Nasty (Janet Jackson song)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

"Nasty"
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Genre
Length4:03
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Janet Jackson singles chronology
"What Have You Done for Me Lately"
(1986) 		"Nasty"
(1986) 		"When I Think of You"
(1986)
Audio sample
Music video
"Nasty" on YouTube

"Nasty" is a song by American singer

signature songs. The line "My first name ain't baby, it's Janet – Miss Jackson if you're nasty" has been used in pop culture in various forms. According to musicologist Richard J Ripani, Ph. D, the single is one of the earliest examples of new jack swing music.[2]

The song won for Favorite Soul/R&B Single at the 1987 American Music Awards. It ranked number 30 on VH1's 100 Best Songs of the Past 25 Years, number 45 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s, number 79 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Pop Songs, number 11 on Rolling Stone's 200 Best Songs of the 1980s[3] and number six on LA Weekly's Best Pop Songs in Music History by a Female.[4] It has been included in each of Jackson's greatest hits albums: Design of a Decade: 1986–1996 (1995), Number Ones (2009) and Icon: Number Ones (2010).

Background

After arranging a recording contract with

Joseph Jackson oversaw the entire production of her debut album, Janet Jackson,[5] and its follow-up, Dream Street (1984).[6] Jackson was initially reluctant to begin a recording career, explaining, "I was coming off of a TV show that I absolutely hated doing, Fame. I didn't want to do [the first record]. I wanted to go to college. But I did it for my father ..." and elaborated that she was often in conflict with her producers.[7] Amidst her professional struggles, she rebelled against her family's wishes by marrying James DeBarge of the family recording group DeBarge in 1984. The Jacksons disapproved of the relationship, citing DeBarge's immaturity and substance abuse. Jackson left her husband in January 1985 and was granted an annulment later that year.[8]

Jackson subsequently fired her father as her manager and hired John McClain, then A&M Records' senior vice president of artists and repertoire and general manager.[9] Commenting on the decision, she stated, "I just wanted to get out of the house, get out from under my father, which was one of the most difficult things that I had to do, telling him that I didn't want to work with him again."[7] Joseph Jackson resented John McClain for what he saw as an underhanded attempt to steal his daughter's career out from under him.[10] McClain responded by saying "I'm not trying to pimp Janet Jackson or steal her away from her father."[10] He subsequently introduced her to the songwriting and production duo James "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Lewis, and Jackson and the duo started working on a third studio album for Jackson, titled Control, in Minneapolis.[11] "Nasty" was Jackson's autobiographical account of confronting abusive men. She said,

The danger hit home when a couple of guys started stalking me on the street. They were emotionally abusive. Sexually threatening. Instead of running to Jimmy or Terry for protection, I took a stand. I backed them down. That's how songs like 'Nasty' and 'What Have You Done for Me Lately' were born, out of a sense of self-defense. Control meant not only taking care of myself but living in a much less protected world. And doing that meant growing a tough skin. Getting attitude.[12]

Jimmy Jam built the melody for this song around a sound from his then-new Ensoniq Mirage keyboard: "It [had] a factory sound that was in there... more of a sound-effect type of sound", he recalled. "I've always been – probably from being around Prince – interested in using unorthodox types of things to get melodies and sounds. That was a very unmelodic type of sound, but we found a way to build a melody around it."[13]

In August 1999, Missy Elliott revealed she was working with Jackson on an updated remix for the song; its working title was "Nasty Girl 2000".[14][15] The following year, Elliott's close friend Aaliyah was added to the track, however due to undisclosed reasons the record was never released.[16]

Composition

"Nasty" is set in

beats per minute.[17] At the beginning of the song, Jackson shouts, "Give me a beat!". The song is about respect as she tells all her male admirers "better be a gentleman or you'll turn me off".[18] For the Los Angeles Times, Jackson's approach is hard and aggressive in the song.[19]

Critical reception

Billboard's reviewer Steven Ivory called "Nasty" a "hard-funk" song, along with other tracks from Control.[20] Rob Hoerburger from Rolling Stone remarked that "on cuts such as 'Nasty' and the single 'What Have You Done for Me Lately' Janet makes the message clear: She's still basically a nice girl but ready to kick some butt if you try to put her on a pedestal".[21] William Ruhlmann of AllMusic picked the song as one of the album's highlight.[22] Website Scene 360° commented that it was a confident, sassy song and influenced pop music in the following years of its release.[18]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Nasty" was directed by Mary Lambert and choreographed by Paula Abdul,[23] who also made a cameo. Abdul won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography.

Live performances

Jackson sang "Nasty" live at the

Rhythm Nation Tour in 1990.[25] On the Janet World Tour which happened in 1993 and continued throughout the two following years, the song was the second to be performed along with "Nasty", with the singer wearing gold jewelry.[26] The song was performed during a "frenzied" medley with "What Have You Done for Me Lately" and "The Pleasure Principle" on The Velvet Rope Tour in 1998.[27] The medley at the October 11, 1998, show at the Madison Square Garden in New York City was broadcast during a special titled The Velvet Rope: Live in Madison Square Garden by HBO. It was also added to the setlist at its DVD release, The Velvet Rope Tour: Live in Concert in 1999.[28] During the All for You Tour in 2001 and 2002, "Nasty" was performed in a re-worked version, during a medley with "Control" and "What Have You Done for Me Lately". According to Denise Sheppard from Rolling Stone, it was "another crowd favorite; perhaps best dubbed as the 'bitter' portion of the night", also adding that "this performer - who has been performing onstage for twenty-eight years - knows what the crowd comes for and gives it to them in spades".[29] The February 16, 2002 final date of the tour at the Aloha Stadium in Hawaii, was broadcast by HBO, and included a performance of it. This rendition was also added to the setlist at its DVD release, Janet: Live in Hawaii, in 2002.[30]

On September 9, 2006, Jackson went to France to perform "Nasty" and new single "

Cleveland.com commented, "Yet the emphasis was on high-energy dance numbers, including 'Miss You Much,' 'Nasty,' 'When I Think of You' and other infectious blasts from the past, complete with pneumatic grooves and icy synthesizers. The net effect was akin to squeezing into an old pair of acid-washed jeans."[36][37] It was also included on her 2015–2016 Unbreakable World Tour as the second song on the set list and as well on her current 2017-2019 State of the World Tour, it is the fourth song on the setlist. Jackson included the song at her 2019 Las Vegas residence Janet Jackson: Metamorphosis. It was also included on her special concert series "Janet Jackson: A Special 30th Anniversary Celebration of Rhythm Nation" in 2019.In 2023 Jackson performed the song on her Janet Jackson: Together Again
tour.

Legacy

"Weird Al" Yankovic (pictured) included his cover of "Nasty" on his medley "Polka Party!" in 1986.

In 1986, "Weird Al" Yankovic included the song in his polka medley "Polka Party!" from his album of the same name.[38]

Break the Ice", released as the third single from her fifth studio album Blackout, in the line "I like this part", which references Janet saying "I love this part" in "Nasty". Spears' official site said she was "stopping the song à la Janet Jackson to say, "I like this part. It feels kind of good."[41][42] The opening scene of her "Ooh La La" video also pays homage to Jackson's "Nasty" video, with MSN Music saying, "The clip plays out like a more kid-friendly version of Janet Jackson's "Nasty" video, with Spears and her kids taking in a movie when mom is suddenly transported into the on-screen action."[43]

After

third Presidential debate of the 2016 US election cycle,[44][45] the song rose up 250% as reported by streaming platform Spotify.[46]

Track listings

  • US, UK, and European 7-inch single
A. "Nasty" (Edit of Remix) – 3:40
B. "You'll Never Find (A Love Like Mine)" – 4:08
  • US and European 12-inch single / Australian limited-edition 12-inch single
A1. "Nasty" (Extended) – 6:00
B1. "Nasty" (Instrumental) – 4:00
B2. "Nasty" (A Cappella) – 2:55
  • US and European 12-inch single – Cool Summer Mix Parts I and II
A. "Nasty" (Cool Summer Mix Part I) – 7:57
B. "Nasty" (Cool Summer Mix Part II) – 10:09
  • UK 12-inch single
A1. "Nasty" (Extended) – 6:00
B1. "Nasty" (Instrumental) – 4:00
B2. "You'll Never Find (A Love Like Mine)" – 4:08

Personnel

Accolades

Organization Country Accolade Year Source
VH1 United States 100 Greatest Songs of the Past 25 Years 2003 [47]
VH1 United States 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s 2006 [48]
Rolling Stone United States 100 Greatest Pop Songs
Rolling Stone United States The 200 Best Songs of the 1980s 2023 [3]

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[76] Gold 50,000^
United States (RIAA)[77] Platinum 1,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

  • List of number-one R&B singles of 1986 (U.S.)
  • Nasty woman meme

References

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  2. ISBN 1-57806-862-2
  3. ^ a b Rob Sheffield (November 23, 2023). "The 200 Best Songs of the 1980s". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  4. ^ "The 20 Best Pop Songs in History By Women Artists". LA Weekly. December 9, 2014.
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  16. ^ Johnson, Richard. "More Trouble Dogs Ted 'Galpal'." New York Post. May 28, 2000. Print.
  17. ^ Jackson, Janet (August 31, 2010). "Janet Jackson "Nasty" Sheet Music - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
  18. ^ a b "Album Reviews Control by Janet Jackson by Monnie | Entertainment Scene 360". Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
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  20. ^ Billboard 22 feb. 1986, p. 31, at Google Books
  21. ^ "Janet Jackson: Control : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 17, 2007. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
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  37. ^ Tracy, Liz (December 6, 2011). "Janet Jackson Gets 100-Percent "Nasty" With Number Ones Tour at Fillmore Miami Beach". Miami New Times. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
  38. ^ Yankovic, Alfred M. "Parodies & Polkas". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Web Site. Archived from the original on January 13, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  39. ^ "Nasty" - Live at "Baby One More Time Tour"
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  42. ^ "Week 1 - Break the Ice History - Britney.com". Britney.com. March 12, 2010. Archived from the original on August 6, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  43. ^ "Britney Spears debuts "Ooh La La" music video". MSN Music. July 11, 2013. Archived from the original on July 16, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  44. ^ "Trump's Nasty Woman Comment gets a Janet Jackson remix". Entertainment Weekly. October 20, 2016. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  45. ^ "#MemeOfTheWeek: Nasty Woman, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton And Janet Jackson". NPR. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  46. ^ Daville, Jordan (October 20, 2016). "Spotify Streams Of Janet Jackson's "Nasty" Up 250% After Trump Calls Clinton "A Nasty Woman"". The Fader. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
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  77. ^ "American single certifications – Janet Jackson – Nasty". Recording Industry Association of America. November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.

External links


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