Songoftheday 10/2/14 - Your friends seem to think that you're so peachy keen but my friends say neglect is on your mind, Who's right?...

Janet Jackson - "What Have You Done For Me Lately"
from the album Control (1986)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #4 (one week)
Weeks in the Top-40: 13

Today's Song of the Day was the first big hit for Michael's youngest sister Janet Jackson, who started her entertainment career more as an actress than a singer, appearing on a string of television series like Good Times and Diff'rent Strokes, before landing a recording contract at the beginning of the 80s (when still in her teens). Her self-titled first album was released in 1982, and the post-disco single "Young Love" became a top-10 R&B single and a minor pop hit. The follow-up, "Come Give Your Love", at least got her on the dance club play chart for the first time. Her sophomore effort, Dream Street, didn't do any better, even with big names like Giorgio Moroder and Jesse Johnson producing.

But after that, Janet went through some big changes, marrying (and then quickly divorcing) James DeBarge (of the "Rhythm Of The Night" DeBarges), and separating her career from her overbearing father. Those two breaks powered her third album, and with the big help of producers and former Time members Jimmy "Jam" Harris and Terry Lewis, recorded Control. The trio wrote the first single from the project together, "What Have You Done For Me Lately", with a non-linear drumbeat than made it stick out from the rest of the soul pack, and an assertive vocal gliding upon those synth powerchords that instantly won America over, and so unique that it fit on both pop and R&B radio. And it came with a bright and flashy video choreographed by a cheerleader named Paula Abdul (who cameos in the beginning)

"What Have You Done For Me Lately" became Janet's first top-10 pop hit in May of 1986, while becoming her first #1 single on the R&B chart in Billboard magazine. The jam tore up the clubs, peaking at #2 on the dance club play chart as well. Internationally, the song went to #1 in the Netherlands, as it did top-ten business in England, Australia, Canada, and Germany.

And it would only be the beginning. Jam and Lewis would go on to win the Grammy for Producer of the Year, while "What Have You Done..." was nominated for best R&B song.

In fact, I rate this "breaking out" hit as more revolutionary than her brother Michael's work, in its innovation and sound experiments, as well as being a more personal (to her) work.

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First up, the #2 dance club extended version of the track...

Janet performed the song along with follow-up "Nasty" at the Grammys in 1987...

...and again on her Rhythm Nation tour in 1990...

Lots of singers have taken on the song, but I like Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings' throwdown..

Finally, back to a more recent Janet concert in Hawaii..

Up tomorrow: the former 12-Year-Old Genius is elated.