Just Like You (Three Days Grace song)

"Just Like You"
Single by Three Days Grace
from the album Three Days Grace
B-side"Let You Down"
ReleasedMarch 29, 2004 (2004-03-29)
Studio
Genre
Length3:06
LabelJive
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Gavin Brown
Three Days Grace singles chronology
"I Hate Everything About You"
(2003) 		"Just Like You"
(2004) 		"Home"
(2004)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]

"Just Like You" is a single by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. It was the second single from their eponymous debut album. In 2004, the song became their first number-one hit on the U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks and Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks charts.[4] Despite peaking at number one on both charts, it still did not capture the popularity and pop radio success of their prior single, "I Hate Everything About You", which had peaked at numbers two and number four, respectively, but overall having more airplay on mainstream rock, active rock, and modern rock radio stations than "Just Like You". However, both songs peaked at the same position (number 55) on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song earned a nomination at the 2005 Radio Music Awards for "Song of the Year: Rock Radio".[5]

Background and meaning

Adam Gontier reflected on the meaning behind the song; he said:

"It's about being told how to live your life. When we were growing up, we saw it sort of first hand. A lot of our friends were pushed into doing jobs their parents were telling them to do. It's about being pushed around and told how to live your life and standing up for yourself."[6]

In May 2006, the single won a BDS Spin Award based on the 200,000 spins it received.[7] A mash up to the song called, "Just Like Wylin'" was released in 2005 with American rapper Bone Crusher. The song was featured in the XXX: State of the Union soundtrack.[8]

Music video

The original music video for "Just Like You" was shot in Toronto, Ontario in September 2003 and was supposed to be released later that month.[9] The video was directed by Kurt St. Thomas and was shot in black and white without using black and white film. Speaking about the original concept of the video, drummer Neil Sanderson stated, "It's a schizophrenic theme. This girl has this doppelganger, this evil twin kinda thing, which represents schizophrenia, and we see the girl wrestling with herself. She arguing with herself in her own head."[9]

However, the original concept was scrapped and the band recorded a different version of the video. The official music video for "Just Like You" was directed by Scott Winig and was released in 2004.[10] The video features the band playing behind a two-way mirror and shows statue-like people wearing jumpsuits and identical looking masks covering their entire faces, making everyone look like one another.[11] It is the first music video to feature Barry Stock performing with the band.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Three Days Grace and Gavin Brown, except "Let You Down" written by Three Days Grace, Gavin Brown and Matt Walst

US promo single
No.TitleLength
1."Just Like You"3:06
UK promo single
No.TitleLength
1."Just Like You"3:10
CD single
No.TitleLength
1."Just Like You"3:06
2."Let You Down"3:44
3."I Hate Everything About You" (acoustic version)3:42

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[18] Gold 40,000‡
United States (RIAA)[19] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United States March 29, 2004
Jive [20][21]
Australia July 19, 2004 CD single [22]
United Kingdom October 5, 2004 [23]

References

  1. ^ "Ranking: Every Alternative Rock No. 1 Hit from Worst to Best". 5 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Top Ten Nu-Metal Bands – Staff Top 10". Stylus magazine. Archived from the original on July 7, 2008. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  3. ^ "Just Like You - Review". AllMusic. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  4. ^ Chad Childers (September 10, 2018). "Three Days Grace Set Billboard Record With 14th No. 1 Mainstream Rock Single". Loudwire. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  5. ^ "2005 Radio Music Awards Nominees Announced". All Access Mediabase. November 4, 2005. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  6. ^ Montes, Michael (2004). "Interview with Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace". Florida Entertainment Scene. Archived from the original on January 16, 2009. Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  7. ^ "BB-2006-05-27" (PDF). p. 43. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  8. ^ "XXX: State of the Union (Music from the Motion Picture) - Various Artists". Apple Music. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Lance Fiasco (September 5, 2003). "New Three Days Grace Video Like A Mini Horror Movie". idobi Radio. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  10. ^ "Just Like You — Three Days Grace". Logo TV. June 25, 2012. Archived from the original on September 15, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  11. ^ @threedaysgrace (April 10, 2014). "Here are the masks and also the guitar I used in the "Just Like You" video. #TBT back to 2004" (Tweet). Retrieved July 22, 2023 – via Twitter.
  12. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles — Week Commencing 26th July 2004" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2008. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  13. ^ "R&R Canada Rock Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1551. April 16, 2004. p. 59. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  14. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  15. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  16. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  17. ^ "Year in Music & Touring: Hot Modern Rock Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 52. December 25, 2004. p. YE-70. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  18. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Three Days Grace – Just Like You". Music Canada. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  19. ^ "American single certifications – Three Days Grace – Just Like You". Recording Industry Association of America.
  20. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1548. March 26, 2004. p. 31. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  21. ^ "Available for Airplay Archive: 2004 – March". FMQB. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  22. ^ "Just Like You". Click2Music.com.au. Archived from the original on January 12, 2005. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  23. ^ "Just Like You Single, Maxi". Amazon.com. Retrieved December 15, 2016.