CONTROL :: THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY

2006 marks the 20th anniversary of Janet's groundbreaking project "Control." The following threads are in celebration of the milestones reached by Janet with this album and its videos and singles. This is the album that made her a musical superstar in her own right and kicked off an impressive twenty years of successes, which led her to becoming the icon and music legend she is today. We'll kick things off with the premiere single from that project: What Have You Done For Me Lately.



What Have You Done For Me Lately (1986)

Released in January of 1986, this single generated a buzz among music critics and fans and gave audiences (especially the MTV set) its first glimpse of the newer, rawer, more self-assured Janet. It was obvious that this Janet was different from the one to which most were accustomed in the mid-1980s. She was more known as the sweet and coy actress on popular television shows like Fame, Diff'rent Strokes and Good Times. Although she had minimal success with previous albums such as her '82 self-titled debut and Dream Street, neither managed to catapult her to mass musical acclaim.

With WHYDFML, Janet re-entered the pop game with a fierce Minneapolis Funk-laced sound and style. Gone were the bubble gum confectionery of her first two LPs. With ex-Time members Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis at the helm of this project came snappy synths, attitudinal vocals and an air of confidence and sass that proved to be irresistible to R&B and pop listeners wanting something more than what was out at the time. It did incredibly well on U.S. radio, reaching #1 on the R&B chart for two weeks and became her first Dance #1.This single also became Janet's first top 5 pop hit that same year, peaking at #4 on the US Billboard charts and was eventually certified gold.



The video with its Grease-like decor and aura, definitely aided in the single's initial success. Here, we were also introduced -- for the first time -- to a woman named Tina Landon, who would later go on to play an instrumental role in the choreography for Jan's later projects. She was an unknown at the time, playing a minor role as a cheeky-looking background dancer adorned in a white hat. Paula Abdul, who choreographed the video, also cameos, mouthing the famous lines from the opening intro at the video's start as well as dancing alongside Jan in a feathery 80s do.

This single was a sign of things to come for the Control project and proved to be a worthy kickoff. Things would only prove to get even more buzzworthy and rabid with the single-yet-to-come, Nasty.

- JANFAN4L

[...to be continued - Next "Nasty"]

Chart Activity - Peak Positions
The Billboard Hot 100: #4 (Gold) (debuted 2/22/86 - 21 weeks on chart)
Hot 100 Airplay: #8
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #1 (2 weeks) (debuted 1/25/86 - 20 weeks on chart)
Hot Dance Music/Club Play: #2 (2 weeks) (debuted 2/15/86 - 12 weeks on chart)
Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales: #1 (? weeks)
Adult Contemporary: #38 (debuted 5/3/86 - 4 weeks on chart)
ARC Top 40: #4
UK: #3 (Silver - 200,000 units)
Australia: #4 (Gold)
Bavaria: #4
Belgium: #7
Canada: #2 (Gold)
Germany: #8 (Gold)
Holland: #1 (3 weeks) (Platinum)
South Africa (sales chart): #3 (Gold)
Switzerland: #28 (Gold)

[all chart info courtesy of http://www.cravingjanet.com]



:::
song: written by james harris III & terry lewis
video: directed by brian jones and piers ashworth

I used to play the shit outta that album

I've not been impressed with Janet the last few years, but I loved that late 80's/early 90's stuff!

Love the song and video. I especially love Paula lip synching the spoken intro. It took me forever to understand the "Used to be a time when you would pamper me" line. For the longest time, I thought she was saying "Used to be a time when you would pimp for me."

JANFAN4L said:

Correction: 2006 marks the 20th anniversary of Jam & Lewis' groundbreaking project "Control" featuring vocals by Janet Jackson.
[Edited 2/6/06 4:55am]

the song that made me a jan fan! i was all of 5 years old

badujunkie said:

they all are...

badujunkie said:

co-sign

that was my introuduction to janet. i was 7 and i realized that michael had a sister. i liked it a lot but nasty is what sealed the deal. oh i LOVE What have you done... now. makes me miss my youth.

purplecam said:

I was a year younger and I even remember to this day how Control and What Have you done for me lately was play to death at my house. I can't believed Control made 20 years ago. Damn time have flies when you having some fun.

You're back!

Moonbeam said:

With shoulder pads!

i can't believe it has been 20 years. I wasn't even alive.

I love Janet.

wow, has it been 20 years already? I feel old.
I will NEVER forget when I heard the title track came out I was floored by how different she sounded.

Oooh!! I like this topic!! Can't wait for the rundown on the five other smashes from the album!

Thanks JANFAN4LIFE!!

Hope you don't mind if I copy and paste your info (and give credit of course) on another board!!

but what about vogue?

Can't wait for the next entry, JANFAN!

amit1234 said:

That info is courtesy of www.cravingjanet.com. Josh has compiled a lot of chart information on that site, a small portion of it courtesy of an anonymous Orger.

amit1234 said:

No prob. Share the wealth.

RipHer2Shreds said:

The Chart Activity/Peak Positions Info is courtesy of www.cravingjanet.com. Everything else you see in this thread (and the coming ones) was researched and compiled by me -- including the still images.

CinisterCee said:

Great thread Janfan, good work
I like "Control", and "Let`s waith awhile" is one of my favorite Janet songs from the 80s...

JANFAN4L said:

Sorry. I was referring only to the chart info. I gathered the rest was your own special doing. What was the actual release date of the Control album?

RipHer2Shreds said:

It's cool.

The first pressings of Control were released in the US on February 4, 1986.

Thanks!

I love this album to bits, but this thread is making me feel old. It did not come out twenty years ago!

Great thread JANFAN4L and welcome back.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

Thanks Janfan !


I now feel anicient.


ah , the memories of spinning that vinyl disc.

Yeah its ok.

Great album. This was the Janet that I loved. "You Can Be Mine" is a lovely and underrated tune as well.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Hey, I was in high school when this album dropped so you're not the only one.