Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.
So, as our retrospective segments, ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay,’ allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our latest feature – Chart Rewind – serves as a variation of our Retro Rewind assay to salute an entire era of music history.
This week, we think we wanna run it back to ‘Runaway’ – the first single from Janet Jackson‘s first greatest hits compilation, ‘Design of a Decade’ (1995).
Join us inside:
Conceptually a younger sister to Jackson’s 1990 hit, ‘Escapade,’ sonically the two songs couldn’t be more distinct as ‘Runaway’ rings as a worldly effort decorated with African and Asian influences in its lush instrumentation.
Layered with Janet’s oft-underrated background vocal stacks, the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis-produced cut was ear candy – a description American audiences apparently agreed with as the tune made history when it debuted at #6 in the Hot 100’s top 10 (making Jan the first female artist to ever do so).
Although it eventually ran to the top 10 in Ireland, Australia, Hungary, Finland, Canada, and the U.S. (where it peaked at #3 this week in 1995), ‘Runaway’ was only certified Gold in its home country.
The 22nd top 10 hit of her career in the U.S., this side of history may see ‘Runaway’ among Janet’s most underappreciated hits but it certainly hasn’t been forgotten. The tune is primarily remembered for its Marcus Nispel-directed music video that saw the Pop icon shout out many of the exotic locations, landmarks, and monuments listed in the song’s lyrics (see: Mexico, Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue, Great Sphinx of Giza, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Great Buddha of Kamakura, and many more).
Hot 100 This Week in 1995
Hot 100 This Week
Click here to see this week’s full ‘TGJ Chart Check: Hot 100’ edition.