"Together Again" is a song written and produced by American recording artist Janet Jackson from her sixth studio album, The Velvet Rope. Written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, it was released as the album's second single, The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks early in the year after the release, as well as topping Hot Dance Club Songs. The single attained massive commercial success worldwide, peaking within the top five in most countries. The song was dedicated to Jackson's friend who succumbed to AIDS.
Song information[edit]
"Together Again" was 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. Originally written as aballad, the track was re-arranged as a dance 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.
Janet released three versions of the song; the original dance pop version, the "Deep Remix", a R&B/hip hop version, and the "Deeper Remix", which is a R&B/soul remake. The original dance version was inspired byDonna Summer's "Last Dance". Other remixes by DJ Premier, Tony Moran. Tony Humphries and Jonathan Peters were also released. The song was also included in the ending of "Janet Megamix 04".
The song became Jackson's eighth number one on the Billboard Hot 100—the only U.S. chart-topper from The Velvet Rope—and peaked at number eight on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Together Again" also became one of the biggest-selling singles from a female artist in the history of the UK Singles Chart, where it peaked at number four. "Together Again" is Jackson's biggest international single, reaching the top five and top ten in many countries. It also received a BMI Pop Award for "Most Played Song".
Live performances[edit]
Janet performed "Together Again" at the American Music Awards, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Smash Hits Poll Winners Party, Les Années Tubes, and also later performed it on VH1's The Concert for New York City benefit concert.
Jackson has performed the song on all of her tours since its release, as the closing number, The Velvet Rope Tour and All for You Tour while the Rock Witchu Tour saw it moved to the middle of the setlist. "Together Again" was again performed as a closing number on her Number Ones: Up Close and Personal tour as a dedication to her late brother, Michael Jackson.
Composition[edit]
"Together Again" is set in common time with a key of C major. Jackson's vocals ranges between the low-tone of A3 to a high-tone of D5. The song is in a moderate tempo of 120 beats per minute with the chord progression for the verse being C–Em7/B–Em7(b5)/Bb–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.
Reception[edit]
Ernest Hardy of Rolling Stone described "Together Again" 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." BBC UK stated "Together Again is a thumping great hit, an old-fashioned piece of professional dance music, played perfectly". Another critic exclaimed "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". Music critic Joey Guerra wrote "Together Again" 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'."
Chart performance[edit]
As the first official single from her album The Velvet Rope (after the radio-only U.S. single "Got 'til It's Gone"), the single was highly anticipated. Before its official release it was enjoying heavy airplay in North America. Some weeks after its release it debuted at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated December 20, 1997, before becoming her eighth number-one single on January 31, 1998, spending two weeks at number one, fourteen weeks inside the top ten, and a total of forty-six weeks on the chart. It is her biggest hit in Australia, peaking at number four and being certified 2× Platinum by the ARIA for 140,000 copies. In Canada it peaked at number two and stayed in the top ten for many weeks, becoming one of her biggest hits there, even surpassing the success of some of her six Canadian number-one singles, due to its staying power on the chart.
In the United Kingdom the song entered the UK Singles Chart in December 1997 at number four and spent ten weeks inside the top ten; it is Jackson's biggest hit to date in the UK, with sales of over three quarters of a million. It achieved massive success in the rest of Europe as well, topping both the Dutch Top 40 and the European Hot 100 Singles and charting inside the top five and the top ten of most of European countries. In Germany it is her most successful single, peaking #2 for 2 weeks and remaining on the German Singles Chart for 24 weeks. It is her only single that could reach a certification there, namely platinum for 500,000 copies sold.
The single's massive commercial and radio success helped The Velvet Rope to top the charts of several countries throughout Europe and worldwide. It is her best-selling single to date worldwide, with sales exceeding six million copies.
Music videos[edit]
Two music videos were produced for "Together Again". The video for the original version was directed by Seb Janiak, choreographed by Tina Landon and is a dance video that shows Jackson and her dancers performing in a futuristic African paradise where people are seen living side by side with wild animals such as elephants, giraffes, and wildcats. In the scene where Jackson appears to be hugging herself, dancer Nikki Pantenburg served as Jackson's body double. 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' was directed by René Elizondo, Jr. It depicts Jackson in an apartment remembering a friend in the video. 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.
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