Again (Janet Jackson song)
"Again" | ||||
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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
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
Composition and lyrics
"Again" was written and produced by
Critical reception
"Again" divided
Chart performance
"Again" was a success on the US
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
The accompanying music video for "Again" was directed by Jackson's then-husband
Live performances
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
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
Weekly charts |
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA)[72] | Platinum | 1,000,000[71] |
Release history
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
- ^ 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.
- ISSN 0035-791X
- ISBN 0-8230-7677-6.
- ^ Janet Jackson chante "Again" en français grâce à André Manoukian
- 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) - .
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.
- 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.
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- ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2319." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
- The Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
- ^ a b "Janet Jackson – Again". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
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- ^ "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
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