsis

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The music video begins with Khia dancing in a half-bikini dress at a party in front of various people full of arcade games. It later shows scenes of Khia at a pool receiving a massage by a dreadheaded man. Khia is also seen dancing at a barbecue. There are also scenes showing Khia in a house wearing a polka-dot shirt and heels surrounded by men. Khia can also be seen sitting on a bed in the same look she had on in the beginning of the video right next to many other various people.

Remixes and freestyles

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The official remix of the song, the "Roc-A-Fella Remix", features rapper Memphis Bleek. The remix was released as a clean version.[17]

Saweetie did a freestyle of the song titled "Icy Grl".[18][19] The song was released on her SoundCloud in the summer of 2017 and later released a music video for it in October of the same year.[19][20] The visual, which went viral on the Internet, would go on to accrue 104 million views on YouTube as of August 2020.[19][21]

Usage in media

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In 2015, American pop singer Miley Cyrus performed a cover of the song at the Adult Swim's New York City upfront party.[22] The performance later caught the attention of Khia herself, who praised the singer-songwriter for performing the song.[23]

American singer-songwriter Elle King covered the song in a country-like style.[24][25]

The song is featured prominently and sampled in the Girl Talk song "Non-Stop Party Now" off the album Unstoppable.

Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine did a lounge/swing styled cover of the song on their 2010 album OK Bartender.

Track listings

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  1. "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (Clean Radio Edit) – 3:20
  2. "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (Kardinal Beats Clean Radio Edit) – 3:02
  1. "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (Clean Radio Edit) – 3:20
  2. "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (Kardinal Beats Clean Radio Edit) – 3:02
  3. "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (Tom Neville X-Rated Mix) – 7:22
  4. "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (FNP Remix) – 6:52
  5. "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (Kardinal Beats Dirty Club Mix) – 3:24
  6. "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (Street/Club Version) – 3:43
  7. "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (Video)
  • UK 12-inch single[27]
A1. "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (Kardinal Beats Dirty Club Mix) – 3:24
A2. "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (Friday Night Posse Remix) – 6:52
B1. "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (Street/Club Version) – 3:43
B2. "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (Tom Neville X-Rated Mix) – 7:22

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[48] Gold 35,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[49] Silver 200,000

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "My Neck, My Back (Lick It) / My Neck, My Back: Khia". Amazon. Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  2. ^ link
  3. ^ "Video Vultures: The Dirty South". Heave Media. April 9, 2013. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Khia: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Khia – My Neck, My Back (Lick It)". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  6. ^ McNair, Brian (2013). Porno? Chic!: How Pornography Changed the World and Made it a Better Place. Routledge. p. 102. ISBN 9780415572903. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  7. ^ Guins, Raiford (2008). Edited Clean Version: Technology and the Culture of Control. University of Minnesota Press. p. 153. ISBN 9780816648146. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  8. ^ Reid, Shaheem (June 6, 2002). "Khia Shocked By Response To 'My Neck, My Back'". MTV.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  9. ^ "The 200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+". National Public Radio. NPR.org. July 30, 2018. Archived from the original on July 30, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  10. ^ Eyre, Bronti (April 26, 2013). "Top 5 Songs About Vaginas". Thought Catalog. ThoughtCatalog.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2014. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  11. ^ Alby, India Mae (January 12, 2018). "The Cultural Legacy of Khia's 'My Neck, My Back (Lick It)'". Keakie.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  12. ^ "Pussy And My Crack Memes". Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  13. ^ "Wiki for Lick My Neck, My Back by Khia". Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  14. ^ "Khia - My Neck My Back - Dance Music, Pop". Archived from the original on March 1, 2019. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  15. ^ "Diane Martel technician videography". mvdbase.com. Archived from the original on November 19, 2012. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  16. ^ "Khia - My Neck, My Back (Car Wash Version)". August 6, 2008. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021 – via YouTube.
  17. ^ "Khia - My Neck, My Back (Lick It)". Discogs. Archived from the original on April 22, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  18. ^ Fresh, Mikey (November 8, 2017). "Interview: Saweetie Turned Her "Icy Girl" Video Into A Career Springboard". Vibe. Archived from the original on November 9, 2017. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  19. ^ a b c C.M., Emmanuel (December 1, 2017). "The Break Presents: Saweetie". XXL. Archived from the original on December 2, 2017. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  20. ^ Fresh, Mikey (October 17, 2017). "Saweetie Is "High Maintenance" And She's An "Icy Girl"". Vibe. Archived from the original on March 24, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  21. ^ Lyle, Ashley (February 14, 2018). "Rising MC Saweetie Talks Viral Hit 'Icy Grl,' Signing With Warner Bros. Records & the Value of Education". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 15, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  22. ^ Harris, Christopher (May 14, 2015). "Miley Cyrus Covers Khia's "My Neck, My Back"". Archived from the original on April 17, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  23. ^ Stutz, Colin (May 14, 2015). "Khia Thanks Miley Cyrus for Covering 'My Neck, My Back'". Billboard. Billboard.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  24. ^ Ranta, Alan (August 10, 2015). "Stawamus Stage, Squamish BC, August 9". Exclaim!. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  25. ^ Lewis, Casey (February 5, 2015). "Style Rider: Elle King Buys Black High-Waisted Jeans In Bulk". Vice. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  26. ^ a b "Khia - My Neck, My Back (Lick It) (CD) at Discogs". Discogs. Discogs.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  27. ^ "Khia - My Neck, My Back (Lick It) (12') at Discogs". Discogs. Discogs.com. Archived from the original on November 4, 2010. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  28. ^ "Issue 681" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  29. ^ "Khia – My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  30. ^ "Khia Chart History (Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  31. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 44. October 30, 2004. p. 41. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2019 – via Google Books.
  32. ^ "Khia – My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  33. ^ "Top 50 Singles Εβδομάδα 29/03 – 04/04" (in Greek). IFPI. Archived from the original on April 14, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2020. See Best column.
  34. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – My Neck My Back (Lick It)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  35. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Khia" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  36. ^ "Khia – My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  37. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  38. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  39. ^ "Khia Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  40. ^ "Khia Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  41. ^ "Khia Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  42. ^ "Khia Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  43. ^ "Khia Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  44. ^ "ARIA End of Year Singles Chart 2002". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on May 10, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  45. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2002". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Archived from the original on October 29, 2017. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  46. ^ "ARIA End of Year Singles Chart 2003". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  47. ^ "UK Year-End Charts 2004" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 9, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  48. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  49. ^ "British single certifications – Khia – My Neck My Back (Lick It)". British Phonographic Industry. April 27, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2019.