Throwbacks: Janet Jackson - "When I Think of You"

A&R executives actually passed on "How Will I Know"—the track that eventually minted Whitney Houston as a pop titan—because it didn't fit the militant groove of Janet Jackson’s third album, Control. That 1986 LP was built on Minneapolis funk and aggressive independence. We got the tough-talking "Nasty" and "What Have You Done For Me Lately." But then, on July 28, 1986, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis dropped the album's third single, "When I Think of You."

The heavy, swinging bass line anchors the track while bright piano stabs and synthesized horns bounce across the top. Janet’s vocal is airy, floating above the groove. She sings about the pure, uncomplicated relief of finding peace in a lover. It acts as a breather from the album's rigid armor. Honestly, "When I Think of You" is the secret weapon of the Control era. Without this dose of pure joy, the album's tough exterior might have felt exhausting. It became her first number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 and crossed over to hit number 10 in the United Kingdom. Jam and Lewis knew exactly what they were doing. Hit play below.