{{Infobox song | name = Hands Tied | cover = Toni Braxton - Hands Tied (Official Single Cover).jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Toni Braxton | album = Pulse | released = February 23, 2010 | recorded = | studio = Mason Sound Studios (North Hollywood, CA)<ref name="Notes">Braxton, Toni (2010). ''Pulse'' (liner notes). Toni Braxton. Atlantic Records</ref> | venue = | genre = | length = 3:55 | label = Atlantic | writer = {{hlist|Heather Bright|Warren "Oak" Felder|Harvey Mason Jr.}} | producer = {{hlist|Oak Felder|Mason}} | chronology = Toni Braxton | prev_title = Yesterday | prev_year = 2009 | next_title = Make My Heart | next_year = 2010 }}
"'''Hands Tied'''" is a song by American singer Toni Braxton, taken from her sixth studio album ''Pulse'' (2010). It was written by Heather Bright, Warren "Oak" Felder, and Harvey Mason Jr., while production was helmed by Oak and Mason. A mid-paced contemporary R&B ballad, the instrumentation of "Hands Tied" consists essentially of synthesizers, electric guitar, and a cascading piano line. Lyrically, it features Braxton as the protagonist talking about how she could love a man with her hands tied, singing in double entendres with repeated phrases in the chorus of "Hands Tied."
The song was released as the second single from ''Pulse'' along with the uptempo track "Make My Heart" and issued by Atlantic Records to urban radio stations on February 23, 2010 in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tonibraxton.com/news/hands-tied-make-my-heart-are-now-available-to-buy-exclusively-on-tonibraxtoncom/ |title="Hands Tied" & "Make My Heart" Are Now Available To Buy Exclusively On ToniBraxton.com! - Blog Detail |publisher=ToniBraxton.com |date=2010-01-29 |access-date=2012-02-20 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108182712/http://www.tonibraxton.com/news/hands-tied-make-my-heart-are-now-available-to-buy-exclusively-on-tonibraxtoncom/ |archive-date=2011-01-08 |df= }}</ref> The track entered the top 30 of the US ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, peaking at number 29, while also reaching number six on the US Adult R&B Songs. Braxton reunited with director Bille Woodruff to film the music video for "Hands Tied" which depicts the singer as a pole dancer on stage. Actors Michael Jai White, Cory Hardrict and others make a cameo appearance in the video.
==Background== "Hands Tied" was written by Heather Bright, Warren "Oak" Felder, and Harvey Mason Jr.<ref name="Notes"/> Production was helmed by Felder and Mason, with Bright providing backing vocals.<ref name="Notes"/> Recording of the song took place at the Mason Sound Studios in North Hollywood, with Andrew Hey and Dabling Harward overseeing.<ref name="Notes"/> David Boyd and Michael Daley served as their assistants.<ref name="Notes"/> Mason also mixed "Hands Tied."<ref name="Notes"/> Musically, the song is a seductive contemporary R&B ballad that opens with a cascading piano line. It has Braxton singing repeated phrases in the chorus, backed by multitracked vocal harmonies and an electric guitar.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/review/1069255/toni-braxton-pulse|title=Review: Toni Braxton, "Pulse"|work=Billboard|date=June 1, 2010|accessdate=August 6, 2020}}</ref>
==Promotion== Braxton appeared on ''The Mo'Nique Show'' on May 3, 2010, a day before the release of parental album ''Pulse''. She performed "Hands Tied" as well as her 1993 hit single "Breathe Again."<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100507101449/http://www.tonibraxton.com/news/watch-toni-perform-on-the-monique-show-tonight/ Watch Toni perform on the Mo'Nique Show]}} ''ToniBraxton.com''. Accessed on May 3, 2010</ref> Braxton also appeared on NBC's ''The Today Show'', also performing "Hands Tied" as well as "Unbreak My Heart" (1996) on the day that the album was released.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100510102055/http://www.tonibraxton.com/news/toni-braxton-on-nbcs-the-today-show-video/ Toni Braxton on NBC'S The Today Show]}} ''ToniBraxton.com''. Accessed on May 4, 2010</ref>
==Chart performance== "Hands Tied" first appeared at number 80 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.<ref name="Billboard"/> In its 14th week, the song peaked at number 29.<ref name="Billboard">[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=toni braxton|chart=R&B/Hip-Hop Songs}} Toni Braxton - Chart History]</ref> "Hands Tied" spent 20 weeks on the chart, with ''Billboard'' ranking it 100th on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs year-end chart.<ref name="RH-yearend"/> The song also peaked at number six on the US Adult R&B Songs chart. It was ranked 17th on the chart's year-end listing.<ref name="UARS"/>
==Music video== {{multiple image | footer = Eric Balfour (left) and Jensen Atwood (right) make cameo appearances in the video. | image1 = Eric Balfour in 2010 cropped.jpg | alt1 = | width1 = 123 | image2 = Jensenatwood.jpg | alt2 = | width2 = 115 | align = right}} A music video for "Hands Tied" was shot back-to-back with the video for fellow ''Pulse'' single "Make My Heart." Directed by Bille Woodruff, it marked his eighth collaboration with Braxton. The video depicts Braxton as a "woman [who] is teasing a bar full of men who are mesmerized by her moves, but are not allowed to touch her," performing a pole dancing tease while singing.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jessica|last=Herndon|title=FIRST LOOK: Toni Braxton's 'Hands Tied' Video|date=2010-04-14|work=People|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20360914,00.html|access-date=2010-04-22|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110328185256/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20360914,00.html|archive-date=2011-03-28|df=}}</ref> Actors Michael Jai White, Cory Hardrict, Eric Balfour, Victor Webster, Robert Scott Wilson, Ryan Paevey and Jensen Atwood make cameo appearances in the video.<ref name="people1">[http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20360914,00.html Toni Braxton's Hands Tied music video] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110328185256/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20360914,00.html |date=2011-03-28 }} ''People.com'' Accessed in April, 2010</ref> The final clip was premiered on April 14, 2010.<ref name="people1"/>
==Track listing== {{track listing | headline = Remix single<ref>{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/md/album/hands-tied-hex-hector-remixes/368389037|title=Hands Tied (Hex Hector Remixes) - Single |publisher=iTunes.Apple (US) |access-date=October 20, 2014}}</ref> | title1 = Hands Tied | note1 = Hex Hector Club Mix | length1 = 7:21 | title2 = Hands Tied | note2 = Hex Hector Remix – Radio Edit | length2 = 4:35 }}
==Personnel== Credits adapted from liner notes of ''Pulse''.<ref name="Notes">Braxton, Toni (2010). ''Pulse'' (liner notes). Toni Braxton. Atlantic Records</ref> {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} *David Boyd – recording assistance *Heather Bright – writing, backing vocals *Michael Daley – mixing, recording assistance *Oak Felder – producer {{col-2}} *Dabling Harward – additional recording *Andrew Hey – recording *Harvey Mason Jr. – producer, mixing {{col-end}}
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
=== Weekly charts === {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ Weekly chart performance for "Hands Tied" |- !align="center"|Chart (2010) !align="center"|Peak<br>position |- {{single chart|Billboardadultrandbsongs|6|artist=Toni Braxton|song=Hands Tied ||accessdate=2015-07-17|refname=BBARH|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|29|artist=Toni Braxton|song=Hands Tied ||accessdate=2015-07-17|refname="rnb"|rowheader=true}} |- |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ Year-end chart performance for "Hands Tied" |- !align="center"|Chart (2010) !align="center"|Position |- ! scope="row"| US Adult R&B Songs (''Billboard'')<ref name="UARS">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2010/adult-r-and-b-songs|work=Billboard|title=2010 Year End Chart: Adult R&B Songs|accessdate=June 24, 2020}}</ref> |align="center"|17 |- ! scope="row"| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (''Billboard'')<ref name="RH-yearend">{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/430180/toni-braxton/chart?f=416|title=R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year End Charts|publisher=Billboard.com|accessdate=2012-12-17}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|100 |} {{col-end}}
== Release history == {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ Release history and formats for "Hands Tied" !scope="col"| Region !scope="col"| Date !scope="col"| Format !scope="col"| Label !scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row"| United States | February 23, 2010 | Urban contemporary radio | rowspan="2"| Atlantic Records | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>[http://www.allaccess.com/urban/future-releases Hands Tied available on Urban Radio Stations] Accessed in February, 2010</ref> |- ! scope="row"| Various | April 27, 2010 | Remix single | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/hands-tied-hex-hector-remixes-single/3683890375|title=Hands Tied|work=iTunes (US)|accessdate=August 6, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
{{Toni Braxton}} {{Toni Braxton singles}}
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Category:2010 singles Category:Toni Braxton songs Category:2000s ballads Category:Pop ballads Category:Contemporary R&B ballads Category:Songs written by Heather Bright Category:2009 songs Category:Songs written by Harvey Mason Jr. Category:Atlantic Records singles Category:Songs written by Oak Felder Category:Song recordings produced by Oak Felder