It's My House Explained

It's My House
Cover:itsmyhouse.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Diana Ross
Album:The Boss
B-Side:Sparkle
Released:20 October 1979
Recorded:1979
Label:Motown
Producer:Ashford & Simpson
Prev Title:The Boss
Prev Year:1979
Next Title:Upside Down
Next Year:1980

"It's My House" is a ballad composed by the rhythm and blues writing team of Ashford and Simpson, recorded by Motown icon Diana Ross for her 1979 album release The Boss, from which it was issued as the second single on 20 October 1979.

Background and commercial reception

Valerie Simpson of Ashford and Simpson described "It's My House" with the following: "The song is about a modern woman who tells her lover: 'I'm independent and may fit you into my space - but on my terms.' Those are Diana's ideas."[1]

The song peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard R&B chart, and (the Record World Pop Singles No. 101-No. 150 ranking ranked "It's My House" as high as No. 106).

The UK Singles Chart afforded a No. 32 peak to "It's My House", which was the third UK single from The Boss album - following the title cut and "No One Gets the Prize", both of which fared less well on the UK charts than "It's My House" (the UK chart peaks of "The Boss" and "No One Gets the Prize" being respectively No. 40 and No. 59). Ross' version of "It's My House" also statistically bested a reggae-styled cover version by Storm which despite debuting on the UK Top 75 singles ranking a week prior to the Ross single ross no higher than No. 36.

Reaching No. 71 on the Australian national singles ranking, "It's My House" had its best global chart showing in South Africa where the Springbok Radio hit parade ranked "It's My House" as high as No. 7.

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1979)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[2] 71
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[3] 7

Covers and sampling

Besides the cover by Storm which reached No. 36 UK, reggae-style recordings of "It's My House" have also been made by Salena Jones (album Love is in the Air/ 1980) and Billy Biggs (album What's Your Sign/ 1980).[4] Latin singer La Lupe covered a Spanish language version of the song ("Es Mi Casa") on her 1980 album "En algo nuevo," which also happened to be her final original album shortly before she announced her retirement.[5] Lady Gaga's song "Replay" from her 2020 album, Chromatica, features a sample of "It's My House".[6]

Notes and References

  1. New York Daily News 13 January 1980 "Diana" by Pablo Guzman pages=327, 331
  2. Book: Australian Charts Book 1970–1992. David Kent. 978-0-646-11917-5. 1993. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W..
  3. Web site: Diana Ross: Chart History. South Africa's Rock Lists. April 12, 2023.
  4. Web site: Cover versions of It's My House written by Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson SecondHandSongs. SecondHandSongs.
  5. Book: Matos, Israel. La Lupe, Reina Poseída: Como Surge En La Cuba De Batista, Como Escapa De La Cuba Comunista, Como Triunfa En Una Sociedad Capitalista, Y Como Se Destruye Sirviendo a Los Orishas. es. Palibrio. 2012. 978-1463328443.
  6. Lady Gaga's 'Chromatica' team reveals the history and future of her new era . June 12, 2020 . . Joey . Nolfi . https://archive.today/20200613100924/https://ew.com/music/lady-gaga-chromatica-behind-the-scenes/ . June 13, 2020 . live.