"Don't Take It Personal" by Jermaine Jackson

Song#:  4126

Date:  12/02/1989

Debut:  88

Peak:   64

Weeks:  11

Genre:  R&B, Soul, Quiet Storm

Pop Bits:  Jackson earned his second solo career gold album with his '84 self titled effort. His '86 follow up Precious Moments couldn't do that well, but was still able to reach #46 Pop/#28 R&B. He would then work with a variety with songwriters and producers for his twelfth studio album Don't Take It Personal. This title track single would be issued out and it would go on to become Jackson's second (and final) solo #1 on the R&B chart. The song didn't catch on as well at Pop stalling in the bottom half of the chart. Two further singles from the LP would make the R&B Top 20, but would fail to make the Pop chart. With those results, the album peaked at #18 R&B/#115 Pop.

ReduxReview:  This was a sleek and sexy track that featured a nice performance from Jackson. These days the production sounds dated, but it was appropriate for the late 80s. I think a more classic, timeless arrangement might have elevated the track. It may not have been a good crossover prospect, but it did give Jackson one last big hit at R&B.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  For his next album, '91's You Said, Jackson would move over to the newly established Arista offshoot label LaFace, which was developed by songwriting/production L.A. Reid and Babyface. The LP would be mostly written by Reid and Babyface along with Russell Simmons. With that team's successful run of hits, it seems like Jackson's new effort would provide a comeback. Unfortunately, none of the LP's singles became major hits and that left it peaking at #39 R&B. It would be over ten years before Jackson would issue out another solo album. In between time he would appear on a few reality TV shows/competitions and co-produce the 1992 mini series The Jacksons: An American Dream.

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