Speechless

Album: Not on an Album (2010)
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Songfacts®:

  • Two and a half months after Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz tied the knot, the multiple Grammy winner gave birth to her first child, a son named Egypt Daoud Dean, on October 14, 2010. Ecstatic at being a mother, Alicia expressed her love for her baby boy by collaborating with rapper Eve for this ballad, which was produced by her husband. "'Speechless' is a little freestyle treat 4 the holidays," she tweeted. "It's not a new album, not a single it's something special 4 U! My gift to you... a little song about my lil guy." The song was released as part of Swizz Beatz' "Monster Mondays" series.
  • A fortnight after giving birth to her son, Keys was already feeling inspired to pen a song about the joys of motherhood. She posted on her blog: "Every moment is beautiful; delicious even! Every moment I'm learning and living in a way I never have before. Being present in a way I never have before. Existing in moments I never have before. Never have I felt so calm, so purposeful in taking the time to truly observe the world around me, to live in it fully and watch it, discuss it, put time toward it. It feels really incredible — so peaceful, so complete and long overdue."
    She then closed her communiqué with. "I've never believed in greatness and the never-ending Higher Power more than now! And I can't believe he's mine. Oooh! I feel a song coming on …"
  • You might recall that Keys and Eve previously teamed up back in 2002 on the rapper's hit single "Gangsta Lovin."
  • The song samples Kanye West's tune "Devil in a New Dress."

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