Just Like Jesse James

Last updated
"Just Like Jesse James"
Just Like Jesse James (Cher single - cover art).jpg
Single by Cher
from the album Heart of Stone
B-side "Starting Over"
ReleasedOctober 1989
Recorded1988
Genre Rock
Length4:06
Label Geffen
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Desmond Child
Cher singles chronology
"If I Could Turn Back Time"
(1989)
"Just Like Jesse James"
(1989)
"Heart of Stone"
(1990)

"Just Like Jesse James" is a song recorded by American singer and actress Cher for her nineteenth album Heart of Stone (1989). It was released as the third North American and second European single in October 1989, by Geffen Records. The song was written by Desmond Child and Diane Warren, and produced by Child. It was a December 1989 [1] top-ten hit. The song's title is a reference to legendary Wild West bandit Jesse James. The title phrase previously appeared in Linda Ronstadt's hit “Poor Poor Pitiful Me”.

Contents

Song information

Ghost vocals for this song were performed by Wendy Matthews. [2]

"Just Like Jesse James" peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1989, [1] becoming Cher's third top ten single from Heart of Stone in the US. It reached No. 9 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. [3] The song was released in the UK in December 1989 and settled at No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1990. [4]

Cher has stated during concert performances that she personally never much liked the song despite its successful chart performance. [5]

Critical reception

AllMusic's Gary Hill later noted that this song isn't like the rest of the songs on the album, and called it an "effective ballad." [6] The Daily Vault's Mark Millan described it as "country-tinged", adding that Cher "clearly reveled in singing, and although it's very 'wordy,' it recalls the days when Cher had great success in recording songs that told a story like 'Half-Breed', 'Dark Lady,' and 'Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves'." [7] David Giles from Music Week commented that it's "a better song than If I Could Turn Back Time. This is Cher in her 'no nonsense' frame of mind as she lambasts her man. Forceful and dramatic; another big hit." [8]

Live performances

Cher performed the song on the following concert tours:

Track listing

  1. "Just Like Jesse James" – 4:06
  2. "Starting Over" – 4:09
  1. "Just Like Jesse James" – 4:06
  2. "I Found Someone" – 3:42
  3. "Starting Over" – 4:09

Personnel

Production

Charts

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [26] Gold35,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [27] Silver200,000

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

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Escapade (song)</span> 1990 single by Janet Jackson

"Escapade" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her fourth studio album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989). It was written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The song was released on January 8, 1990, by A&M Records as the third single from Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989). "Escapade" became the third of the historic seven top-five singles released from the Rhythm Nation 1814 album, reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Takes Time</span> 1990 single by Mariah Carey

"Love Takes Time" is a song recorded by American singer Mariah Carey for her eponymous debut studio album (1990). Written by Carey and Ben Margulies, while produced by Walter Afanasieff, the song was released as the second single from the album on August 22, 1990, by Columbia Records. An adult contemporary-influenced ballad, the song follows its protagonist lamenting the loss of a lover and confesses that "love takes time" to heal and that her feelings for her ex-lover remain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walking in Memphis</span> 1991 single by Marc Cohn

"Walking in Memphis" is a song written and originally recorded by American singer-songwriter Marc Cohn, for whom it remains his signature song. It received a Song of the Year nomination at the 34th Annual Grammy Awards in 1992, the same year that the 32-year-old Cohn won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Believe (Cher song)</span> 1998 single by Cher

"Believe" is a song by the American singer Cher, from her 22nd studio album, Believe (1998). It was released as the lead single on October 19, 1998, by Warner Bros. Records. After circulating for months, a demo written by Brian Higgins, Matthew Gray, Stuart McLennen and Timothy Powell, was submitted to Warner's chairman, Rob Dickins, while he was scouting for songs to include on Cher's new album. Aside from the chorus, Dickins was not impressed by the track so he enlisted two more writers, Steve Torch and Paul Barry to complete it. Cher contributed some lyrics but received no songwriting credit. Recording took place at Dreamhouse Studio in West London, while production was handled by Mark Taylor and Brian Rawling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strong Enough (Cher song)</span> 1999 single by Cher

"Strong Enough" is a song by American recording artist Cher from her 22nd studio album, Believe (1998). The song was released as the second single from the album on February 22, 1999, by Warner Music. The song's composition and musical style is strongly reminiscent of 1970s disco music. The song received positive reviews from music critics, many calling it a highlight to Believe and comparing it to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive". "Strong Enough" peaked at number 57 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Dance Club Play chart. Worldwide, it reached number one in Hungary and entered the top 10 in 14 other countries.

"Don't Know Much" is a song written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Tom Snow. Mann was the first to record the song in 1980, gaining a minor chart hit in the US. The song was made famous when it was covered as a duet by Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville in 1989. Their version was a worldwide success, topping the Irish Singles Chart and reaching the top 10 in several territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Am I Supposed to Live Without You</span> 1982 song written by Doug James and Michael Bolton

"How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" is a song co-written in 1982 by Doug James and Michael Bolton. The track was originally recorded by Laura Branigan in 1983, charting at number one in both the US and Canadian Adult Contemporary charts. Bolton later recorded his own version of the song that topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and became a worldwide hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blame It on the Rain</span> 1989 single by Milli Vanilli

"Blame It on the Rain" is a song written by Diane Warren and performed by the German dance-pop group Milli Vanilli. It was released as a new track from the group's North American debut album, Girl You Know It's True (1989), and did not appear on All or Nothing (1988), their debut album in other regions. An extended remix of the song did appear on The U.S.-Remix Album: All or Nothing (1989), which served to release the new tracks included on Girl You Know It's True that did not appear on All or Nothing outside of North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">If I Could Turn Back Time</span> 1989 single by Cher

"If I Could Turn Back Time" is a song performed by American singer and actress Cher from her 1989 nineteenth studio album, Heart of Stone. It was released as the album's lead single in June 1989, by Geffen Records. The song was written specifically for Cher by Diane Warren, who produced it in collaboration with Guy Roche. Cher was unmoved by a demo of the song sung by Warren, but Roche insisted she record it. The lyrics talk about the feelings of remorse due to bad deeds and the willingness to reverse time to make things right.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One by One (Cher song)</span> 1996 single by Cher

"One by One" is a song by American singer Cher from her twenty-first studio album, It's a Man's World (1995). Co-written by Cher and Anthony Griffiths, two versions of the song were recorded for the album: the original, included on British pressings, is a soul song with elements of rock and was produced by Stephen Lipson. The American mix was produced by Sam Ward and has an R&B feel with slight alterations; additional remixes were created by DJ Junior Vasquez. In the United Kingdom, WEA released the song as the second single from the album on January 6, 1996; in the United States it was issued through Reprise Records as the lead single on May 21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Save Up All Your Tears</span> 1988 single by Bonnie Tyler

"Save Up All Your Tears" is a song written by Desmond Child and Diane Warren, and originally released by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. The song was subsequently covered by other artists including Robin Beck, Cher, Freda Payne and Bonfire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love and Understanding</span> 1991 single by Cher

"Love and Understanding" is a song by American singer and actress Cher from her 20th studio album, Love Hurts (1991). Written by Diane Warren and produced by Warren and Guy Roche, it was released as the album's lead single in May 1991 by Geffen for the North American and Oceanian markets. B-side "Trail of Broken Hearts" appears on the soundtrack to the Tom Cruise film Days of Thunder and is not available on any Cher album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)</span> 1963 single by Merry Clayton

"It's in His Kiss" is a song written and composed by Rudy Clark. It was first released as a single in 1963 by Merry Clayton that did not chart. The song was made a hit a year later when recorded by Betty Everett, who hit No. 1 on the Cashbox magazine R&B charts with it in 1964. Recorded by dozens of artists and groups around the world in the decades since, the song became an international hit once again when covered by Cher in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">After All (Cher and Peter Cetera song)</span> 1989 single by Cher and Peter Cetera

"After All" is a song performed as a duet by American singers Cher and Peter Cetera, released on March 3, 1989 by Geffen Records. It was used as the love theme for the film Chances Are and was nominated for Best Original Song at the 62nd Academy Awards. The song was also the first North American single release from Cher's nineteenth album Heart of Stone. The song appears on Peter Cetera's 1997 album You're The Inspiration – A Collection and his 2017 album, The Very Best of Peter Cetera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">We All Sleep Alone</span> 1988 single by Cher

"We All Sleep Alone" is the second official single from American singer and actress Cher's self-titled eighteenth album, Cher (1987), released on January 28, 1988 by Geffen Records. The song was written and produced by Desmond Child, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. It was remixed over a decade later by Todd Terry for her 1998 album Believe. The single was also released on VHS containing the music video, as directed by Cher herself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Found Someone</span> 1986 single by Laura Branigan

"I Found Someone" is the name of a chart single originally written and composed for Laura Branigan by Michael Bolton and Touch keyboardist Mark Mangold. The song was a bigger hit for Cher in 1987, reaching the top 10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby I'm Yours (Barbara Lewis song)</span> 1965 single by Barbara Lewis

"Baby I'm Yours" is a song written by Van McCoy which was a hit in 1965 for Barbara Lewis, the original recording artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Where Does My Heart Beat Now</span> 1990 single by Celine Dion

"Where Does My Heart Beat Now" is a song performed by Canadian recording artist Celine Dion for her ninth studio album and debut English-language album, Unison (1990). It was released by Columbia Records as the third single from Unison in Canada on 1 October 1990. It was also issued as the lead single in the United States in late 1990, and in other parts of the world in early 1991. "Where Does My Heart Beat Now" was written by Robert White Johnson and Taylor Rhodes in 1988, and recorded by Dion one year later. The song was produced by Christopher Neil. Dion premiered the song at the Eurovision Song Contest 1989 in Switzerland, where she performed it along with her 1988 winning song, "Ne partez pas sans moi".

<i>Mermaids</i> (soundtrack) 1990 soundtrack album by various artists

Music From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Mermaids is the soundtrack album from the film Mermaids starring Cher, Winona Ryder, Christina Ricci and Bob Hoskins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heart of Stone (Bucks Fizz song)</span> 1988 single by Bucks Fizz

"Heart of Stone" is a song written by Andy Hill and Pete Sinfield for the band Bucks Fizz in 1988, and recorded by the band at Abbey Road Studios in London. The following year it was recorded by Cher as the title track of her album of the same name.

References

  1. 1 2 "The Hot 100 Chart". Billboard.com. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  2. "Ep 21: Wendy Matthews - A Journey Through Aussie Pop (podcast)". Listen Notes. 2022-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  3. Cher discography from allmusic.com Retrieved 23 March 2009.
  4. Official Charts Company info from Official Charts Company Retrieved 23 March 2009.
  5. "Cher - Just Like Jesse James". YouTube. 23 November 2013. Archived from the original on 2021-12-22. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  6. Review by Allmusic Retrieved October 15, 2013
  7. Millan, Mark (March 8, 2011). "Heart Of Stone – Cher". The Daily Vault. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  8. Giles, David (January 6, 1990). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week . p. 19. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  9. "Cher – Just Like Jesse James". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  10. "Cher – Just Like Jesse James" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  11. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6659." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  12. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6641." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  13. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  14. "Cher - Top Titel" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Just Like Jessie James". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  16. "Cher – Just Like Jesse James". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  17. "Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec" (in French). BAnQ. Archived from the original on August 9, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  18. Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  19. "Cher: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  20. "Cher Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  21. "Cher Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  22. "Cash Box Top 100 12/30/89". 3 June 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-06-03. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  23. "Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1990". RPM. 17 July 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  24. "Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of 1990". RPM. 17 July 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  25. "The Year in Music: 1990" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  26. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1990 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  27. "British single certifications – Cher – Just Like Jesse James". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved June 30, 2023.