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| Just Me |
 |
| Studio album by Tina Arena |
| Released |
November 12, 2001 (2001-11-12) (Australia) |
| Recorded |
Dublin, London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris |
| Genre |
Pop, electronic |
| Length |
43:59 |
| Label |
Columbia |
| Producer |
Lukas Burton, Erik Godal, Paul Manners, Nile Rodgers, Peter-John Vettese |
| Tina Arena chronology |
|
|
| Singles from Just Me |
- "Soul Mate #9"
Released: October 1, 2001
- "Dare You to Be Happy"
Released: January 21, 2002
- "Symphony of Life"
Released: September 16, 2002
|
Just Me is the fifth album by Australian singer Tina Arena released in Australia on November 12, 2001 by Columbia Records. Arena co-wrote some of the album with Desmond Child, Robbie Neville, Mark Hudson, Victoria Shaw and Peter-John Vettese who also help produce the album. Just Me debuted in the top ten on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart making it her third top ten album there but the sales did not match up to her previous albums Don't Ask (1994) and In Deep (1997), making the album a considered commercial failure . There were three singles were released from the album; "Soul Mate #9" and "Dare You to Be Happy" were not major hits while the last single "Symphony of Life" became Arena's fifth top ten single.
[edit] Writing and content
The album was mainly written in Europe and the U.S. with different collaborators than her previous albums including Nile Rodgers, Peter-John Vettese, Lukas Burton and Paul Manners, which Arena hoped it would appeal to both old and new fans. Arena states "I set out to make a record that reflected all of the personal, sonic and lyrical growth that I believe I have undergone in recent years. The only master plan, the only objective I set for myself, was to experiment and write the freshest sounding record I could - one that was truly an indication of where I am at in my life right now". She also states "I don't see this album as a continuation of my previous work. I think it is definitely a new beginning - almost a rebirth. That's part of the reason it took a long time to make. I wanted to be sure about what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it, and I think it was good to gain a little bit of perspective away from a fairly relentless presence in this country"[1].
| “ |
"People are very curious - which is a really good thing but this is quite a departure, so I hope they like it. Making this record has given me a lot of emotional strength, and has allowed me the opportunity to share some of the things that have played an important part in my personal growth over the past few years. I have laid it all out there for the world to see - and I guess to judge. However overall, it's a very positive and intimate record and I think people will identify with it"[1]. |
” |
She states with working with producers/song-writers Rodgers and Vettese; "I have to wait until I get into the studio with the producers for the sounds to really happen. That's when all the magic starts. Nile and Peter were such encouraging producers to work with and they were able to come up with exactly what I was after. I was very excited to be working with Nile, given his incredible pedigree and Peter has to be one of the funniest and most talented men on the planet. It was important to be surrounded by positive people; but at the same time, I didn't want to be around anyone who was hiding anything from me. I think that we achieved the perfect balance." The album also explores a new electronic sound for Arena, which are included on "Soul Mate #9", "Symphony of Life" and "Woman". She stated "It was fun to bop again, to move again. Bringing all those infectious beats into the mix - the ones that you can't help but dance to - was really important"[1].
[edit] Chart performance
The album debuted on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart on November 19, 2001 at number seven and was certified gold by ARIA[2]. The album dropped down the chart from then on falling out of the top twenty in its second week and only spending four weeks in the top fifty and twelve weeks in the top one hundred[2]. The album faired more success in France where it debuted and peaked at number forty-seven and spent forty-four weeks in the top one hundrd and fifty, helping it to certify gold by SNEB[3]. The album's success was not great in Switzerland where it debuted at number seventy-four and peaked at number sixty-seven spending three weeks in the top one hundred[4].
[edit] Track listing
- "Dare You to Be Happy" (Arena, Peter-John Vettese) – 4:13
- "Soul Mate #9" (Peter Amato, Arena, Desmond Child) – 3:25
- "But I Lied" (Arena, Craig Bartock, Amy Powers) – 3:35
- "God Only Knows" (Arena, J. Mathot, Remi Lacroix, Angela Lupino) – 4:11
- "Symphony of Life" (Arena, Vettese) – 4:45
- "You Made Me Find Myself" (Arena, Child, Ty Lacy) – 3:52
- "If You Ever" (Arena, Ben Robbins, Pam Sheyne) – 4:48
- "Tangled" (Arena, Randy Cantor, Robbie Neville) – 4:29
- "I'm Gone" (Arena, Mark Hudson, Victoria Shaw) – 3:29
- "Something's Gotta Change" (Arena, Russ DeSalvo, Arnie Roman) – 3:30
- "Woman" (Arena, Trina Harmon, Tyler Hayes) – 3:42
- "Symphonie de l'âme" (Arena, Vettese) – 4:45
- "Cœur de pierre" (David Hallyday, Eric Chermonny) – 3:36
- "Tu es toujours là" (Jacques Veneruso) – 4:10
- "Si je ne t'aimais pas" (David Gategno, Marie-Jo Zarb) – 3:25
[edit] Charts
|
|
| Chart |
Certification |
Sales |
| Australia ARIA |
Gold[5] |
35,000+ |
| France SNEB |
Gold |
100,000+ |
|
[edit] Release details
[edit] Personnel
- Tina Arena – vocals
- Richard Bailey – photography
- Ian Dench – guitar
- John Fortis – bass
- Erik Godal – keyboard, programming
- Simon Hale – conductor, string arrangements
- Richard Hilton – keyboard, shaker, electric sitar, programming, mixing, engineer
- Paul Manners – bass, guitar, percussion, vocals, mixing, engineer
- Nile Rodgers – guitar, electric sitar
- Sylver Logan Sharp – background vocals
- Sacha Skarbek – strings, keyboard
- Peter-John Vettese – keyboard, background vocals, programming, string arrangements
[edit] References
