Songoftheday 1/13/17 - As I was walkin' by saw you standin' there with a smile, lookin' shy you caught my eye thought you'd want to hang for a while...
from the album Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 (three weeks)
Weeks in the Top-40: 14
Today's song of the day comes from Janet Jackson, whose album Rhythm Nation 1814 had spun off a #1 pop hit with "Miss You Much" along with the title track which stopped at #2. Both of those singles had videos that interlocked, shot in black and white and gave the impression of the entire set being a king of "concept album", which 1814 really wasn't, but inspired to be and gave a mood of one (the interludes, the scattered militant tone of some of the tracks). The third single from Rhythm Nation was the "party song" of the disc, "Escapade". Written by Janet with her producers Jimmy "Jam" Harris and Terry Lewis (aka Flyte Tyme), it's anchored by it's monolithic power-chords (with Prince-like tones), as she playfully sings about getting away for the weekend. It's since been an essential "road-trip" playlist/mixtape addition. As for the music video, she threw out the black and white and brought the bright colors for a party that's somewhere part circus and part skid row, although using many of the same dancers (and menacing soldiers) as "Miss" and "Rhythm" gave it subliminally a bit of continuity...
"Escapade" became Janet's third #1 pop hit in the U.S. in March of 1990. The single also spend a week on top of the R&B chart in Billboard, while the 12" remix single remained at #1 for three weeks on their Dance Club Play list. Internationally, the track topped the Canadian singles chart for a week, and reached the top-20 in the Netherlands (#17), Ireland (#13), Germany (#17), the UK (#17), and New Zealand (#15). It also got to #23 in France and #25 in Australia.
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Here's the "Housecapade Club Mix" done by Shep Pettibone from the #1 dance 12" single...
Janet lipsynched "Escapade" for her life in 1990 at the American Music Awards...
Lastly, here's Janet on her Rhythm Nation tour (along with "Miss You Much" and "Rhythm Nation")...
Up tomorrow: Keep the roadtrip going with these Georgia peaches.
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