What Have You Done for Me Lately
Encyclopedia
"What Have You Done for Me Lately?" is the lead single
from Janet Jackson
's third studio album, Control
(1986).
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 Performance
and Best R&B Song
at the 1987 Grammy Awards
, where Jackson performed the song live. Jackson has performed the song on all of her concert tours, Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour
, janet. Tour
, The Velvet Rope Tour
, All for You Tour
, and Rock Witchu Tour
. It was also included in her current tour, Number Ones: Up Close and Personal
.
, as a common question that women ask their partners prior to breaking up.
The famous "LatelyBass" preset on the Yamaha TX81Z
(used extensively on house
and techno
songs of the late '80s and '90s) was based on the bass tone of this song, and subsequently named after it as well.
Prince
interpolated
the song in performances of his top twenty hit "Partyman
" during his 1990 Nude Tour
.
The song was interpolated for a medley sung in the 1993 comedy Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
, and was covered
by the American soul
/funk
band Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
in 2002 for their debut album, Dap Dippin' with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
.
"What Have You Done for Me Lately" ranked number three hundred and forty-one on Blender
s list of The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born.
The song is featured in the 1989 made-for-television Disney film The Parent Trap III
.
' s Rob Hoerburger expressed that "What Have You Done for Me Lately" erased the former "pop-ingénue image" of Jackson's first two albums. According to William Ruhlmann of Allmusic, Jackson was an "aggressive, independent woman" on the song. Connie Johnson from Los Angeles Times
gave the song a positive review, emphasizing her "spunky authority." Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine
praised the song, calling it "female-empowering" and wrote, "'What Have You Done for Me Lately' predates TLC's 'No Scrubs
' by over a decade. "What Have You Done for Me Lately" was compared favorably to similar recordings of female empowerment released by black women, such as "New Attitude
" by Patti LaBelle
, "Better Be Good to Me
" by Tina Turner
and "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves
" by Aretha Franklin
. Oprah Winfrey
commented: "What you're seeing in all the areas of arts and entertainment is black women internalizing the idea of black power and pride ... Black women started listening to their inner cues, rather than society or even the black community's idea of what they are supposed to be and can be." "What Have You Done for Me Lately" ranked number three hundred and forty-one on Blender
s list of "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born." For the 29th annual Grammy Awards of 1987
, "What Have You Done for Me Lately" received one nomination for Best Rhythm & Blues Song
but lost to Anita Baker
's "Sweet Love
".
at number 95. The song climbed moderatly and peaked at number four on the Billboard issue dated May 17, 1986. It spent twenty-one weeks on the chart and became the first top ten single for Jackson. The song charted well in Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
and Hot Dance Club Songs where it reached number one and number two respectively. "What Have You Done for Me Lately" became her first number-one single on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It placed at position 43 for the Billboard Year-End chart for 1986. The song was certified gold
by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) for the shipments of 500,000 copies. In Canada, "What Have You Done for Me Lately" entered the RPM Singles Chart
on March 29, 1986 at number 92. It peaked at number six on June 14 and became Jackson's first top ten hit and spent twenty-four weeks on the chart. It placed at position 53 on the RPM Year-end chart for 1986.
In United Kingdom, "What Have You Done for Me Lately" debuted on the UK Singles Chart
at number 67 and peaked at number three on May 3, 1986. It spent fourteen weeks on the chart and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry
(BPI) for the shipments of 200,000 copies. In New Zealand, the song entered and peaked at number 27 on the New Zealand Singles Chart
and spent nine weeks on the chart. In Australia, the song peaked at number six on the Kent Music Report
. In the Netherlands, the song became her first number-one single, topping the Dutch Top 40
for three weeks. Across Europe, the song reached the top ten in Belgium, Germany, Ireland and Switzerland.
, directed by Brian Jones and Piers Ashworth in December 1985, 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 Video
in 1987. The video's choreographer was Paula Abdul
, who appears in the video as Jackson's friend. The video also featured Tina Landon
who would later become a choreographer and personal friend to Jackson. It was made available on iTunes
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
" and "Mercedes Boy
". Jackson met Huston on the set of the television series Fame
starring Debbie Allen
, in which Jackson had a co-starring role and Huston was a featured dance student along with Jasmine Guy
, before the latter's A Different World fame.
Australian limited edition 7" single
U.S. and European 12" single
Canadian 12" promo single
Australian limited edition 12" single
Canadian 12" single
UK 7" single
UK 12" single
European 7" single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
from Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
's third studio album, Control
Control (Janet Jackson album)
Control is the third studio album by American recording artist Janet Jackson, released on February 6, 1986 by A&M Records. Her collaborations with songwriters and record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis resulted in an unconventional sound: a fusion of rhythm and blues, funk, disco, rap vocals,...
(1986).
Song information
The song was written by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry LewisJimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
James 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 Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for quality R&B songs...
and Best R&B Song
Grammy Award for Best R&B Song
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song has been awarded since 1959. From 1969 to 2000 it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song, from 1962 to 1968 it was known as Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, and from 1959-1961 as Best Rhythm & Blues Performance...
at the 1987 Grammy Awards
Grammy Awards of 1987
The 29th Grammy Awards were held in 1987. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.-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 of her concert tours, Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour
Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour
The Rhythm Nation World Tour is the debut concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson. It was launched in support of her fourth studio album Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 , and also contained material from her third studio album Control...
, janet. Tour
Janet. Tour
The Janet. World Tour is the second concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson. It was launched in support of her fifth studio album Janet . It began in November, 1993 and continued through April, 1995...
, The Velvet Rope Tour
The Velvet Rope Tour
The Velvet Rope World Tour is the third concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson. Launched in support of her sixth studio album The Velvet Rope , the tour embarked on an international trek that included Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand and Australia.Due to the fact...
, All for You Tour
All for You Tour
The All for You Tour was a worldwide concert tour in 2001 by American pop/R&B singer Janet Jackson in support of her multi-platinum album All for You...
, and Rock Witchu Tour
Rock Witchu Tour
The 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...
. It was also included in her current tour, Number Ones: Up Close and Personal
Number Ones: Up Close and Personal
Number Ones: Up Close and Personal is the sixth concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson. Described as her "largest world tour", the show is in support of her second compilation album, Number Ones...
.
In popular culture
The song, in particular its title, is referenced in the 1987 film Eddie Murphy RawEddie Murphy Raw
Eddie 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...
, as a common question that women ask their partners prior to breaking up.
The famous "LatelyBass" preset on the Yamaha TX81Z
Yamaha TX81Z
The Yamaha TX81Z is a rack-mounted frequency modulation music synthesizer, which was released in 1987. 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 house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
and techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States 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.
Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
interpolated
Interpolation (music)
Interpolation in music refers to an abrupt change in musical elements from the main theme.-In classical music:In 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
"Partyman" is a song by Prince from his 1989 Batman album, and the follow-up to his number one hit, "Batdance". The song is one of the few on the album that is prominently featured in the film, accompanying the scene where the Joker and his minions gleefully desecrate the Gotham City Art Museum...
" during his 1990 Nude Tour
Nude Tour
The Nude Tour was a greatest hits concert tour by Prince. While the previous tour drew critical praise, 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...
.
The song was interpolated for a medley sung in the 1993 comedy Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit is a 1993 comedy film starring Whoopi Goldberg. Directed by Bill Duke, and released by Touchstone Pictures, it is the sequel to the successful 1992 film Sister Act...
, and was covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by the American soul
Soul music
Soul 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...
/funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, 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-Kings
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Sharon 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 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-Kings
Dap Dippin' with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Dap Dippin' with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings is 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 Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender 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 film The Parent Trap III
The Parent Trap III
The 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...
.
Critical reception
Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
gave the song a positive review, emphasizing her "spunky authority." Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
praised the song, calling it "female-empowering" and wrote, "'What Have You Done for Me Lately' predates TLC's 'No Scrubs
No Scrubs
"No Scrubs" is a 1999 song recorded by R&B girl groupTLC for their album FanMail. Released as the album's first single, "No Scrubs" became TLC's third number-one single and eighth top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100. It also earned them their second Grammy nomination for Record of the Year...
' by over a decade. "What Have You Done for Me Lately" was compared favorably to similar recordings of female empowerment released by black women, such as "New Attitude
New Attitude (song)
"New Attitude" is a song performed by Patti LaBelle and written by Sharon Teresa Robinson, Jon Gilutin, and Bunny Hull. It was released in January 1985 and helped launch LaBelle's solo career as a pop music singer after the singer had spent seven years without a hit following the break-up of...
" by Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
, "Better Be Good to Me
Better Be Good to Me
"Better Be Good to Me" is a hit single from Tina Turner's solo album, Private Dancer. The song had originally been released in 1981 by Spider, a band from New York City with co-writer Holly Knight as a member. The Turner version was successful in the United States on the Hot 100 and the US...
" by Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
and "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves
Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves
"Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" is a hit duet recorded between British pop duo Eurythmics and American soul/R&B musician Aretha Franklin, released as a single by RCA Records in October 1985...
" by Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
commented: "What you're seeing in all the areas of arts and entertainment is black women internalizing the idea of black power and pride ... Black women started listening to their inner cues, rather than society or even the black community's idea of what they are supposed to be and can be." "What Have You Done for Me Lately" ranked number three hundred and forty-one on Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender 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." For the 29th annual Grammy Awards of 1987
Grammy Awards of 1987
The 29th Grammy Awards were held in 1987. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.-Award winners:*Record of the Year**Russ Titelman , Steve Winwood for "Higher Love"*Album of the Year...
, "What Have You Done for Me Lately" received one nomination for Best Rhythm & Blues Song
Grammy Award for Best R&B Song
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song has been awarded since 1959. From 1969 to 2000 it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song, from 1962 to 1968 it was known as Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, and from 1959-1961 as Best Rhythm & Blues Performance...
but lost to Anita Baker
Anita Baker
Anita Baker is an American R&B/soul jazz singer-songwriter. To date, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards, and has four platinum albums and two gold albums to her credit....
's "Sweet Love
Sweet Love
"Sweet Love" is the title of a popular song from 1986 by R&B singer Anita Baker. It was the second single from her critically acclaimed album, Rapture, Baker's second studio album.-Chart performance:...
".
Chart performance
"What Have You Done for Me Lately" was released on January 13, 1986 and became a breakthrough single. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
at number 95. The song climbed moderatly and peaked at number four on the Billboard issue dated May 17, 1986. It spent twenty-one weeks on the chart and became the first top ten single for Jackson. The song charted well in Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, 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. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
and Hot Dance Club Songs where it reached number one and number two respectively. "What Have You Done for Me Lately" became her first number-one single on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It placed at position 43 for the Billboard Year-End chart for 1986. The song was certified gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) for the shipments of 500,000 copies. In Canada, "What Have You Done for Me Lately" entered the RPM Singles Chart
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
on March 29, 1986 at number 92. It peaked at number six on June 14 and became Jackson's first top ten hit and spent twenty-four weeks on the chart. It placed at position 53 on the RPM Year-end chart for 1986.
In United Kingdom, "What Have You Done for Me Lately" debuted on the UK Singles Chart
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 selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number 67 and peaked at number three on May 3, 1986. It spent fourteen weeks on the chart and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure: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...
(BPI) for the shipments of 200,000 copies. In New Zealand, the song entered and peaked at number 27 on the New Zealand Singles Chart
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
and spent nine weeks on the chart. In Australia, the song peaked at number six on the Kent Music Report
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
. In the Netherlands, the song became her first number-one single, topping the Dutch Top 40
Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting...
for three weeks. Across Europe, the song reached the top ten in Belgium, Germany, Ireland and Switzerland.
Music video
In the music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, directed by Brian Jones and Piers Ashworth in December 1985, 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 Video
Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video
The Soul Train Music Award winners for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video :...
in 1987. The video's choreographer was Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
, who appears in the video as Jackson's friend. The video also featured Tina Landon
Tina Landon
Tina Landon is an award-winning Mexican-American choreographer based in Los Angeles who has worked with Prince, Anastacia, Mýa, Pink, Jay-Z, Marc Anthony, Kristi Yamaguchi, Aerosmith, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Shakira, Pussycat Dolls, Tina...
who would later become a choreographer and personal friend to Jackson. It was made available on iTunes
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
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 (Pebbles song)
"Girlfriend" is a 1987 single from R&B singer Pebbles' self-titled debut album. Reaching number five on the Hot 100 and number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, it was one of her biggest hits...
" and "Mercedes Boy
Mercedes Boy
"Mercedes Boy" is a 1988 single by Pebbles from her self-titled debut album. 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...
". Jackson met Huston on the set of the television series Fame
Fame (1982 TV series)
Fame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Although...
starring Debbie Allen
Debbie Allen
Deborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities...
, in which Jackson had a co-starring role and Huston was a featured dance student along with Jasmine Guy
Jasmine Guy
Jasmine Guy is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is best known for her starring role as Whitley Gilbert in the television sitcom A Different World.-Biography:...
, before the latter's A Different World fame.
Track listing
U.S. and Canadian 7" singleAustralian limited edition 7" single
- A. "What Have You Done for Me Lately" – 4:59
- B. "He Doesn't Know I'm Alive" – 3:30
U.S. and European 12" single
Canadian 12" promo single
Australian limited edition 12" single
- A1. "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Extended Mix) – 7:00
- B1. "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Dub Version) – 6:35
- B2. "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (A Cappella Version) – 2:19
Canadian 12" single
- A1. "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Extended Mix) – 7:00
- A2. "NastyNasty (song)"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 - B1. "Nasty" (Instrumental) – 4:00
- B2. "Nasty" (A Cappella) – 2:55
UK 7" single
- A. "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Single Version) – 3:28
- B. "Young LoveYoung Love (Janet Jackson song)"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" single
- A1. "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Extended Mix) – 7:00
- B1 "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Dub Version) – 6:35
- B2. "Young Love" – 4:56
European 7" single
- A. "What Have You Done for Me Lately" (Single Version) – 3:28
- B. "He Doesn't Know I'm Alive" – 3:30
Charts
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... |
6 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... |
7 |
| Canadian Singles Chart 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.... |
6 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
1 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
8 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's 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 captured... |
10 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
27 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music 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 75... |
9 |
| UK Singles Chart 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 selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
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| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 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... |
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| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, 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. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
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| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 2 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1986) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Singles Chart | 53 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 39 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 43 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Silver |
| United States | Gold |