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.
The Body That Loves You
Janet Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love, sensual physical love
Is waiting here for you
When you unleash my desire
These are the hands that'll touch you
These are the lips that'll kiss you
So come get this body that loves you
Oh, how my heart does miss you
Love, stroke me so gently, my love
I love it when yo, mmh
When you release my desire
These are the hands that'll touch you
These are the lips that'll kiss you
These are the arms that'll hold you
So come get this body that loves you
Oh, how my heart does miss you
Baby, my heart's aching
My body longs for you
Candlelight and wine are waiting
Create the mood for
Love, sensual physical love
Is waiting here for you
When you unleash my desire
These are the hands that'll touch you
These are the lips that'll kiss you
These are the arms that'll hold you
So come get this body that loves you
Oh, how my heart does miss you
As I behold you with my eyes
They'll undress you and
You'll undress me too
(I want to feel your moves inside)
I want to feel your moves inside
Oh, how I long for your
Love, sensual physical love
Is waiting here for you, you
When you unleash my desire
These are the hands that'll touch you (these are the hands)
These are the lips that'll kiss you (my lips)
These are the arms that'll hold you (baby)
So come get this body that loves you (baby)
Oh, how my heart does miss you
Love, stroke me so gently, my love
I love it when you, mmh
When you release my desire (desire)
These are the hands that'll touch you (these are the hands)
These are the lips that'll kiss you (my lips)
These are the arms that'll hold you
So come get this body that loves you
Oh, how my heart does, mmh, mmh
Miss you
Undress me, mmh, slowly
(These are the hands that'll touch you)
Oh, I want to kiss you all over
(These are the hands that'll touch you) is that okay?
We embrace skin to skin
(These are the arms that'll hold you)
Hold me, oh, baby
My body's arched for you
(Come get the body that loves you) come here
I missed you so much
(Oh, how my heart does miss you) I forgot how good it could feel
Please make love to me
(Come get the body that loves you)
The Body That Loves You by Janet Jackson is a sultry love song about physical desire and longing for one's lover. The song begins with Janet inviting her lover to unleash her desire as she waits for him to come and feel her touch. She then proceeds to describe to her lover how she intends to love him, and how she will touch, kiss, and hold him. She longs to feel her lover move inside her as they undress each other, skin to skin.
The lyrics of the song are poetic and imagery-filled, making it easy to envision the couples' love making. Janet's voice is seductive and sultry, which adds to the sensuality of the song. The song is a beautiful embodiment of the feeling of longing, desire and passion.
Overall, The Body That Loves You is a love song that speaks to the physical yearnings of a lover. It is a song that creates an atmosphere of intimacy and desire, as Janet invites her lover to come and feel her touch.
Line by Line Meaning
Love sensual physical love
Is waiting here for you
Will you unleash my desire?
The singer is talking to her lover, telling them that she wants to engage in sensual love with them and asking if they are willing to fulfill her desire.
These are the hands that'll touch you
These are the lips that'll kiss you
These are the arms that'll hold you
So come get this body that loves you
Oh how my heart does miss you
The singer is describing her desire for physical intimacy with her lover and asks them to come to her and engage in love-making. She also tells her lover that she misses them.
Baby my heart's aching
My body longs for you
Candlelight and wine are waiting
Create the mood for
Love
Sensual physical love
Is waiting here for you
Will you unleash my desire?
The singer is expressing her emotional and physical longing for her lover. She also suggests setting the mood for physical intimacy by lighting candles and drinking wine, and asks her lover to fulfill her desire.
As I behold you with my eyes
They'll undress you and you'll undress me too
I want to feel you move inside me
Oh how I long for your
Love
Sensual physical love
Is waiting here for you-hoo-hoo
Will you unleash my desire?
The singer is telling her lover that she wants to have sex with them and picturing them undressing each other. She expresses her desire to feel her lover's movements inside her and asks them to fulfill her desire.
Love
Stroke me so gently my love
I love it when you mmmmmm
Will you release my desire?
The singer is telling her lover that she likes when they stroke her gently and asks if they will fulfill her desire for physical intimacy.
(These are the hands that'll touch you)
I want to kiss you all over
Is that okay?
(These are the lips that'll kiss you)
We embrace...
Skin to skin
(These are the arms that'll hold you)
Hold me
The singer is telling her lover that she wants to kiss them all over their body and asks if that's okay. She also talks about embracing her lover and holding them skin to skin.
Oh baby
My body's arched for you
(Come get this body that loves you)
Come here
I've missed you so much
I forgot how good it could feel
(Oh how my heart does miss you)
Please make love to me
(Come get the body that loves you)
The singer is expressing how much she has missed her lover and how she wants them to come and have sex with her. She also tells them that she forgot how good it feels to be with them physically and asks them to fulfill her desire for physical intimacy.
Lyrics © JANET JACKSON DBA BLACK ICE, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: James Samuel Iii Harris, Janet Damita Jo Jackson, Terry Lewis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind