Together Again (Janet Jackson song)

Background

"Together Again" was written as a tribute from Jackson to a friend who had recently died from AIDS as well as AIDS victims and their families worldwide, as stated in the liner notes of The Velvet Rope (1997). Originally written as a ballad, the track was re-arranged as a dance and house song. Jackson was reportedly inspired to write the song from her own personal experience, as well as a piece of fan-mail she received from a young boy in England who had lost his father. According to Jimmy Jam, "it had a deep meaning for her because it was about a friend she lost to AIDS, but as with all her songs, she tries to make them apply in a general sense to anybody. The idea was to make it a joyous song musically". The arrangement of the song was constructed in 30 minutes by Jam, Lewis, and Jackson while in the recording studio. Once the melody was in place, Jackson finished writing the lyrics to the song. The song's sound was inspired by Donna Summer's song "Last Dance". Jackson told MTV News that her inspiration to write "Together Again" was "Runaway" by Nuyorican Soul, as the song reminded her of being in Studio 54 in New York when she was a child. "Runaway" gave Jackson a kind of New York feel of disco and she wanted to do something like this.

Composition

"Together Again" was written and produced by Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with additional writing by Jackson's then-husband, René Elizondo, Jr. It is a dance and house track. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by EMI Music Publishing, the song is set in common time with a key of C major. Jackson's vocals range between A₃ to D₅. The song has a moderate tempo of 123 beats per minute with the chord progression following the sequence of C–Em₇/B–Em₇(b₅)/B_b–A₇–Dm₉–G₁₃–Dm₉–G₁₃. The bass line in the chorus descends according to the key until reaching the supertonic, after which it goes back to the dominant note set up the resolution, the repetition of the chorus or the interlude, which begins on the submedian. At the end of the second bridge, the song modulates up a minor third into E-flat major. Three versions of the song were released; the original dance version, the "Deep Remix", a R&B and hip-hop version, and the "Deeper Remix", which is a R&B and soul remake. Lyrically, it was described as a ode from Jackson to a friend who had died from AIDS. Larry Flick from Billboard noted its "tear-stained lyrics". Ernest Hardy of Rolling Stone described it as "unsullied pop bliss", saying "The bass-heavy house track "Together Again" showcases a poignant lead vocal, giving off a '60s soul/girl group vibe",

Critical reception

Music critics received "Together Again" positively. BBC deemed it a "thumping great hit, an old-fashioned piece of professional dance music, played perfectly". Music critic Joey Guerra from The Daily Cougar stated, "Jackson pours her heart into "Together Again," which builds to an ecstatic house beat" which takes "a cue from the soaring melodies of '60s girl groups". He further commented that the song is "genuine happy-feeling. It sounds lame at first but pay attention to what she's singing; that vocal smile changes everything." "She even makes a bid for gay icon status", wrote Neil McCormick in a review of The Velvet Rope for The Daily Telegraph, "delivering a diva-ish performance reminiscent of Diana Ross on 'Together Again'."

"Together Again" was also compared to other singers' works. Jon Pareles from The New York Times described "Together Again" as "a creamy Diana Ross homage", noting that Jackson "deploys her small voice shrewdly" in it. Larry Flick from Billboard magazine called "Together Again" "a gourgeous disco ode to loved ones lost to AIDS-related illnesses". Jackson "has clearly been studying Donna Summer records, delivering a wonderfully nuanced performance that takes firm command of the track's vibrant house beat without sacrificing an ounce of emotion". Danyel Smith, while interviewing Jackson for Vibe in November 1997, elaborated that the song was a big, perfect ode to Donna Summer, and likened it to her songs "MacArthur Park" and "Last Dance". In 1999, 'Together Again" won the award for "Most Played Song" at the BMI Pop Awards.

Chart performance

"Together Again" debuted at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on the issue dated December 20, 1997, before becoming Jackson's eighth number-one single on January 31, 1998, spending two weeks at number one, and a total of forty-six weeks on the chart. The song also peaked atop the Hot Dance Club Songs chart and at number eight on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Together Again" was certified Gold by the RIAA. In Canada, it peaked at number two on the official singles chart and also reached number two on the dance chart. In Australasia, "Together Again" also experienced success. In Australia, it debuted at number eighteen on the issue dated December 7, 1997, peaking at number four and staying on the ARIA Charts for twenty-five weeks and was certified double-platinum by the ARIA for 70,000 copies shipped. In New Zealand, it debuted at number sixteen the week of December 21, 1997. On February 22, 1998, it reached its peak of number five, staying on the chart for ten weeks.

The song debuted and peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart on December 13, 1997, falling to six the following week, two weeks later it returned to its peak of four, spending ten weeks in the top ten and nineteen weeks inside the chart. It was certified Double Platinum by the BPI selling 1,200,000 units in the UK. It also spent 1 week atop the UK R&B singles chart and number six on the UK Dance Chart. It is Jackson's best selling UK single, despite six other songs charting higher, "What Have You Done For Me Lately" (#3, 1986), "Let's Wait Awhile" (#3, 1987), "The Best Things In Life Are Free" with Luther Vandross (#2, 1992), "That's the Way Love Goes" (#2, 1993), "Scream" with Michael Jackson (#3, 1995) and "All for You" (#3, 2001). In Austria, it entered the singles chart at number twenty-five, eventually peaking at number six and spending a total of fourteen weeks on the chart. In France, the song peaked at number two for ten weeks, and was certified Platinum by the SNEP. In Germany, it peaked at number two for two weeks and remaining on the German Singles Chart for twenty-four weeks. It was certified Platinum for 500,000 copies sold. In the Netherlands, "Together Again" entered the singles chart at number sixty-one during the week of December 13, 1997. It eventually peaked at number one, staying a total of thirty-two weeks on the chart. The NVPI certified the single Gold for shipment of 10,000 copies. On the Swiss Singles Chart dated January 11, 1998, "Together Again" debuted at number thirteen. After two weeks, it peaked at number two and was later certified Gold by the IFPI. A portion of the single's worldwide sales were donated by Jackson to The American Foundation for AIDS Research.

Music videos

Two music videos were produced for "Together Again". The original version was directed by French photographer Seb Janiak and choreographed by Tina Landon. Filmed in the Serengeti, Tanzania, the video decipts Jackson with mini red ponytails on her head. She and her dancers perform in a futuristic African-flavored paradise where people are seen living side by side with wild animals such as elephants, giraffes, and wildcats. At a point of the video, Jackson appears to be hugging another version of herself. Dan MacRae from ET Canada commented, "Janet is positively beaming as she participates in some lovely choreography and chills out with local wildlife". This version received a nomination for Best Dance Video at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards. Another music video was released for the "Deeper Remix". Directed by René Elizondo, Jr, the video depicts Jackson in an apartment remembering a friend. Both videos are featured on the DVD edition of 2001's All for You and the 2004 video compilation From Janet to Damita Jo: The Videos.

Live performances

In order to promote The Velvet Rope and the single, Jackson performed "Together Again" at the American Music Awards of 1998. The singer has also performed the song on all of her tours since its release. She included the song on the 1998 The Velvet Rope Tour. Dressed up in "chandeliers and sensible clothing", it was performed as the closing song from the concert. Jon Pareles from The New York Times viewed the performance as "an elegy disguised as an arm-waving, feel-good song". The performance of the song at the October 11, 1998 show in New York City, at the Madison Square Garden, was broadcast during a special titled The Velvet Rope: Live in Madison Square Garden by HBO. It was also added to the setlist at its DVD release, The Velvet Rope Tour – Live in Concert in 1999. It was again performed as the encore on the All for You Tour in support of her follow-up album All for You in 2001 and 2002. Gina Vivinetto from St. Petersburg Times, while reviewing the concert, described the performance, "The show closed with a buoyant Together Again that found Jackson grinning, surrounded by dancers moving in refreshing, unscripted merriment". The February 16, 2002 final date of the tour at the Aloha Stadium in Hawaii, was broadcast by HBO, and included a performance of "Together Again". This rendition was also added to the setlist at its DVD release, Janet: Live in Hawaii, in 2002. Jackson also performed it on VH1's The Concert for New York City benefit concert which paid tribute to victims of the September 11 attacks the same year.

In 2004, while promoting her eighth studio album Damita Jo, Jackson made surprise performances of "Together Again" and "All Nite (Don't Stop)" at New York's Gay Pride March. "Together Again" was one of her older songs on the 2008 Rock Witchu Tour, her first tour in seven years. It was at the middle of the setlist. She was dressed in a gold and black glam hip hop-inspired track suit, and one gold glove. Variety magazine's Phil Gallo likened her vocals in the song to that of Diana Ross's. Rap-Up noted the audience "went wild" during the song. While reviewing the Vancouver concert, Marsha Lederman of Globe and Mail noted that the most memorable moment of the show was when Jackson "stopped on the catwalk after her hit Together Again, listened to the crowd roar its approval, and became emotional – really emotional. We're talking tears. 'Thank you,' she said – seeming to really mean it, as she waved her hands, begging the audience to stop", she completed. While promoting her second greatest hits album Number Ones, the singer performed an eight-minute medley of six hits during the American Music Awards of 2009. It included "Control", "Miss You Much", "What Have You Done for Me Lately", "If", "Make Me", and finished with "Together Again". For the latter's performance, Jackson stood alone at center stage, smiling, as the received applauses and standing ovation from the audience. It also was the closing song of her concert at Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, in July 2010, which she headlined. "Together Again" was again performed as a closing number on her Number Ones: Up Close and Personal 2011 tour as a dedication to her late brother, Michael Jackson, wearing a tight white one-piece disco suit. MTV News' writer Vaughn Schoonmaker noted that the song appeared to be the biggest hit of the show. Jackson included the song on her 2015-2016 Unbreakable World Tour.

Credits and personnel

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