Are You Jimmy Ray?

"Are You Jimmy Ray?" is a song by English singer Jimmy Ray. It was released in October 1997 as the first single from his self-titled debut album (1997). The song peaked at number 13 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. It was most successful in Canada, reaching number two on the RPM Top Singles chart. It has been Jimmy Ray's most popular single to date. Ray later re-recorded this song as "Who Wants to Know" on his second album, Live to Fight Another Day, in 2017.

"Are You Jimmy Ray?"
Single by Jimmy Ray
from the album Jimmy Ray
Released13 October 1997 (1997-10-13)[1]
StudioBunk Junk & Genius
Genre
Length3:29 (single)
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Con Fitzpatrick
  • Jimmy Ray
Producer(s)Con Fitzpatrick
Jimmy Ray singles chronology
"Are You Jimmy Ray?"
(1997)		 "Goin' to Vegas"
(1998)
Music video
"Are You Jimmy Ray?" on YouTube

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine declared the song as "infectious".[5] Larry Flick from Billboard viewed it as a "quirky pop ditty". He noted that "the question now is, Will it grow into a full-fledged pop fire, à la Chumbawamba's similarly chantable breakout smash "Tubthumping"? Chances are certainly in its favor. The track has a fun, galloping beat, as well as scratchy guitars that are mildly reminiscent of '80s-era new wave. Who cares that the song does not appear to be about anything in particular? The words are cute if completely innocuous, and the chorus is as sticky as cotton candy."[4] Tom Lanham from Entertainment Weekly wrote that Ray "gleefully pairs techno rhythms with a Sun-session slap back and chirpy female chorus."[6]

Jerry Crowe of Los Angeles Times described it as "catchy", noting the song's "infectious" chorus; "Are you Johnnie Ray? Are you Stingray? Are you Fay Wray? Are you Jimmy Ray?"[2] Pan-European magazine Music & Media constated that "he certainly is Jimmy Ray, and this sparkling, rocky, track is guaranteed to ensure that radio programmers across Europe won't forget this lanky London lad's name in a hurry. Ray's a new face, but there's a degree of familiarity about the music here; it owes much of its clout to a reworked Bo Diddley guitar riff."[7] Music Week rated it five out of five, commenting that "pouting Jimmy looks the part of a popstar, and this self-penned song with well-thought out remixes should catapult him to stardom."[8] A reviewer from People Magazine felt that the singer "exudes the sort of animal magnetism that has been a pop rarity lately."[9]

Music video

A music video went into heavy rotation on music television. The video juxtaposed Ray's rockabilly image with a trailer park setting as women in sports jerseys and football shorts danced behind him. It was directed by British director Vaughan Arnell. The video was filmed in Los Angeles and in some of the scenes, Ray can be seen walking in front of the downtown LA skyline.

Track listing
  1. "Are You Jimmy Ray?" (radio edit) – 3:29 (Sax: Gary Barnacle)
  2. "Are You Jimmy Ray?" (Jimcon Extended Mix) – 6:10
  3. "Are You Jimmy Ray?" (Xenomania Club Mix) – 6:45

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[27] Gold 500,000[28]

"Are You Jimmy Ray?" was featured in an episode of the American teen sitcom Clueless and was also featured in an episode of the MTV animated series, Daria. The song was also featured in the background of a 1998 episode of the daytime soap opera All My Children.

References
  1. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 11 October 1997. p. 29.
  2. Crowe, Jerry (25 March 1998). "Looking for Respect". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  3. Partridge, Kenneth (18 July 2017). "Are You Jimmy Ray?: How a Rockabilly Jam Made Its Way Onto '90s Mainstream Charts". Mental Floss. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  4. Flick, Larry (7 March 1998). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 10. p. 61. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  5. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Jimmy Ray – Jimmy Ray". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  6. Lanham, Tom (6 March 1998). "Are You Jimmy Ray?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  7. "Airborne" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 43. 25 October 1997. p. 18. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  8. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 4 October 1997. p. 30. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  9. "Picks and Pans Review: Jimmy Ray". People. 23 March 1998. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  10. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 230.
  11. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3504." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  12. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3506." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  13. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 44. 1 November 1997. p. 16. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  14. "Jimmy Ray – Are You Jimmy Ray?" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  15. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 1–3. 17 January 1998. p. 14. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  16. "Jimmy Ray – Are You Jimmy Ray?". Top 40 Singles.
  17. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  18. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  19. "Jimmy Ray – Are You Jimmy Ray?". Singles Top 100.
  20. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  21. "Jimmy Ray Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  22. "Jimmy Ray Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  23. "Jimmy Ray Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  24. "Jimmy Ray Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  25. "RPM's Top 100 Hit Tracks of '98" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 63, no. 12. 14 December 1998. p. 20. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  26. "Billboard Top 100 – 1998". Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
  27. "American single certifications – Ray, Jimmy – Are You Jimmy Ray?". Recording Industry Association of America.
  28. "Best-Selling Records of 1998". Billboard. 111 (5): 75. 30 January 1999. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
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