VoicesCarry said:

I hear that often too about Pink and Gaga lol

VoicesCarry said:

Oh, my two young men...come here and let Daddy take care of you.

Seriously though, one thing you need to remember is that Janet was the first r&b/pop/dance female black artist. So, to the unsophisticated ear, you immediately thought, Janet.

All this talk reminds me of an interesting Casey Kasem. I remember Casey, during his America's Top Forty radio show, gave Janet credit for breaking the radio industries long held rule not to play two female artist back to back on the radio. My how times have quickly changed. Now all the play are two songs over and over again. :lol;

sosgemini said:

Interesting.
Yeah I can kinda vision that but I was probably too young to remember Casey saying that...

sosgemini said:

That's very true. Now it's like 60-70% female artists, at least on pop radio.

VoicesCarry said:

Yep.

At first I thought y'all were trippin' saying Jody copied Janet. Watching this now 20 years later, I guess I could see how, out of context, one could see a few similarities, like the black catsuit and a few of the shoulder shrugs/arm dance movements.

But the reality is, if you lived through the era, and watched these things as they developed, you would never confuse Jody for Janet.

Jody had created a style all her own. Her look, the high fashion, the dancing. . .it was all original and unique. Her sound evolved from the same source as Janet's but Andre's version here is like a different branch off the Minneapolis sound tree than what Jam and Lewis did with Control.

Andre's sound here is more sparse instrumentation with the high pitched rhythm guitar high in the mix, with just a few other key tracks (bass, one or 2 keyboards) and lots of space for the drum machine. In a way closer to Prince's own solo stuff.

J&L's Control sound was much heavier, layered keyboards, heavy bass keys, guitar not particularly prominent. Kinda more like a Time sound. In concert or live performance, sometimes Janet's sound got closer to what Jody had here but it wasn't her signature.

The shoulder/arm thing in hindsight looks a bit RN1814 ish, but this came first actually, and Janet did much more popping and locking/military type movements; Jody is more freestyling here.

Moreover, all of this originated from Vogueing which started in Black Gay/Drag Queen circles. I have a feeling Jody was more likely to have connections to that herself compared to Janet! (who led a more sheltered lifestyle!).

Bottom line is, if you witnessed these things as they happened, you'd realize Jody and Andre created their own thing an in no way were copying Janet, though clearly they are both branches that be traced back to similar roots.

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Well paula had extensions in her hair too!!! And that Joke wasn't funny, But offensive. DO YOU MEN EVER STOP!!!!!

anyways!!!!!
I LOVE JANET JACKSON, PAULA ABDUL, and even Jody watley is cool. But Jody reminds me of a watered down Janet jackson.

But everyone definitly copied off Janet.
[Edited 2/14/10 20:09pm]

TotalAlisa said:

Jody's stuff in the 80's was top notch. Janets? pahlease.

specdude said:

LMAO!

That's like saying the bootleg Gucci bags imported from China is better than the real deal

That's like saying a Camry is better than a BMW

That's like saying those grocery store brand un-quilted toilet paper is better than Charmins

Ch...

Control and Rhythm Nation > Jody Watley and the other flops she released that decade that went by unnoticed

Girl, Janet's the reason she's forgotten. Deal.

specdude said:

Jody even though i do like her. I have respect for her since starting off as a Soul Train dancer then going to Shalamar...Then on her own. She is a very beautiful woman. But it didn't hurt that she was sleeping with her producer Andre Cymone and got top notch material from doing it.

Let's just celebrate this song without comparing it to Janet

VoicesCarry said:

Actually Jody and Janet were ALWAYS two different women to me. Janet didn't do the black and white theme until Rhythm Nation 1814 which was in '89. The only video she did in the Control era was "Let's Wait Awhile." Jody always had this otherworldy/international feel to her for some reason. Not that I was aware of that then because I was just a kid but looking at it as an adult that's how I percieved Jody. She's awesome to me.

specdude said:

Jody couldn't really dance like janet, she only had a few hits! and her videos were okay. I thought she was copying janet! And even vanessa williams

I never heard of the Jody/Janet comparison until I became a member of this board. I still don't see any similarities. People on this board even throw Karyn White into the mix.... i never saw and still don't see any similarites between any of them.

Jody was nothing like Janet, plus she's a better singer and dancer than Janet.

Nothing in Janet's catologue tops Still A Thrill IMO.
[Edited 2/15/10 18:56pm]

^ You're delusional.

PurpleCharm said:

Karyn White gets the comparisons because Jam & Lewis produced a lot of her hits in the late 80's and some of it sounded very Janet-ish.

PurpleCharm said:

I disagree. "Still A Thrill" is strong, but you're definitely hyping Jody a bit much.

As for the comparison between the two, I first heard it from a female music critic on a VH1 show. It was a round table situation and this was teh end of the show where the critics would make a recommendation of the week. She chose Jody's hits and said something like "Jody Watley is the woman Janet Jackson wishes she was". Something to that effect.

GaryMF said:

You're reaching and it's sad.

Jody Watley was my girl back then. Wore the album cassette tape out.

The big hoops, the spanish wavy weave, the chick was hot. The ipod loves Jody damn it

Don't understand the Janet and Jody comparissons.

Jody only appealed to black people and didn't have any international appeal.

GaryMF said:

everything u said.

This is my fav Jody song...it's on my MP3 player.

midiscover said:

What's sad is your response which does nothing to actually address what I brought up. e.g. exactly how am I "reaching"? Lame.

kenny88 said:

That's not true.In fact,Jody's singles from this album crossed over onto the pop charts.It wasn't just R&B (black) people who were buying her records.

kenny88 said:

I don't either but keep in mind,this is the Org.They love to play the "comparison game" on this site,lol.

SoulAlive said:

I think it's funny that people have repeatedly pointed out out mtv, radio and general fans got confused...yet rather then accept it (and accept that it happens all the time with musical acts who sound nothing alike) people keep trying to make the same silly dubunked statements...

it's like watching people hit their heads up against a wall. It's like saying Madonna's music is still relevant...it's like...oh forget it, i give up.

PurpleCharm said:

Agreed, although - even though I love "Still a Thrill" - I don't agree that nothing in Janet's catalogue tops it. Jam & Lewis put together some killer singles for Janet.

sosgemini said:

NoVideo said:

Donna couldn't dance. She just stood there and posed. Janet & Jody danced and were known for there dancing. Try again

NoVideo said:

Word! Not to mention:

GaryMF said:

Yup, most definitely.