Just Like Jesse James#Charts
{{short description|1989 single by Cher}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Just Like Jesse James
| cover = Just Like Jesse James (Cher single - cover art).jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Cher
| album = Heart of Stone
| B-side = Starting Over
| released = October 1989
| format =
| recorded = 1988
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Rock
| length = 4:06
| label = Geffen
| writer = {{hlist|Desmond Child|Diane Warren}}
| producer = Desmond Child
| prev_title = If I Could Turn Back Time
| prev_year = 1989
| next_title = Heart of Stone
| next_year = 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{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1989-12-30|title=The Hot 100 Chart|website=Billboard.com|access-date=24 April 2021}} 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”.
Song information
"Just Like Jesse James" peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1989, becoming Cher's third top ten single from Heart of Stone in the US. It reached No. 9 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.[{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p3881/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} Cher discography from allmusic.com] Retrieved 23 March 2009. The song was released in the UK in December 1989 and settled at No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1990.[https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/Your%20Love%20Takes%20Me%20Higher%20%7B1990%7D Official Charts Company info from Official Charts Company] Retrieved 23 March 2009.
Cher has stated during concert performances that she personally never much liked the song despite its successful chart performance.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpclpqXGe5A |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/kpclpqXGe5A |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live| title=Cher - Just Like Jesse James |date=23 November 2013 | publisher=YouTube | access-date=25 March 2018}}{{cbignore}}
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."[http://www.allmusic.com/album/heart-of-stone-mw0000200201 Review by Allmusic] Retrieved October 15, 2013 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'."{{cite web|first= Mark |last= Millan |title= Heart Of Stone – Cher |publisher= The Daily Vault |date= March 8, 2011 |access-date= November 20, 2020 |url= http://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=6828}} 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."{{cite magazine|first= David |last= Giles |title= Singles |magazine= Music Week |date= January 6, 1990 |page= 19 |access-date= October 29, 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1990/MW-1990-01-06.pdf}}
Live performances
Cher performed the song on the following concert tours:
- Heart of Stone Tour (only for a rehearsal)
- Love Hurts Tour
- Do You Believe? Tour
- The Farewell Tour (sung on the first leg, the second leg and the final two shows of the tour)
- Dressed to Kill Tour
Track listing
- US and European 7" and cassette single
- "Just Like Jesse James" – 4:06
- "Starting Over" – 4:09
- European 12" and CD single
- "Just Like Jesse James" – 4:06
- "I Found Someone" – 3:42
- "Starting Over" – 4:09
Personnel
- Cher: Vocals
- Brenda Russell, Desmond Child, Diane Warren: Backing Vocals
- John McCurry, John Putnam: Electric and Acoustic Guitars
- Alan St. Jon: Keyboards
- Hugh McDonald: Bass
- Bobby Chouinard: Drums, Percussion
Production
- Arranged and Produced by Desmond Child
- Recorded by Sir Arthur Payson; assisted by Bruce Robb
- Mixed by Mick Guzauski
- Mastered by Dan Hersch; supervised by David Donnelly
- Published by Desmobile Music Co. Inc./SBK April Music Inc./Realsongs
Charts
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=Weekly charts=
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=Year-end charts=
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Certifications and sales
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|title=Just Like Jesse James|artist=Cher|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1989|certyear=1990|access-date=August 8, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Cher|title=Just Like Jesse James|award=Gold|note=digital|type=single|relyear=1989|source=radioscope|access-date=December 20, 2024|certyear=2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Cher|title=Just Like Jesse James|award=Silver|relyear=1989|certyear=2023|id=14359-885-1|access-date=June 30, 2023}}
{{certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.cher.com Official Cher site]
- [http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?requesttimeout=300&mode=results&searchstr=400143591&search_in=i&search_type=exact&search_det=t,s,w,p,b,v&results_pp=10&start=1 ASCAP]
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Category:Songs about Jesse James
Category:Songs written by Desmond Child
Category:Songs written by Diane Warren
Category:Geffen Records singles