Just Me

Infobox Album
Name = Just Me
Type = studio
Artist = Tina Arena


Released = Start date|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
Reviews =
Last album = "Souvenirs" (2000)
This album = "Just Me" (2001)
Next album = "Vous êtes toujours là" (2003)
Misc = Singles
Name = Just Me
Type = studio
Single 1 = Soul Mate #9
Single 1 date = October 1, 2001
Single 2 = Dare You to Be Happy
Single 2 date = January 21, 2002
Single 3 = Symphony of Life
Single 3 date = September 16, 2002

"Just Me" is the fourth 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.

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" [http://www.sonybmg.com.au/artist/artistMainBio.do?mode=2&artistId=6343 "Tina Arena - Biography"] . "Sony BMG". Retrieved January 22 2008.] .

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".

Chart performance

The album debuted on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart on November 19, 2001 at number seven and was certified gold by ARIA [http://www.australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Tina+Arena&titel=Just+Me&cat=a Just Me - Australian Chart Run] . "Australian-charts.com". Retrieved January 24 2007.] . 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. 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 hundred and fifty, helping it to certify gold by SNEB [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Tina+Arena&titel=Just+Me&cat=a Just Me - France Chart Run] . "Lescharts.com". Retrieved January 24 2007.] . 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 [http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?key=3905&cat=a Just Me - Switzerland Chart Run] . "Hitparade.ch". Retrieved January 24 2007.] .

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

*French bonus tracks

12. "Symphonie de l'âme" (Arena, Vettese) – 4:45
13. "Cœur de pierre" (David Hallyday, Eric Chermonny) – 3:36
14. "Tu es toujours là" (Jacques Veneruso) – 4:10
15. "Si je ne t'aimais pas" (David Gategno, Marie-Jo Zarb) – 3:25

Charts

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

References