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. The first two singles from Control showcased Janet as a confident, tough-minded young woman, but underneath the rough exterior lied a sweeter side and it was displayed in all its bloom on one classic: When I Think of You.



When I Think of You (1986)

After the smash success of "Nasty," Janet was on a roll. She was the pop artist to lookout for in 1986 and kept things rolling with the euphoric dance number "When I Think of You." Released in July of 1986, the single was Janet's "summer song." It was a light, wistful diddy with a carefree quality -- in stark contrast to the heavy, industrialized funk jams which kicked off her LP. And, carved yet another first for the Jackson, her first Number 1 pop hit. The song's impressions on the charts were immediate -- hitting the pole position on Billboard's Airplay, Dance Music/Club Play, ARC Top 40 and Hot 100 charts for two consecutive weeks in the fall of that year.

WITOY was a milestone for Janet Jackson. The single made Janet the youngest artist since Stevie Wonder to top the Billboard pop charts. She was only 19. In addition, made Janet and her older brother Michael, the only siblings in history to have solo Number 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

Listeners with vinyl or cassette editions of Control will notice that the tune shifts the album's ethos to the softer side of Miss Jackson. The track was on the album's Side B which largely centered on Janet's happier side, including such tunes as "He Doesn't Know I'm Alive" and her yet-to-come ballad-single "Let's Wait Awhile."



The single's memorable short film evolves from Janet's personal life. "During Control," she says, "I began to assess the place and purpose of videos. I began to see that, like songs, videos should reflect my deepest feelings and truest moods. When it came to the storylines, the costumes, the choreography and especially the choice of directors, I decided to exert my influence. By then, Rene Elizondo had become my best friend. We went to see Julien Temple's Absolute Beginners and were knocked out by the opening sequence. It was so seamless, I asked him to direct 'When I Think of You.' I loved Julien's smooth sense of cinematography."

The video itself ran like a seamless Broadway music number, from dancing policemen to comedically hot tempered neighbors, the short film was a vibrant and polychromatic display of blissful abandon. Those without a sharp enough eye wouldn't be able to pick up the fact that the video was shot in multiple takes, though it appears as if it were achieved in one. A series of cleverly assembled takes were segmented through such simple things as camera pan-aways into dark walls and flashing light bulbs.

Plus, the video began a string of highly conceptualized, Broadway-inspired short films that would later become staples of Janet's career -- "Rhythm Nation," "Alright," "If" and "All For You."

With the Number 1 success of "When I Think of You," Janet showed that the third time was definitely the charm -- not only singles-wise, but with the entire project topping the charts. It was evident that a new era had fully dawned, and Janet was taking charge for the first time. All of this was best summed up in Janet's next single, the album's theme song, Control.

- JANFAN4L

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

Chart Activity - Peak Positions
The Billboard Hot 100: #1 (Gold) (debuted 8/9/86, peaked 10/11/86 - 19 weeks on chart)
Hot 100 Airplay: #1
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #3 (debuted 8/9/86 - 16 weeks on chart)
Hot Dance Music/Club Play: #1 (3 weeks) (debuted 8/23/86 - 11 weeks on chart)
Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales: #3
Adult Contemporary: #10 (debuted 9/13/86 - 13 weeks on chart)
ARC Top 40: #1 (? weeks)
UK: #10 (debuted 8/9/86 - 10 weeks on chart)
Australia: #51
Belgium: #8
Canada: #15
Holland: #3
South Africa (sales chart): #5

U.S. Chart Run: Debut: May 17, 1986 | Weeks On Chart: 19
60-46-36-26-24-18-14-7-3-1-1-3-7-19-29-44-64-77-98

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





:::
song: written by james harris III & terry lewis
video: directed by julien temple

Previous thread in series: Nasty
[Edited 2/23/06 18:45pm]

I still have that vinyl LP

I posted this on Sayhey.co.uk. Good 2 know that there's another Kylie fan here!

I especially love the video..

Janice was said at the time 2 b preparing 4 a feature
film that fell through in the end she was due to play
a daughter in the Deep South in the movie.

I'm not quite as fond of this song as I once was, but it's still a great pop single. The video's cute. I used to tease my big brother about this song, because he was a devoted metal head and he once said he loved this song. He absolutely forbad me from telling anyone he liked it!

i love this videos..one of my all time favs...i was always frustrated that the grunts were not part of the video.....but then they appeared on Pleasure Principle and that made up for it...

that song is one of my favorites. i especially love the end where they do that micheal jackson "ooh ah ooh ah" and then the guy screams and janet laughs

Ya haven't lived until you heard "When I Think Of You" at the right speed. (A secret pleasure of mine for about a year and a half)

CinisterCee said:

dude, i finally got to listen to your pray/hollaback girl..im adding it to girlbros radio...i love it..

After listening to the remix so often with the heavier drums, the album version sounds a little flaccid.

CinisterCee said:

THAT TUNE YOU PROVIDED IS AWESOME!

Putting it at that speed really makes the song sound more street, more hip hop at the beginning. You could flow over that!

:::Hands Cinnie Cee the COOL CARD:::
.
[Edited 2/20/06 11:47am]

they just don't make songs like this one anymore...

I love this album. My favourites are the title track and The Pleasure Principle!!

Whiskas31 said:

Same.

squiddyren said:

Cool!!! loving you right now!!

JANFAN these threads are simply great!!! I luv all cuts on the 'Control' album. 'When I think of you' is just pure groove-pop perfection.

I CAN't WAIT FOR PLEASURE PRINCIPLE!!!

TonyVanDam said:

right up there with Glamorous Life, ehh?

My favorite Janet song.

sosgemini said:

BTW, I encourage everyone to study & play those notes on a digital synth (examples: Yamaha DX7, Roland D-50).

sosgemini said:

Actually the "grunts" are still audible in the segment when the fire hydrant is sparked.

rushing07 said:

Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying them.

Wow. I remember this video. I mustve been 6 years old. It was one of the first times that I noticed a woman's breats. Janet was filling that outfit out, wasnt she?

dreamfactory313 said:

I was the same age and I remember that video and also What have you done for me lately. All I remember then was that she was dancing on some fake street.

Janet must not have known that what the cooks were mixing in the bowls (kitchen scene) wasn't real food She tastes it with her finger, makes a face like "ECHHHH!" & shortly after (when she's in the doorway) they cut w/ the help of a flashbulb going off

I always wondered what the hell that was she put in her mouth

CalhounSq said:

Wasn't she wearing a glove when she stuck her finger in that bowl? Whatever it was, it musta tasted like nylon.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Yea, she was wearing a glove but she definitely got a taste of some nasty shit

CalhounSq said:[quote]

RipHer2Shreds said:

Yea, she was wearing a glove but she definitely got a taste of some nasty shit [/quote

Yep. She did. It looked pink, sort of like cake icing. But then again I didn't really closely watch that scene.

LOL @ people talking about that moment in the video.

It's so surprising how many things you think are minor resonate with so many people...

JANFAN4L said:

or dont..cause i swear the grunts werent part of the video...

sosgemini said:

You had best to pick up that Design of a Decade DVD or VHS. They're all there in fully digitally remastered glory!