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

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.

90s Music Quiz 1

90s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

First question: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson appeared in videos for what artist?

Desmond Child

Desmond ChildSongwriter Interviews

One of the most successful songwriters in the business, Desmond co-wrote "Livin' La Vida Loca," "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)" and "Livin' On A Prayer."

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

John Lee Hooker

John Lee HookerSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for Bruce Pollock's 1984 conversation with the esteemed bluesman. Hooker talks about transforming a Tony Bennett classic and why you don't have to be sad and lonely to write the blues.

Tim Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

Tim Butler of The Psychedelic FursSongwriter Interviews

Tim and his brother Richard are the Furs' foundation; Tim explains how they write and tells the story of "Pretty In Pink."