I Belong to Me
Encyclopedia
"I Belong to Me" is a song written by Diane Warren
on Jessica Simpson
's fourth studio album, A Public Affair
(2006). The Stargate
-produced song was the second and final single
from the album, and it reached the lower half of the U.S. Billboard Pop 100
chart.
magazine, the song has the same "self-empowerment theme" as Simpson's 2004 single "With You
".
-lite production allows Simpson's lovely vocal to hold the reins, making for a song (written by the incomparable Diane Warren) that is a thematic bull's-eye for her female teen target [...] let's see if programmers make this release more of the public affair it deserves to be".
edition of the album included the song as a bonus track
. It was believed that the song had hit potential, and consequently Simpson's record label added it to subsequent versions of the album. During August 2006, Simpson's fans could listen on her official website to the songs "B.O.Y.", "I Belong to Me", "I Don't Want to Care", "If You Were Mine", "The Lover in Me" and "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)
", and vote for which song would become the second single. It was reported in early September that Simpson had chosen "I Belong to Me" as the second single.
In the United States, "I Belong to Me" was made available for airplay at mainstream contemporary hit radio
stations on September 26. During the same period, the song debuted at number twenty-five on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
chart and at number ninety-nine on the Billboard Pop 100
. It spent three non-consecutive weeks on each chart (until early November), peaking at number ten on the former and at number ninety on the latter. It failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
.
for the single was directed by Matthew Rolston
and filmed in September 2006. Simpson said that the shoot was "a very emotional time" for her, and that she thought viewers of the video would "experience what I've been experiencing for the past year".
It was given a "sneak peek" on MTV
's Total Request Live
in the U.S. on October 4, and was premiered in its entirety on October 11.
Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
on Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
's fourth studio album, A Public Affair
A Public Affair
A Public Affair is the fifth studio album by American pop singer Jessica Simpson. The album was released on August 26, 2006 in the United States by Epic Records...
(2006). The Stargate
Stargate (production team)
This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
-produced song was the second and final single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from the album, and it reached the lower half of the U.S. Billboard Pop 100
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
chart.
Subject matter
When asked in an interview whether she had written songs that were reflective of her life, Diane Warren named "I Belong to Me", saying "that's one of the closer songs to me, because I feel that. I don't need someone to complete me. I complete myself. I don't believe that you need a person to complete you. That's my philosophy." Simpson said of the song, "It's a very powerful statement ... about owning yourself and controlling yourself. It's part of evolving, of growing up and becoming a woman." According to BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine, the song has the same "self-empowerment theme" as Simpson's 2004 single "With You
With You (Jessica Simpson song)
"With You" is a song by American recording artist Jessica Simpson released as the second single from her third studio album In This Skin. Released in 2003, through Columbia Records. Billy Mann and Andy Marvel produced the song and co-wrote it with Simpson....
".
Critical reception
Billboard magazine wrote that "Simple R&BContemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
-lite production allows Simpson's lovely vocal to hold the reins, making for a song (written by the incomparable Diane Warren) that is a thematic bull's-eye for her female teen target [...] let's see if programmers make this release more of the public affair it deserves to be".
Commercial release
Before the release of A Public Affair, the song was taken off the album's track listing—Simpson said that this was because she "was kind of afraid to sing the song"—and only the Wal-MartWal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
edition of the album included the song as a bonus track
Bonus track
In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
. It was believed that the song had hit potential, and consequently Simpson's record label added it to subsequent versions of the album. During August 2006, Simpson's fans could listen on her official website to the songs "B.O.Y.", "I Belong to Me", "I Don't Want to Care", "If You Were Mine", "The Lover in Me" and "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)
You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)
"You Spin Me Round " is a song by British band Dead or Alive on their 1985 album Youthquake. The song was the first UK number-one hit by the Stock Aitken Waterman production trio. Released in November 1984, the record reached number one in March 1985, taking seventeen weeks to get there...
", and vote for which song would become the second single. It was reported in early September that Simpson had chosen "I Belong to Me" as the second single.
In the United States, "I Belong to Me" was made available for airplay at mainstream contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
stations on September 26. During the same period, the song debuted at number twenty-five on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
chart and at number ninety-nine on the Billboard Pop 100
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
. It spent three non-consecutive weeks on each chart (until early November), peaking at number ten on the former and at number ninety on the latter. It failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the single was directed by Matthew Rolston
Matthew Rolston
Matthew Russell Rolston is an American photographer and music video director. Rolston is known for his signature lighting techniques and detailed approach to art direction and design, and has been repeatedly identified throughout his career with the revival and modern expression of Hollywood glamour...
and filmed in September 2006. Simpson said that the shoot was "a very emotional time" for her, and that she thought viewers of the video would "experience what I've been experiencing for the past year".
It was given a "sneak peek" on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
in the U.S. on October 4, and was premiered in its entirety on October 11.
Charts
| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100... |
10 |
| U.S. Billboard Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
90 |