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Our Top 10 Jessica Simpson Songs list takes a look at a singer, actress, designer and author. Jessica Simpson has had quite a career over the years. She exploded on the music scene fresh off the success of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. She was known as the girl with the wholesome image when she first appeared on the scene. She had some success as a solo artist, but it was her work on the reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica that helped skyrocket her career. She changed her image for a less wholesome look for her second album.
Some of her singles include “I Wanna Love You Forever,” “Sweetest Sin,” “A Public Affair,” “Take My Breath Away,” “Where You Are,” “I Think I’m in Love with You,” “These Boots Are Made For Walking,” “Irresistible,” “With You,” “There You Were,” “Forever In Your Eyes” “A Little Bit” as well as other songs. The acting bug bit her. She appeared in TV and film. She was on That ‘70s Show (2002), The Twilight Zone (2003), Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica (2003 – 2005), Room Raiders (2003), The Ashlee Simpson Show (2004 – 2005), Dancing with the Stars in (2005), Project Runway (2010), Entourage (2010). She was in the movies The Master of Disguise (2002), The Dukes of Hazzard (2005), Employee of the Month (2006), Blonde Ambition (2007), The Love Guru (2008) and Private Valentine: Blonde & Dangerous (2008).
Jessica Ann Simpson-Johnson was born July 10, 1980. She began singing in church when she was a kid. She realized she wanted to be a singer when she turned 11 years old. She auditioned for the Mickey Mouse Club. She lost out on a role to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. She refused to give up on her dream of becoming a singer. She recorded an album that was never released because the record label went bankrupt. She kept auditioning for different labels and producers until she caught the attention of Tommy Mottola. He wanted to sign her to Columbia Records after he heard her sing. He thought she had something different and fresh about her. He thought he hit the jackpot because she could actually sing.
Sweet Kisses was released in 1999. The album peaked at number 25 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album sold 65,000 copies in the first week. It features the singles “I Wanna Love You Forever,” “Where You Are,” “I Think I’m in Love with You,” “Woman in Me” and “I’ve Got My Eyes on You.” The album sold over two million copies. Irresistible came out in 2001. The album gave her a chance to change up her good girl image. She was more focused on teen pop and r&b for this album. Her goal was to be as popular as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. The critics weren’t too kind to her when this album was released. She was able to prove them wrong because she was able to sell a lot of albums. The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 charts. The singles are “Irresistible,” “A Little Bit,” “Forever in Your Eyes,” “There You Were” and “When You Told Me You Loved Me.” The album went on to sell over two million copies.
In This Skin was released in 2003. The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Sweetest Sin,” “With You,” “I Have Loved You,” “Angel,” “Forbidden Fruit” and “My Way Home.” The album sold over three million copies. A Public Affair was released in 2006. The album peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “A Public Affair,” “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record),” “Back to You,” “Walkin’ Round in a Circle” and “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.” Do You Know came out in 2008. The album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Come On Over,” “Remember That,” “You’re My Sunday,” “Still Beautiful” and “Still Don’t Stop Me.”
Jessica Simpson knows how to market herself. If something doesn’t work, she changes it. She had to compete with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Mandy Moore for the same audience. She may not have sold as many albums as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, but she was able to carve her notch in the entertainment business. She was able to rebrand herself through her reality show. She was one of the first celebrities to have her own reality show based on her life. She turned being clueless into a brand. She’s also a successful businesswoman. Her business is worth over a billion dollars. She is proof you can be successful if you don’t give up. This Top 10 Jessica Simpson Songs list will feature her best songs. What do you think will be number one on our list?
# 10 – With You
The first song on our Top 10 Jessica Simpson Songs list is “With You” from the In This Skin album. It has a bubble gum pop sound. This song was featured on her reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. Jessica Simpson had become a bigger household name because she had a ditzy image on her reality show. She proved that she knew what she was doing when it came to marketing herself. Would anyone have remembered her series if she didn’t create a ditzy image? The double entendre is about the way a person makes you feel. She dedicated this love song to her then-husband Nick Lachey, but it could also be about a friendship.
If you take the romance out of the equation, she could have been talking about a friend or a loved one. We all want to be with a person who allows you to be yourself. The track has an energetic pop beat that will get you on the dancefloor. It sounds like something Britney Spears would have in her catalogue. The drums drive the music. The piano and guitar are also fire. Jessica Simpson seems to be channeling her inner Mariah Carey with this track. She sings some of the lyrics in her normal tone and goes up an octave. You can tell she’s in love while she sings the lyrics. She’s a little sharp at points in the song, but it doesn’t hurt the track.
# 9 – Forever in Your Eyes
The next song on our Top 10 Jessica Simpson Songs list is “Forever in Your Eyes” from the Irresistible album. The track has a Latin and pop sound. The sensual song is about a loving couple who lie together all night. The ballad has elements of r&b and Latin music. It was an excellent touch because the music mixes well together. The arrangement is outstanding. Jessica Simpson didn’t record anything like this song. Nick Lachey wrote this track for her while they were still together. The melody sounds similar to 98 Degrees’ single “Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche).”
The song sounds like something the group would have recorded for themselves. The sizzling hot ballad has enough tempo to get you out of your seat. Nick Lachey brought out the best in Jessica Simpson’s vocals. She doesn’t sound like she’s straining to hit any notes on this track. She doesn’t sound sharp on the track the way she did for our previous entry. The music was better suited for her big voice. She had to tame it because the music was soft. This track is underrated because it’s not one of her signature songs. It should have been a much bigger hit than it was because it’s worth checking out.
# 8 – These Boots Were Made for Walking
The cathartic song is from The Dukes of Hazzard Soundtrack. The song has a country, pop and dance pop beat to it. This track is a remake of Nancy Sinatra’s’ hit by the same name. Jessica Simpson changed the lyrics behind the song. Nancy Sinatra sang her version about a cheating boyfriend while Jessica Simpson wrote her song about her character Daisy Dukes’ life and experiences. This track gave Jessica Simpson a chance to return to her country roots. It was the song that made her decide to try her hand at country music.
Her version is different from Nancy Sinatra’s’ version of it. Nancy Sinatra’s’ version is painful and has more meaning behind it. Jessica Simpson’s version of the track is upbeat and great for dancing. It’s impossible to sit still while you listen to it. The song has a country beat, but it mixes with pop music effortlessly. Her song isn’t exactly genuine country music by any means. It doesn’t have the same formula as your traditional country song. Legendary songwriting and producing duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were behind this gem. It doesn’t sound like anything they have produced before. They are known for their r&b and pop songs so this was outside of their wheelhouse. This track was outside of Jessica Simpson’s wheelhouse as well. She sounds like she’s having a lot of fun with this track. She sings in time with the beat changes.
# 7 – Irresistible
The sexy song is from the album of the same name. It has a dance, r&b and pop sound. The provocative song is about Jessica Simpson trying to shed her good girl image. This is the song that helped change her image. She wanted a sexier image that was similar to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. She was known for her abstinence and for waiting to have sex until she was married. She wanted to change that image with this track. We can see her doing that because this song was a departure from the tracks she was known for at the time this song was released. The song is one of the standouts of the album. It’s easy to see why this was the single that launched her new seductive image. She wanted the world to see that she was a different person.
The music is catchy and would please fans of pop and dance music. The song mixes funk music and Latin rhythms. Everything about the music works. It will hook immediately. As soon as the first couple of bars start, there’s no going back. You will be captivated by the music. Some critics didn’t approve of this song, and that just proves that critics aren’t always right. Jessica Simpson belts throughout the song. Her vocals are pretty good on this track. She belts at the right times on the track.
# 6 – A Public Affair
The carefree song is from the album of the same name. The song has a pop and disco beat. The euphoric song is about having fun with your friends. She was going through a divorce at the time she recorded the song. She was able to come up with this banger during a painful time in her life. She mentions being with your girls, but men could enjoy it too. They could hang out with their friends too. This is the perfect song to listen to when you are hanging out with your friends. The music is bouncy and extremely catchy. The song features an interpolation of Madonna’s huge hit “Holiday.”
It also features a sample of the Diana Ross hit “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” The samples help create an infectious beat. It also has an old school sound that you can appreciate. We dare you to sit still while the music is playing. If you’re not moving around after the first few seconds, you may have to check your pulse. Jessica Simpson sings the song in her upper register. She’s channeling her inner Janet Jackson on the track. She does a sample of “Ain’t No Mountain High” during the bridge and the fade out. She and the background singers added the ad libs from the Diana Ross song. She doesn’t belt in this song. She holds back and just has fun with it.
# 5 – Where You Are Ft. Nick Lachey
The next song on our Top 10 Jessica Simpson Songs list is “Where You Are” from her Sweet Kisses album. It has a pop and r&b beat. The tender ballad is about a couple in love. Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey were together when they recorded the track. The song opens with a soft guitar riff. The melody starts off similar to Toni Braxton’s “Un-Break My Heart”. It sounds like something Mariah Carey would have recorded. The music is tender and sweet. The music mainly has a piano groove, but the drums provide some tempo.
They worked well together. They seemed to enjoy singing the lyrics to each other. Jessica Simpson channels her inner Mariah Carey on this track. Nick Lachey’s vocals are smooth as silk. His voice was pleasant on the ear the entire time. She sounds good, but she sounds like she’s straining her voice when they sing together towards the end of the song. They turned the track into a power ballad, but she didn’t need to strain her voice in order to be heard. If she didn’t do that at the end, her vocals would have been flawless. The choice she made didn’t hurt the song because the song became a power ballad towards the end.
# 4 – Sweetest Sin
The erotic song is from the album In This Skin. It has an r&b and pop sound. The lustful song is about her having sex. The song was considered controversial for her because she had a good girl image. The title of the track is misleading. It implies that having sex is a sin. She is talking about having sex with her husband. It wasn’t a sin because she waited until she was married to be with him. The music is sensual and enjoyable. The song has Diane Warren’s stamp written all over it. She tends to write power ballads for people who can handle it.
It’s a power ballad with an r&b and pop sound. The music will leave you feeling hypnotized. This is one of the tracks where Jessica Simpson’s big voice is blessing. She showed control on the song. She held back when she sang softly and didn’t pull any punches once she hit the chorus. She pulled back again so she wasn’t oversinging throughout the song. She held some decent notes that her voice was able to handle. She didn’t sound as if she was straining in the song. Diane Warren brought out the best in her with this song. It’s too bad they didn’t work together more.
# 3 – Take My Breath Away
The infectious song is from the album In This Skin. The song has a pop sound. The loving song is about the person you love taking your breath away. The track is a cover of Berlin’s hit song by the same name. This is one of Berlin’s biggest hits so it’s that time for the questions we ask for this type of song. Should she have covered a song that was such a hit for the original artist? Did she make it her own? The answer to the first question is that she took a risk singing a song that’s so connected to the artist. The answer to the second question is that she did make it her own.
Here is some trivia about the song. She wanted to cover this track because it reminded her of her relationship with Nick Lachey. Jessica Simpson’s version of the song is sped up more than Berlin’s version. She The music is being played faster in Jessica Simpson’s version than in Berlin’s version of the song. Her version has more tempo than Berlin’s version. Jessica Simpson also does vocal gymnastics that weren’t done in the original song. She holds notes and she belts in the song. Terri Nunn didn’t belt as much as Jessica Simpson did in her version. The notes were suitable for her voice. She held the notes without straining.
# 2 – There You Are ft. Marc Anthony
The enchanting song is from the Irresistible album. The song has a pop beat. The celebratory song is a dedication for the man in her life. The song is a sequel to her track “Where You Are.” The music sounds similar to something Diane Warren or David Foster would have produced. The music begins softly with just the piano playing. The music continues to build up to a climactic finale. The song would have a perfect wedding song. The music will put you into a trance until it is done. Let’s get to the vocals. Marc Anthony’s vocals are fire. There aren’t enough words to express how unbelievably talented he is. He truly has a gift from God.
The man can sing the alphabet and make it sound good. This song was no exception. His vocals will blow you away. He sings the first verse and will hold your attention until the showstopping finale. Jessica Simpson sings the second verse. Her vocals are pretty good on the track. She had big shoes to fill singing with Marc Anthony because he has such a powerful voice. It could have been a mistake for her to sing with him, but she managed to pull it off. She has to vocally push herself to keep up with him, but she manages to do it. Marc Anthony is the winner of the singing battle because she has to strain a little at the end to keep up with him. This underrated song should have been a bigger hit.
# 1 – I Wanna Love You Forever
The number one song on our Top 10 Jessica Simpson Songs list is “I Wanna Love You Forever” from the Sweet Kisses album. The song has a pop beat. The soulful song is about a woman pining after a man who is with someone else. She wants to love him forever. The song may seem to be about a troubled relationship, but it’s a love song. You can use your own judgment to decide what type of song it really is. The track is her signature song. It’s also one of her biggest hits ever. The music is contagious and magnificent. It has a mix of pop and Latin blended together. The music begins softly allowing her a chance to sell her vocals to the audience.
She’s beginning to warm up to the big finale of the song. The song caters to her very powerful vocals. She vocally explodes on the track once she hits the chorus. She turns the song into a power ballad early. She reaches for the stars and manages to bring herself down to earth. She builds up the suspense and then she goes for it after the bridge. She reaches for heights unknown once she sings the bridge. It’s hard to believe someone can belt that much and be able to continue to do it throughout the song. She wanted the world to make room for her in the Pop Princess category. The song deserves to be a big hit for her and number one on our list.
Top 10 Jessica Simpson Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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