Jane Child - Don't Wanna Fall In Love

[Sharla]

A top two smash in the US in early 1990, Don't Wanna Fall In Love made history along with Sinead O'Connor and Lisa Stansfield when, for the first time in the US chart, the top 3 singles were by female solo artists, without an American in sight.

An alternative looking Canadian who surprisingly wasn't an angry lesbian, the song made number 22 in the UK but been given a new lease of life with its inclusion on the soundtrack of Grand Theft Auto 5.

Just 12 months earlier Madonna had broken records for making the most expensive video to date with Express Yourself. Jane's response was to get a friend with a camcorder to follow her around her on the streets of New York and in the studio.

 

[VoR]

Such an odd looking woman considering the music she made...

 

[POP!]

One of my favorite tracks of the 90s. I can totally see why she didn't have long term appeal and why this connected but what a tune! Perfect hybrid of that pop/New Jack Swing thing that was going on. It could've been on Rhythm Nation - and been one of the best things on it.

I actually discovered her through one of those VH1 countdowns (top 100 one-hit wonders, she was near the bottom but still) and loved the song so much that I tracked down used copies of both of her major label albums and they're actually rather decent and interesting pop records. She's very talented.

But back to the song- her delivery of the verses really exemplifies how to absolutely nail a terrific pop hook:

You've been hanging AARRRRRROUUUUNDD, BHHHOOOYYYY
And you have started SINKING IN
WHOOOA baby you're way out of line now!

She totally exhibits the intense joy/frustration/euphoria of the song

 

[POP!]

Re-visiting her self-titled album now (the one that featured her sole hit) and the production really is hideously dated but still some great tunes. The production and vocal style are really abrasive but everything has such a big chorus or hook about it. "Don't Let It Get to You" would've been a potential second hit off the album, pretty climatic and anthemic chorus it has. "Welcome to the Real World", the actual second single (that only scratched the US top 50), was probably too brash and socially conscious to really become a hit.

And on second thought, she was more similar to Prince than Janet. This is practically a Sheila E album that never happened.

 

[POP!]

Third post in a row but I totally forgot that "All I Do", a song on her second album, is an utterly amazing pop song:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zGP6QH2CtpY?list=PL6C1F29B281B53EBB" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Six minutes of pure joy put to record.

 

[POP!]

dp

 

[POP!]

Having a Jane Child revival. The follow-up, Welcome to the Real World", really was unfairly ignored.

Makes my blood BOIL in DEFIANCE
I fall to my knees and pray for GUIDANCE



The original video was so bizarre, apparently it was pulled by the label immediately before release because it made Jane look like a "witch"

 

[straightorbroken]

I truly miss Sharla's legendary writing style. What an OP.