Again (Janet Jackson song)
"Again" | ||||
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![]() Standard cover art (US CD single pictured) | ||||
Single by Janet Jackson | ||||
from the album Janet | ||||
B-side |
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Released | October 12, 1993 | |||
Recorded | 1992 | |||
Studio | Flyte Tyme (Edina, Minnesota) | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:47 | |||
Label | Virgin | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Janet Jackson singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Again" on YouTube |
"Again" is a song by American singer and songwriter Janet Jackson from her fifth album, Janet (1993). The song was also included as the closing song to the 1993 film Poetic Justice. Written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the ballad was released as the album's third single on October 12, 1993, by Virgin Records, and talks about the reconnection with an old lover. Originally an experimental sound Jam and Lewis was considering for the album, they did not give the song serious contemplation until the film producers from Poetic Justice requested a ballad for the soundtrack.
Critics were divided on their opinions of "Again". Some praised it as a highlight from the Janet album and a classic, while other critics responded negatively to its sentimental lyrical content. However, "Again" became a commercial success, topping the US Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in late 1993 as well as the Cash Box Top 100, while also reaching the top 10 in Canada, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
"Again" received Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song.[1][2] Jackson's then-husband René Elizondo Jr. directed a music video for the song, which was released in two versions: one with and one without scenes from Poetic Justice. The song was covered by How to Dress Well for his second album, Total Loss and sampled by Iyaz on his 2010 single, "Solo".
Background and recording
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/JanetJacksonTour.jpg/130px-JanetJacksonTour.jpg)
In 1992, Janet Jackson filmed her first film, Poetic Justice, prior to recording a new album. In "Poetic Justice", Justice (Jackson) uses her poetry to deal with her grief after her boyfriend is killed in a shooting incident at a drive-in.[3] After shooting the film, Jackson started recording a new album, declaring that the film inspired her to take new direction in her music, "Rhythm Nation was a heavy record, and Poetic Justice was a heavy movie. I wanted to do something lighter but also daring ... When I wrote the album, I was still in a poetic frame of mind, inspired by Maya's beautiful language."[4]
"Again" was originally an experimental sound the production duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis was considering for the album. While Jackson found its melody compelling, the trio did not give the song serious contemplation until the film producers from Poetic Justice requested a ballad for the film's soundtrack. Jackson subsequently wrote the lyrics for "Again" and shaped them around Jam's melody.[5] The song was eventually included as the closing song to the film, but was not included on its soundtrack album. It was later released as janet.'s third single on October 12, 1993, with the jazz-funk track "Funky Big Band" from the album appearing on the single as a B-side, as well as a French version of the song, which also appeared on the limited edition of the janet. album. For this version, Janet Jackson is helped by André Manoukian.[6]
Composition and lyrics
[edit]"Again" was written and produced by Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. It is set in common time with a key of C major. Jackson's vocal cords ranges between the tonal nodes of low-tone G3 to high-tone D5. The song is in a moderate tempo of 64 beats per minute with the chord progression being set like C–G–Am–F–C–Dm7/G in the first verse and C–E–Am7–D9 in the chorus.[7] "Again" is a "lightweight" "Pop crossover" piano ballad,[8][9] based on a lost love. The song's story is about running into an old friend, only to discover that the feelings for that person are as strong as ever. "Kinda late in the game and my heart is in your hands. Don't you stand there and then tell me you love me and leave me again," she sings.[10]
Critical reception
[edit]"Again" divided music critics. Despite calling it a "throwaway", Alex Henderson of AllMusic named the song a highlight from the album.[11] Larry Flick from Billboard called it "a delicate ballad". He added, "Her evocative voice is swathed in grand piano lines and quasi-orchestral strings that will thrill ardent fans at top 40 radio. Melancholy lyrics are icing on a sweet musical cake that millions will want to taste."[12] In a "classic track-by-track review", another Billboard editor, Andrew Hampp, remarked, "By the time Jackson pleas at the song's close, seemingly choking back tears, "Cause I've fallen in love with you again," it's hard not to get misty even after countless listens."[13] Essence ranked "Again" as the number-four Greatest Break-up song of all-time.[14] John Martinucci from the Gavin Report described it as "a tender love song that definitely tugs on the heart strings."[15] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton viewed it as "a slushy ballad".[16] Alan Jones from Music Week gave it four out of five and named it Single of the Week, stating that "this fragile and fragrant ballad draws a sophisticated vocal performance from Jackson. With full orchestral accompaniment, it is sweet but not saccharine, and is likely to grow into a huge hit."[17] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine called it "the most treacly, saccharine ballad Janet has ever recorded, complete with the kind of teary breakdown one might expect from her brother."[18]
Chart performance
[edit]"Again" was a success on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, debuting in October 1993.[19] The song topped the Billboard charts for two weeks in December 1993, being certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The song spent 15 weeks in the top 10, making it Jackson's longest running top-10 single.[19] The song was also a number-one hit on the Cash Box Top 100 and a success on other Billboard component charts, including the Top 40 Mainstream (peaking at number two),[20] the Rhythmic Top 40 (number three),[21] Adult Contemporary (number four),[22] and Hot R&B Singles & Tracks (number seven).[23] In Canada, the song was also a success, reaching number two.[24] In the United Kingdom, "Again" was a success, peaking at number six, becoming her sixth top-10 single.[25]
Elsewhere, the song peaked inside the top 20. In Australia, "Again" debuted at number 26, before peaking at number 19, four weeks later.[26] In New Zealand, the song was even better, peaking at number 13,[27] while in Sweden, the song was even higher, with a peak of number five after 11 weeks on the chart, becoming her highest charting-single there.[28]
Music video
[edit]The accompanying music video for "Again" was directed by Jackson's then-husband René Elizondo Jr. in 1993. It features actor Gary Dourdan as Jackson's lost love, with Jackson writing in her diary as she reminisces about her love through flashbacks. The alternative version of the video contains scenes from Poetic Justice playing on a television. The original video appears on the 1994 compilation janet. and the 2004 DVD From Janet to Damita Jo: The Videos, while the Poetic Justice version is included on the 2001 DVD edition of All for You. "Again" was later made available by VEVO on YouTube in 2010, and had generated almost seven million views as of early 2024 on the platform.[29]
Live performances
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Janet_Jackson_Tour_2011_%285548040182%29.jpg/190px-Janet_Jackson_Tour_2011_%285548040182%29.jpg)
Since its release, Jackson has performed the song on all of her tours, including the janet. Tour, The Velvet Rope Tour, All for You Tour, Rock Witchu Tour, and the Number Ones, Up Close and Personal tour, where it was dedicated to Phoenix, Arizona and Oslo, Norway. She also performed it on the season 9 finale of American Idol. Jackson included the song on her 2015-2016 Unbreakable World Tour. "Again" was used as a video interlude on her State of the World Tour in 2017. Jackson included the song on her 2023 Together Again Tour.
Accolades, covers and samples
[edit]The song was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1993. It also received a nomination for Best Original Song at the 66th Academy Awards, where Jackson performed the song live.[19] "Again" was covered by How to Dress Well and appeared as a bonus track on his 2012 album Total Loss, which was also inspired by Janet's "The Velvet Rope".[30] According to the singer Tom Krell, "What you're getting is not a report of a feeling, but a sonic presentation of the feeling," he said about the cover.[13] The song was sampled by Iyaz on his 2010 single "Solo". According to Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly, "it riffs 'Again', without directly sampling either the main hook or re-upping the lyrics directly. The song just lifts a substantial chunk of Janet's lilting melody."[31] The melody was also used in Stanley Clarke's song "Lucky Again" on his 1995 album At the Movies.
Track listing and formats
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Charts
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Weekly charts[edit] |
Year-end charts[edit]
Decade-end charts[edit]
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Certifications
[edit]Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA)[72] | Platinum | 1,000,000[71] |
Release history
[edit]Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
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United States | October 12, 1993 |
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Virgin | [citation needed] |
United Kingdom | November 8, 1993 |
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[73] | |
Japan | December 1, 1993 | Mini-CD | [74] |
References
[edit]- ^ Biddle, Frederic M. (March 22, 1994), "Fashion and fame team on Oscar night", The Boston Globe, p. 61
- ^ HFPA – Awards Search, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, 1993, archived from the original on July 13, 2010, retrieved September 18, 2010
- ^ "Poetic Justice (1993) - AllMovie". AllMovie. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ David Ritz (September 16, 1993), "Sexual healing", Rolling Stone, no. 665, p. 38, ISSN 0035-791X
- ^ Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits. Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-7677-6.
- ^ Janet Jackson chante "Again" en français grâce à André Manoukian
- ^ "Janet Jackson – Again Sheet Music (Digital Download)". MusicNotes. Alfred Publishing. June 8, 2009. Retrieved December 24, 2009.
- ^ VH1 Staff (May 16, 2016). "RANKED: Janet Jackson's 50 Greatest Songs Of All Time". VH1. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
((cite web))
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Billboard - May 22, 1993 Issue. Billboard Magazine. May 22, 1993. p. 17. Retrieved June 16, 2014 – via Internet Archive.
janet jackson again.
- ^ Heck, Jane (June 8, 2008). "Top 10 Janet Jackson Songs". The Examiner. Yahoo! Voices. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ "Janet – Janet Jackson", Allmusic, Rovi Corporation, retrieved July 14, 2010
- ^ Flick, Larry (October 16, 1993). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 61. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
- ^ a b Hampp, Andrew (May 18, 2013). "Janet Jackson, 'janet.': Classic Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ "Best Breakup Songs of All Time: "Again" by Janet Jackson: Page 4 | Essence.com". Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ Martinucci, John (October 8, 1993). "Urban: New Releases" (PDF). Gavin Report. p. 16. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
- ^ Masterton, James (November 14, 1993). "Week Ending November 20th 1993". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
- ^ Jones, Alan (November 13, 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles - Pick of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. p. 16. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
- ^ Cinquemani, Sal (February 17, 2008), "Janet Jackson: janet. | Music Review", Slant Magazine, retrieved July 14, 2010
- ^ a b c "Rock on the Net: Janet Jackson". Rock on the Net. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ^ a b "Janet Jackson Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
- ^ a b "Janet Jackson Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
- ^ a b "Janet Jackson Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
- ^ a b "Janet Jackson Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
- ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2319." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
- ^ "Janet Jackson – Artist – Official Charts". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
- ^ a b "Janet Jackson – Again". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "Janet Jackson – Again". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "Janet Jackson – Again". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
- ^ "Janet Jackson - Again (Official Music Video)". November 17, 2010. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (August 16, 2012). "How To Dress Well Covers Janet Jackson". Stereogum. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ^ Greenblatt, Leah (January 28, 2010). "Iyaz' 'Solo': total Janet Jackson rip-off, or loving tribute?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
- ^ Janet Jackson Again Japan 3" CD SINGLE (21637) Archived June 20, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Janet Jackson Again UK 7" Yellow Vinyl Single (192890) Archived October 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Janet Jackson Again Japan 5" CD SINGLE (86871) Archived June 20, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Janet Jackson Again UK 5" CD SINGLE (32384) Archived June 20, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Janet Jackson – Again" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
- ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2362." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
- ^ Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. p. 140. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 50. December 11, 1993. p. 23. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
- ^ "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 4. January 22, 1994. p. 18. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
- ^ "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 3. January 15, 1994. p. 24. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
- ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Janet Jackson". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 111. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
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- ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (11.11.1993 – 17.11.1993)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). November 11, 1993. p. 20. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
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- ^ "Airplay" (PDF). November 28, 1993. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
- ^ "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. November 27, 1993. p. 28. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
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- ^ "Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LVII, no. 17. December 18, 1993. p. 10. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
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- ^ "アゲイン | Janet (ジャネット・ジャクソン)" [Again | Janet (Janet Jackson)] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
Janet Jackson | |
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Dream Street | |
Control | |
Rhythm Nation 1814 | |
Janet | |
The Velvet Rope |
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All for You | |
Damita Jo | |
20 Y.O. |
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Discipline |
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Unbreakable |
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Other songs |
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As featured artist | |
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