Day 4 - Again
Janet Jackson
1993
Why It’s On The List:
I hate to admit this, but I used to be a super melancholy-creative-moody-mopey kid. I relished an opportunity to stare out the window on a rainy day (more on that tomorrow) and be gothy-dramatic about whatever first world problems I was upset about at the time.
Thankfully I’ve Old Yellered most of that side of me and my Darth Vader-like transformation to a soulless Ron Swanson is almost complete as I enter my 40s.
How was THAT for a pop-culture infused metaphor? And I really hate to admit this, but I spent a lot of my middle school nights listening to "Delilah After Dark" on 92.9 WFOG which was the adult contemporary station in our town and mope around the house commiserating with the best break-up songs of the 80s and early 90s.
Even now, I want to hop into a DeLorean and go back in time to kick my own ass after writing that sentence. But, in the spirit of this “letting you get to know me” exercise, I would be holding back if I didn’t include the peak example of that particular era with Janet Jackson’s “Again.” Crazy thing is that I still love this song. It stops me in my tracks wherever I am to this day. I can promise you that if we are having a conversation and this song comes on, I will stop paying attention to you and soak in every note of this track.
Listen to "Again" here:
Favorite Line
How was THAT for a pop-culture infused metaphor? And I really hate to admit this, but I spent a lot of my middle school nights listening to "Delilah After Dark" on 92.9 WFOG which was the adult contemporary station in our town and mope around the house commiserating with the best break-up songs of the 80s and early 90s.
Even now, I want to hop into a DeLorean and go back in time to kick my own ass after writing that sentence. But, in the spirit of this “letting you get to know me” exercise, I would be holding back if I didn’t include the peak example of that particular era with Janet Jackson’s “Again.” Crazy thing is that I still love this song. It stops me in my tracks wherever I am to this day. I can promise you that if we are having a conversation and this song comes on, I will stop paying attention to you and soak in every note of this track.
Listen to "Again" here:
“Kinda late in the game and my heart is in
Your hands
Don't you stand there and then
Tell me you love
Me then leave again
Cause I'm falling in love with
You again”
Janet deserved a Grammy (and maybe even an Oscar) just for this chunk of the song at the end. The way she covers so many ranges of emotions in just a few lines is incredible. She goes from “shy pleading” to “mad at herself for falling again” to “quivering desperation” to “complete acceptance.” Beautiful performance.
If You Like This Song...
Here are some other soapy, sappy love songs from the late 80s/early 90s that I honestly enjoy:
- Rhythm of My Heart
- Key Largo
- If Ever In My Arms Again
- After All
- Making Love Out of Nothing At All
- I'll Make Love to You
- Weekend in New England
- Beautiful in My Eyes
If You Like This Song...
Here are some other soapy, sappy love songs from the late 80s/early 90s that I honestly enjoy:
- Rhythm of My Heart
- Key Largo
- If Ever In My Arms Again
- After All
- Making Love Out of Nothing At All
- I'll Make Love to You
- Weekend in New England
- Beautiful in My Eyes
This song takes me back and all thr emotions. I played it on repeat and just drowned in that emotion. I never knew you had even heard this song!
ReplyDeleteLol, it's such a good song! Oh I knew it well haha
DeletePersonal favorite is the rif at the end to the last lines. Oh, and the aesthetic of the whole video. I just can't picture you shutter crying (like I did)when he pulls out that ring!
DeleteI REALLY hate to admit this but I'm 67% sure that I called into the radio station one night and dedicated this song to one of you girls lololol. So dumb.
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ReplyDeleteRight?? haha
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