NASTY (1986)
"Gimme a Beat!" And with that
famous proclamation, ignites one of Janet's most iconic anthems, "Nasty."
Released in April of 1986, this song went to Number 3 on the pop charts and
Number 1 R&B, later becoming one of the most important dance songs of the 1980s.
The tune's rabid success is best broken down two-fold: by the song's innovative
production and its classic video.
To understand the impact this song had on the popular music scene, one must keep
in mind how it was produced. The song's unmistakable industrialized loop came
from innovative Mirage keyboard technology, which Flyte Tyme studios purchased
during the production of Control: "It [had] a factory sound that was in
there...more of a sound-effect," explains Jimmy Jam. "That was a very unmelodic
type of sound, but we found a way to build a melody around it." Janet not only
provided lead and background vocals -- along with Jam, Lewis and fellow Time
members Jerome Benton and Jellybean Johnson in the tune's memorable male chants
-- but also played keyboards.
Calling Nasty simply a "hit" is a vast understatement. Try monster. The
song was literally everywhere the summer of 1986 and was played everywhere -- at
house parties, dance clubs, basketball games, by jam bands, etc. Its appeal was
virtually limitless. And its lyrics defined a new generation of women, most
famously: "No, my first name ain't baby... It's Janet... Miss Jackson, if you're
nasty." To quote reputed music journalist David Ritz, "[that line] has become an
updated version of Aretha Franklin's hallowed 'Respect.'
If her first video from Control made a splash with the oh-so-important MTV
generation, then "Nasty" sealed the deal. Anyone who thought her first vid was a
one-shot deal was sadly mistaken. Her videos now became the talk of the industry
and "Nasty" an MTV staple. It appeared on the channel from its premiere in the
summer of '86 well into '87, '88 -- and basically the close of the decade. Nasty
went on to earn Janet her first (of many) MTV Video Awards. Even years after its
release, the video still manages to be shown regularly on retrospective and
"Best of" countdown shows to this day.
The stellar choreography of the short film was directed by Paula Abdul, who
Janet also employed in her previous vid. It was sheerly infectious watching the
tightly choreographed Janet dance and move upon the screen. Sure, people have
seen incredible dancing from the likes of Michael Jackson, Prince and other male
performers, but to see a woman groove harder than the rest of the pack
was what made the video such a gem (and proved to show how influential and
innovative Janet was on the scene -- and female entertainers -- when she finally
did "arrive"). Female entertainers didn't move like this or commandeer a
dance jam with such brazenness and fiery independence.
A video and song like this was never some mere stroke of luck, but a bold
statement by a talent that no longer was going to be denied or relegated to
anyone's "second-tier."
With the unprecedented success of her first single and the transformative music
anthem "Nasty," Janet had finally reached what she could not with her first two
albums: bonafide musical superstardom. And with that arose her first #1 pop hit,
When I Think of You.
| If you have a release of Nasty which is not listed below, or with a different cover, or from a different country/territory, please let us know by visiting our Discography Submissions page or by sending the information (format, country, catalogue number, tracklisting, front cover scan/image, and any additional info) to webmaster@cravingjanet.com. Please make sure your cover scan or image is at least 400 pixels x 400 pixels for quality purposes. In return, you will be credited on the site. |
COMPACT DISCS (CD'S)
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UK - 5'' CD-single (1127) Promo 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# A&M 001
Tracklisting: Issued without inserts. This was Janet's first foreign promotional CD-single! The video is presented in CD-V NTSC format (playable on laserdiscs). Even scarcer than the US CD-Video (item 0727). |
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UK - 5'' CD-single (1310) Promo 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# A&M 001 From the collection of Walter Bodenstaff
Tracklisting: Issued without inserts. The video is presented in CD-V NTSC format (playable on laserdiscs). Similar to item 0727, but is made in the UK and does not feature "DEMONSTRATION - NOT FOR SALE" text on the disc. The inner ring of the CD, however, resembles that of item 1127. |
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US - 5'' CD-single (0727) Promo 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# A&M 001 From the collection of Walter Bodenstaff
Tracklisting: Issued without inserts. This was Janet's first non-album CD release! The video is presented in CD-V NTSC format (playable on laserdiscs). |
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West Germany
- 5'' CD-single (0932) Promo 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# 2897 420 / 04228974206
Tracklisting: This is a great item. It comes in a unique white cardboard sleeve that has an image of the disc printed on both sides, and a barcode on the reverse. "NOT FOR SALE" is clearly printed on both the disc and sleeve. This was definitely a very limited pressing, since most West German radio stations had not yet switched over to playing compact discs. If anyone knows of other West German (or other foreign) CD-singles from the Control era, please contact us! |
VINYL SINGLES
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Australia
- 7'' vinyl single (0803) 1986 A&M Records, Inc. (Festival Records); Cat# K-18 From the collection of Walter Bodenstaff
Tracklisting: Generic A&M/Festival sleeve. |
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Australia
- 12'' vinyl maxi-single (0130) 1986 A&M Records, Inc. (Festival Records); Cat# X 13255
Tracklisting: Picture sleeve. |
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Canada
- 7'' vinyl single (1078) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# AM-2830 From the collection of Don Newton
Tracklisting:
Picture sleeve. |
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France
- 7'' vinyl single (0801) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# 390 098-7 From the collection of Walter Bodenstaff
Tracklisting:
Picture sleeve. |
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Italy
- 7'' vinyl single (0802) Promo 1986 PolyGram; Cat# AS 5000 732 From the collection of Walter Bodenstaff
Tracklisting: Split-artist promo. |
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Japan
- 7'' vinyl single (0804) Promo 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# 7Y3002 From the collection of Walter Bodenstaff
Tracklisting:
Generic black-and-red A&M Records sleeve and glossy front
picture insert with lyrics on the reverse. This item is
identical to item 0805, except for promo markings on the vinyl labels.
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Japan
- 7'' vinyl single (0805) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# 7Y3002 From the collection of Walter Bodenstaff
Tracklisting:
Generic A&M Records sleeve and glossy front picture insert with lyrics on the
reverse. |
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Japan
- 12'' vinyl maxi-single (0992) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# C12Y3002
Tracklisting: Picture sleeve, Japanese lyrics insert & OBI strip. |
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Japan
- 12'' vinyl maxi-single - Danceable Remix Special (1003) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# C18Y3100
Tracklisting: Picture sleeve, Japanese lyrics insert & OBI strip. |
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Japan
- 12'' vinyl maxi-single (0129) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# AMP-12011
Tracklisting: Picture sleeve, Japanese lyrics insert & OBI strip. |
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Peru
- 7'' vinyl single (1327) Promo 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# 3900987.7 From the collection of Walter Bodenstaff
Tracklisting:
Titles in Spanish, but sung in English. |
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Philippines
- 7'' vinyl single (1123) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# AM-86-037
Tracklisting:
Generic A&M Records sleeve.
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UK - 7'' vinyl single (0084) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# AM 316
Tracklisting: Picture sleeve. |
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UK - 12'' vinyl maxi-single (0322) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# AMY 316
Tracklisting: Picture sleeve. |
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US - 12'' vinyl maxi-single (0291) Promo 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# SP-12178
Tracklisting: Picture sleeve. This item is identical to item 0083 except this is a white label pressing with a gold promotional stamp on the back cover. |
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US - 7'' vinyl single (0035) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# AM-2830 From the collection of Jacob Steinberg
Tracklisting: Picture sleeve. |
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US - 12'' vinyl maxi-single (0083) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# SP-12178
Tracklisting: Picture sleeve. |
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US - 12'' vinyl maxi-single (0171) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# SP-12196
Tracklisting: Stickered picture sleeve. |
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West Germany - 7'' vinyl single (0125) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# 390 098-7
Tracklisting: Picture sleeve. |
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West Germany
- 12'' vinyl maxi-single (0170) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# 392 098-1
Tracklisting: Stickered picture sleeve. |
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West Germany
- 12'' vinyl maxi-single - Cool Summer Mix (0288) 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# 392 124-1
Tracklisting: Picture sleeve. |
CASSETTE SINGLES
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UK
- Cassette single (0065) Promo 1986 A&M Records, Inc.; Cat# AMC 359
Tracklisting: Picture sleeve. This was packaged with item 0969 as a limited edition release in the UK. |
SHEET MUSIC
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US
- Sheet music (0888) 1986 Flyte Time Tunes / Warner Bros. Publications, Inc. For piano, vocal and guitar |
