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"Just Like Jesse James"
Single by Cher
from the album Heart of Stone
B-side	"Starting Over"
Released	October 1989
Recorded	1988
Genre	Rock
Length	4:06
Label	Geffen
Songwriter(s)	Desmond Child Diane Warren
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 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

Ghost vocals for this song were performed by Wendy Matthews.

"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. The song was released in the UK in December 1989 and settled at No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1990.

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

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." 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'." 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."

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

1. "Just Like Jesse James" – 4:06
2. "Starting Over" – 4:09

• European 12" and CD single

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

Certifications and sales

References

1. ^ "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. "New Zealand single certifications – Cher – Just Like Jesse James". Radioscope. Retrieved December 20, 2024. Type Just Like Jesse James in the "Search:" field.
28. "British single certifications – Cher – Just Like Jesse James". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 30, 2023.

External links

• Official Cher site
• ASCAP

• Songs about Jesse James
• 1980s ballads
• 1989 singles
• Cher songs
• Songs written by Desmond Child
• James–Younger Gang
• Songs written by Diane Warren
• Rock ballads
• 1989 songs
• Geffen Records singles
• Song recordings produced by Desmond Child