La Toya Jackson was the first female sibling of the Jackson family to pursue a solo musical career. Her debut album βLa Toya Jacksonβ was released in 1980 on Polydor Records, comprised by a mix of funk uptempo songs and ballads. The first single off the album, βIf You Feel The Funkβ, was critically acclaimed and was a chart single in most European countries (#40 on the Billboard R&B Charts, #17 Billboard Dance/Club Play), #42 in Germany, and #18 in Holland), as well as an US moderate R&B hit. The second single, βNight Time Loverβ, didnβt do as well as the first single release, although it was co-written and co-produced by her brother Michael Jackson. The album also included a cover version of the Billy Ocean hit βAre You Ready?β.
One year later Jackson released her sophomore album βMy Special Love,β which was basically similarly constructed as her debut album. Again, she co-wrote one of the songs with her sister Janet Jackson and she did another cover version of a Billy Ocean hit, this time the song βStay The Night,β which was also released as the first single off the album. Her brothers, Tito Jackson, Marlon Jackson and Jackie Jackson also contributed to the album. During that time, La Toya was still managed by her father Joseph Jackson.
In 1983 she signed a new record deal with Private Eye Records, a division of Epic Records (the same label that her brother Michael was signed to at that time). She recorded her most successful album so far: βHeart Donβt Lie,β which was released in 1984. Jackson co-wrote half of the songs herself and worked with the producer team Amir Bayyan. La Toya finally cracked the US Billboard Charts with the hit single βHeart Donβt Lieβ (#56) and scored a few other Top 40 hits on the Billboard Dance/Club Play & R&B Charts with singles off the βHeart Donβt Lieβ album. While promoting the album, she did a guest appearance on the US TV show βThe Unknown Stuntmanβ with Lee Majors and presented her current single βHot Potatoβ on the show.
One of the songs initially meant to be included on Heart Donβt Lie, βReggae Nightsβ, did not end up on La Toyaβs album (although she co-wrote the song as well). It was given to Jimmy Cliff, who released it as a single in 1985.
Another album, βImagination,β was released in 1986 without much notice. It received mostly poor reviews.
The albums La Toya Jackson, My Special Love and Heart Donβt Lie were released on CD in Japan only. Official CD copies of this album may fetch up to hundreds of dollars on eBay. A petition has been started on the Church of La Toya fan site to get all 4 albums remastered and re-released on CD with bonus songs and remixes.
In 1987 Jackson left the management company of her father Joseph Jackson and also left the Jackson residence in Encino, USA. At that time she was 31 years old and she decided it was time for her to stand on her own feet. She also decided to let Jack Gordon manage her music career from then on.
In 1987 Jackson signed a record deal with Teldec Records in Germany. They teamed her up with Europeanβs hottest dance producer team during that time: Stock/Aitken/Waterman (who were responsible for all hit singles by Rick Astley, Kylie Minogue, Sinitta, Mandy Smith, Dead Or Alive and a successful album by Donna Summer). They recorded 3 songs for her 1988 album βLa Toya.β The first single from the album was β(Ainβt Nobody Loves You) Like I Doβ. She recorded the anti-drug campaign song βJust Say No,β which was recorded for Nancy Reaganβs anti-drug campaign for which Jackson was also a spokesperson.
On the cover of Playboy, March 1989
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On the cover of Playboy, March 1989
Jackson caused much controversy when she posed for Playboy magazine in March 1989. A few months later she recorded another album, βBad Girl,β for Teldec Records. The album was never released on the Teldec label but appeared one year later on the Italian Record label Sherman Records. It was later licensed to hundreds of small record labels, thus the album was re-released at least in 50 different editions under various names, such as βSexual Feeling,β βHeβs My Brotherβ or βPlayboy.β Among the songwriters for this album were German producers Klarmann/Weber and Tony Monn.
In 1991 Jackson moved to Europe where she released her 7th studio album No Relations. The album explored European house music and included the single Sexbox which was a minor hit in Holland. (#25) In the album sleeve she slated her parents and called for an end to child abuse. No Relations was never released in the US. She also posed a second time for Playboy magazine this year.
In 1992 La Toya signed up to do a Cabaret Showgirl act at the Moulin Rouge for 1 year, the bulk of her songs were in French, the only English one being a cover of Little Evaβs βThe Loco-Motion. After doing the show for only 4 months, La Toya quit and was immediately sued by the Moulin Rouge for breach of contract.
In 1993, she recorded a Country Music album by the name of From Nashville To You, the album has been released 2 more times as βMy Country Collectionβ and βLittle Misunderstoodβ with more dull covers than the first pressing. No singles were released from this album, although La Toya did perform Patsy Clineβs βCrazyβ on The Maury Show, the album contains many covers of Country Music classics, such as a cover of Elvisβs βBurninβ Loveβ. The album was recorded within 3 days, more or less.
In 1994, La Toyaβs husband, who was also the controlling force behind From Nashville To You, forced La Toya into recording an album of Motown classics, it was recorded within about 2 hours. La Toyaβs vocals werenβt as polished on this album as they were on the Country album and the rest of her Jack Gordon produced albums. The bulk of the songs were Supremes covers as well as covers by The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson and her very own brothers, The Jackson Five. One CD Single of two Supremes covers was released, it was a double A-Side CD Single with 1 track being βBaby Loveβ and the second track being a slightly shorter version of βI Canβt Help Myselfβ than on the album. The CD Single failed to top the charts in Holland (where it was released) and even failing to at least dent the charts.
These would be the last 2 albums La Toya recorded under Jack Gordonβs control, before filing for divorce and possibly a restraining order against him.
Feels Like Love
La Toya Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And nothing else matters to me
Tonight don't start a fight
Just let go, release
I usually keep the base
Tonight I'm a beast
Look so innocent
But tonight I'll be a freak
[Chorus:]
There we dance, oh
Music but it feels like love
There we dance slow
It takes my body and I lose control
Yes, we dance oh
Music but it feels like love
There we dance slow
Music but it feels likeβ¦
La la la love
Love
Make me sweat
Hope we're doing what we doing I forget
That we're on the floor
So keep doing what you're doing, baby all night long
You know that turns me on
[Chorus:]
There we dance, oh
Music but it feels like love
There we dance slow
It takes my body and I lose control
Yes, we dance oh
Music but it feels like love
There we dance slow
Music but it feels likeβ¦
La la la love
Love
Don't put me out
βCause that'd be cold
It gets me high
When I feel alone
Do it do do do it
Do it do do do it
βCause I need it
[Spoken:]
I want everybody in every country
Stand up and do what I say
All the girls to the left
All the ladies to the right
All the people in the world
Get down tonight
All the girls to the left
All the ladies to the right
All the people in the world
Get down tonight
I just wanna have fun tonight, baby
Music but it feels like love
The lyrics to "Feels Like Love" by La Toya Jackson suggest that the singer has come to dance and forget about everything other than the music. The opening two lines "I just wanna see the lights and nothing else matters to me" indicate that the singer is not interested in anything else but the music and the experience that comes with dancing. The singer seems to urge the person they are dancing with to let go and enjoy the moment with the phrase "just let go, release." The chorus of the song makes it clear that the singer is not only dancing but is also losing control, which is evident in the line "It takes my body and I lose control." The last lines of the chorus show that the singer has a strong emotional connection to the music as they sing "Music but it feels like⦠La la la love Love."
In the second verse, the singer urges their dance partner to keep doing what they are doing, indicating that they are enjoying the experience. The line "you know that turns me on" implies that they are not only enjoying the music but also the intimacy created through dancing. The bridge of the song provides an interesting twist as the singer implores the person they are dancing with not to end the dancing, reminding them that it gets them high when they feel alone.
Line by Line Meaning
I just wanna see the lights
I only care about enjoying the bright lights tonight
And nothing else matters to me
Nothing else is important or relevant to me
Tonight don't start a fight
Don't initiate any conflict or arguments tonight
Just let go, release
Relax and let yourself unwind from stress
I usually keep the base
Normally, I am more reserved and cautious
Tonight I'm a beast
But tonight, I am becoming aggressive and wild
Look so innocent
Appear to be pure and blameless
But tonight I'll be a freak
But tonight, I am going to act differently and defying conventions
[Chorus:]
There we dance, oh
Music but it feels like love
There we dance slow
It takes my body and I lose control
Yes, we dance oh
Music but it feels like love
There we dance slow
Music but it feels likeβ¦
La la la love
Love
We'll dance together tonight and although it's just music, it feels like love. We'll dance slowly, and I'll lose myself in the experience. We'll continue to dance and the music will continue to feel like love with a slow tempo. It'll feel like⦠La la la love, love.
Make me sweat
Turn me on and make me perspire
Hope we're doing what we doing I forget
Hoping the actions we're taking will lead to me forgetting everything else
That we're on the floor
That we are currently dancing
So keep doing what you're doing, baby all night long
Keep doing what you're doing and please me all night
You know that turns me on
I hope you know that what you are doing excites me sexually
[Chorus:]
There we dance, oh
Music but it feels like love
There we dance slow
It takes my body and I lose control
Yes, we dance oh
Music but it feels like love
There we dance slow
Music but it feels likeβ¦
La la la love
Love
We'll dance together tonight and although it's just music, it feels like love. We'll dance slowly, and I'll lose myself in the experience. We'll continue to dance and the music will continue to feel like love with a slow tempo. It'll feel like⦠La la la love, love.
Don't put me out
Don't reject or abandon me
βCause that'd be cold
It would be cruel and heartless to do that
It gets me high
It excites me and gives me a rush of pleasure
When I feel alone
When I am isolated or lacking companionship
Do it do do do it
Do it do do do it
βCause I need it
Keep doing it because I crave it and desire it greatly
[Spoken:]
I want everybody in every country
Stand up and do what I say
All the girls to the left
All the ladies to the right
All the people in the world
Get down tonight
All the girls to the left
All the ladies to the right
All the people in the world
Get down tonight
I just wanna have fun tonight, baby
Music but it feels like love
I want everyone in the world to listen to me and follow my lead. Girls stand to the left and ladies stand to the right, all the people in the world should dance tonight. I just want to have fun and enjoy myself tonight β it may be just music, but it feels like love.
Contributed by Ethan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@bluesugar58
I like that LaToya lives her life and has fun. For the people saying she's too old, you are never too old to do what you love! for years LaToya was in an abusive relationship with a man who controlled her and growing up her parents were strict and protective she never got to really find her groove and had to please other people. She is at a place in her life where she is happy and this is just fun feel good music. Let LaToya live!
@wearenotthesame5262
Finally truth speak! Latoya is. A beast! So if you get 60 plus and can still be this gorgeous and looking like a model! Come get some Latoya vibe! Do it Latoya! Feel it still! Hint hint wink wink!!!!π
@dionneking8
amen
@lynellemurray7491
I love all three comments
@jedicrush1497
That's how I want to look and dance at 60. Wow! People trying to "roast" and "diss" LaToya, but my question is could you have walked in her shoes and gone what she's gone through and still look this good and still live out your dream? I hope she continues to have people around her that write good music for her to sing. Good song writers who understand how LaToya can better package herself. This in my opinion is one of her best songs and videoππΊπ»π·π΅
@masongarrett3066
I agree with everything you said about this gorgeous woman!
@valeriehambly4180
Latoya finally gets to have a career in her 50's. I don't dislike this at all. It's cute and she can get people dancing in the clubs. Go Latoya! :) Glad you have found good health and balance.
@TheYouraten
Latoya is doing her thing. She looks great. I love her!!
@pavelkubin1541
Π‘ΠΊΠ°ΠΆΠΈ ΡΠΏΠ°ΡΠΈΠ±ΠΎ ΡΠΎΠ½Π½Π΅ Π³ΡΠΈΠΌΠ° ΠΈ ΠΏΠ»Π°ΡΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠΌ Ρ ΠΈΡΡΡΠ³Π°ΠΌ.
@alexisnew3355
La Toya is a beautiful, talented, and intelligent women. She did fantastic in this video. She should continue with her music. I would like her to keep going with her music because she IS great. She might not be Janet or Michael but she is La Toya and that I all that matters. La Toya is fabulous in her very own way.