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Our Top 10 Millie Jackson Songs list takes a look at a popular r&b and soul artist. She started her career in the 60s. Three of her albums went gold. She is known for including spoken word in her songs. She is considered the godmother of hip-hop music. She has been labeled the Queen of raunchy soul. A lot of her songs have been sampled and covered throughout her career. She is known for singing songs about being the other woman, raunchy songs and women anthems. Some of her hits include “It Hurts So Good,” “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right,” “I Feel Like Walking in the Rain,” “Love Is A Dangerous Game,” “How Do You Feel the Morning After,” “Hot! Wild! Unrestricted! Crazy! Love!,” “My Man, A Sweet Man,” “If You’re Not Back in Love by Monday,” “I Got To Try It One Time” as well as other hit singles.
Millie Jackson was born Mildred Virginia Jackson on July 15, 1944. She started her career off as a model before she became a singer. She used to perform in clubs in New York City before she got her big break. She used to do spoken word in her act. It became a signature part of her sound. She released her self-titled album in 1972. It peaked at 166 on the soul album charts. It features the singles “A Child of God (It’s Hard to Believe),” “My Man, A Sweet Man,” “Ask Me What You Want” and “I Miss You Baby.”
It Hurts So Good was released in 1973. It peaked at number 13 on the r&b charts and 175 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “It Hurts So Good” and “Breakaway.” Caught Up was released in 1974. It peaked at number four on the r&b charts and 21 on the Billboard charts. It features the singles “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right,” “All I Want is a Fighting Chance” “I’m Tired of Hiding.” The album sold over 500,000 copies.
Still Caught Up was released in 1975. It peaked at number 27 on the r&b charts and 112 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “Loving Arms,” “Making the Best of a Bad Situation,” “The Memory of a Wife” and “Tell Her It’s Over.” Feelin’ Bitchy was released in 1977. It peaked at number four on the r&b charts and number 34 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “If You’re Not Back in Love by Monday,” “All The Way Lover” and “Angel in Your Arms.” The album sold over 500,000 copies.
Get It Out’cha System was released in 1978. It peaked at number 14 on the r&b charts and 55 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “Sweet Music Man,” “Keep The Home Fire Burnin’” and “Put Something Down On It.” The album sold over 500,000 copies. A Moment’s Pleasure was released in 1979. It peaked at number 47 on the r&b charts and number 144 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “We Got To Hit It Off,” “Never Change Lovers In The Middle Of The Night” and “A Moment’s Pleasure.”
Live and Uncensored was released in 1979. It peaked at number 22 on the r&b charts and number 94 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “What Am I Waiting For,” “Just When I Needed You Most” and “The Soaps.” E.S.P. (Extra Sexual Persuasion) was released in 1983. It peaked at number 40 on the r&b charts. It features the singles “Too Easy Being Easy,” “I Feel Like Walkin’ In The Rain,” “This Girl Could Be Dangerous” and “Why Me.” An Imitation of Love was released in 1986. It peaked at number 16 on the r&b charts and 119 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “Hot! Wild! Unrestricted! Crazy! Love!,” “Love is a Dangerous Game” and “I Need to Be By Myself.” She released several other albums throughout her career.
Millie Jackson is known for her raunchy singing style. She sings songs about sex and infidelity. She is an underrated artist because a lot of her songs are classic, but they aren’t mainstream hit singles. She wanted to play by her own rules. In addition to singing, she also did rap/monologues in her songs. She didn’t just sing a song. She told a story. She competed with artists such as Betty Wright, Isaac Hayes, Gladys Knight as well as others, but she managed to stand out from the others. This Top 10 Millie Jackson Songs list will feature her best songs.
# 10 – I Feel Like Walking in the Rain
The first song on our Top 10 Millie Jackson Songs list is “I Feel Like Walking in the Rain” from the E.S.P. (Extra Sexual Persuasion). The song has an r&b and soul beat. This soulful ballad is about a painful relationship. It is about not knowing who is at fault in the relationship. The lyrics are somber and melancholic. It tells a deep story about a painful relationship. This song will hit home with anyone who is involved in a troubled relationship.
This track is different from Millie Jackson’s other songs because it’s not sexually explicit. She also doesn’t use explicit language. This song gives her a chance to show off her tender side. The music is soft and gentle. The use of the saxophone makes the music sound sexy. There is a saxophone solo that is worth listening to. Millie Jackson’s vocals are very good. She sounds similar to Gladys Knight. Millie Jackson’s deep vocals blend well with the music. She doesn’t hold too many notes, but the song doesn’t require her to do so. She keeps her vocals simple which was all the song needs. She sings the background vocals as well. She sounds just as good in the background as she does in the lead vocals.
# 9 – (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right
The next song on our Top 10 Millie Jackson Songs list is “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right” from the album Caught Up. The song has an r&b soul beat. This is an emotional song about her having an affair with a married man. If it’s wrong to love the guy, she doesn’t want to be right. She has the difficult task of getting the listeners to feel sympathy for her since she’s involved with a married man.
Millie Jackson is singing the song from the other woman’s perspective. This is a cover of Luther Ingram’s song. Since this is a cover song, it’s time to ask the questions. Should she have covered the song? Did she make the song her own? The answer to the first question is maybe not because this song is so closely linked to Luther Ingram. The answer to the second question is yes. She makes the song her own. She makes the song more dramatic than Luther Ingram’s.
She also adds her signature spoken word in the song. Millie Jackson’s version was nominated for two Grammy Awards so she must have done something right when she decided to remake this track. She was a relative unknown artist when she recorded the album so it was quite a feat for her to be nominated for a Grammy for this cover. The musical arrangement is downplayed in the beginning of the song and takes off as the song progresses. The music features the drums, horns and strings to create the perfect sound for this track. Millie Jackson’s voice delivers in this track.
She sounds sad as she talks about being the other woman. When the song progresses she sings with passion. The spoken word is a departure from her normal style of rapping. She talks about what it’s like to be with a married man. The only complaint about the song is it’s lengthy. The song is almost 10 minutes.
# 8 – All The Way Lover
The sensual song is from the Feelin’ Bitchy album. The song has an r&b and soul beat. The titillating song is told in two parts. One part is about her wanting her man to go all the way with her. The other part admonishes women for choosing to watch soap operas instead of pleasing their men. The lyrics speak the truth to anyone who enjoys having sex with someone. Millie Jackson wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and let people know that she wanted to go “all the way” with her lover.
This song is a lesson to women about sexually pleasing their men instead of watching television. She was bold enough to sing a song like this. She was known for telling it like it is and she did just that with this track. People may have shied away from this subject, but she wasn’t afraid to go there. The music has a classic 70s vibe to it that can still resonate today. The sound never gets old. It sounds like something Isaac Hayes would have done. You can feel this music down to your bones.
The melody is similar to “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers. Millie Jackson sings this with a lot of soul. She sounds like a combination of Gladys Knight and Tina Turner. She pours her heart out in the lyrics. Her rap is featured in the song. It is funny as well as educational. It does feature explicit language. The rap is featured in the majority of the song. It could have been a shorter, but it is worth checking out.
# 7 – All I Want Is A Fighting Chance
The dramatic song is from the Caught Up album. The song has a funk and soul beat. The sassy song is about her confronting the wife of the man she wants. She wants the wife to know that she wants a chance to be with her husband. The lyrics are very bold and risqué. There aren’t any songs out there where a woman warns the wife that she is going to take her husband. She expects the wife to give her a chance to steal her husband. This proves how bold and bad Millie Jackson is.
She doesn’t care if she has to play dirty to get what she wants. This anthem is perfect for women who want to do the same thing, but aren’t brave enough to pull it off. Millie Jackson would have to be bold and sassy to pull off a track like this because she isn’t the protagonist in the song. She is the other woman, which makes her the antagonist or the villain of the song. The music blends funk and soul to create the sound. The music is dance friendly. The pace of the music speeds up after the spoken word in the beginning of the song. The horn is blaring throughout the song. The strings section is sizzling. The rhythm section is infectious.
Millie Jackson sings with rawness in her vocals. She sounds as if she is channeling her inner James Brown. She also sounds like Gladys Knight and Betty Wright. The music is loud, but she is surprisingly able to keep up with it. Since her voice is deep she might have had trouble keeping up with the loud music. She was able to pull it off. She belts towards the end of the song, which was incredible.
# 6 – Hot! Wild! Unrestricted! Crazy! Love!
The explicit song is from the An Imitation of Love album. The song has an r&b and soul beat. The raunchy song is about her having sex. She wants the listeners to know how much she wants to have sex with the man she loves. Women weren’t expected to talk about sex so fluently the way Millie Jackson did on her tracks. She didn’t play the same rules as other singers. She did what she wanted to do. She wanted to express how much she loved sex.
The music has a classic 80s flare. The music contradicts the theme of the song. The music takes away from the graphic nature of the song. If you were to go by the music, you would think this was a typical love song. You would have to listen to the lyrics to know that it is a raunchy song about sex. Maybe the producers pulled this trick so the song could airplay on the radio. Millie Jackson’s rap isn’t featured in this track, but it wasn’t needed. Her singing voice was all that was needed in the song. Her vocals are downplayed in this track. She doesn’t do a lot of belting the way she normally does. Her vocals are soulful. She showed that her singing style could work in the 80s as well as in the 70s.
# 5 – My Man, A Sweet Man
The next song on our Top 10 Millie Jackson Songs list is “My Man, A Sweet Man” from her self-titled album. The song has an r&b and soul beat. This is a romantic song about the way she feels about the man she loves. She talks about the way her man treats her right. This song is a tribute to her man. This song is relatable to anyone who has ever been in love and wants to celebrate having a good man. This is a departure from Millie Jackson’s other tracks.
She usually sings songs about having sex with men or taking men from other women. This is a sweet song about her appreciating the good man in her life. The song has an old school vibe to it. It sounds like a 60s doo-wop song even though the song was done in the 70s. The music is upbeat and energetic. It is hard to sit still listening to it. It commands you to dance to it. Millie Jackson’s vocals are passionate as she discusses how good her man is.
She belts throughout the song. She doesn’t hold any notes, but she didn’t need to. Her vocals soar without her holding notes. The rap isn’t featured in the song so you get a chance to focus on her exquisite vocals. This underrated song is definitely worth checking out. The song should have done better on the charts.
# 4 – Love Is A Dangerous Game
The sentimental song is from the Imitation of Love album. The song has an r&b beat. The poignant song is about taking a chance on love. She talks about the consequences of love. This track is giving you lessons on the dangers of love. You should check out this song if you aren’t sure about love. Here is a fun fact about the song. Billy Ocean wrote this song. The music is soft and sensual. The music sounds like a love song, not a warning about love.
The musical arrangement is excellent. It has a classic 80s vibe. It combines r&b and a little bit of jazz. The saxophone gives it a jazzy beat. The keyboard and drums help sell the music. It’s perfect for slow dancing. The music will bring you back to the 80s. Millie Jackson’s vocals are fire. She sounds like Gladys Knight, Tina Turner and Betty Wright in this song. Her voice is smooth like velvet. She has excellent timing. She sings in time with all of the beat changes without missing a beat. The background vocalists do a great job supporting her in the background. They harmonize well in the background. The song features her rap lyrics. The rap lyrics aren’t as raunchy as they have been in the past, but they are present in the song.
# 3 – If You’re Not Back in Love by Monday
The gentle song is from the Feelin’ Bitchy album. The song has an r&b and soul beat. This appealing song is about letting go of a love. This song will resonate with anyone who has lost a love. This is a cover of Merle Haggard’s song. This is the second cover song on our list so you know what’s coming. Should she have taken the risk of covering this song? Did she make the song her own? The answer to the first question is no because Merle Haggard’s song was a bigger hit.
His version is more known than hers so she took a chance doing this song. The answer to the second question is yes. She made this song her own. Merle Haggard’s version is a country version. The melody of his song is fast-paced. Millie Jackson’s version is an r&b song. Her version is a slowed-down version of the song. The two songs sound entirely different from each other. Her version is not a karaoke version of Merle Haggard’s track. She does the song justice. She pours her heart and soul out in the lyrics. She sings the song as if she wrote it herself.
She shows that she can do more than her alto voice would allow her to do. She belts throughout the song. Unfortunately, she doesn’t turn the track into a power ballad, but she does a pleasant job. She channels her inner Gladys Knight in this track. Everything about this song works from the music to the incredible singing.
# 2 – Ask Me What You Want
The pleading song is from the self-titled album. The song has an r&b, funk and soul beat. The alluring song is about her telling her man to ask her what he wants. She will try her best to give him what he wants. She doesn’t want his friends to know what’s going on with him before she does. This is a departure from what would become her signature style of music. This track doesn’t contain raunchy lyrics or explicit language. This is a simple song about a relationship.
The music has a classic 70s sound. It is a great blend of r&b, funk and soul. The strings are phenomenal. The drums give the song tempo so you can move around to the beat. Millie Jackson’s vocals are smoking hot. She shows versatility because she sings this in her higher register. She might sound a little unrecognizable to her fans until she starts belting. When she belts, you will know exactly who it is. She sings the song with a lot of passion. It’s hard to believe this is one of her earlier hit singles because she sounds like she had been singing for years.
The background vocalists do an amazing job supporting her in the background. Their harmonies are flawless. They are trying to give her a run for her money because they belt in the background too. This is one of her biggest hit songs and it’s easy to see why.
# 1 – It Hurts So Good
The number one song on our Top 10 Millie Jackson Songs list is “It Hurts So Good” from the album of the same name. The song has a funk and soul beat. This is a submissive song about a woman who loves a man who is bad for her. She puts up with his abuse because he is good in bed. She manages to make a song about an abused woman worth listening to. Most women wouldn’t find a man abusing her attractive, but Millie Jackson makes the subject work for her. It’s in line with the kind of songs she sings. The music is a mix of soul and funk. The horn section is smoking hot. The guitar is excellent. The piano is masterful. They all combine to create a bluesy and funky groove.
The music is compatible with the theme of the song. Millie Jackson’s vocals are superb. Her vocals are soulful and smooth. She sings with a lot of passion. Her voice is beautiful and sexy. You can forget that she is singing about a woman that is a masochist. This is Millie Jackson’s signature song so we saved the best for last. It is no surprise that this is her biggest hit single. She does everything right when it concerns her vocals. She makes you want to sing along with her.
Updated November 8, 2023
Top 10 Millie Jackson Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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