Control (Janet Jackson song)

"Control" is the fourth single from Janet Jackson's third album Control. The song was written by Jackson, James Harris III, and Terry Lewis and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Its arrangement, built upon complex rhythmic tracks, showcased state-of-the-art production. The song is about Jackson wanting to finally take control of her life. Jackson sings, "When I was seventeen, I did what people told me." Now she is an adult who wants to make her own decisions in life. The spoken intro of "Control" was sampled on Kylie Minogue's song "Too Much of a Good Thing", from her 1991 album Let's Get to It.

In 1988, the song won a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video, beating out her brother Michael, Whitney Houston, and Jody Watley.

Jackson has performed the song on many of her tours, including Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour, The Velvet Rope Tour, All for You Tour, and Rock Witchu Tour. It was also included in her current tour, Number Ones: Up Close and Personal. The only tour that it was not included on was the janet. Tour.

In 2011, the song was included in Dance Central DLC setlist to be played using Kinect for the Xbox 360. The song is also listed in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's list of 500 songs that shaped rock and roll.

Glee covered the song in the Season 3 Sectionals episode Hold On to Sixteen where the New Directions covered a trio of Jackson songs. Dianna Agron (as Quinn Fabray) opens the song, wih leads sung by Darren Criss (as Blaine Anderson) and Kevin McHale (as Artie Abrams).

Chart performance

Released in 1986, the single peaked at number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming Jackson's fourth consecutive top five hit on the chart; it also peaked at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the Hot Dance Club Play charts. The song captured a pivotal moment off the album by showcasing a female streak of independence. It was the 37th biggest Hot 100 single of 1987, the fifth biggest Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs single of 1987, and the ninth biggest-selling 12" single of 1987. In the UK it missed the top 40, peaking at number 42.

Music video

The music video, directed by Mary Lambert, starts off with Jackson fighting with her parents because she wants to move out of the house. Her father is deadset against it. She then leaves the house and is greeted, in her driveway by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Jellybean Johnson, and Jerome Benton. They take her to a concert hall to perform, on her first gig, her single "Control" where she shows that she wants to be "the one in control". The video version of the song is different from the album version. The nine-minute video was made available on the iTunes Store on April 27, 2007. Ja'net Dubois, who co-starred on Good Times with Jackson in the 1970s, plays her mother in the video. Paula Abdul choreographed the video.

The live footage was recorded at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Track listings

Official versions/remixes

• Album Version – 5:53
• A Cappella – 3:56
• Design Of A Decade US Edit – 5:15
• 7" Edit – 3:26
• Extended Mix – 7:33
• Dub Version – 5:55
• Video Mix – 6:02
• Video Mix Edit – 4:35

Charts

End of year charts

Chart procession and succession

References