"Escapade" is the third single from American R&B-pop
singer Janet Jackson's fourth studio album,
Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814(1989).
"Escapade" was inspired by the Martha & the Vandellas
1965 single "Nowhere to Run", which Jackson originally intended
to remake, but instead choose to record a new song with a
similar feel after a suggestion from producer Jimmy Jam.
Written by Jackson, James Harris III, and Terry Lewis, the
song peaked at number one on the Hot 100 for three weeks in
early March 1990, becoming Jackson's third number-one single.
It also topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Dance Club
Play charts, and was certified gold by the RIAA.
Jackson has performed the song on all of her tours,
including the Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour, janet. Tour, The Velvet
Rope Tour, All for You Tour, and Rock Witchu Tour.
The music video for the song, directed by Peter Smillie,
takes place at a Mardi Gras-like carnival. On April 27, 2007,
the video was made available on the iTunes Store.
The song was also featured on a Japan Airlines commercial in
1990.
"Escapade" is set in common time with a key of A major.
Jackson's vocal chords ranges between the tonal nodes of
high-tone Ab
3to low-tone Eb
5. The song is in a medium dance groove tempo of 120
beats per minute with the chord progression being set like
Am–E–Gb.
