"In My Pocket" is a song by American recording artist Mandy Moore for her self-titled third studio album. It was released on May 29, 2001, by Epic Records as the lead single from the record. The teen pop song takes influences from pop rock genres and was written by Randall Barlow, Emilio Estefan, Liza Quintana, and Gian Marco Zignago. It was produced by Emilio Estefan Jr. & Randall M. Barlow. "In My Pocket" is a dance-pop and teen pop, with a Middle Eastern sound; the song was notably more mature than Moore's past material, and was an entirely different approach for her as an artist at the time. Opening to mixed reviews from music critics, "In My Pocket" instantly entered the top 30 in Australia and New Zealand. In the United States, the single received minor success, failing to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. However, it debuted at number two on the chart's extension, Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles, on June 12, 2001. The song also reached number 20 on the Billboard Pop 100 component chart, where it charted for nine weeks. The music video for "In My Pocket" was directed by American director Matthew Rolston, known for directing the Backstreet Boys' "Shape of My Heart" and Janet Jackson's "Every Time". His shooting was done in Los Angeles, California, though the video is set in a nightclub in Miami with Middle-Eastern elements. The video and song are notable for portraying an increasingly provocative image, and moving away from Moore's bubblegum pop roots.
Background and composition
After solidifying herself in the music industry with successful albums So Real and I Wanna Be With You, Moore began recording her third studio album immediately at the beginning of 2001. Moore stated that her music was beginning to sound the same to her and that she would like to get away from bubblegum pop and introduce a more mature, rock influenced sound in her music. "In My Pocket" contains a mix of techno and R&B beats with a Middle Eastern sound. The song was more mature than Moore's previous songs and was an entirely different approach for her as an artist at the time. Though the song did not achieve success, it gave Moore a more established sound and image, helping her to break through the bubblegum pop stereotype perpetuated by contemporaries such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson, all of whom she had spent much of her career previously being compared to.
Critical reception
"In My Pocket" received mixed reviews from music critics. Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani gave the song a positive review, favoring its departure from Moore's previous singles and calling it "home to one of the best pop hooks in recent memory" and stating that the lyrics were "far more penetrating than anything on her peers' plates." Entertainment Weekly's Matt Diehl, however, gave it a C rating, stating his disturbance at "hearing the 17-year-old moaning, 'How much for your love?'" Diehl was also unhappy with its lyrical content, relating that "lyrics that dance around naughtiness... devolve into nonsense." People magazine said that it was "laced with sinewy Middle Eastern rhythms... just as right for the summer."
Music video
The video was directed by Matthew Rolston and shot in a nightclub with a Middle Eastern appearance, to match the feeling of the song, incorporating belly dancing and fire blowers. In the video, Moore is seen sitting on a throne and flirting with the dancers. The video is distinguished from her previous videos by its more provocative imagery. The music video premiered on MTVTRL on April 20, 2001 and achieved a peak position on number 2 on TRL. In November 2009, Epic Records released the video on Moore's Vevo account. As of April 10, 2019, the video has 3,364,961 views.
Chart performance
"In My Pocket" missed the Billboard Hot 100 but still charted in the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at number two on June 12, 2001. It performed modestly on CHR radio, peaking at number 20 in Radio & Records. The song also peaked at number twenty-one on the Pop 100 charts, where it stayed for nine weeks. To date, "In My Pocket" has sold 11,000 physical copies and 210,000 paid digital downloads according to Nielsen Soundscan. The song performed fairly well internationally in countries like Australia, where it reached number 11.
Usage in media
A modified version of the song, titled "Pennies in My Pocket", was featured in the 2006 film Miami Vice. The track has little in the way of lyrics; only the chorus is vocalised in the foreground by Emilio Estefan with a mixture of English and Spanish. A guitar was used to replace the verse lyrics. This track is featured on the movie's CD soundtrack.
