That's The Way Love Goes (Janet Jackson Song)

"That's the Way Love Goes" is a song by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson from her fifth album, '' Janet.'' (1993). The song was released in April 1993 by Virgin Records as the lead single from the ''Janet'' album. Written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the song's themes of romantic lust saw Jackson transitioning to sensual territory, considered a shocking contrast to her previous releases among critics and the public. The song's slow tempo fused R&B, pop, funk and soul music with flourishes of hip-hop. It received positive reviews from contemporary music critics, who praised it as "iconic", "hypnotic", and "extravaganza" for its production and vocals.

In the United States, to prevent radio leaks, Virgin Records issued a fictional release date of April 27 to pop and urban radio stations, but on April 14, two weeks before the purported release day, Virgin sent out promotional copies of the single to stations nationwide and ensured that these stations had added the song to their playlists before the day's end. Following its release, "That's the Way Love Goes" became one of the longest-reigning US hits of 1993, topping the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for eight weeks. It also spent multiple weeks at number one on several of ''Billboard''s other component charts and is certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Internationally, it placed at number one in several countries, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

"That's the Way Love Goes" received the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song in addition to Billboard Awards, BMI Pop Award for Most Played Song, and American Music Awards. Its accompanying music video, directed by René Elizondo Jr., received several nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards, including Best Female Video, and also influenced several videos, including releases from Ciara and Prince.

"That's the Way Love Goes" has been recorded by artists such as Bruno Mars and NSYNC, cited as an influence by Britney Spears and Nelly Furtado, and inspired or been sampled in songs by Alicia Keys, Destiny's Child and Hikaru Utada. It is considered to be one of Jackson's signature songs and is included in each of her greatest hits collections: '' Design of a Decade: 1986–1996'' (1995), '' Number Ones'' (2009) and '' Icon: Number Ones'' (2010).

Background

In 1991, Jackson fulfilled her contract with A&M Records, signing a multimillion-dollar contract with Virgin Records estimated between 32 and 50 million dollars, making her the highest-paid recording artist at the time. The first version of "That's the Way Love Goes" had a lovelorn tone which Jackson revised, contacting producer Jimmy Jam to say she was taking an alternate direction. Jackson was initially indifferent upon hearing its instrumental, prompting her to request a tape to listen to as she embarked on a brief vacation. Upon returning, Jackson replied "You know that track you did? I love it. It's absolutely the bomb," adding "I wasn't hearing it, but now I totally hear it. We've gotta do that track! Oh my God, we played it non-stop!" Jackson wished to write and record the song immediately, and quickly devised its title.

Jam commented that "That's the Way Love Goes" was the perfect introduction into what the album was going to be. At one point in the recording in December 1992, they took a two-week break for the Christmas holidays and Jackson went to Anguilla. She asked Jam to make a cassette of tracks they were already working on to take with her on the trip. Two weeks later in January 1993, she was excited about the track, requesting that her producers put the track on the album and explaining that she played it non-stop while she was traveling. The producer recalled, "At about one in the morning, the intercom went off in my bedroom. She goes, 'Jimmy? Are you awake?' I said, 'I am now'. She said, 'I've got the concept. It's going to be called 'That's the Way Love Goes'.' Throughout the whole project, it was our favourite record. ..there was something about that song that we just thought was so different and really captured that part of her life". In retrospect, Jackson called the song "relaxed and carefree", being "easy and fun, soft and seductive". When Virgin heads went to Minneapolis, Jackson and her producers played a rough cut of " If" for them. The executives felt it would be the first release from the album, and Jackson shared this feeling. However, Jam and Lewis, still wanted the label to release "That's the Way Love Goes" first. Jam recalled,

"Janet goes, 'Yeah, you're right!' Then she comes back a week later and says, 'Well… guys, it looks like 'If' is going to be the single. The record label feels it could have a great dance video...' So we were finishing up recording later with Chuck D and we played him and ip hop producerHank Shocklee the two songs. They said, 'If. That's like Janet saying I'm back!' So Janet's looking at us like 'See? See!?' And then he (Chuck) goes, 'But that other song… you know when Sade releases a record and it's not like a bunch of hype? She just slips it out there and you say, 'Oh my God listen to this!?' It introduces itself". And we're looking at Janet like, 'See!?'"

Composition

"That's the Way Love Goes" samples James Brown's 1974 song " Papa Don't Take No Mess" and the Honey Drippers' 1973 song "Impeach the President". It is set in common time, in the key of G minor. Jackson's vocal chords range between the tonal nodes of high-tone F₃ to low-tone Bb₄. The song is in a medium tempo of 100 beats per minute with a repeating chord progression of EbMaj7–F6–Gm. Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine noted its "measured hip-hop loop and titular one-line hook". Patricia Smith of ''The Boston Globe'' also noted that the chorus of the song consists of a simple line, "deep male voice weaves its way through the chorus, and Janet experiments with the layering of spoken lines, chanting the title like a mantra". J.D. Considine of ''The Baltimore Sun'' noted that Jackson performed the vocals in the composition at the lower end of her vocal register, "coaxing a velvety warmth" that perfectly complements the lyrics.

The composition begins with the "seemingly innocent" phrases such as "You'll be so glad you came", and goes on to more adult lyrics. Shayne Lee in her book ''Erotic Revolutionaries: Black Women, Sexuality, and Popular Culture'' (2010), while noting the whole erotic lyrics singer, wrote: "In 'That's the Way Love Goes' she promises to take her man to places he's never been. She urges him to reach out and feel her body; slow down because he's got her there all night; to go deeper, and that feels so good she's going to cry". ''The Crisis'' magazine wrote that Jackson has long been famous for her "self-conscious image of a good girl", but changed her lyrics' style. "Just listen to the spicy lyrics of her super-hit 'That's the Way Love Goes' and you will realize that she is no longer that cute little girl from the ''Good Times'' show".

Critical reception

"That's the Way Love Goes" was well received by contemporary music critics, praised for its sonic innovation and departure, evolving to an edgier and sensual style. Patrick Corcoran from Albumism stated that it is "a song that is greater than the sum of its parts." He added, "Its mid-tempo, James Brown and The Honey Drippers sampling groove manages to go hard and stay cool at the same time, while Janet's delicately wanton vocal and lyrics drip with sensuality." Alex Henderson of AllMusic qualified it as both "sultry" and "hypnotic". The song was considered one of several which displayed how Jackson "blossomed into a beautiful young woman," described as "a slow burn of a groove led by her sensual whisper," complete with "slinky guitars" revealing a hidden side of her persona. Andrew Hampp from ''Billboard'' said the song is an adult affair in comparison to Jackson's prior releases, saying "Janet leaves the flirting to the kids and instead lets her guard down for her lover ("Come closer baby closer / reach out and feel my body.")" Another editor, Larry Flick called it "a gorgeous midtempo jam fueled by warm classic funk and soul instrumental colors. Romantic, almost poetic lyrics, and an instantly memorable chorus are given depth by Jackson's caressing, whispery vocal and fluid guitar lines."

David Browne of ''Entertainment Weekly'' described it as "gently percolating pop" and "easygoing", with another critique stating "the sexy lyrical composition blends well with the seductively arranged harmony of the song." Bjørg Tulinius from Danish magazine ''Gaffa'' picked the song as one of "the best numbers" of the album, describing it as "soul-imprinted". Robert Hilburn from ''Los Angeles Times'' described "That's the Way Love Goes" as "one of the most endearing pieces of romantic pop confection of the '90s", adding "the song is a highlight of Jackson's latest and best album, "janet.," a "silky collection" exploring "questions of sexual awakening and desire with a classy sense of pop craft and convincing passion." The publication also stated "Summer pop doesn't get any smoother or more seductive," likening its quality as unheard for several decades, adding "You might have to go all the way back to Smokey Robinson and the Miracles or, even, the Drifters to find summer pop as silky and as inviting as this." Editor Maureen Sajbel considered it a "gentle love ballad". MTV considered it "sultry, slow-burning". Pan-European magazine ''Music & Media'' commented that "romance is back, and so is Janet, who writes the handbook of love on a beat similar to Charles & Eddie's Would I Lie To You. Exploring the borders between jazz dance and swing beat, Jackson is breathing sensuality."

Alan Jones from ''Music Week'' deemed it an "insidious cool tempo Jam/Lewis track hatweaves an intricate melody, at once maddeningly commercial and yet unbelievably delicate." Glenn Gamboa of ''Newsday'' declared "After two straight smash albums and a dozen immediate hits, Jackson takes a left turn," ultimately "focusing on vibe and groove and making the most of her voice." Jan DeKnock from ''Orlando Sentinel'' labeled it an "appealing midtempo number" with Jackson's vocals performed in a "lilt" technique. Touré from ''Rolling Stone'' described the song as a "warm bed of soul sounds." The publication praised Jackson's approach to sexuality, writing "Jackson evades reductive sexuality by demanding love and respect from both her partner and herself. She wants you to touch her, and love's got to do with it because "that's the way love goes." Janet won't stand for a trade-off — she wants love ''and'' sex." Sean Fennessey from ''Vibe'' called it "cool, sensual, simple." Richard Harrington from ''The Washington Post'' labeled it as "supple" and "sensual". An additional review stated "That's the Way Love Goes" and the ''janet.'' album "shattered any illusions the public still held that Janet remained a little girl. Filled with sexual desires and adult fantasies, Janet broke boundaries but still managed to channel her desires into chart-topping hits."

Chart performance

"That's the Way Love Goes" entered the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 14. Two weeks later, it became Jackson's sixth number-one single on the Hot 100, eleventh number-one single on the Hot R&B Singles chart, and ninth number-one single on the Dance Club Play chart. At the time of its release, the song's three week trek to the top made it the second-fastest rising single in Hot 100 history, behind the Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love". The single spent four weeks atop the Hot R&B Singles chart and Maxi-Singles Sales charts. To date, the song is Jackson's longest hit in the United States, and was also the seventeenth biggest hit of the 1990s. Six years after its release, ''Billboard'' ranked the song as the thirtieth biggest pop hit of the past forty-five years, and in 2007, ranked it as the nineteenth biggest hit ever by a female solo artist.

The song is among eight songs to reach the top ten of the Mainstream/Top 40 chart within two weeks of its release and is the longest-reigning number one hit among them, staying atop the chart for ten weeks. Jackson is one of the few artists with a minimum of ten top-ten hits on the Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover chart, with "That's the Way Love Goes" being her first appearance and number one on the chart. The single was certified gold by the RIAA on November 12, 1993, and later certified platinum. It sold over 1.1 million copies domestically.

Internationally, "That's the Way Love Goes" reached number one in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100 and the UK R&B Singles Chart. The song peaked at number two on the main UK Singles Chart (Jackson's highest-charting single in the country), charted within the top five in Finland and the Netherlands, and entered the top ten in Denmark, Germany, Ireland, and Sweden. In New Zealand, it became the first single by a female artist to debut at number one. The single is certified platinum in Australia and silver in the United Kingdom.

Music video

The music video for "That's the Way Love Goes" was directed by René Elizondo Jr. in March 1993. Set in a loft, Jackson is depicted amongst friends and is persuaded to play her new single. Jackson plays the song, briefly interrupted by a dancer who pauses it to express her approval. The song resumes while Jackson and company begin to dance, ending with Jackson talking and joking amongst her dancers. The video was choreographed by Tina Landon. To build anticipation, a promotional advertisement was aired on music channels for several weeks prior to the video's premiere, depicting Jackson narrating and introducing her dancers from behind a camera lens.

The video is iconic within popular culture, being the first glimpse of Jackson's seductive and adult image, in contrast to the bulky uniforms and military ensemble she was previously known for. The transition first began with prior video " Love Will Never Do (Without You)," portraying Jackson's newly-svelte figure and midriff-baring style, becoming her trademark image and iconic within entertainment. "That's the Way Love Goes" was nominated for Best Dance Video, Best Choreography, and Best Female Video at the MTV Video Music Awards. The video is featured on the ''Janet'' and '' Design of a Decade'' video compilations, special edition of '' All for You'', and '' From Janet to Damita Jo: The Videos''. Behind the scenes footage of its filming was also released. An alternate "One Take Version" focusing solely on Jackson appears exclusively on the ''Janet'' video compilation.

The video features a then unknown Jennifer Lopez, who appears as a backing dancer and has a spoken line in the video's opening dialogue. Lopez credits Jackson as her inspiration to enter the entertainment industry, saying "When I saw the ' Pleasure Principle' video it inspired me to get into this business," and "I can also never forget the magnificent Janet Jackson as she is a big inspiration for all my dance and music videos."

Reception

Jackson's previous video " Love Will Never Do (Without You)" was the "first inkling" of the contrasted image developed with the release of the ''Janet'' album and "That's the Way Love Goes." The transition is regarded as iconic and commended by many critics. Maureen Sajbel of '' The LA Times'' stated Jackson abandoned "the masculine clothes," becoming "refined and softened to a model-perfect feminine image." Sajbel wrote "Jackson's svelte figure is poured into black bell-bottoms and crop tops. She wears silver hoop earrings and wide cream and silver chokers that have sent adolescents streaming into stores asking for "Janet Jackson necklaces." ''Entertainment Weekly'' declared it Jackson's earliest foray into being "not just a cherubic pop star but a confident, self-sufficient, and sexy grown-up," calling the "slinky, body-revealing" video "the first volley."

''PopMatters'' commended its choreography as "sinuous seduction" and praised its concept, saying "the video for "That's the Way Love Goes" once again showcases Janet and her friends, but this time the portrait is much more sensual and relaxed. When this video was released, Janet had been out of the public eye for several years. The video gave hungry fans a fresh eyeful of a radiant, sexy-looking Janet, murmuring a tribute to the joys of physical love." '' Idolator'' also applauded Jackson's evolution, exclaiming "Ms. Jackson had finally shed her bulky "Rhythm Nation" uniform in exchange for a midriff baring top and a choker, long before anyone would associate her name with the words "wardrobe malfunction" ee Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy">Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy">ee Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy. The clip was thought to be "the most accessible version of the star the public had ever seen."

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