I Belong to Me

Infobox Single
Name = I Belong to Me

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Cover size =
Border =
Caption =
Artist = Jessica Simpson
Album = A Public Affair
A-side =
B-side =
Released = September 26 2006
Format = Digital download
Recorded =
Genre = Pop, R&B
Length = 3:40
Label = Epic
Writer = Diane Warren
Producer = Stargate
Audio sample? =
Certification =
Last single = "A Public Affair"
(2006)
This single = "I Belong to Me"
(2006)
Next single = "Come on Over"
(2008)
Misc = Extra track listing
Album = A Public Affair
Type = studio
prev_track = "Let Him Fly"
prev_no = 13
this_track = "I Belong to Me"
track_no = 14
next_track = "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (UK)
next_no = 15

"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.

ubject 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."cite web | last = Cohen | first = Arianne | authorlink = | author = | coauthors = | title = I Belong to Me | work = Nerve.com | publisher = | date = 2006 | url = http://www.nerve.com/screeningroom/music/dianewarren/ | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-06-23 ] 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 "Billboard" magazine, the song has the same "self-empowerment theme" as Simpson's 2004 single "With You".

Critical reception

"Billboard" magazine wrote that "Simple R&B-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".cite web | last = Taylor | first = Chuck | authorlink = Chuck Taylor (Billboard writer and editor) | author = | coauthors = | title = I Belong to Me | work = Billboard | publisher = Nielsen Business Media, Inc. | date = | url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/reviews/single_review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003122611 | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-06-23 ]

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"cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | author = AP | coauthors = | title = Taking charge of a 'normal' life | work = The Age | publisher = The Age Company Ltd. | date = October 9 2006 | url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/people/taking-charge-of-a-normal-life/2006/10/08/1160246015495.html?page=2 | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-06-23 ] —and only the Wal-Mart 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. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |author=Staff |coauthors= |title=For The Record: Quick News On Jessica Simpson, Beyonce, Notorious B.I.G., Tego Calderon, Harry Potter & More |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1538412/20060811/simpson_jessica.jhtml |work=MTV News |publisher=MTV Networks |date=August 11 2006 |accessdate=2008-06-23 ] It was reported in early September that Simpson had chosen "I Belong to Me" as the second single. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |author=Staff |coauthors= |title=For The Record: Quick News On Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, Kevin Federline, Jessica Simpson & More |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1540370/20060907/lohan_lindsay.jhtml |work=MTV News |publisher=MTV Networks |date=September 7 2006 |accessdate=2008-06-23 ]

In the United States, "I Belong to Me" was made available for airplay at mainstream contemporary hit radio stations on September 26. [cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | author = | coauthors = | title = CHR - Available for Airplay | work = FMQB | publisher = Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Inc. and Mediaspan Online Services | date = | url = http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=69239#2006 | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-06-23 ] 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. [cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | author = | coauthors = | title = Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles - I Belong To Me | work = Billboard.com | publisher = Nielsen Business Media, Inc. | date = September 23 2006 | url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=344&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Bubbling+Under+Hot+100+Singles&ci=3078147&cdi=9046844&cid=09%2F23%2F2006 | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-06-23 ] [cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | author = | coauthors = | title = Pop 100 - I Belong To Me | work = Billboard.com | publisher = Nielsen Business Media, Inc. | date = September 23 2006 | url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=396&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Pop+100&ci=3078204&cdi=9049095&cid=09%2F23%2F2006 | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-06-23 ] 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.cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | author = | coauthors = | title = Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles - I Belong To Me | work = Billboard.com | publisher = Nielsen Business Media, Inc. | date = November 4 2006 | url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=344&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Bubbling+Under+Hot+100+Singles&ci=3079836&cdi=9101059&cid=11%2F04%2F2006 | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-06-23 ] [cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | author = | coauthors = | title = Pop 100 - I Belong To Me | work = Billboard.com | publisher = Nielsen Business Media, Inc. | date = November 4 2006 | url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=396&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Pop+100&ci=3079853&cdi=9101883&cid=11%2F04%2F2006 | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-06-23 ] It failed to chart on the "Billboard" Hot 100.

Music video

The music video for the single was directed by Matthew Rolston [cite news |first=Neel |last=Shah |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Joe Simpson's Family Photo |url=http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2006/10/joe-simpsons-family-photo.php |work=Radar Online |publisher= |date=October 25 2006 |accessdate=2008-06-23 ] 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". [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |author=ExtraTV Staff |coauthors= |title=Jessica Simpson Set to Remake 'Working Girl' |url=http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2006/09/jessica_simpson_set_to_remake.php |work=ExtraTV.com |publisher=TTT West Coast, Inc. |date=September 20 2006 |accessdate=2008-06-23 ] 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. The video entered the show's top ten countdown at number eight the following day, reached number four on the countdown and spent seven days in the top ten. [cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | author = | coauthors = | title = The TRL Archive - Recap | work = ATRL | publisher = | date = October 2006 | url = http://www.atrl.net/trlarchive/?s=recap&y=2006&m=10 | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-06-23 ]

Charts

References