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 Islands
Janet Jackson Lyrics
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It's a world I know you want to share
Baby, let's indulge in things that set our bodies free
Promise me that you will meet me there
What better way (better way)
Than to wind down (wind down)
On streets paved in harmony
From the DJ (from the DJ)
Damn, I think he's spinnin' this one for me
Island in the sun
Just you and I will go
Ride into the wave like echo
When I hear that song
I want to be with you
Headed for the nightlife echo
Close my eyes and there you are in front of me
Takin' me to where I want to go
Baby, from my little shop of curiosities
Boy, I'll show you all you need to know
Come on, baby
What better way (better way)
Than to wind down (wind down)
On streets paved in harmony
I like the sexy sounds (sexy sounds)
From the DJ (from the DJ)
Damn, I think he's spinnin' this one for me
Island in the sun
Just you and I will go
Ride into the wave like echo
When I hear that song
I want to be with you
Headed for the nightlife echo
What better way (better way)
Than to wind down (wind down)
On streets paved in harmony
I like the sexy sounds (sexy sounds)
From the DJ (from the DJ)
Damn, I think he's spinnin' this one for me
(This one's for me)
Island in the sun (island in the)
Just you and I will go (just you and I)
Ride into the wave like echo (ride a wave like echo)
When I hear that song (when I hear)
I want to be with you (be with you)
Headed for the nightlife echo (oh, island in the sun)
Island in the sun (just you and I will go)
Just you and I will go (into the wave)
Ride into the wave like echo (into the wave like echo, baby)
When I hear that song (when I hear that song)
I want to be with you (wanna be with you)
Headed for the nightlife echo (ah, ah)
Island life, sunshine and paradise
All night, I want to give it to you
Island life, sunshine and paradise
Every night, I'm gonna give it to you (give me the high life)
Island life, sunshine and paradise
All night, I want to give it to you (give me the good life)
Island life, sunshine and paradise
Every night I'm gonna give it to you (give me the high life)
Give me the good life
Give me the good life
Give me the good life
The song "The Islands" by Janet Jackson is a sultry and inviting ode to an imagined paradise that the singer proposes to share with the listener. The song speaks of "this sacred and erotic dream" that serves as an escape from the mundane and invites us all to indulge in pleasures that liberate us physically and mentally. The lyrics convey a sense of beckoning, inviting us to enter into the world of the song and partake in its pleasures together. The music blends Caribbean rhythms with club beats and sets the mood of a tropical getaway that promises to be filled with excitement and romance.
Janet Jackson sings of winding down on streets that are paved in harmony and offers us the prospect of riding the waves like echoes. The DJ spins sexy sounds that the singer thinks are meant just for her, and she is drawn to the paradise-like escape that she is offering to herself and the listener. The chorus speaks of an island in the sun that beckons the singer and the listener to share it. The expression "island in the sun" is a reference to a song by Harry Belafonte, which is a classic calypso tune depicting the Caribbean as a paradise on earth. Janet Jackson sings that when she hears "that" song, she wants to be with you, heading for the nightlife echo.
In conclusion, "The Islands" is a dreamy and seductive song, taking the listener on an imaginary trip to an idyllic tropical paradise. With its blend of Caribbean rhythms and club beats, the song sets the mood for an alluring escape, inviting us to indulge ourselves in the pleasures of physical and mental liberation. Janet Jackson's enticing crooning and suggestive lyrics serve as a call to embark on an exciting journey of exotic sights, seductive sounds, and tantalizing sensations.
Line by Line Meaning
Come into this sacred and erotic dream
Enter this special and sensual fantasy
It's a world I know you want to share
It's an experience you want to join
Baby, let's indulge in things that set our bodies free
Let's enjoy ourselves freely
Promise me that you will meet me there
Agree to meet me there
What better way (better way)
Than to wind down (wind down)
On streets paved in harmony
What better way to relax than in harmony
I like the sexy sounds (sexy sounds)
From the DJ (from the DJ)
Damn, I think he's spinnin' this one for me
I like the attractive music from the DJ, and it feels like he's playing it just for me
Island in the sun
Just you and I will go
Ride into the wave like echo
We will go to a sunny island and ride waves together
When I hear that song
I want to be with you
Headed for the nightlife echo
When I hear the song, I want to be with you and experience the nightlife
Close my eyes and there you are in front of me
Takin' me to where I want to go
Baby, from my little shop of curiosities
Boy, I'll show you all you need to know
Come on, baby
When I shut my eyes, it feels like you're there leading me to the things I want to explore. I have things to show you too, come with me
Island life, sunshine and paradise
All night, I want to give it to you
Island life, sunshine and paradise
Every night, I'm gonna give it to you (give me the high life)
Island life, sunshine and paradise
All night, I want to give it to you (give me the good life)
Island life, sunshine and paradise
Every night I'm gonna give it to you (give me the high life)
Life on an island is full of sunlight and happiness. I want to share all of it with you every night, and live a good life filled with excitement.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, JANET JACKSON DBA BLACK ICE, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Cathy Dennis, Janet Jackson, Scott Storch
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind