"Do What You Do" by Jermaine Jackson

Song#:  2105
Date:  10/27/1984
Debut:  64
Peak:  13
Weeks:  20
Genre:  R&B, Pop, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  After a slow start, Jackson's self-titled album began to take off thanks to the #15 single "Dynamite" (#8 R&B). To follow up that hit, this ballad was chosen for release. It did extremely well at AC reaching #1 and staying there for three weeks. Response was also good at Pop and R&B, but the single just missed out on reaching the respective Top 10's (#13 Pop/#14 R&B). The two hits pushed the album into the Top 20 and eventually it would be certified gold. The song's associated MTV video that featured a Godfather-like plot was also popular. Supermodel and future David Bowie wife Imam played the female lead in the video.

ReduxReview:  I liked "Dynamite" a lot, but this was the song that sold me on buying the album. It was just a beautiful song wonderfully produced and performed. It should have gone Top 10, especially since it was a huge AC hit. The album went gold, but it also should have done better. It was a solid LP and showed that Michael and Janet were not the only hitmakers of the family. The problem Jermaine had was that he was never as consistent with his solo discs as his siblings, so it was always hit-n-miss with him. However, when he hit the mark, like with this tune, he was excellent.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia: The week this song debuted, the chart was littered with Jacksons. Jermaine's "Dynamite" was still holding on as was The Jacksons' "Torture" and sister Rebbie's "Centipede." The Jacksons' song "Body" also debuted just two notches lower than this song. However, Prince outdid the Jacksons by having two solo songs in the Top 10, four other songs he wrote/produced for others (two for Sheila E., one each for The Time and Apollonia 6), and a cover version of one of his songs ("I Feel for You" by Chaka Khan).

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