If (Janet Jackson song)

"If"
Single cover
Single by Janet Jackson
From the album janet.
Released	July 13, 1993
Format	CD single CD maxi single Cassette single Cassette maxi single 7" single 12" maxi single
Genre	Pop/ R&B
Length	4:31
Label	Virgin
Writers	Janet Jackson Jimmy Jam Terry Lewis
Producers	Janet Jackson Jimmy Jam Terry Lewis
Director	Dominic Sena
Certification	Gold
Chart positions	#4 (U.S.) #14 (UK) #17 (AUS)
Janet Jackson singles chronology
"That's The Way Love Goes" (1993)	"If" (1993)	"Again" (1993)

"If" is the second single by Janet Jackson from her fifth studio album janet.

Song Information

"If" has no connection to the song of the same title by the pop-rock band Bread. The song was written and produced by Jackson, Harris, and Lewis and became Jackson's second top five hit from the janet album. "If" deals with a female narrator's fantasies of being someone's girlfriend. The song was contains a sample from Diana Ross & the Supremes' "Someday We'll Be Together" and is built on a heavy metal guitar riff heard throughout the song. The combination of heavy hip-hop beats and electric guitar was a relative departure in sound for Jackson.

According to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, all three songwriters had some disagreement with the record label, Virgin, about which song from the album should have been the first single. "Everybody was talking about "If", says Jimmy Jam. "To me, your first single should say, ‘Welcome to the album. If you like this, check out the rest.' And we really felt "That`s The Way Love Goes" was in keeping with the spirit of the rest of the album. And since it went to number one, we proved that we were right!".

The single eventually hit #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Jackson's first #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. The single contains a b-side called "One More Chance" (5:54).

Music Video

File:JanetJacksonIf.jpg

Janet and dancers in "If" video.

The video for the song was directed by Dominic Sena. It takes place in a chinese brothel. The video begins with dancers entering from the roof of the brothel and coming up from the stage. Partons are also entering the club. The dancers begin their choreography and Jackson enters through gates at the top of the stage with silk red curtains. Jackson and her dancers perform erotic dances throughout the video. "If" won a MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video and was nominated for Best Dance Video and Best Choreography. The all dance version which features more choreography can be found on the VHS janet.

Charts

Chart (1993)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	4
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay	3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 R&B/Hip Hop Singles & Tracks	3
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream	2
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play	1
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi Single Sales	4
U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40	3
ARC Top 40	1
Official UK Singles Chart	14
Canadian Singles Chart	1
ARIA Top 50	17
Finland Singles Chart	12
German Singles Chart	25
Belgium Singles Chart	31
Holland Singles Chart	10
South Africa Singles Charts	1
Switzerland Singles Chart	27

Official Versions/Remixes

• Album Version (4:31)
• Radio Edit (3:49)
• Short Single Edit (2:59)
• Extended LP Mix (5:40)
• Brothers In Rhythm House Mix (7:10)
• Brothers In Rhythm Swing Yo Pants Mix (6:20)
• Brothers In Rhythm Dub (7:00)
• Tee's Freeze Mix (6:14)
• Tee's Radio Edit (4:02)
• Tee's Capella (2:09)
• Janet's Jeep Mix (6:26)
• TNT Bass Mix (5:36)
• D&D 7" Mix/Adult 7" Radio Mix (4:41)
• D&D 12" Mix/Adult 12" (5:47)
• D&D JDD Mix/Adult Dub (5:26)

External links

• Watch the music video
• Click here to download One More Chance
• If Lyrics