THE #1 SONG 25 YEARS AGO TODAY WAS...

When I Think of You by Janet Jackson. And it was her very first #1 song. Janet, then just 20 years old, had just exploded onto the pop scene with her first #1 album, Control, and When I Think of You was the third single released off that massive record. Third time is a charm, because on October 18, 1986 Janet reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Of course, she would reach the peak nine more times (so far), but it's never as good as the first time. The music video is classic Janet, taking place on a set that is a big neighborhood with Janet and her dancers dancing through the streets, dance-fighting, and opening hydrants, shot so that it looks like it was all done in a single take, but with camera tricks and distractions to make cuts. It's one of her best videos of her career, IMHO, and really stands the test of time. Except maybe the hair. That's a little much, but very stylish for 1986. Anyway, enjoy Janet's classic cut When I Think of You and do the snake around your house/office. Whatever.