Janet Jackson Is Releasing a New Version of The Velvet Rope
Janet Jackson is reissuing The Velvet Rope, her sixth studio album released in 1997. The “Feedback” singer is celebrating a milestone: The record turns twenty-five on October 7.
Janet Jackson’s classic album, The Velvet Rope, is getting special treatment. It is arguably her most personal record, where she grappled with the pain of unresolved trauma stemming from her upbringing. The album was experimental, fusing various genres of music such as R&B, pop, electronic, jazz, and folk.
The R&B singer does not shy away from the pain of making The Velvet Rope, an album that took her twice as long to record compared to previous albums. This record was a six-and-a-half-month-long process, with Jackson revealing that she would get overwhelmed and have to take several breaks.
janet jackson • the velvet rope (1997) pic.twitter.com/7f8reDPLHo
— ✦ (@FAVEHITS) September 27, 2022
In an interview with MTV, Jackson expressed, “It’s childhood, it’s my teenage years, my adulthood. Lots of things that I have just carried with me, around with me. And I had my escapism so that I wouldn’t feel that pain. Ways of dealing… I think we all do that.”
The Velvet Rope initially contained 16 tracks, with iconic songs such as “Got ‘Till It’s Gone,” “I Get Lonely,” and other beloved classics. The deluxe reissue contains a whopping thirty-eight tracks:
01 Interlude: Twisted Elegance
02 Velvet Rope [ft. Vanessa-Mae]
03 You
04 Got ’Til It’s Gone [ft. Q-Tip and Joni Mitchell]
05 Interlude: Speaker Phone
06 My Need
07 Interlude: Fasten Your Seatbelts
08 Go Deep
09 Free Xone
10 Interlude: Memory
11 Together Again
12 Interlude: Online
13 Empty
14 Interlude: Full
15 What About
16 Every Time
17 Tonight’s the Night
18 I Get Lonely
19 Rope Burn
20 Anything
21 Interlude: Sad
22 Special
23 Can’t Be Stopped
24 Accept Me (Bonus Track)
25 God’s Stepchild (Bonus Track)
Component 2:
01 I Get Lonely (TNT Remix Edit) [ft. Blackstreet]
02 Got ’Til It’s Gone (Ummah Jay Dee’s Revenge Mix)
03 Go Deep (Timbaland/Missy Remix) [ft. Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott]
04 Together Again (Jimmy Jam Deeper Mix)
05 Every Time (Jam & Lewis Disco Mix)
06 I Get Lonely (Jam & Lewis Feel My Bass Mix)
07 Got ’Til It’s Gone (David Morales & Frankie Knuckles Def Club Mix)
08 Together Again (Tony Moran 12″ Club Mix)
09 Go Deep (Masters at Work Thunder Mix)
10 Together Again (Tony Humphries Club Mix Edit)
11 I Get Lonely (Jason vs. Janet the Club Remix)
12 Go Deep (Masters at Work Vocal Deep Disco Dub)
13 Got ’Til It’s Gone (Armand Van Helden Bonus Beats)
Janet Jackson’s The Velvet Rope paved the way for women in music, especially for women songwriters in R&B and pop music today. Her sixth studio album inspired many to take a chance and write a confessional album with dark and complex layers. From her documentary, JANET, the trailer teased, “This is the truth. Take it or leave it. Love it or hate it. This is me.”
We commend Janet Jackson for her honesty and resilience. Celebrate The Velvet Rope’s milestone birthday by streaming on all major music platforms.
Writer | Tweet me @court__giles
