Top Songs of 1991: #19: "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" by Janet Jackson

Janet sure was on fire in 1990 and 1991!

"Love Will Never Do (Without You)" was her seventh (seventh!!) single from her album "Rhythm Nation 1814". This song made her "the only artist to achieve seven top five singles from one album" (Wikipedia). Wow!

"Love Will Never Do..." was written by James Harris III and Terry Lewis, who wrote most of the "Rhythm Nation" album.

I remember this video as being sort of shocking....in all the other videos we had seen up to that point from "Rhythm Nation" Janet was heavily clad in military jackets, thick pants and boots and structured hair. All of a sudden, we see this barely-clad Janet, her hair all loose and blonde, and probably about 25 pounds lighter....it was a very fast transformation!

I think this song totally holds up as a fun feel-good pop song. The sing-along chorus at the end is super-catchy and Janet seems all spunky in it...especially when she says "What?" before the last chorus. The recording of this song has an air of spontaneity to it.

According to Wikipedia, this song was originally intended to be a guy-girl duet...they were trying to get either Prince or Johnny Gill to sing it with her. But it never happened. So in the recording booth, Jimmy Jam said " 'Sing it low like some guy would sing it.' As a result, they kept the idea of her singing the first verse in a low octave but go an octave up on the second verse"....That is a total happy accident--her singing intially low and then breaking out into her higher register gives the song a lot of momentum and drive.

Top Songs of 1989: #5: "Miss You Much" by Janet Jackson

"Miss You Much" was the #5 song in 1989, performed by Janet Jackson and written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

I could wax on and on about "Rhythm Nation 1814". I stand firm in my belief that it is a great pop album. "RN 1814" feels like one compact piece of art. There are little interludes between each songs--sometimes musical, sometimes just talking-- that directly reflects on the song that preceded it...it really gives the album a whole feel--a whole connected feel. (the interlude idea was used later by artists like Lauren Hill, Eminem, Outkast). Janet also seems to be stretching her range as an artist at this time, too. The title track still gives me goose bumps!

"Miss You Much" was the lead single off "Rhythm Nation". Songwriters Jam and Lewis have an explosive style that is instantly recognizable as their own. And Janet really delivers her star power in this song, and throughout the song. I love it when she sings "i tell your mamamamama"--definitely a highlight of the song.

I also adore her style that she had during the first few singles of "Rhythm Nation"--the pseudo-military jackets with lots of pins, chains dangling, skinny black pants. Choreography in the video is super fun, too--I feel like she just WORKS it! I remember owning this album and just thinking she was the bee's knees.

Top Songs of 1990: #15: "Escapade" by Janet Jackson

Today is the #15 song of 1990, "Escapade" by Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

I make no bones about it---I LOVE the album "Rhythm Nation". I'm sorry, but there are a lot of great songs on this album. "Love Will Never Do Without You","Black Cat", "Miss You Much", "Rhythm Nation", "Alright"--I mean, it is a LOT of singles! Just was looking online at what type of critical reviews it got and the result seems to be overwhelmingly positive. Four stars Rolling stone

I love Janet during this stage. She really seemed to be finding her own thang. I also love her whole look for the first singles that were released--she had like these kind of military jackets, and boots and I still think it looks pretty cool. And such great videos!

I tried to slow this song down a bit. Really explore the idea of wanting to get away ("let's get away") rather than the "es-ca-ca-ca-pade" part.