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The Velvet Rope


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The Velvet Rope

"The Velvet Rope" became Janet's most introspective work, taking her fans behind the Velvet Rope of her private thoughts and reflections while exploring her journey toward self-knowledge and acceptance. The album's single, "Got 'Til It's Gone" won the 1997 Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video. The album's second single, "Together Again," became Janet's eighth number one hit on Billboards Hot 100 singles chart and spent 46 weeks on the Hot 100. "The Velvet Rope" was honored by the National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum, and received the award for Outstanding Music Album at the 9th Annual GLAAD Media Awards.

Interlude: Twisted Elegance

Velvet Rope

You

Got 'Til It's Gone

Interlude: Speaker Phone

My Need

Interlude: Fasten Your Seatbealts

Go Deep

Free Xone

Interlude: Memory

Together Again

Interlude: Online

Empty

Interlude: Full

What About

Every Time

Tonight's The Night

I Get Lonely

Rope Burn

Anything

Interlude: Sad

Special

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By the time TVR came out I was a full fledged stan! Janet was everywhere.

I loved it on the first listen. It reminded me of RN in terms of genius, but this album had a darker side which I was fascinated by. The theme, the videos, Janet winning best female at MTV Europe music awards - TA being EVERYWHERE was just amazing.

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This album is....so great. I mean lyrically. Empty went over my head when I first heard it. All of the songs on this album were deep. I still havent heard any album like this one. Who you know could pull out domestic violence on a song and perform it like that? Someone who lived it? Anything still stands as one of the most beautiful songs ever. JAN. HOVA. TAKES. ME. THERE.

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Gotta love this album, it's Janet at her most introspective. "I Get Lonely" is one of her best R&B jams. "Can't Be Stopped" has always been one of my favorites too, and of course the worldwide hit "Together Again" ~ that's actually my favorite video from this era. Oh yeah, and the accompanying tour was her best one yet!

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I was 18 y.o. when this album emerged. I was in the military ready to head over to Korea. This album was so different than anything she's ever done. I couldn't relate to some of the music because Janhova used messages and words that I hadn't experienced before. But years later, I started to appreciate it's brilliance. The words associated with it like "instrospective", "dark", and "moody" only perpetuated my love for it. Arguably, her best album she's ever did and the best album from an artist. Who but Janhova can feel depressed after all the achievements, fame, and money she acquired. "There's nothing more depressing than having everything..and still feeling sad"..WHAT KIND OF BIBLICAL SCRIPTURE!

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We have a special neeeeeeed to feel that we belong, come with me inside.....Inside my velvet rope.

Its like shes Jesus or something. Its crazy how great Janet's music is. Without a beat or her harmonies those lyrics would still get at you. She doesn't need elaborate videos to suffice a spark her music lacks because its there. In the words she's written.

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The Velvet Rope! Let's start with the title--a fucking metaphor for the need we have to feel special "that brings out the best in us, yet the worst in us." It closes us off from ourselves and others. What kind of artistry?!

I love every song on this album. It's so introspective, dark at times, with a shimmer of light. We are exposed to the internal struggles, desires, and fears of Janhovah Damitallah Jacksus. It's an album about exposing the deepest parts of yourself and learning to accept yourself.

Her feelings of inadequacy (special, you, can't be stopped, etc. ), discussion of homsexuality (free xone, tonight's the night, together again (to a degree), and domestic abuse (what about) move me the most on this album.

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this is the album that made me a stan!!!!!!! i was hooked when i heard you, not to mention the HBO special of the tour, it was the first cd i ever bought with my own allowance money lol i was 11 i made my mom buy me the velvet rope tour VHS! i watched it so much i know all the routines from beginning to end still to this day... back to the album.....my fave tracks are: you, my need, empty, IGL, anything, and can't be stopped, i love janet but i feel this was the last album she really put her blood, sweat, and tears into, everything about this era was perfection, she danced and performed her hardest on this tour IMO. this album proved she was an artist in her own right not just a jackson, she wasnt afraid to GO THERE! it wasnt about the glamour, glitz as janet, judging by the cover it really set the mood of the album, who does a cover and puts their head down only showing a black sweater and hair?!?!? she really let her freak flag fly with this album

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