Last week was Whitney, this week Janet - showcasing all my favourite divas. And Janet is a diva I love. We have had a long history, ever since the release of her "Control" album. She is an amazing singer and performer - seeing her perform at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in the mid 90's was a highlight for me. Her songs are some of the best pop tracks of all time.
Janet just had her birthday and after a social media campaign where her fans reported her as missing, she has come out to say she's working on a new album and a new tour. Hope she comes to Australia, as I'll be there. In a big way.
Janet has had a career with many albums, so many great albums. I looked through my iTunes this morning and saw all the great songs and remembered them all and the great memories associated with them. Choosing my top 5 songs was relatively simple this time, not because she doesn't have a heap of great songs, but because the ones I chose are all massive favourites of mine. Massive! But as usual, here's a few from the shortlist, a Janet Top Ten would have been filled up with "What Have You Done For Me Lately", "Rhythm Nation", "Together Again", "Son of a Gun", "If" and probably any of the singles from the "Rhythm Nation" album.
But here is the choice, my top 5 Janet songs:
5 - Someone to Call My Lover
There's something addictive about this song. I play this track a lot, my play count shows that. The beat is wonderful and the sample of America's "Ventura Highway" is brilliantly used. Janet's voice sounds wonderful and the lyrics are great, ones I love to sing along with, "Back on the road again, feeling kind of lonely and looking for the right guy to be mine". This hopeful light pop track is a perfect example that Janet made great music later in her career as well.
4 - Let's Wait Awhile
A beautiful early ballad from Janet, it really was a showcase for her amazing voice. It was during the "Control" album that Janet began to emerge from the shadow of her famous family. She was no LaToya, she was a true and brilliant artist in her own right. While the rest of the album was great pop, she stepped it up with this track. An adult sounding ballad about waiting for sex in a relationship. I truly love this track.
3 - Love Will Never Do Without You
Without a doubt, "Rhythm Nation" is Janet's best album, in fact, it's one of the best pop albums ever. With so many good singles, in fact a record number of singles, it should be hard to choose the best, but "Love Will Never Do Without You" is a stand out track. This mid tempo track has an amazing beat, great lyrics and Janet's voice is great here. This is an iconic track with an iconic matching clip, just watch it, it's amazing.
2 - The Best Things in Life Are Free
I love this track, like really love this track. It is close to perfect pop. This would probably fit into my list of top 50 songs of all time. Vandross and Jackson sound amazing together and the best is exceptional. It's a great track to singalong with and always a favourite to dance to - I remember dancing to this when I first started going to clubs. The rap on the original is pretty superfluous, and the edit on her greatest hits album is the superior track.
1 - That's the Way Love Goes
If I was to compile a list of my favourite songs of all time, this would be in the top 10, maybe even the top 5. "That's the Way Love Goes" is everything I love about pop. And the song elicits such strong memories. The track saw Janet's sound evolving, it was a sexier sound with a funk infused beat. I could listen to this track all day long, I bleed love for this song. Perfect, absolutely perfect!
What's your favourite Janet Jackson track? Tell me in the comments section below.
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