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.
Communication
Janet Jackson Lyrics
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Information in the sky
Messages beamed across the atmosphere
Transmitted by you and I
[Chorus]
Communication
Say the words
Can I be heard?
First indication
Heart to heart
Come together
Worlds apart
Oh, thank heavens for the microwave
Can't ignore technology
It's so easy to communicate
How come you're not hearin' me
[Chorus 2]
Communication
Say the words
Are you there?
Can I be heard?
Station to station
Coast to coast
Face to face
Will tell you most
Now we're livin' in the computer age
The picture's on my video
I keep your number in my database
Turn it onto audio
Communication
Say the words
Are you there?
Can I be heard? (why don't you say that you need me)
Person to person
Heart to heart
Come together
Worlds apart
[Chorus 2]
[Chorus]
Communication
Say the words (why don't you say it babe)
Are you there? (why don't you say it babe)
Can I be heard? (why don't you say it babe)
Communication (why don't you say it babe)
Heart to heart
Come together
Worlds apart
Communication
The lyrics to Janet Jackson's song Communication are about the importance of effective communication in relationships, particularly in the digital age. The song opens up by acknowledging how quickly communication can now travel, with information and messages transmitted across the globe at lightning speeds. However, despite the technological advancements that have made staying in touch easier than ever before, we still struggle to truly connect with one another.
The chorus emphasizes the importance of effective communication, with questions about whether we are truly heard by the people we are attempting to reach. The song suggests that even with all the technology at our disposal, it's still difficult to connect with one another and form strong emotional bonds. Despite our ability to communicate across vast distances, we can still feel "worlds apart" from those we care about.
Line by Line Meaning
It's traveling faster than the eye can see
Information and messages are being transmitted at a speed faster than what our eyes can comprehend
Information in the sky
Messages are being transmitted through the atmosphere
Messages beamed across the atmosphere
Messages are being transmitted at high frequency through the atmosphere
Transmitted by you and I
The messages are being transmitted through the contribution of both the sender and receiver
Communication
The need for effective and efficient exchange of messages between two people
Say the words
Making use of verbal communication to express oneself
Are you there?
Asking the status of the receiver's presence
Can I be heard?
Asking the receiver if the message is conveyed and understood
First indication
The start of an interaction
Heart to heart
Communication from within, with emotions involved
Come together
To reach a common point of understanding through effective communication
Worlds apart
Having differences that prevent effective communication
Oh, thank heavens for the microwave
Thankful for the technology that facilitates effective and efficient communication
Can't ignore technology
Technology is a major enabler of effective communication
It's so easy to communicate
With the aid of technology, communication has become much simpler
How come you're not hearin' me
The message is being transmitted but not properly understood by the receiver
Station to station
Communication from one point to another
Coast to coast
Communication across a wide geographical expanse
Face to face
Direct communication in person
Will tell you most
The most effective way to convey a message is through direct communication
Now we're livin' in the computer age
The advent of computer technology has revolutionized the way we communicate
The picture's on my video
Visual communication can now be facilitated through multimedia devices
I keep your number in my database
Personal information can now be easily stored and accessed using digital technology
Turn it onto audio
Information can be converted into an audio signal for transmission and communication
Person to person
Communication from one individual to another
Why don't you say that you need me
Open and honest communication is needed to convey one's needs and desires clearly
Lyrics © Fintage House Publishing
Written by: PAUL BLISS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind