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“Pieces of Me”
[[Image:Artist = Ashlee Simpson|200px|“Pieces of Me” cover]]
Single by {{{Artist}}}
from the album Autobiography
Released June 29, 2004 (U.S.)
September 27, 2004 (UK)
Format CD single
Recorded Early 2004
Genre Pop/Rock
Length 3:39
Label Geffen Records
Writer(s) Ashlee Simpson, Kara DioGuardi, John Shanks
Producer John Shanks
{{{Artist}}} singles chronology
– "Pieces of Me"
(2004)		 "Shadow"
(2004)

"Pieces of Me" is a song by American pop/rock singer Ashlee Simpson and the first single from her début album Autobiography (2004). The song, which was co-written by Simpson, Kara DioGuardi and John Shanks (and produced by Shanks),[1] is a blend of pop and rock with lyrics about finding comfort and happiness in a relationship with a new boyfriend. "Pieces of Me" was released as a single in mid-2004 (see 2004 in music), prior to the album's release in July; it peaked at number five in the United States (on the Billboard Hot 100) and contributed to the considerable success of Autobiography, which went triple platinum in the U.S. Outside of the U.S. the song had some chart success as well, reaching the top ten in a number of countries. As of 2006 it remains Simpson's most successful song, and her only song to reach the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

Contents

[edit] About the record

The recording of "Pieces of Me" features in the fourth episode of the first season of Simpson's reality show, The Ashlee Simpson Show,[2] and it was inspired by Simpson's relationship with musician Ryan Cabrera, a friend with whom she became romantically involved. She said, "it was just really nice to be with somebody who's just real and who's nice — just a good person. So I wrote that about him, and when I finished it, I was so excited and so was he."[3] (The two were reported to have broken up in August 2004, while the song was still high on the charts, because of their busy schedules.[4] They soon got back together before breaking up again in early 2005.) In another interview, she said "it's a feel good song, it's easy to listen to and every time I perform it or listen to it or whatever, ... it just feels good."[5]

Jeff Rothschild played drums on the track, Shanks played guitars and bass, and Simpson and DioGuardi did background vocals.[1] IGN.com said the song "lopes along to a feel good melancholic guitar strum while [Simpson] waxes like any lovelorn 19-year old would about the current love of their life."[6] A Tiscali review said that the "stringy" guitar riffs in "Pieces of Me" were "simple, yet effective", with the "catchy chorus bringing the song to life."[7] According to Stylus magazine, Simpson's singing on the track goes from "impassioned wail to innocent cooing ably."[8]A UK review of the single for LAUNCHcast called it "palatable" "as guitar-led lipstick confessionals go",[9] and The Observer described it as a "perfect choice" for the album's first single, having "a tempo between fast and slow, with hints of both throughout the song."[10]

[edit] Chart performance

"Pieces of Me" began receiving widespread radio play in the U.S. in May 2004, well before the album's release on July 20. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, ninety-seven stations added "Pieces of Me" to their play lists in the week ending on May 17, which it said was the strongest week for any single in 2004 at that point in the year.[11] The song's debut on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2004 was the chart's top début for the week,[12] and it reached the top ten in August[13] before peaking at number five for one week in September 2004.[14][15] "Pieces of Me" remained in the top fifty until November 2004, and it also reached number one on the Billboard Top 40 Tracks chart. Geffen Records released the U.S. CD single (which includes the album version of the song as well as an instrumental) on June 29, 2004,[16] and the song was certified gold in October 2004[1] and platinum in January 2005 for its physical and digital sales. "Pieces of Me" was number thirty-nine on Billboard's 2004 year-end Hot 100 Singles & Tracks chart.[17]

Simpson has described her excitement when she first heard the song on the radio:

"I was in L.A. and my sister heard me on the radio and was freaking out and called me so I turned on the radio in my apartment with my two best friends and started jumping around and freaking out."[18]

"Pieces of Me" is on the American Now That's What I Call Music! 17, a compilation of popular music that was released in November 2004.[19] It also is included on the American Now That's What I Call Music!, #1's, a compilation of songs that reached number one or songs that reached a high standard on the Billboard Hot 100; the compilation was released in January 2006.

The single made its début somewhat later in the United Kingdom, where the album was also released several months after it was in the U.S. It was released in the United Kingdom on September 27, 2004, on two CDs; the first includes a David Garcia & High Spies remix, and the second includes remixes, a medley of snippets of songs from Autobiography ("Shadow", "Autobiography", "La La", and "Better Off"), and the "Pieces of Me" music video. "Pieces of Me" debuted at number four on the UK Singles Chart for the week ending October 3 and remained in the top forty for seven weeks.[20] In Australia "Pieces of Me" début outside the top ten on the ARIA singles chart [2] and peaked at number seven in September; [3] it fell out of the top forty in November, and was also accredited as a gold single in Australia.[21] In New Zealand, the song peaked within the top forty on the RIANZ singles chart for two weeks in September 2004.[22] In Germany and Italy "Pieces of Me" reached the top thirty, [4] [5] and in Austria and Switzerland it reached the top twenty. [6] [7] The song reached the top five in Norway and Denmark [8] [9] and the top forty in Sweden. [10]

[edit] On television

Simpson in the "Pieces of Me" music video, from its premiere on Total Request Live.
Simpson in the "Pieces of Me" music video, from its premiere on Total Request Live.

The single's video, directed by Stefan Smith,[23] features Simpson and her band in the studio interspersed with clips of reality TV footage. The video is fairly simplistic, and Simpson refers to the more elaborate video for her second single, "Shadow", as her first "real" video. The "Pieces of Me" video premiered on MTV's Total Request Live on May 17, 2004, debut on the countdown's top ten in July, reached number one for the first time on August 4 and remained on the countdown through September 13. The "Shadow" video premiered on the following day and took the place of "Pieces of Me" on the countdown.[24] The video for "Pieces of Me" was nominated for "Best Pop Video" at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards,[23] but lost to Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone".[25] The video was also nominated for the same category at the 2005 MTV Australia Video Music Awards,[26] but lost to Guy Sebastian's "Out with My Baby".[27]

"Pieces of Me" won the Teen Choice Award for "Song of the Summer" in August 2004.[28] Later that year on the October 23/24 episode of Saturday Night Live, Simpson performed "Pieces of Me" as her first of two songs that night; when she started to perform her second song (which was supposed to be "Autobiography"), a recording of "Pieces of Me" was mistakenly played instead, indicating that Simpson was using some sort of vocal aid (she later explained it as being due to her acid reflux condition).[29] For her next performance, at the Radio Music Awards on October 25, Simpson poked fun at the SNL incident by having some of "Pieces of Me" play at the beginning of her performance, to suggest that she was caught in the same situation as before, only to then smile and exclaim that she was "just kidding", and begin performing "Autobiography".[30]

[edit] Formats and track listings

U.S. CD single (7:17)

  1. "Pieces of Me (album version) — 3:37
  2. "Pieces of Me (instrumental) — 3:40

UK CD single (6:52) 9863811

  1. Pieces of Me" (album version) — 3:37
  2. Pieces of Me" (David Garcia & High Spies remix radio edit) — 3:15

UK CD maxi single (11:44) 9863812

  1. "Pieces of Me" (radio edit #2) — 3:11
  2. "Pieces of Me" (David Garcia & High Spies remix club mix) — 7:09
  3. "Pieces of Me" (29 Palms remix vocal edit) — 4:04
  4. "Shadow"/"Autobiography"/"La La"/"Better Off" (snippet medley) — 5:20
  5. "Pieces of Me" (video - performance only version/international version)

Australian CD single (13:59)

  1. "Pieces of Me" (radio edit) — 3:13
  2. "Pieces of Me" (David Garcia & High Spies remix club mix) — 7:06
  3. "Pieces of Me" (instrumental) — 3:40

[edit] Charts

Chart (2004) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [11] 5
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 30
U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40 4
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream 1
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Tracks 1
Norway Top 20 Singles [12] 3
Denmark Top 20 Singles 4
UK Singles Chart [13] 4
Australia ARIA Top 50 Singles 7
Switzerland Top 100 Singles [14] 11
Austria Top 40 Singles 15
Netherlands Top 40 Singles 20
Italy Top 50 Singles [15] [16] 24
New Zealand RIANZ - Top 40 Singles [17] 32

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b Autobiography liner notes.
  2. ^ Episode guide for The Ashlee Simpson Show, Episode 104: "Valentine's Bummer", MTV.com.
  3. ^ "Ashlee Simpson: Her Most Revealing & Heartfelt Interview Ever", Life Story Jessica, page 69.
  4. ^ Celeb Wire, ELLEgirl.com, August 10, 2004.
  5. ^ The Record Music Magazine, interview with Ashlee Simpson, September 2004.
  6. ^ Spence D., IGN.com review of Autobiography, September 17, 2004.
  7. ^ Kate Marshall, "Pieces of Me" review, Tiscali.co.uk, September 20, 2004.
  8. ^ Todd Burns, Stylus, Autobiography album review, July 21, 2004.
  9. ^ Anna Britten, "Pieces of Me" review, Launch.co.uk, October 1, 2004.
  10. ^ Becca Saunders, "Simpson sister finds success", The Observer (Notre Dame and Saint Mary's), September 16, 2004.
  11. ^ Steve Hochman, "Another Simpson living in the lens", Los Angeles Times, 2004.
  12. ^ Margo Whitmire, "Usher Locks Up Singles Chart Again", Billboard.com, June 24, 2004.
  13. ^ Margo Whitmire, "'Lean Back' Gets Comfy At No. 1", Billboard.com, August 19, 2004.
  14. ^ Margo Whitmire, "Ciara's 'Goodies' Still Good At No. 1", September 9, 2004.
  15. ^ Margo Whitmire, "Ciara's 'Goodies' Steadfast At No. 1", Billboard.com, September 16, 2004.
  16. ^ David Jenison, "Fantasia Beats Diana...Again", E! Online, July 7, 2004.
  17. ^ The Billboard Hot 100 Singles & Tracks, 2004 Year End Chart, Billboard.com, December 25, 2004.
  18. ^ 944, Volume 3, Issue 8, page 75. Interview.
  19. ^ Barry A. Jeckell, "'NOW' Series Spawns 17th CD, 2nd DVD", Billboard.com, October 20, 2004.
  20. ^ "Pieces of Me" U.K. chart positions, Chart Stats - UK Singles & Albums Chart Statistics.
  21. ^ ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2004 Singles, Aria.com.au.
  22. ^ RIANZ Top 40 Singles Chart, weeks September 20–October 4, 2004.
  23. ^ a b Press release, "MTV Announces Host, Nominees, and Performers for the 2005 Video Music Awards", PRNewswire.com, July 25, 2005.
  24. ^ TRL Archives - May 2004, June 2004, July 2004, August 2004, and September 2004, AbsoluteTRL.net.
  25. ^ Christina Fuoco, "Green Day Rock the VMAs", Rolling Stone, August 29, 2005.
  26. ^ Carmine Pascuzzi, "Voting closes on February 14 for MTV Australia Video Music Awards 2005", Mediasearch.com.au.
  27. ^ Elle Halliwell and Juliet Anderson, "MTV Australian Video Music Awards for 2005 - winners and pictures", Mediasearch.com.au.
  28. ^ Corey Moss, "Usher And Lindsay Win Big, Ashlee Burps, Britney A No-Show At Teen Choice Awards", MTV News, August 9, 2004.
  29. ^ Jennifer Vineyard, "Ashlee Blames Gastric Distress For 'SNL' Lip-Synch Snafu", MTV News, October 25, 2004.
  30. ^ Jennifer Vineyard, "Ashlee Pokes Fun At Self, Lip-Synch Flap: 'It's So Silly'", MTV News, October 26, 2004.
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Ashlee Simpson-Wentz
Albums
Autobiography (2004) · I Am Me (2005) · Bittersweet World (2008)
Singles
Related articles


Category:2004 singles Category:Ashlee Simpson singles Category:Debut singles

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