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.
Rope Burn
Janet Jackson Lyrics
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Mmh
Uh
Mmh
Uhh-mmh
Mmh (uh)
Uhh (uh)
Mmh (uh)
(Tie me) tie me up, tie me down
(Make me moan real loud) make me moan real loud
(Take off my clothes) take off my clothes
No one has to know
Whisperin', I wanna feel a soft rope burn (yeah)
(No one has to know)
(Yeah, uh) wanna feel a
(Rope burn) uh
When you walked into the room
You knew just what to do
You coulda gone from door to door
But you knew just where to go to
Come into my velvet room
And tell me your fantasies (yeah, mh)
(Tell me your fantasies)
The passion in your voice
I wanna hear as you start to tell me
While you take the blindfold
And tie it gently on me
Don't wanna see but feel the things
You're gonna do to me (yeah, mh)
(Wanna feel it)
(Tie me) tie me up, tie me down
(Make me moan real loud) make me moan real loud
(Take off my clothes) take off my clothes
No one has to know
Whisperin', I wanna feel a soft rope burn
(No one has to know)
(Yeah, uh) wanna feel a
(Rope burn) ooh
One in the mornin' I'm feelin' so free and sensual
Lyin' here, wearin' just my imagination for you
Uh, the sensation will do
Can you feel the warmth of the fire
Candlelight embrace your body
I'm feelin the hot candle wax
Drippin' down the small of my back
You wanna know what my tongue feels like?
Mmhm
You like that?
(Tie me) tie me up, tie me down
(Make me moan real loud) make me moan real loud
(Take off my clothes) take off my clothes
No one has to know
Whisperin', I wanna feel a soft rope burn (yeah)
(No one has to know)
(Yeah, uh) wanna feel a
(Rope burn)
(Tie me) tie me up, tie me down
(Make me moan real loud) make me moan real loud
(Take off my clothes) take off my clothes
No one has to know
Whisperin', I wanna feel a soft rope burn (yeah)
(No one has to know)
(Uh, yeah) wanna feel a
(Ooh)
(Uh, uh, baby)
Janet Jackson’s song “Rope Burn” is about exploring bondage and domination in a sexual relationship. The lyrics are detailed and explicit, as she describes wanting to be tied up, blindfolded and dominated by her partner through various sexual acts. She longs to feel a soft “rope burn” as her partner ties her up, and to moan loudly in pleasure.
The song is sensual and seductive, with a slow and sultry beat that matches the intensity of the lyrics. Janet’s vocals are breathy and suggestive, as she teases and tantalizes her lover with promises of pleasure and submission.
The song is a departure from Janet’s usual pop and R&B sound, and was met with mixed reviews upon its release. Some critics praised her for exploring themes of female sexuality and agency, while others criticized her for promoting BDSM and objectifying herself.
However, for fans of the song, it remains a sultry and erotic anthem that celebrates sexual exploration and desire.
Line by Line Meaning
Mmm. . .my lips hurt
Expressing anticipation and arousal
Tie me up, tie me down
Wanting to be restrained
Make me moan real loud
Desiring intense pleasure
Take off my clothes
Wanting to be stripped bare and vulnerable
No one has to know
Desiring secrecy and privacy
Whisperin I wanna feel a soft rope burn
Expressing the desire for sensual pain
When you walked into the room you knew just what to do
Acknowledging the attraction and chemistry between two people
Ya coulda gone from door to door but you knew just where to go to
Indicating that the artist is the desired destination
Come into my velvet room and tell me your fantasies(tell me your fantasies)
Inviting the partner to share their deepest desires
The passion in your voice I wanna hear as you start to tell me
Craving emotional intensity and connection
While you take the blindfold and tie it gently on me
Submitting to the partner's control and domination
Don't wanna see but feel the things you're gonna do to me(wanna feel it)
Preferring sensory experience over visual stimulation
One in the mornin I'm feelin so free and sensual
Suggesting a time of day that is associated with intimacy and sensuality
Lyin here wearin just my imagination for you
Being physically naked but mentally aroused
Sensation will do
Expressing a preference for physical pleasure
Can you feel the warmth of the fire
Setting the mood for a romantic and intimate encounter
Candlelight embrace your body
Indicating a preference for soft and subtle lighting
I'm feelin the hot candle wax drippin down the small of my back
Enjoying sensual pain and stimulation
You wanna know what my tongue feels like? Mmhmm You like that?
Flirting and engaging in sexually suggestive banter
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Janet Jackson, Terry Lewis, James Harris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind