"Together Again" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her sixth studio album, The Velvet Rope (1997). It was written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with additional writing by Jackson's then-husband René Elizondo Jr. It was released as the second single from the album in December 1997 by Virgin Records. Originally written as a ballad, the track was rearranged as an uptempo dance song. Jackson was inspired to write the song by her own private discovery of losing a friend to AIDS, as well as by a piece of fan mail she received from a young boy in England who had lost his father.

"Together Again" was well received by music critics, who praised the song's structure and Jackson's vocals. The single was a commercial success, topping the US Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, as well as reaching number one on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart. The single was additionally certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Worldwide, it peaked within the top five in many countries, such as Canada and the United Kingdom, and topped the charts in the Netherlands. The single sold six million copies worldwide.

Two music videos were produced for "Together Again". The video for the original, directed by Seb Janiak, 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. Another video released for the 'Deeper Remix', was directed by Elizondo Jr. and shows Jackson in an apartment. Jackson performed "Together Again" in a number of occasions to promote The Velvet Rope, including at the American Music Awards and also on all of her tours since its release. It is also included in two of her greatest hits collections, Number Ones (2009) and Icon: Number Ones (2010).

Background and release

"Together Again" was written as a tribute from Janet Jackson to a friend who had recently died of 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, Terry 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". "Together Again" was released in the United Kingdom on December 1, 1997, as a 7-inch vinyl single, a 12-inch vinyl single, a CD single, and a cassette single. The following day, the song was released in the United States on all four formats plus a maxi-CD. In Japan, a CD single was issued later that month, on December 22.

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. Three versions of the song were released; the original dance version, the "Deep Remix", an R&B and hip-hop version, and the "Deeper Remix", which is an R&B and soul remake. Lyrically, it was described as an 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

"Together Again" received positive reviews. BBC deemed it a "thumping great hit, an old-fashioned piece of professional dance music, played perfectly". Larry Flick from Billboard magazine called it a "gorgeous 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". 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." A reviewer from Daily Record said, "Michael's wee sis has never sounded so good. Janet has found herself and her sound."

"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'." J. D. Considine for Entertainment Weekly said that "the gently throbbing house beat beneath ”Together Again” keeps this tribute to a dead friend from sounding as lachrymose as it looks on the page." British magazine Music Week gave it four out of five, noting, "Contrasting sharply with the subtle groove of its predecessor, this is Janet at her most commercially accessible with a dance anthem full of big beats and a tasty hook." 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. Ian Hyland from Sunday Mirror said it is "some of the best club tunes she's ever done." 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".

Chart performance

thumb|left|Jackson performing "Together Again" as the final song of her [[Number Ones, Up Close and Personal tour (2011)]]

"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 46 weeks on the chart. It was Jackson's first single to reach number one in the U.S. since "Again" in 1993. The song also peaked atop the Billboard Dance Club Play chart and reached number eight on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.

Set in the Serengeti, Tanzania, the video depicts Jackson with mini red ponytails on her head. She and her dancers perform in a futuristic African-flavored

Another music video was released for the "Deeper Remix". Directed by René Elizondo Jr., the video depicts Jackson in an apartment remembering a lost lover, with the singer commenting that "there's a butterfly that's throughout the video that represents the spirit" of this lover. 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

thumb|left|Jackson performing "Together Again" during her [[Unbreakable World Tour (Janet Jackson tour)|Unbreakable World Tour (2015–16)]]

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'. Rap-Up noted the audience "went wild" during the song. While reviewing the Vancouver concert, Marsha Lederman of The 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. 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. Writing for the Hartford Courant, Thomas Kintner pointed out that "A finale of 'Together Again', offered as a simple tribute that recalled her brother again, proved the evening's highlight, a relaxed trip through the sort of juicy pop Jackson has stockpiled throughout her career, and which still charms when she lets it run". Jackson also included the song on her 2015–16 Unbreakable World Tour. The song is also included on the 2017-2019 State of the World Tour. Jackson also included the song on her 2019 Las Vegas residency Janet Jackson: Metamorphosis. Jackson later named her 2023 tour after the song, and performed it in multiple versions throughout the show: The DJ Premier 100 in a 50 remix at the beginning of the show, the Deeper remix at the middle, and, as the encore, the album version.

Impact and legacy

In 1999, "Together Again" won the award for "Most Played Song" at the BMI Pop Awards. In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked it number 34 in their list of "The 50 Most Inspirational LGBTQ Songs of All Time", naming it "Jackson's most deeply spiritual song", where she "sings with faith that we'll all one day be reunited with those who've gone before." In 2024, Esquire and Forbes ranked "Together Again" numbers 37 and 26 in their lists of the 50 best songs of the '90s. Hugh McIntyre of Forbes wrote, "'Together Again' was a message of love and resilience, wrapped in a pop tune the masses could fall in love with. It celebrated unity in the midst of loss, finding optimism in the darkest of times. A vibrant tribute where Jackson honors friends lost to AIDS through dance, many who enjoy the cut may not even realize how deep it really is."

Track listings

  • US CD and cassette single
  1. "Together Again" (radio edit) – 4:08
  2. "Together Again" (Jimmy Jam Deeper radio edit) – 4:00
  3. "Together Again" (Jimmy Jam Deep radio edit) – 4:16
  4. "Got 'til It's Gone" (Ummah Jay Dee's Revenge mix) – 3:45
  • US maxi-CD single
  1. "Together Again" (Jimmy Jam Deep remix) – 5:46
  2. "Together Again" (Jimmy Jam Deeper remix) – 4:52
  3. "Together Again" (Tony Moran 12-inch club mix) – 11:00
  4. "Together Again" (Tony Humphries club mix) – 6:44
  5. "Together Again" (DJ Premier Just tha Bass) – 5:22
  • US 7-inch single
  1. "Together Again" – 4:07
  2. "Got 'til It's Gone" (Ummah Jay Dee's Revenge mix) – 3:45
  • US 12-inch single
  1. "Together Again" (Tony Moran 12-inch club mix) – 11:00
  2. "Together Again" (Tony Humphries club mix) – 6:44
  3. "Together Again" (Jimmy Jam extended deep club mix) – 6:29
  4. "Together Again" (DJ Premier Just tha Bass) – 5:22
  • UK, Australasian, and Japanese CD single; digital EP
  1. "Together Again" (radio edit) – 4:07
  2. "Together Again" (Tony Humphries club mix) – 6:44
  3. "Together Again" (DJ Premier 100 in a 50 remix) – 5:22
  4. "Together Again" (Jimmy Jam Deep remix) – 5:46
  5. "Together Again" (Tony Moran 7-inch edit with Janet vocal intro) – 5:29
  6. "Together Again" (Jimmy Jam Deeper radio edit) – 4:00
  • UK 12-inch single
  1. "Together Again" (Tony Humphries 12-inch edit mix) – 9:57
  2. "Together Again" (Tony Humphries FBI edit dub) – 7:20
  3. "Together Again" (DJ Premier 100 in a 50 remix) – 5:22
  4. "Together Again" (DJ Premier Just tha Bass vocal) – 5:21
  5. "Together Again" (Jimmy Jam Deep remix) – 5:46
  • UK cassette single
  1. "Together Again" (radio edit) – 4:07
  2. "Together Again" (Tony Humphries club mix) – 6:44
  3. "Together Again" (Jimmy Jam Deep remix) – 5:46
  • European CD single
  1. "Together Again" (radio edit) – 4:07
  2. "Together Again" (Jimmy Jam Deeper radio edit) – 4:00

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from The Velvet Rope album booklet.

Studios

  • Engineered and mixed at Flyte Time Studios (Edina, Minnesota)
  • Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California)

Personnel

  • Janet Jackson – vocals, songwriter, producer, vocal and rhythm arrangement
  • Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – songwriters, producers, all other instruments, vocal and rhythm arrangements
  • René Elizondo Jr. – songwriter
  • Steve Hodge – engineering, mixing
  • Alexander Richbourg – drum machine
  • Xavier Smith – assistant engineer

Charts

Weekly charts

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+Weekly chart performance for "Together Again"

!Chart (1997–1998)

!Peak<br/>position

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)

|2

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Canada Contemporary Hit Radio (BDS)

|1

|-

!scope="row"|Croatia (HRT)

|7

|-

!scope="row"|Denmark (IFPI)

|2

|-

!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)

|1

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Hungary (Mahasz)

|1

|-

!scope="row"|Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)

|20

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Italy (Musica e dischi)

|5

|-

!scope="row"|Italy Airplay (Music & Media)

| 1

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Poland (Music & Media)

|1

|-

! scope="row"| Scandinavia Airplay (Music & Media)

| 1

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Spain (AFYVE)

|4

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|UK Airplay (Music Week)

|2

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|}

Year-end charts

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+1997 year-end chart performance for "Together Again"

!Chart (1997)

!Position

|-

!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)

|96

|-

!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)

|34

|}

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+1998 year-end chart performance for "Together Again"

!Chart (1998)

!Position

|-

!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)

|27

|-

!scope="row"|Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)

|32

|-

!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)

|15

|-

!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)

|9

|-

!scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM)

|11

|-

!scope="row"|Canada Dance (RPM)

|22

|-

!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)

|4

|-

!scope="row"|France (SNEP)

|7

|-

!scope="row"|Germany (Media Control)

|18

|-

!scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)

|4

|-

!scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100)

|3

|-

!scope="row"|Sweden (Hitlistan)

|58

|-

!scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)

|17

|-

!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)

|32

|-

!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100

|6

|-

!scope="row"|US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)

|70

|-

!scope="row"|US Dance Club Play (Billboard)

|50

|-

!scope="row"|US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)

|44

|-

!scope="row"|US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)

|12

|-

!scope="row"|US Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)

|26

|-

!scope="row"|US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)

|34

|}

Decade-end charts

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+Decade-end chart performance for "Together Again"

!Chart (1990–1999)

!Position

|-

!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)

|96

|-

!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop)

|182

|-

!scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)

|20

|-

!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100

|74

|}

Certifications

Usage in media

In 2023, Fifty Fifty used an interpolation of "Together Again" in their song "Barbie Dreams" for Barbie the Album.

References