"Pixelyoshi/Sandbox9" | |
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Song | |
B-side | "Escapade" (Instrumental) |
"Escapade" is the third single from American R&B and pop singer Janet Jackson's fourth studio album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989).
Background
editFollowing the commercial and critical success of her 1986 album, Control, Jackson was motivated to continue songwriting and took a larger role in the creative production of her new album.[2] She wanted to create a concept album about dance and music. In an interview with Jefferson Graham of USA Today, she explained, "My mother said that ever since she could remember, I've always been concerned with other people before myself. I'm not naive—I know an album or a song can't change the world. I just want my music and my dance to catch the audience's attention, and to hold it long enough for them to listen to the lyrics and what we're saying."[1]
Furthermore, Jackson loves basketball, particulary the Los Angeles Lakers team. Jimmy Jam, from the partnership Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, said that when she went to a match, they always played one of her favorites songs, "Nowhere to Run".[1] She wanted to record a new version of the Martha and the Vandellas hit for the album. Jam suggested her that instead of covering "Nowhere to Run", they could write a song with the same feelings and which could be their own song.[1] Jam and his partner Terry Lewis searched a title in their "book of titles" and found "Escapade". He explained, "Anytime we hear a phrase or a saying, we write it down as a title. We usually come up with the music first, then we try to think of a title that fits the way the music sounds. And 'Escapade' we thought was a cool word. It is kind of old-fashioned—people don't really say 'Let's go on an escapade' anymore, but it really worked with that track."[1]
Song information
edit"Escapade" was inspired by the Martha & the Vandellas 1965 single "Nowhere to Run", which Jackson originally intended to remake, but instead chose to record a new song with a similar feel after a suggestion from producer Jimmy Jam.[3]
Written by Jackson, James Harris III, and Terry Lewis, the song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in early March 1990, becoming Jackson's third number-one single. It also topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Dance Club Play charts, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Jackson has performed the song on all of her tours, including the Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour, janet. Tour, The Velvet Rope Tour, All for You Tour, Rock Witchu Tour And the Number Ones: Up Close and Personal tour. The song was also featured on a Japan Airlines commercial in 1990.
The music video for the song, directed by Peter Smillie, takes place at a Mardi Gras-like carnival. On April 27, 2007, the video was made available on the iTunes Store.
Composition
edit"Escapade" is set in common time with a key of A♭ major. Jackson's vocal chords ranges between the tonal nodes of high-tone Ab3 to low-tone Eb5. The song is in a medium dance groove tempo of 115 beats per minute with the chord progression being set like Am–E–Gb.[4]
Official versions/remixes
edit- Album Version – 4:44
- Instrumental – 4:09
- Hippiapolis Mix – 4:28
- Hippiapolis Dub – 4:25
- The Get Away 7" – 4:42
- The Get Away Dub – 5:16
- We've Got It Made 7" – 4:21
- The Good Time 7" – 4:42
- Shep's Good Time Mix – 7:31
- Shep's Good Time Mix – 7:15 (appears on German CD single — the part from 5:47–6:01 was omitted)
- Housecapade 7" – 4:26
- Shep's Housecapade Mix – 7:55
- Housecapade Dub – 5:42
- I Can't Take No More Dub – 4:57
- One Nation Under a Rhythm Mix – 7:00
Track listings
edit- International 7"/Japan 3" CD single/Cassette single
- "Escapade" (LP version)
- "Escapade" (instrumental)
- International 12" single
- "Escapade" (Shep's Good Time Mix) – 7:16
- "Escapade" (The Get Away Dub) – 5:21
- "Escapade" (LP version) – 4:45
- "Escapade" (Shep's Housecapade Mix) – 7:54
- "Escapade" (Housecapade Dub) – 5:42
- "Escapade" (I Can't Take No More Dub) – 4:58
- UK 12"/West Germany 12"/West Germany CD single
- "Escapade" (Hippiapolis Mix)
- "Escapade" (Hippiapolis in Dub)
- "Escapade" (One Nation Under a Rhythm Mix)
- West Germany CD maxi
- "Escapade" (LP version)
- "Escapade" (Shep's Good Times Mix)
- "Escapade" (Shep's Housecapade Mix)
- UK CD maxi
- "Escapade" (We Got It Made 7")
- "Escapade" (Shep's Housecapade Mix)
- "Escapade" (Shep's Housecapade Dub)
- UK cassette single/7" single
- "Escapade" (We Got It Made 7")
- "Escapade" (Housecapade 7")
Charts
edit
Peak positionsedit
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End of year chartsedit
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See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c d e Bronson 2003, p. 752 harvnb error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFBronson2003 (help)
- ^ Strong, Martin (2004), The Great Rock Discography: Complete Discographies Listing Every Track, Canongate U.S., p. 749, ISBN 1841956155
- ^ Bronson, Fred (2003), Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits: Top Songs and Song Makers, 1955 to 2000, Watson-Guptill, p. 365, ISBN 0823077381
- ^ "Janet Jackson – Escapade Sheet Music (Digital Download)". MusicNotes. Alfred Publishing. Retrieved December 24, 2009.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ a b c "Janet Jackson – Escapade – swisscharts.com". swisscharts.com. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
- ^ "Janet in Belgium". MJJ Charts. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
- ^ "Janet in Canada". MJJ Charts. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 12 – 1990". Radio 538 (in Dutch). Top 40. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ "Musicline.de – Chartverfolgung – Janet Jackson – Escapade". Media Control (in German). Musicline.de. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
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(help) - ^ "The Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. irishcharts.ie. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
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(help) - ^ "Chart Stats – Janet Jackson – Escapade". The Official Charts Company. Chart Stats. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
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(help) - ^ a b c d "Rhythm Nation 1814 > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
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(help) - ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1990". Retrieved 2009-09-15.
References
edit- Bronson, Fred (2003), The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, Billboard Books, ISBN 0823076776