Let's Wait Awhile
Let's Wait Awhile is a 1987 song by Janet Jackson, written by her, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Melanie Andrews. It appeared on the album Control.
History
Let's Wait Awhile was written by Jackson, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Melanie Andrews and produced by Jackson, Jam and Lewis. It is the first song on which Jackson participated in the production.
Upon its release on January 6, 1987, the pop-R&B-soul track reached #2 in the United States and became Jackson's fifth consecutive Top 5 hit.
In the United Kingdom, the song was released on 9 March 1987 and enjoyed similar success. A month after its release, the song reached number 3 in the UK charts and remained in the charts for a total of 10 weeks. Later, the song was honored with a silver record in the United Kingdom.
The song also became successful in Brazil that same year, when it was featured as the theme song for the telenovela Brega Chique on Globo TV.
The song is about waiting until the right moment to have sex. The song can also be interpreted as an anthem for sexual abstinence, as this song became a hit while AIDS was spreading worldwide. The melody of the verses comes from the song Daisy Jane by the folk rock trio America in 1975.
The song was a precursor to Janet Jackson's more sexually liberated image, which reached its peak with the Rhythm Nation 1814 track Someday Is Tonight, which can be seen as Jackson's willingness to delve further into intimate relationships than on her previous tracks. On her album janet. all songs deal with the theme of sexual intimacy. On Jackson's album 20 Y.O., the track With U follows Let's Wait Awhile. With U takes place after an act of intimacy in which two people in love are attracted to each other, resulting in "romantic confusion" according to Jackson.
The B-side of the single featured a Cool Summer mix of the songs Pretty Boy and Nasty.
Melody Thornton sang the chorus of Let's Wait Awhile on Jibb's 2007 single Go Too Far.
Jackson previously sang the song on her Rhythm Nation 1814 tour, janet. Tour, The Velvet Rope Tour, All for You Tour, Rock Witchu Tour and the Number Ones: Up Close and Personal Tour.
Music video
The music video was directed by Dominic Sena and was shot in New York City. In the music video, Janet Jackson and her boyfriend (played by Taimak Guarriello) go out for a romantic night on the town. Her boyfriend wants to end the night, but Jackson wants to wait until they are both ready.
