| Just Like Jesse James | |
| Cover: | Just Like Jesse James (Cher single - cover art).jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Cher |
| Album: | Heart of Stone |
| B-Side: | Starting Over |
| Released: | October 1989 |
| Recorded: | 1988 |
| Genre: | Rock |
| Length: | 4:06 |
| Label: | Geffen |
| 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[1] 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”.
Ghost vocals for this song were performed by Wendy Matthews.[2]
"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.[3] The song was released in the UK in December 1989 and settled at No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1990.[4]
Cher has stated during concert performances that she personally never much liked the song despite its successful chart performance.[5]
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."[6] 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'."[7] 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."[8]
Cher performed the song on the following concert tours:
| Chart (1989–1990) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[9] | 29 | |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[10] | 38 | |
| Quebec (ADISQ)[11] | 11 | |
| Spain Top 40 Radio (Promusicae)[12] | 40 | |
| US Cash Box Top 100[13] | 4 |
| Chart (1990) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[14] | 80 | |
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[15] | 53 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[16] | 77 |
