Jimmy Jam and his music partner Terry Lewis are being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Class 2017, and he's here to let us know what their career has been like to get them to this point. Jimmy also discusses his favourite Janet Jackson song and how motherhood is changing Janet. We find out as well about what it was like to work with George Michael and did Janet record a duet with George?

Always good to hear from Jimmy. Very proud of him & Terry being inducted into the HOF. So deserving and appropriate. It was cool to hear out of all the songs they've done with Janet, that some of his favorites are mine too. I've said it a number of times that "Lonely" from JJRN1814 was one of/if not the best ballad from Harris/Lewis/Jackson. "Empty" was always dope to me. Although it wasn't a single, incorporating the "Drum & Bass" sound from the period was cutting edge for a pop star of her caliber at the time. Not to mention the whole email angle in the songwriting.

[Edited 6/13/17 7:00am]

on the very short list of greatest, most prolific, producers/songwriters in the history of recorded music...

other than Holland-Dozier-Holland or Lennon-McCartney, no one else is really in the conversation

RJOrion said:

on the very short list of greatest, most prolific, producers/songwriters in the history of recorded music...

other than Holland-Dozier-Holland or Lennon-McCartney, no one else is really in the conversation

Gamble & Huff would be, IMO. Maybe ...maybe Jagger & Richards? I don't know the real extent of their co-writing vs writing alone approach to the Stones music over the years. But you're right - the list in general is not much bigger than the palms of our hands.

I'd also add David Foster, and Diane Warren.

[Edited 6/13/17 14:05pm]

TrivialPursuit said:

RJOrion said:

on the very short list of greatest, most prolific, producers/songwriters in the history of recorded music...

other than Holland-Dozier-Holland or Lennon-McCartney, no one else is really in the conversation

Gamble & Huff would be, IMO. Maybe ...maybe Jagger & Richards? I don't know the real extent of their co-writing vs writing alone approach to the Stones music over the years. But you're right - the list in general is not much bigger than the palms of our hands.

I'd also add David Foster, and Diane Warren.

[Edited 6/13/17 14:05pm]

definitely Gamble & Huff...for some reason its easy to overlook that all those Philly International classics were their stuff...the OJays, MFSB, Harold Melvin & The Notes(Teddy Pendergrass), The Jacksons after they left Motown, Billy Paul, Lou Rawls, etc...damn they had an impressive catalog...aint no stoppin us now

RJOrion said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Gamble & Huff would be, IMO. Maybe ...maybe Jagger & Richards? I don't know the real extent of their co-writing vs writing alone approach to the Stones music over the years. But you're right - the list in general is not much bigger than the palms of our hands.

I'd also add David Foster, and Diane Warren.

[Edited 6/13/17 14:05pm]

definitely Gamble & Huff...for some reason its easy to overlook that all those Philly International classics were their stuff...the OJays, MFSB, Harold Melvin & The Notes(Teddy Pendergrass), The Jacksons after they left Motown, Billy Paul, Lou Rawls, etc...damn they had an impressive catalog...aint no stoppin us now

jimmy actually talks about them in this interview, they had a big influence on he and terry.

TrivialPursuit said:

Jimmy Jam and his music partner Terry Lewis are being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Class 2017, and he's here to let us know what their career has been like to get them to this point. Jimmy also discusses his favourite Janet Jackson song and how motherhood is changing Janet. We find out as well about what it was like to work with George Michael and did Janet record a duet with George?

i love hearing jimmy talk, he's so detailed and his story telling style is great.

hausofmoi7 said:

Dope writers and producers. One of my favourites from them.

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Great tune. I don't recall how well it did on the R&B charts and radio but I always liked it and thought it was a sexy mid-tempo jam.

Here's a song that I thought highlighted one of Jimmy's best melodies. "Can You Help Me"...

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It's sad as hell (which I usually hate btw) but the melody is beautiful.... I think this one is right up there melodically with Force MD's "Tender Love". The chords in the vamp are similiar to chorus in Janet's, "Take Care."

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I think this song is timeless MPLS funk on full display. It doesn't matter which version you play they all work. Which speaks to its longevity...

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Sidenote: WTF happened to Mariah's voice?

[Edited 6/14/17 10:50am]

Thanks, great interview