About The Song
“The Pleasure Principle” is a song recorded by American singer Janet Jackson for her third studio album, Control (1986). A&M Records released it as the sixth single from Control on May 12, 1987. Written and produced by Monte Moir, with co-production by Jackson and Steve Wiese, the song is an “independent woman” anthem about taking control of a personal relationship by refusing to settle for loveless materialism. Musically, “The Pleasure Principle” is an R&B song built around a dance-pop beat. The photograph for the single cover was shot by David LaChapelle. The song has been included in two of Jackson’s greatest hits albums, Design of a Decade: 1986–1996 (1995) and Number Ones (2009).
“The Pleasure Principle” received positive reviews from music critics and was a modest commercial success. In the United States, it peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her first single to not reach the top-ten since “What Have You Done for Me Lately”. However, the single peaked at number one on the Dance Club Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. “The Pleasure Principle” reached the top 40 in most markets, but failed to match the international success of the previous singles from Control. It peaked at number 50 in Australia, number 35 in Canada and number 24 in the United Kingdom.
The accompanying music video for “The Pleasure Principle” was directed by Dominic Sena. It depicts Jackson entering a loft wearing a T-shirt and jeans to practice her dancing. She gives a solo dance performance while singing about the pleasure principle. The video was seen by critics as iconic and received two nominations at the 1988 MTV Video Music Awards, eventually winning one. “The Pleasure Principle” has been performed on many of Jackson’s concert tours, most recently on the Janet Jackson: Together Again Tour (2023). It was also performed on a few promotional appearances, including at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards. In 2008, Jackson’s lingerie line was named after the song.
Video
Lyrics
You might think I’m crazy, but I’m serious
It’s better you know now
What I thought was happiness was only part-time bliss
You can take a bow
It was all just one big night out on the town
Riding in your limousine
We turned right and I say wrong which brings us to a stop
As the light is changing
Oh, my meters running so I got to go now
It’s the pleasure principle, oh oh oh
It’s the principle of pleasure, oh
It’s the pleasure principle, oh oh
It’s true you want to build your life on guarantees
Hey take a ride in a big yellow taxi
I’m not here to feed your insecurities
I wanted you to love me
This has become an all too familiar scene
It’s not the first time I paid the fare
Where’d you get the idea of material possession?
Thank you for the ride nowhere
And, oh, my meters running so I’ve really got to go
It’s the pleasure principle oh oh oh, ooh
It’s the principle of pleasure ohh
It’s the pleasure principle oh oh oh oh
I know what you mean to me
Baby this is nowhere
You know what became between you and me
Human differential
Da-da-da-da, baby
It’s the principle of pleasure
Ohh, ohh-ah
It’s the pleasure principle, principle
Oh oh oh oh
You might say that I’m no good
I wouldn’t trust your looks baby if I could
I got so many things I wanna do
Before I’m through
Hey, ba-da-da-da-baby
It’s the pleasure principle
It’s the pleasure principle
Yeah, yeah, ay, yeah, yeah, ay
It’s the pleasure principle
Baby you can’t hold me down
Baby you can’t hold me down
After all the lovin’ we’ve been through
And after all you’ve put me through
Yeah yeah, hey yeah (oh)
Love me, hey yeah, love me yeah
Hoo hoo hoo hoo
It’s the pleasure principle
Oh (yeah, yeah), oh (yeah, yeah), oh