Nasty (song)

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"Nasty"
"Nasty" cover
Single by Janet Jackson
from the album Control
Released April 1986 (U.S.)
May 1986 (UK)
Format 7" single, 12" single
Recorded 1985
Genre R&B
Length 4:04
Label A&M
Writer(s) Janet Jackson, James Harris, Terry Lewis
Producer(s) Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Certification Gold (U.S.)
Chart positions
  • 2 (Japan)
  • 3 (U.S.)
  • 19 (UK)
Janet Jackson singles chronology
"What Have You Done for Me Lately"
(1986)
"'Nasty"
(1986)
"When I Think of You"
(1986)

"Nasty" is the second single from Janet Jackson's third album Control. Released in 1986, the single peaked at three on Billboard Hot 100 and one on its R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks, and remains one of Jackson's signature songs. The song was Jackson's autobiographical account of confronting abusive men who tried to force their hand on her. The lyric, "My first name ain't baby, it's Janet, Ms. Jackson if you're nasty" became a national catchphrase. The song won Favorite Soul/R&B Single at the American Music Awards. It ranked thirty on VH1: 100 Best Songs of the Past 25 Years. Listen to an audio sample. 

[edit] Music Video

Janet and "nasty boys" in video.
Enlarge
Janet and "nasty boys" in video.

The video begins with Janet and friends walking to the "movie show." She is constantly harassed by "nasty boys" on her way there. Finally, she gets very annoyed and jumps onto the theatre screen stage. She then yells "Stop! Give me a beat!" and jumps into the screen. From there until near the end of the song, she dances a "nasty groove" with the "nasty boys" while still being harassed. Finally, she jumps out of the screen. The boys try to follow but are unsuccessful. She is joined on stage with a friend and her choreographer Paula Abdul (who also appears in the "What Have You Done for Me Lately" video).

The song's video received heavy rotation on MTV. The video won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography and nominated for Best Female Video and Best Overall Performance in 1987.

[edit] Charts

Chart (1986) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay 5
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play 2
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 6
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles & Tracks 1
U.S. ARC Weekly Top 40 2
ARIA Top 50 15
Bavaria Singles Chart 10
Belgium Sales Chart 4
Canadian Singles Chart 3
German Singles Chart 9
Official UK Singles Chart 19
South African Sales Chart 2
Switzerland Singles Chart 8
UK Official Chart
Week 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09
Position
47
30
22
19
19
21
35
49
74
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart trajectory
Week 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Position
74
53
42
33
24
14
9
5
4
3
4
8
14
26
42
59
78
84
100

[edit] Official versions/remixes

  • Album version (4:03)
  • A capella (2.55)
  • Cool summer mix part 1 (7.57)
  • Cool summer mix part 1 edit (4.07)
  • Cool summer mix part 2 (10.09)
  • Design of a decade international edit (3.44)
  • Edit of the remix (3.40)
  • Extended mix (6.00)
  • Instrumental (4.00)
Preceded by:
"On My Own" by Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald
Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks number one single
June 14, 1986
Succeeded by:
"There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" by Billy Ocean
Janet Jackson
Studio albums: Janet JacksonDream StreetControlRhythm Nation 1814
janet.The Velvet RopeAll for YouDamita Jo20 Y.O.

Other albums: Control: The RemixesJanet. RemixedDesign of a Decade 1986/1996

DiscographySinglesVideographyFilmographyToursAwards and accolades