Just Fine

"Just Fine" was written by Mary J. Blige along with The-Dream, Jazze Pha and Tricky Stewart, while production was helmed by Pha and Stewart, with Kuk Harrell serving as a vocal producer. Initially presented as an incomplete song to Blige, Nash, Pha, and Stewart finished much of the "upbeat" dance pop song within 24 hours. It became one of the first songs which Blige recorded for parent album Growing Pains and would set much of the tone for the remaining material. Blige commented on the sound of the song: "When I heard the beat, I was like, 'OK, this is hot. This is making my body move, and I'm having fun."

A cheerful, feel-good jam "about uplifting yourself and having hope for your future, whatever your future is," Blige tried to "make the song about how I appreciate the good days I do have and where I'm at right now, even though I still have challenges." In a 2007 interview with MTV News, she further elaborated: "That song was written based on me having a good day. You know, I can have 20 bad days. I can have as many bad days as anyone. But I choose to say, "I'm just fine." Right now. So it's OK to have those days. So instead of coming with something ungrateful to the universe, how about I come with something first that's says, 'You know what? It's OK. Enjoy this day if you're having a great day."

"Just Fine" earned generally positive reviews from music critics. Da'Shan Smith from uDiscoverMusic found that "there can’t be a wedding, office party, cookout, or family reunion function without hearing this gem from Mary [...] Channeling the funk groove of Marvin Gaye and the disco beat of Michael Jackson circa Off the Wall, "Just Fine" is a quintessential throwback party anthem." Alexis Petridis from The Guardian wrote: "Blige in gleeful party-starting mode, complete with opening get-on-the-dancefloor monologue. "Just Fine"'s rhythm track was apparently inspired by Michael Jackson’s "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." Its sparse-but-urgent sound and Blige’s exuberance are both completely irresistible." Similarly BET.com wrote of the song: "This 2007 hit cheerfully channels Off the Wall MJ, perfectly encapsulating new-millennium Mary's hard-earned transformation into a persevering, you-go-girl optimist who declares, "I like what I see when I'm looking at me when I'm walking past the mirror"."

Year-end lists

The official remix was called "Just Fine (Treat 'Em Right Remix)" (which samples "Treat 'Em Right" by Chubb Rock) and features a verse from Lil Wayne, and production handled by Swizz Beatz, who also provides background vocals. There are four versions of this remix: The main remix version has Lil Wayne's verse on the beginning after the intro, the second remix version features a verse by Precise, along with Lil Wayne, the third remix version has Lil Wayne's verse on the near end of the song, and the fourth remix version is a no rap version, omitting Lil Wayne's verse.

The second official remix of "Just Fine" features Lil' Mama, which was a pre-order only track on iTunes when the album was released. An alternate music video for this remix was produced.

A music video for "Just Fine" was directed by Chris Applebaum and produced by John Hardin for Reactor Films. It was released online on October 8, 2007 and premiered simultaneously on BET, iTunes, VH1 and MTV's TRL on October 25, 2007. In the visuals, Blige "radiates with positive energy as she enters a mirrored room and begins her own personal fashion show." Billboard found that the clip pays homage to the Michael Jackson in the colorful visual. Entertainment Weekly noted that "groundbreaking CGI it ain’t, but all three MJBs [versions] look fabulous."

On September 7, 2008, the video was nominated for Best Hip-Hop Video at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, though it eventually lost to Lil Wayne's "Lollipop" (2008). The video also was nominated for Video of the Year at the BET Awards 2008, Best R&B Video at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards Japan, and Outstanding Music Video at the 40th NAACP Image Awards.

Notes

• ^{^[a]} denotes a vocal producer
• ^{^[b]} denotes a co-producer

Sample credits

• "Just Fine (Treat 'Em Right Remix)" samples from the song "Treat 'Em Right" by Chubb Rock.

Credits adapted from the Growing Pains liner notes.

• Mary J. Blige, vocals, writer
• André Bowman, bass
• Dwayne Dugger, horns
• Kuk Harrell, vocal producer
• Jaycen Joshua, mixing engineer
• James King, horns
• Alex Newell, additional recording
• Dave Pensado, mixing engineer
• Jazze Pha, producer, programming, writer
• Omar Phillip, persuccions
• Jaye Price, horns
• Omar Renya, recording assistance
• Tricky Stewart, producer, programming, writer
• The-Dream, writer
• Corey Williams, additional recording