"
What Have You Done for Me Lately" is the
lead singleA lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band from a given album. Sometimes, the lead single is not the first single . The first single could be a radio promotion that ends up being part of an EPK...
from
Janet JacksonJanet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Born in Gary, Indiana, and raised in Encino, Los Angeles, California, she is the youngest child of the Jackson family of musicians...
's third studio album,
ControlControl is the third studio album by American recording artist Janet Jackson, released on February 6, 1986 by A&M Records, and is widely regarded as the breakthrough album of her career...
(1986), and her first smash hit on both the pop and R&B charts.
The song was written by Jackson and
Jimmy Jam and Terry LewisJames Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
and produced by Jam and Lewis. Jackson helped with the lyrics of the song and was credited as a "co-producer", although she is not given official credit as a producer. The song deals with a relationship that has gone bad because the man is not doing enough to please Jackson, prompting her to ask the title question.
"
What Have You Done for Me Lately" is the
lead singleA lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band from a given album. Sometimes, the lead single is not the first single . The first single could be a radio promotion that ends up being part of an EPK...
from
Janet JacksonJanet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Born in Gary, Indiana, and raised in Encino, Los Angeles, California, she is the youngest child of the Jackson family of musicians...
's third studio album,
ControlControl is the third studio album by American recording artist Janet Jackson, released on February 6, 1986 by A&M Records, and is widely regarded as the breakthrough album of her career...
(1986), and her first smash hit on both the pop and R&B charts.
Song information
The song was written by Jackson and
Jimmy Jam and Terry LewisJames Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
and produced by Jam and Lewis. Jackson helped with the lyrics of the song and was credited as a "co-producer", although she is not given official credit as a producer. The song deals with a relationship that has gone bad because the man is not doing enough to please Jackson, prompting her to ask the title question. It received nominations for
Best Female R&B Vocal PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance has been awarded since 1968. The award has had several minor name changes:* In 1968 it was awarded as Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Female...
and
Best R&B SongThe Grammy Award for Best R&B Song has been awarded since 1969. From 1969 to 2000 it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for music released in the previous year. The award is given to the writer of the song...
at the
1987 Grammy AwardsThe 29th Grammy Awards were held in 1987. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.__FORCETOC__- Award winners :*Record of the Year**Russ Titelman , Steve Winwood for "Higher Love"*Album of the Year...
, where Jackson performed the song live. Jackson has performed the song on all five of her concert tours,
Rhythm Nation 1814 TourThe Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour was Janet Jackson's first worldwide tour in support of her multi-platinum album, Rhythm Nation 1814. The tour started on March 1, 1990 at the Miami Arena. The tour was a 9-month long venture. Criss-crossing the U.S. before flying into Japan on May 1990. The Japan tour...
,
janet. TourJanet Jackson went on a second worldwide tour for the "janet." album. The "janet. World Tour" was kicked off in Cincinnati, Ohio on November 24, 1993. The show was a sold out and was featured in a one hour special covered by MTV. She performed numerous hits from her last two albums, and of course,...
,
The Velvet Rope TourThe Velvet Rope Tour was Janet Jackson's follow up to the 93-95 janet. Tour. The tour followed a similar theme to The Velvet Rope album with very dark and explicit themes...
,
All for You TourBeginning in July 2001, Janet Jackson's All for You Tour was a concert tour designed to promote the release of her 2001 album All for You...
, and
Rock Witchu TourThe Rock Witchu Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer-songwriter, Janet Jackson, in support of her tenth studio album Discipline. This was Jackson's first tour in nearly seven years. The tour visited North America...
.
In popular culture
The song, in particular its title, is referenced in the 1987 film
Eddie Murphy RawEddie Murphy Raw is an American stand-up comedy film directed by Robert Townsend and starring Eddie Murphy. It was Murphy's second feature stand-up video, following Eddie Murphy Delirious. The 90 minute show was filmed in New York City's Felt Forum, the venue in the Madison Square Garden complex...
, as a common question that women ask their partners prior to breaking up.
It should be noted that the famous "LatelyBass" preset on the
Yamaha TX81ZThe Yamaha TX81Z is a rack-mounted frequency modulation music synthesizer, which was released in 1986. Unlike previous FM synthesizers of the era, the TX81Z was the first to employ a range of oscillator waveforms other than just sine waves, giving it its unique, grating timbre...
(used extensively on
houseHouse is a style of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American and Latino American communities, first in Chicago, then in New York City, New Jersey, Detroit and Miami...
and
technoTechno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan, USA during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
songs of the late '80s and '90s) was based on the bass tone of this song, and subsequently named after it as well.
PrincePrince Rogers Nelson is an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor. He performs under the mononym Prince but has also been known by various other names, most notably the unpronounceable symbol which he used as his stage name between 1993 and 2000...
interpolatedIn music and musical composition, especially 20th century and later, interpolation is an abrupt change of elements, with continuation of the first idea...
the song in performances of his top twenty hit "
Partyman"Partyman" was Prince's follow up to the No. 1 hit "Batdance". The song's accompanying music video is often regarded by fans as one of his finest, again presenting Prince's "Gemini" persona dressed in a "half-Joker" costume...
" during his 1990
Nude TourThe Nude Tour was a greatest hits concert tour by Prince. While the previous tour drew critical, the high cost of the concert tour production made it a financial disappointment, thus Prince eliminated much of the excessiveness of the previous tour to be more financially viable. Like recent tours,...
.
The song was interpolated for a medley sung in the 1993 comedy
Sister Act 2: Back in the HabitSister Act 2: Back in the Habit is the 1993 comedy film starring Whoopi Goldberg, directed by Bill Duke, and released by Touchstone Pictures. It's the sequel to the successful 1992 film Sister Act....
, and was
coveredIn popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition of a previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by the American
soulSoul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
-
funkFunk is an American music genre that originated in the late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, soul jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
band
Sharon Jones & The Dap-KingsSharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are a funk/soul band. They are signed to Daptone Records, where the Dap-Kings are the house band. They are widely thought to be spearheads of a revivalist movement that aims to capture the essence of funk/soul music as it was at its height in the mid-1960s to mid-1970s...
in 2002 for their debut album,
Dap Dippin' with Sharon Jones and the Dap-KingsDap Dippin' with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings is a the debut album by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, released in 2002 . It is also the first full length release from Daptone Records.-Track listing:...
.
"What Have You Done for Me Lately" ranked number three hundred and forty-one on
BlenderBlender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
s list of The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born.
The song is featured in the 1989 made for television Disney Movie The Parent Trap IIIThe Parent Trap III is a 1989 television movie. It is the second sequel to the 1961 film The Parent Trap. It was released by The Wonderful World of Disney in 1989...
.
Chart performance
Released in February 1986, "What Have You Done for Me Lately" is known as the breakthrough single for Jackson; it was her first big hit after several years of minor success on the R&B chart, and helped her to establish an artistic identity separate from that of her brother, Michael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson , known as the "King of Pop", was an American musician and one of the most commercially successful and influential entertainers of all time...
.
The single debuted on the U.S. Billboard
Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart at number ninety-five the week of February 22, 1986, and checked into the top forty of the chart a month later, advancing from number forty-eight to number thirty-nine. Eight weeks later, the week of May 17, 1986, "What Have You Done for Me Lately" reached its peak position of number four. It also spent two weeks atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsR&B/Hip-Hop Songs, formerly the Black Singles Chart, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues...
chart. On the Billboard year-end charts of 1986, it was ranked number forty-three on the Hot 100 singles, number thirteen on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsR&B/Hip-Hop Songs, formerly the Black Singles Chart, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues...
singles, and number twenty-eight on the Hot Dance Club Play singles. The single was certified gold by the
Recording Industry Association of AmericaThe Recording Industry Association of America is a group which represents the recording industry distributors in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors, which the RIAA say "create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate sound recordings...
on November 12, 1990 and silver by the
British Phonographic IndustryThe British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association. Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four 'major' record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies representing...
on May 1, 1986.
"What Have You Done for Me Lately" was also an international hit and one of Jackson's biggest hits outside of the United States. It peaked at number one in the Netherlands, and made the top five in Canada and the United Kingdom and the top ten in Australia, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Ireland.
Music video
In the
music videoA music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music/song. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of music videos go back much further, they came into their own in the...
, directed by Brian Jones and Piers Ashworth, Jackson goes to a funky diner with her friends to talk about her relationship problems. Her boyfriend shows up with his friends, and Jackson decides to give him a piece of her mind. In the video, Jackson's reality is a dark world with faded colors. In a more dreamscape world, the colors are vibrant and everything is 2-D. The "What Have You Done for Me Lately" video won a Soul Train Music Award for
Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music VideoThe Soul Train Music Award winners for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video :...
in 1987. The video's choreographer was
Paula AbdulPaula Julie Abdul is an American pop singer, record producer, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality....
, who appears in the video as Jackson's friend. It was made available on
iTunesThe iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple Inc. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, it was as of April 2008 the number-one music vendor in the United States. As of January 2009, the store has sold 6 billion songs, accounting for 70% of...
on February 1, 2007.
Music video actor-dancer Rudy Huston played Jackson's boyfriend in the video and was also in numerous other videos of the era including Pebbles' top ten hits "
Girlfriend"Girlfriend" is a 1987 single from R&B singer Pebbles's self-titled debut album. Reaching number five on the Hot 100 and numberone on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, it was one of her biggest hits. . "Girlfriend" also peaked at number twenty-four on the dance charts...
" and "
Mercedes Boy"Mercedes Boy" is a 1988 single by Pebbles. It reached #2 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. It was performed on Soul Train where it was predicted to become a top ten hit. "Mercedes Boy" also peaked at number two for two weeks on the dance...
". Jackson met Huston on the set of the television series
FameFame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name and was hugely popular during its first few seasons. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York...
starring Debbie AllenDeborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. She is probably best known for her role as Lydia Grant in the 1982 TV series Fame...
, in which Jackson had a co-starring role and Huston was a featured dance student along with Jasmine GuyJasmine Guy is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is best known for her starring role as Southern belle Whitley Gilbert in the television series A Different World.-Biography:...
, before the latter's A Different World fame.
Track listings and formats
U.S. and Canadian 7" single
Australian limited edition 7" single
- "What Have You Done for Me Lately" – 4:59
- "He Doesn't Know I'm Alive" – 3:30
U.S. and European 12" maxi single
Canadian 12" promo maxi single
Australian limited edition 12" maxi single
- "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Extended Mix) – 7:00
- "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Dub Version) – 6:35
- "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (A Cappella Version) – 2:19
Canadian 12" maxi single
- "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Extended Mix) – 7:00
- "Nasty
"Nasty" is the second single from Janet Jackson's third studio album, Control . Released in 1986, the single peaked at number three on Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and remains one of Jackson's signature songs. Paula Abdul choreographed the music video and appeared...
" (Extended) – 6:00
- "Nasty" (Instrumental) – 4:00
- "Nasty" (A Cappella) – 2:55
UK 7" single
- "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Single Version) – 3:28
- "Young Love
"Young Love" was the first single from Janet Jackson's self-titled debut album. The song peaked at #64 on the Pop Charts and #6 on the R&B Charts, becoming her first top ten R&B single...
" – 4:56
UK 12" maxi single
- "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Extended Mix) – 7:00
- "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Dub Version) – 6:35
- "Young Love" – 4:56
European 7" single
- "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Single Version) – 3:28
- "He Doesn't Know I'm Alive" – 3:30
Official versions/remixes
- Album Version – 4:59
- A Cappella – 2:19
- Design of a Decade International Edit – 3:32
- Design of a Decade US Edit – 4:44
- Dub Version – 6:35
- Extended Mix – 7:00
- Single Version – 3:28
Charts
| Chart (1986) |
Peak
position |
| Australian Singles Chart The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
|
6 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 50 is the chart of best selling singles in Flanders. The charts have existed since March 31, 1995.There are 10 different charts under the name "Ultratop":* Ultratop 50 Singles * Ultratop 50 Albums...
(Flanders) |
7 |
| Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays....
|
2 |
| Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the pirate radio channel Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the pirate radio channel was forced to stop. Joost den Draaijer was the initiator of...
|
1 |
| French Singles Chart The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organisation which protects the interests of the French record industry...
|
56 |
| German Singles Chart The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband der phonographischen Wirtschaft...
|
8 |
| Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data...
|
10 |
| Chart (1986) |
Peak
position |
New Zealand Singles ChartThe Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists in New Zealand. Membership of RIANZ is open to any record label operating in New Zealand.-Piracy:...
|
27 |
| Swiss Singles Chart The Swiss Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:*Singles Top 100...
|
9 |
| UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
|
3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
|
4 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, formerly the Black Singles Chart, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues...
|
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play |
2 |