Songoftheday 10/20/16 - Shot like an arrow going through my heart, that's the pain I feel I feel whenever we're apart...

"Miss You Much" - Janet Jackson
from the album Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 (four weeks)
Weeks in the Top-40: 13

Today's song of the day comes from Janet Jackson, who went from being "Michael's baby sister" to pop superstar with her third album Control, which spun off six massive singles with "The Pleasure Principle", "What Have You Done For Me Lately", "Nasty", "Let's Wait Awhile", "Control", and the #1 pop hit "When I Think Of You". That string of top-20 pop hits was unprecedented for a solo female artist, putting her immediately in the company of Bruce Springteen, Prince, and of course her brother. She followed up that success with an even more ambitious project, Rhythm Nation 1814. While Control mostly stayed on message of a woman coming of maturity and self-empowerment, Rhythm tackled more social issues, though retaining the infectious musicality (courtesy in great part to her "Flyte Tyme" producers) that enraptured fans to her last set. The first single from the project was a good bridge between the two, as "Miss You Much" gave the loud, crunchy funk but stuck with love matters. But the black-and-white heavily-choreographed video which had almost military cohesion gave a glimpse on what was to come...

"Miss You Much" became Janet's second #1 pop hit in October of 1989, spending an entire month on top, tying Phil Collins' "Another Day In Paradise" for longest stay at #1 in that year. The single also took two weeks atop Billboard's R&B chart, as the 12" single also did on their Dance Club Play list. Internationally, the record went to #2 in Canada and New Zealand, #16 in Germany, and surprisingly only down at #22 in the UK. It would get nominated for a Grammy for best R&B performance (losing to Anita Baker's Giving You The Best That I Got album) and best R&B song (which "If You Don't Know Me By Now" covered by Simply Red won).

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The full-length video for "Miss You Much" included the "chair routine" which still stands as one of her best moments on MTV...

Here's the 12" Dub mix from Shep Pettibone that helped it top the dance chart...

...as well as the Brian Gardner-mixed "Mama Mix"...

Up tomorrow: Youthful R&B singer/songwriter/producer is declares it legal.