THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

679-Janet Jackson-When I Think of You.

1986-Number 10 single.

Best Bit-At 3.19. ‘BREAK.’ Be careful we don’t want another wardrobe malfunction, do we.

Janet Damita Jo Jackson was born on May 16th, 1966, in Gary, Indiana, United States, she is the youngest of the 10 Jackson siblings, (see also best songs 812-570-511-249-191 and 137) she has two sisters, and seven brothers, Marlon’s twin Brandon, died shortly after birth. Prior to finding success in music, Janet was a regular in the American television sitcoms ‘Good Times,’ between 1977-1979, and ‘Diff’rent Strokes,’ between 1980-1984, she was also a member of the cast of the American musical drama ‘Fame,’ between 1984-1985. With worldwide record sales in excess of 100 million, Janet Jackson is one of the best selling artists of all time. In 1986 when,’When I Think of You’ reached Number 1 on Billboard, it made Janet Jackson at the age of 20, the youngest artist to have had a chart topper in America since Stevie Wonder at the age of 13, with ‘Fingertips,’ in 1963. Also due to that song reaching Number 1, it made Janet, and her brother Michael, (1958-2009) the only brother and sister to have had separate Number 1 singles on Billboard.

On February 1st, 2004, at the ‘Super Bowl XXXVIII’ halftime show, which was broadcast live from Houston, Texas, on the CBS television network, while Janet Jackson, and Justin Timberlake (see also best songs 317) were performing the half-time show, Janet Jackson’s right breast which was adorned with a nipple shield, was exposed by Justin Timberlake to the viewing public. The incident, sometimes referred to as ‘Nipplegate,’ or ‘Janetgate,’ led to an immediate crackdown, and widespread discourse on perceived indecency in broadcasting. Although Jackson unreservedly apologised for the incident, blaming it on a ‘wardrobe malfunction,’ it did effect her future music career, with reduced airplay, televised promotions, and a drop in record sales.

The discography of Janet Jackson includes 11 studio Albums released between 1982-2015, and 70 singles released between 1982-2018, there are also four official compilation Albums, and two remix Albums available. In America on Billboard seven of her studio Albums have reached the Number 1 position, while in the UK, only ‘Janet’ from 1993 has topped that chart. Janet Jackson has had 30 top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and a further four as either the featured artist, or unaccredited artist. 10 of her singles, all as the only credited artist on the track, have reached Number 1 on Billboard. In the UK Janet Jackson has achieved 34 top 40 hits, with a further three as either the featured artist, or unaccredited artist, with both ‘The Best Things in Life Are Free,’
with Luther Vandross, featuring Bell Biv DeVoe, and Ralph Tresvant, (1992) and ‘That’s the Way Love Goes,’ (1993) both charting the highest, at Number 2.

‘When I Think of You’ was the second of seven singles released from Janet Jackson’s third studio Album ‘Control,’ from February 1986, the first five singles issued off the Album all reached the top 5 on Billboard, making Janet Jackson the first female artist to achieve that fete. Prior to the release of ‘Control,’ Jackson had issued two Albums that had both been commercial failures, and it was the teaming up with the songwriting and production duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis that changed her fortunes. ‘When I Think of You’ which was co-written, and co-produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, was just the start of their collaboration with Janet Jackson, as together they would work on seven Janet Jackson Albums between 1986-2006. Jimmy ‘Jam’ Harris has reminisced about his and Terry Lewis’ early working days with Janet Jackson. ‘Terry Lewis became more than a producer and songwriter for Jackson, he became her personal chef. Terry cooked her some home cooked meals because she was sick of eating hotel food. This was actually part of a tactic to help Jackson get comfortable with the team. We spent a week getting her to open up to us. With artists you sometimes have to be a psychologist, a counsellor, a masseuse – anything.’

James Samuel Harris III was born on June 6th, 1959, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, and Terry Steven Lewis was born on November 24th, 1956, in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. The pair first met while attending a ‘TRIO Upward Bound’ program on the University of Minnesota campus. Prior to working with Janet Jackson the duo formed the ‘Funk’ band ‘The Time,’ with others, and toured with ‘Prince’ (1958-2016) during 1981. In 1982 they were introduced to Leon Sylvers III (see also best songs 581) who took them under his wing. It was Dina R. Andrews who was then employed at ‘SOLAR Records’ who shopped the duo around, leading to them working with artists including Alexander O’Neal, and the ‘S. O. S. Band.’ Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis at the time of writing have written or produced 41 American Billboard top 10 hits, of which 16, including nine for Janet Jackson, have made Number 1, while in the UK, the duo have achieved 31 top 10 hits.

‘Ooh, baby, anytime my world gets crazy, all I have to do to calm it, is just think of you. ‘BASS.”