Design of a Decade [Import]

Janet Jackson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 9, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Polygram UK
• ASIN: B00000714V
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #164,416 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Runaway

2. What Have You Done for Me Lately?

3. Nasty

4. When I Think of You

5. Escapade

6. Miss You Much

7. Love Will Never Do (Without You)

8. Alright

9. Control

10. The Pleasure Principle

11. Black Cat

12. Rhythm Nation

13. That's the Way Love Goes

14. Come Back to Me

15. Let's Wait Awhile

16. Twenty Foreplay

Editorial Reviews

Import only version of her 1995 'Best Of' compilation includes two bonus tracks, 'Whoops Now' & 'The Best Things In Life Are Free'. 18 tracks in all with different artwork to the US version. Universal.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music from the Rhythm nation, September 9, 2005

By 

Nse Ette (Lagos, Nigeria) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Design of a Decade (Audio CD)

`Design of a decade' is Janet's career retrospective of the previous ten hit filled years. A US #3 and UK #2. An amazing collection released when she was 29 and had amassed a staggering 19 US top 10 singles, most co penned by her. The songs are however not arranged chronologically. Released in 4 different versions with slightly different track lists, this is the UK/Europe version.

Unlike quite a number of other female (especially dance) artists, Janet does not have a powerful voice. Her forte is finding catchy, funky, incredibly danceable tracks to suit her very pretty but wisp like vocals to perfection, and this collection shows just how clever that pairing is.

Opening up with the brand new track, the oriental tinged pop/R&B of `Runaway', with lyrics taking the listener on a trip around the world, and an amazing video. A US #3 and UK top 5 hit.

Next up is the razor sharp dance track `What have you done for me lately', her first US or UK top 10 (US #4 UK #3), and the lead off single from her ground breaking `Control' album. Featuring man bashing lyrics, this track inspired acts like Jody Watley (`Lookin' for a new love') and Pebbles to name a few.

`Nasty', the Prince like funk track calling for respect. `My middle name aint baby/it's Janet/Ms Jackson if you're nasty'. US#3 UK#19. Taken from `Control'.

The upbeat pop/dance number `When I think of you' was her first US #1, and a UK #10. From `Control'.

The catchy, fun filled `Escapade' which is faintly similar to `Runaway' was from the ambitious concept album `Rhythm Nation 1814', and was a US #1 and UK #17.

The sparse Prince sounding but hard hitting `Miss you much' was a US #1 and UK #22. From `Rhythm nation'.

`Whoops now' is a sunny sounding, bouncy pop number, released in the UK, it hit #10. It was a hidden track on some copies of the `Janet' CD.

The slowed down dance/funk of `Love will never do without you' with its chunky beats was a US #1. Featuring Janet sinking is a smoky lower register in the opening verses before launching into her familiar range. This was the 7th single off the `Rhythm nation' album, a record setting 7 top 5 singles off an album, a record that still stands today.

`Alright' with its epic video featuring cameos from Cab Calloway and Heavy D was a US #4. Also from `Rhythm nation' and featured here in a remix.

Next up was `The best things in life are free', a duet with Luther Vandross from the soundtrack to the movie `Mo money'. An upbeat house number, it hit #10 in the US and #2 in the UK.

`Control' was a US #5. A funk/pop song with hip hop beats and lyrics like `When I was 17/I did what people told me/Did what my father said and let my mother mould me/but that was long ago/I'm in Control'. Janet was telling us she was all grown up and taking control of her life.

`The pleasure principle' is an upbeat synth driven dance song, US #14. Taken from `Control'.

`Black cat' penned solely by Janet is head banging rock, a surprise lone change in musical direction from the `Rhythm nation' album. Another US #1 and UK #20, and featured here in a remix.

Title track `Rhythm nation' is a clunky industrial sounding funk number. US #2.

`That's the way love goes', due to contractual issues, is the sole representation from her uber sexy `Janet' album. A mellow R&B song, it was a US #1 and UK #2.

`Come back to me' (remixed here) is a ballad off the `Rhythm nation' album, a US #2. The tender ballad `Let's wait awhile' (about taking things slow in a relationship) was the 5th top 5 single off the `Control' album (US #2, UK #3), a feat that was achieved for the first time by a female, and which she surpassed on her next album.

The brand new smoldering ballad `Twenty fore play' (with a nice change in tempo midway through) closes out this superb collection from one of dance music's premier songstresses.

Full of fabulous photos of Janet from 86 to 95 (including stills from videos), a very lengthy write up (including snippets from interviews with Janet and Jam & Lewis) on the evolution of her music from 86 to 95, as well as chart statistics and numerous awards received by Janet.

Superb!

P.S. The CD cover photo is different from what is displayed here on amazon; it is a black & white shot of Janet from the bust up, smiling and looking slightly to the left.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Janet's hit singles all on one cd!, June 15, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Denver colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Design of a Decade (Audio CD)

this cd has all the hit singles from control and rhythm nation, plus two bonus tracks: whoops now (which is the hidden track on janet.) and the best things in life are free (from the mo money sound track) The best things in life are free is a very cool duet with luther vandross. All the other cd's with this song are out of print, so this is the last chance to get it! the cover of the cd has a B&W picture of janet with some fierce cleavage, in a satin shirt. you may know this picture from inside the booklet of the regular D of a D cd. I love this cd! if you want to trade rare janet stuff, email me! [e-mail]

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Decade's Worth Of Funky Classics, April 12, 2003

By 

Busy Body (London, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Design of a Decade (Audio CD)

Janet Jackson's career over the past 20 years has been one of the most creative and interesting by any music artist. The release of her first two majorly successful records "Control" and "Rhythm Nation: 1814" in 1986 and 1989 respectively brought hit after hit in the US - with many No.1's, award wins and record-breaking sales. There was a time, although brief, when Janet was easily more successful than her much more famous brother, Michael. And so came "Design Of A Decade" in 1995. This greatest hits type collection boasts a wide range of hit singles that defined US pop culture and set new trends for the way music was made.

Many may argue that Design Of A Decade doesn't feature any material from Janet's first two very unsuccessful records ("Janet Jackson" and "DreamStreet"), but the time between the years 1986 and 1996 is, believe it or not, 10 years, so it gives us the massive hits along the way of a remarkable career. The collection charts Janet's rebellious years (Control), her political thinking years (Rhythm Nation) and her all out sexual exploration years (Janet).

Design Of A Decade begins with the 'new' song "Runaway." The song was one of two new songs on the record at the time, and is very fresh and upbeat. We are then treated to three undeniable classics, all from the "Control" album. These are "What Have You Done For Me Lately," "Nasty" and "When I Think Of You." All three songs have the trademark Janet beats, the funky and hard-hitting ones that really are nasty! The vocal arrangements are brilliant, and are perhaps the three songs which define what Janet Jackson's entire musical exploration is about - happy times, love, girl power, funk and strong opinions.

"Escapade" and "Miss You Much" are the next two songs, both of which were taken from the Rhythm Nation album - and both of which were massive US No.1's for Janet in March 1990 and September 1989 respectively! I absolutely adore both songs, and they are both definitely up there in my Top 10 for Janet's best songs ever. The former has a great upbeat mood, with lively and perky beats, while the latter has one of the most addictive and funky basslines ever with some great lyrics. "Whoops Now" is one of only two songs taken from Janet's self-titled third album, "Janet." The song is not really one of favourites because it seems too poppy for Janet's style, but then again it was a massive hit all over Europe.

The next two songs, "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" and "Alright," are another two smash hits that were taken from the Rhythm Nation album. The former is my all time favourite Janet Jackson song, which was a massive US No.1 in October 1990 and who could forget the multi-award winning video in which Janet, for the first time, wore close to nothing looking stunning in her black top and jeans? The latter is another superb song, but suffers a bit in the verses where Janet's vocals are not very clear. The final minute, however, is like a sledgehammer to the soul! That instrumental is absolutely classic. "The Best Things In Life Are Free" was Janet's biggest hit to date when it peaked at No.2 in the UK in August 1992. The song features Luther Vandross and is just a typical upbeat pop anthem.

Another two hits from the Control album follow in the form of the classics "Control" and "The Pleasure Principle." Both songs have brilliant beats and contain the message of independence that Janet has become famous for in the early years of her career. Both videos feature amazing choreography and won many awards. Yet another two massive hits from the Rhythm Nation album follow with "Black Cat" and "Rhythm Nation." The former was the second single from the album of the same name, and won the award for Best Choreography In A Video at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1990. The song has an amazing bassline and is a song about world politics. The latter was another big US No.1 for Janet in September 1990, and shows Janet at her most rockiest - something that would've been unthinkable a few years before.

Like with all Janet albums, the ballads are left until the very end. "That's The Way Love Goes" is the second of only two songs on this greatest hits collection to be taken from the "Janet" album. The song is officially Janet's biggest hit and topped the US chart for 8 weeks in May 1993. The song is a true classic, and easily one of the best R'n'B ballads of the past ten years. Many people have complained that this album didn't feature enough songs from the "Janet" album, and I have to agree. Where are amazing songs such as "Again," "Any Time, Any Place" and "If?" All three could've been added to make this collection even better.

"Come Back To Me" is another song from the Rhythm Nation album, and my favourite Janet ballad ever. The song has such an epic feeling to it, with an excellent sweeping beat. The lyrics are great and the song is just perfect to chill to. "Let's Wait Awhile" was taken from the Control album and peaked at No.3 in the UK in March 1987. The ballad is good, but not one of my favourites. Design Of A Decade closes with another new (at the time of this album's release) song in the shape of "Twenty Foreplay." The song is just not very good and is a rather disappointing end to such an excellent hits collection.

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

All in all, any Janet Jackson fan will need Design Of A Decade in their collection. The album has songs that were massive hits in America, but not so in the UK - only seven songs on this collection made the UK Top 10. And even more shocking is the fact that Janet is still waiting for a No.1 single in the UK! She's had many Top 5 hits, but still no No.1. Despite this, most of these songs are true classics and the two new songs at the beginning and end of the album serve as great bookends to this collection. On the inlay of the record, we get a full interview with Janet from David Ritz, and a double-page on all the awards Janet has won for just her first three albums. And believe me, she's won tons!