You Want This

Album: janet. (1993)
Charted: 14 8
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Janet Jackson wrote this sassy song with her producers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. This trio was dynamite - starting with Jackson's 1986 album Control, they vaulted her to heights occupied by Janet's brother, Michael.

    Starting with Control, Jackson's albums each produced several singles that kept her on the charts for about two years. "You Want This" is part of her 1993 album janet., released as the seventh single. The album was issued in May 1993, and the single reached its chart peak of #8 in December 1994.
  • MC Lyte does the rap on this song. One of the first female rappers to make an impact, in 1995 she teamed up with Xscape for the hit "Keep On, Keepin' On." She also appears in the video for "You Want This" and was an opening act on some dates of Jackson's subsequent tour.
  • That little musical break that shows up a few times in the song is from the 1968 hit "Love Child" by Motown greats The Supremes. Before they began recording the album, songwriter/producer Jimmy Jam and Janet Jackson would play music for each other to find inspiration. Jam was drawn to old Motown hits and, as a result, decided to excerpt the song.

    "You Want This" also uses elements of Kool and the Gang's 1973 hit "Jungle Boogie."
  • The action-packed music video for this song was partially based on Russ Meyer's 1965 film Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, about man-murdering women with very large breasts.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"They're Playing My Song

The Prince-penned "Manic Monday" was the first song The Bangles heard coming from a car radio, but "Eternal Flame" is closest to Susanna's heart, perhaps because she sang it in "various states of undress."

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Janis Ian

Janis IanSongwriter Interviews

One of the first successful female singer-songwriters, Janis had her first hit in 1967 at age 15.

Women Who Rock

Women Who RockSong Writing

Evelyn McDonnell, editor of the book Women Who Rock, on why the Supremes are just as important as Bob Dylan.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.