The tenth and youngest child of the Jackson family, she began her career with the variety television series The Jacksons in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including Good Times, Diff'rent Strokes, and Fame. After signing a recording contract with A&M Records in 1982, she became a pop icon following the release of her third and fourth studio albums Control (1986) and Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989). Her collaborations with record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis incorporated elements of rhythm and blues, funk, disco, rap, and industrial beats, which led to crossover success in popular music.
In 1991, Jackson signed the first of two record-breaking multimillion-dollar contracts with Virgin Records, establishing her as one of the highest-paid artists in the industry. Prior to her first studio project with Virgin, she appeared in her first of several lead film roles in Poetic Justice (1993). Her two studio albums which followed, Janet (1993) and The Velvet Rope (1997), saw her develop a public image as a sex symbol. These records, along with their promotional music videos and live performances in concert tours, branded Jackson as one of the world's most erotic performers, garnering both criticism and praise. By the end of the 1990s, she was named by Billboard magazine as the second most successful recording artist of the decade after Mariah Carey. The release of her seventh studio album All for You in 2001 coincided with a celebration of her impact on the recording industry as the subject of the inaugural MTV Icon special.
The backlash from the 2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy resulted in an industry blacklisting under the direction of Les Moonves, then-CEO of CBS Corporation. Jackson subsequently experienced reduced radio airplay, televised promotion and sales figures from that point forward. After parting ways with Virgin Records, she released her tenth studio album Discipline (2008), her first and only album with Island Records. In 2015, she partnered with BMG Rights Management to launch her own record label, Rhythm Nation and released her eleventh studio album Unbreakable the same year. Since then she has continued to release music as an independent artist.
Having sold over 100 million records, Jackson is one of the world's best-selling music artists. She has amassed an extensive catalog, with singles such as "Nasty", "Rhythm Nation", "That's the Way Love Goes", "Together Again", and "All for You"; she holds the record for the most consecutive top-ten entries on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with 18. She is also the only artist in the history of the chart to have seven commercial singles from one album (Rhythm Nation 1814) peak within the top five positions. In 2008, Billboard placed her number seven on its list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, and in 2010 ranked her fifth among the "Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years". In December 2016, the magazine named her the second most successful dance club artist after Madonna. One of the world's most awarded artists, her accolades include five Grammy Awards, eleven Billboard Music Awards, eleven American Music Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and eight Guinness World Records entries. In 2019, she was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Jackson has been cited as an inspiration among numerous performers and credited with elevating a standard of sound, showmanship and sex appeal expected of pop stars.
If
JANET JACKSON Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Starin' in your face
With lust in my eyes
Sure don't give a damn and ya
Don't know that I've been dreamin' of ya
In my fantasies
Never once you looked at me
Don't even realize that I'm wantin' you
Let your mind free
Run free to a place no one dares to
How many nights I've laid in bed excited over you
I've closed my eyes and thought of us a hundred different ways
I've gotten there so many times I wonder how 'bout you
Day and night, night and day
All I've got to say is
If I was your girl, oh, the things I'd do to you
I'd make you call out my name, I'd ask who it belongs to
If I was your woman, the things I'd do to you
But I'm not, so I can't
Then I won't
But if I was your girl
Allow me some time to play with your mind
And you'll get there again and again
Close your eyes and imagine my body undressed
Take your time, 'cause we've got all night, ooh
You on the rise as you're touchin' my thighs and
Let me know what you like
If you like I'll go down, da-down, down, down, da-down, down
I'll hold you in my hand and baby
Your smooth and shiny
Feels so good against my lips, sugar
I want you so bad, I can taste your love right now, baby
Day and night, night and day
All I've got to say is
If I was your girl, oh, the things I'd do to you
I'd make you call out my name, I'd ask who it belongs to
If I was your woman, the things I'd do to you
But I'm not, so I can't
Then I won't
But if I was your girl
If I was your girl, oh, the things I'd do to you
I'd make you call out my name, I'd ask who it belongs to
If I was your woman, the things I'd do to you
But I'm not, so I can't
Then I won't
But if I was your girl
I've laid in bed excited over you
One hundred different ways I've thought ya
Many, many
(Day and night, night and day)
All I got to say is
If I was your girl, oh, the things I'd do to you
I'd make you call out my name, I'd ask who it belongs to
If I was your woman, the things I'd do to you
But I'm not, so I can't
Then I won't
But if I was your girl
If I was your girl, oh, the things I'd do to you
I'd make you call out my name, I'd ask who it belongs to
If I was your woman, the things I'd do to you
But I'm not, so I can't
Then I won't
But if I was your girl
If I was your girl, oh, the things I'd do to you
I'd make you call out my name, I'd ask who it belongs to
If I was your woman, the things I'd do to you
But I'm not
The song If by Janet Jackson is a sultry R&B track about a woman who is secretly infatuated with a man who does not notice her. The song speaks about her deep desire for him and her vivid fantasies of what she would do to him if they were together. She longs for his touch and imagines him whispering her name as they intimately connect. Although she is not his woman, she still fantasizes about him, leaving it all to her imagination, unable to ignore her intense attraction to him. The track is a classic example of the tantalizing power of desire and the longing for what we cannot have.
Throughout the song, Janet Jackson's vocals are sensual and seductive, showcasing her impressive range as a vocalist. The lyrics of the song are emotive and raw, leaving little to the imagination. The repetition of the phrase "If I was your girl" emphasizes the song's theme of unrequited love, and the chorus is catchy, making it easy to sing along to.
Overall, If by Janet Jackson is a song that speaks to our deepest desires and the intensity of unrequited love. The song oozes with sensuality and leaves the listener wanting more.
Line by Line Meaning
Sittin' over here
I'm sitting close to you, staring at your face.
Starin' in your face
I'm focused on your face and what it represents to me.
With lust in my eyes
I'm feeling a strong sexual desire for you.
Sure don't give a damn and ya
I don't care what anyone thinks, including you.
Don't know that I've been dreamin' of ya
You are unaware that I have been fantasizing about being with you.
In my fantasies
I've imagined us together in various scenarios.
Never once you looked at me
You have never given me any indication that you are interested in me.
Don't even realize that I'm wantin' you
You are completely clueless about the fact that I desire you.
To fulfill my needs, think what you want
I want you to satisfy my sexual desires, regardless of what you may think about it.
Let your mind free
Don't hold back or feel limited in your thoughts or actions.
Run free to a place no one dares to
Let your imagination take you to places that others may find controversial or taboo.
How many nights I've laid in bed excited over you
I've spent countless nights in my bed, feeling excited and aroused at the mere thought of you.
I've closed my eyes and thought of us a hundred different ways
I've imagined us in various sexual scenarios, exploring different positions and experiences.
I've gotten there so many times I wonder how 'bout you
I have masturbated while thinking about you, and I wonder if you have done the same.
Day and night, night and day
My desire for you never wanes, it's a constant presence in my thoughts.
All I've got to say is
My desire for you is very strong and intense.
If I was your girl, oh, the things I'd do to you
If I was your girlfriend, I would be very sexually adventurous with you.
I'd make you call out my name, I'd ask who it belongs to
I would want you to moan my name loudly during sex and claim me as yours.
If I was your woman, the things I'd do to you
If I was in a committed relationship with you, I would be very adventurous in bed and fulfill all your sexual desires.
But I'm not, so I can't
However, since we are not in a relationship, I cannot do those things with you.
Then I won't
I won't try to pursue a sexual relationship with you since we are not in a relationship.
Allow me some time to play with your mind
Let me tease you and flirt with you in order to build up sexual tension.
And you'll get there again and again
This will lead to you becoming sexually aroused multiple times.
Close your eyes and imagine my body undressed
Visualize me naked in order to become sexually aroused.
Take your time, 'cause we've got all night, ooh
Don't rush the sexual experience because we have all night to enjoy it.
You on the rise as you're touchin' my thighs and
As you touch and explore my body, you become more sexually aroused.
Let me know what you like
Communicate your sexual desires and preferences to me so that I can fulfill them.
If you like I'll go down, da-down, down, down, da-down, down
If you like, I will perform oral sex on you.
I'll hold you in my hand and baby
I want to caress and touch your body intimately.
Your smooth and shiny
I find your skin to be very attractive and silky.
Feels so good against my lips, sugar
Kissing your body feels very pleasurable to me.
I want you so bad, I can taste your love right now, baby
I desire you so strongly that I can almost taste your sexual energy.
Many, many
I have spent many nights thinking about you in a sexual way.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jackey Beavers, Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, Terry Lewis, James III Harris, Janet Jackson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@amjnyc79
This version of Janet was the iconic mother to all female artists that came after her, white or black. She and her brother shaped generations of artists.
@tyliekinc.
the .janet era 1993-94! My mom was in 7th grade who had her hair in braids like Janet did in Poetic Justice 😜
@Ash-yu1yj
@@tyliekinc. awesome..
@marygill5010
Well said!!
@dayg715
Couldn't have said it better myself!
@tyliekinc.
Fun Fact: Selena Quintanilla’s favorite song was Black Cat
@victoriajalepeno5755
Janet was IT. The caramel skin, honey curls, high cheeks, big brown eyes, sweet, sensual, sexy, that vest, those ABS…this era of Janet is absolutely iconic and will forever stand the rest of time!
@thetitostream
I thought you were gonna say Janet was IF
@jan.s.buriak
honestly i might like this Janet era more than Velvet Rope era Janet even if i consider TVR the better album and a masterpiece (you guys should always listen to it AT LEAST once a day) but like when it comes to her visage/image self-titled Janet is just so sexy...
@heathermcteer9581
THIS!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤