Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)

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"Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)"
Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days).jpg
Single by Monica
from the album Miss Thang
ReleasedApril 10, 1995 (1995-04-10)
Recorded1993
Genre
Length4:18 (album version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Dallas Austin
Monica singles chronology
"Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)"
(1995) 		"Before You Walk Out of My Life"\"Like This and Like That"
(1995)

"Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" is a song by American recording artist Monica. It was written by Dallas Austin, Willie James Baker, and Derrick Simmons for her debut album Miss Thang (1995), while production was helmed by the former. The song is built around samples of "Bring the Noise" (1987) by American hip hop group Public Enemy, and "Back Seat (Of My Jeep)" (1993) by American rapper LL Cool J, which itself samples elements from the song "You're Gettin' a Little Too Smart" (1973) by R&B vocal group The Detroit Emeralds. Due to the inclusion of the samples, several other writers are credited as songwriters.

The song was released as Monica's debut single in early 1995. A major success, it sold 1.2 million copies domestically, going platinum in the United States, where it spent two weeks at number-one on the US Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart, and peaked at number two for three non consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" also reached the top ten in Australia and New Zealand, where it was certified gold and platinum, respectively. The song, alongside follow-up single "Before You Walk Out of My Life," made Monica the youngest recording artist to have two consecutive number-one hits on the Billboard R&B chart at the age of fourteen.

Composition[]

"Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" is a mid-tempo song lasting four minutes and eighteen seconds, while drawing influence from hip hop and R&B music genres.[1] Written by Dallas Austin, Willie James Baker, and Derrick Simmons, and produced by the former, the song samples of "Bring the Noise" (1987) by American hip hop group Public Enemy, and "Back Seat (Of My Jeep)" (1993) by American rapper LL Cool J, which itself samples elements from the song "You're Gettin' a Little Too Smart" (1973) by R&B vocal group The Detroit Emeralds.[2] Due to its sampling, additional writers such as Carl Ridenhour, Hank Shocklee, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler, James Brown, George Clinton, LL Cool J, Quincy Jones III, and Abrim Tilmon, Jr. are credited as songwriters.[2] When asked about the development of the song, Austin elaborated: "When I did [it], I got her. I understood her attitude and I thought 'this is where we have to take her for the records' [...] I then took 'Don't Take It Personal' to play for Clive Davis, and he says, 'Well I don't know… it needs a bridge.' And I said, 'No, it doesn't (because of the style).' And he says, 'I don't understand why [the lyrics] say "Dem Days" instead of "Those Days"' (laughs). But I said 'That's not what we say in the environment. We say it's one of "dem days."'"[1]

Critical reception[]

Ralph Tee from British magazine Music Week's RM Dance Update wrote, "The label is a new urban soul offshoot for Arista in New York and Monica is a swing diva who debuts with an earthy two-stepper with 'live crowd' effects accompanying a phat bassline and all the appropriate snare and synth sounds. It's all written by Dallas Austin who warms things up nicely for the upcoming album 'Miss Thang'. The track also contains a evident in the cut, which pumps along nicely."[3]

Commercial performance[]

"Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" was released as the album's lead single in the United States in early 1995. It sold 1.2 million copies domestically and earned a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[4][5] It spent two weeks at number-one on the US Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart and peaked at number two for three non consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached the top ten of the singles charts in Australia and New Zealand, where it was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and platinum by Recorded Music NZ, and entered the top 20 of the Dutch Single Top 100.[6][7] "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)," alongside follow-up single "Before You Walk Out of My Life," would make the singer the youngest recording artist to have two consecutive number-one hits on the Billboard R&B chart at the age of fourteen.[8]

Music video[]

An accompanying music video for "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)", shot in black-and-white, was directed by Rich Murray and released in June 1995.[9] It received nominations for Best R&B/Urban Clip and Best New R&B/Urban Artist Clip at the 1995 Billboard Music Video Awards.[10]

Track listings[]

US CD single
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" (Mainstream Radio Version)4:05
2."Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" (Radio Edit)4:20
3."Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" (Album Version)4:17
4."Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" (Instrumental)3:58
5."Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" (Acappella)4:40
7" single
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" (Radio Edit)4:20
2."Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" (Album Version)4:17
3."Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" (Instrumental)3:58
4."Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" (Acappella)4:40

Credits and personnel[]

Credits lifted from the album's liner notes.[2]

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[27] Gold 35,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[28] Platinum 10,000*
United States (RIAA)[29] Platinum 1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions[]

  • White Hinterland covered the song on her Eidolon EP.[30]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Kawashima, Dale. "Special Interview With Dallas Austin, Renowned Hit Writer/Producer And New Inductee Into The Songwriters Hall Of Fame". Songwriteruniverse.com. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Miss Thang (booklet). Monica. Rowdy Records. 1995.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ Tee, Ralp (May 6, 1995). "Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 10. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  4. ^ "Best-Selling Records of 1995". Billboard. BPI Communications. 108 (3): 56. January 20, 1996. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  5. ^ "American certifications – Monica – Don%27t Take It Personal". Recording Industry Association of America.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "Australian-charts.com – Monica – Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "Charts.nz – Monica – Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  8. ^ Christian, Margena A. (July 28, 2003). "Monica: Shares Life's Lessons On New CD After The Storm". Jet. FindArticles.com. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
  9. ^ "Monica Videography". MVDBase.com. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
  10. ^ "Weezer, TLC Lead Nominations For Billboard Music Video Awards". Billboard. November 4, 1995. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  11. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12 no. 33. August 19, 1995. p. 16. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  12. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 37, 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  13. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Monica – Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  14. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  15. ^ "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  16. ^ "Monica: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  17. ^ "Monica Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  18. ^ "Monica Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  19. ^ "Monica Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  20. ^ "Monica Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  21. ^ "Monica Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  22. ^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1996". ARIA. Retrieved April 12, 2018 – via Imgur.
  23. ^ "Jaarlijsten 1995" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  24. ^ "End of Year Charts 1995". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  25. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1995". Archived from the original on July 7, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
  26. ^ "1995 Year End Chart: R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
  27. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia’s Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 192.
  28. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Monica – Don't Take It Personal". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  29. ^ "American single certifications – Monica – Don't Take It Personal". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  30. ^ http://www.gorillavsbear.net/2010/12/03/mp3-premiere-white-hinterland-dont-take-it-personal/

External links[]

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