Someone to Call My Lover
"Someone to Call My Lover" | ||||
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Single by Janet Jackson | ||||
from the album All for You | ||||
Released | June 12, 2001 (2001-06-12) | |||
Studio | Flyte Tyme (Edina, Minnesota) | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length |
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Label | Virgin | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Janet Jackson singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Someone to Call My Lover" on YouTube | ||||
"Someone to Call My Lover" is a song by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson from her seventh studio album, All for You (2001). Written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the song was released as the album's second single on June 12, 2001, by Virgin Records. Using a guitar riff from America's "Ventura Highway" and the melody from Erik Satie's "Gymnopédie No. 1", "Someone to Call My Lover" talks about being determined to find a perfect match.
"Someone to Call My Lover" received positive reviews from critics, with most praising its innocence and sweet aura, picking the song as a standout track on the album. The song was a success on the charts, reaching number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 while peaking at number nine in Canada and the top twenty in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. A music video was directed by Francis Lawrence and centers on a jukebox. Another video for the "So So Def" remix was also released. Jackson has performed the song on two of her tours, most recently on her 2017 State of the World Tour.
Background and writing
"Someone to Call My Lover" was written and produced by Janet Jackson, James Harris III and Terry Lewis.[1] The song's looped guitar riff is sampled from America's 1972 hit "Ventura Highway", with Dewey Bunnell receiving writing credits. The loop played throughout the chorus is an interpolation of "Gymnopédie No. 1" by French classical composer Erik Satie, played in 4/4 time instead of the original 3/4. Jackson had searched for years for the catchy Satie track.
When I was a little girl and I used to come home from school, there was something called "The 3:30 Movie", and they used to play the MGM Musicals. There was a commercial. I remember watching Singin' in the Rain and there was a commercial with the lady all in white, and I don't know if it was for Dove or something like that, but they would play this, 'Da, da, da.' It was the Erik Satie. I never knew who the composer was, and this song never left me.[2]
Jackson said she came across the tune again about seven years later: "I was at Ralph Lauren and I said, 'Oh, my God! Is this the radio or is this a CD?' I said, 'Please tell me it's a CD.' They said, 'It's a CD—well, actually it's a Ralph Lauren CD and we don't have it anymore. I was like, 'Oh God...no,' and they gave me the CD."[2] Jackson said, "I took it straight to Jimmy [Jam] and said, 'Jimmy, I've just got to share this with you,' and he saw my passion and my love for it. He didn't take the actual song, but he kind of put his own flavor to it in 'Someone To Call My Lover,' which takes me back to my childhood."[2] In an interview, Jimmy said, "And for 'Someone to Call My Lover,' she hadn't heard the 'Ventura Highway' sample before. She hadn't heard those songs. So it's kind of fun to come up with stuff like that and play it for her. And she hasn't heard of it, but she still really likes it. So you have something that's going to appeal to people that haven't heard it before, it's going to catch them, but it's also going to catch the people who are nostalgic about it."[3]
Composition and music
At the time of recording, Jackson was in a divorce battle with her husband, René Elizondo Jr., after nearly ten years of marriage. "Someone to Call My Lover", and several of the other songs on All for You, use Jackson's divorce and re-emergence into single life as central themes. "Someone to Call My Lover" talks about being determined to find a perfect match.[4] The sample of America's "Ventura Highway" opens the single, accompanied by finger snaps and bass. In the beginning, Jackson has begun touring again and there isn't anyone to talk to and she wishes she had companionship, "Back on the road again/Feeling kinda lonely/And looking for the right guy/To be mine," she sings.[4]
In the pre-chorus, she fantasizes where her dream guy might be, "Maybe we'll meet at a bar / He'll drive a funky car / Maybe we'll meet at a club / And fall so deeply in love," she sings. In the chorus, she's eager to find a guy to love, "Alright, maybe gonna find him today / I gotta get someone to call my lover / Yeah, baby, come on," she chants.[4]
"Someone to Call My Lover" is written in the key of D major with a moderately fast tempo of 128 beats per minute. The song follows a chord progression of Dmaj7–G6–Dmaj7–G6, and Jackson's vocals span from the low note A3 to the high note B4.[5]
Critical reception
"Someone to Call My Lover" received generally favorable reviews from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic picked the song as "one of the record's best cuts".[1] Timothy Park of NME enjoyed the lyrics, writing that "while most of us dream of being Janet, it's reassuring to know she dreams of being us. And providing she does it with the ever-enduring Jam & Lewis produced fluffy pop of 'Someone To Call My Lover' then who are we to complain?."[6] In another NME review, Piers Martin wrote that the song "recalls Aaliyah's 'Try Again' in its squelchy simplicity."[7] Gene Stout of Seattle Post-Intelligencer praised the track, calling it "sweetly innocent", praising the "Ventura Highway guitar," writing that it "adds a wistful, nostalgic feel to the song's deep yearnings for love and togethernesss."[8]
According to Chuck Arnold from Entertainment Weekly, "Although she has yet to find someone to call her lover, the mood is irrepressibly upbeat and optimistic about pre-Tinder match-meeting".[9]
Chart performance
The song was released as the second single from All for You, following the huge success of its title track. It is the last of Jackson's singles to have reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart to date. On the Billboard Hot 100 chart, "Someone to Call My Lover" reached the top 40 in June, while it reached the top 10 in July. It eventually peaked at number three the issue dated September 1, 2001, becoming Jackson's 27th and last top-10 hit.[10] It also debuted at number one on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart,[10] where it remained for three weeks.[11] It also topped the R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart for two weeks.[11] The song reached number nine on the Canadian Hot 100 chart.[12] "Someone to Call My Lover" reached the top 20 in many places. In the United Kingdom, the song reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart[13] In Australia, the song debuted and peaked at number 15 on the ARIA Singles Chart week of August 5, 2001, spending nine weeks on the chart,[14] while on the New Zealand Singles Chart, the song debuted at number 30 and peaked at number 18 in its fourth week, spending a total of 15 weeks on the chart.[15]
Remixes and accolades
For the single, a So So Def Remix was produced and became Jackson's first collaboration with Jermaine Dupri.[16] The song earned Jackson a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2002, losing out to Nelly Furtado's "I'm Like a Bird".[11]
Music video
The music video was directed by Francis Lawrence, and centres on a jukebox. Jackson is depicted driving and walking into a bar, where she sings, dances and eventually hitches a ride from a red car. A video for the So So Def Remix was also released, and contains similar footage to the original but contains shots of Dupri in alternate scenes as well as his vocals.[17] The original video made the limited bonus-DVD edition of All for You while the So So Def Remix video appears on the 2004 video compilation From Janet to Damita Jo: The Videos.[18]
Live performances
Jackson has performed "Someone to Call My Lover" on two of her tours. The song was added to the setlist of her All for You Tour, as one of the last songs on the show. During the performance, the singer wore a white T-shirt and jeans, while using a garland of flowers, called Lei in Hawaii. The February 16, 2002, final date of the tour at the Aloha Stadium in Hawaii, was broadcast by HBO. This rendition was also added to the setlist at its DVD release, Janet: Live in Hawaii, in 2002.[19] "Someone To Call My Lover" was also the video dedication song to Singapore for the 2011 Number Ones, Up Close and Personal tour.[20] It was also performed on her 2017 State of the World Tour in place of "Island Life" at several shows, including in Cleveland on December 3,[21] and Memphis on December 6, 2017.[22] Jackson performed the second leg of her 2023-2024 Janet Jackson: Together Again tour.
Track listings
US CD single (V25D-38799)[23]
US 12-inch single (7243-8-38799-1-5)[24]
UK CD single (VSCD 1813)[25]
UK 12-inch single (VST 1813)[26]
| UK cassette single (VSC 1813)[27]
European CD single (VSCDE1813)[28]
Australasian and Japanese CD single (8977732; VJCP-12141)[29][30]
|
Credits and personnel
Credits are lifted from the All for You album booklet.[31]
Studios
- Recorded and mixed at Flyte Tyme Studios (Edina, Minnesota)
- Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California)
Personnel
- Janet Jackson – writing, all vocals, production
- Jimmy Jam – writing (James Harris III), all additional instruments, production
- Terry Lewis – writing, all additional instruments, production
- Dewey Bunnell – writing
- David Barry – guitar
- Alex Richbourg – drum and MIDI programming
- Steve Hodge – recording, mixing
- Brad Yost – recording and mixing assistant
- Xavier Smith – recording and mixing assistant
- Brian "Big Bass" Gardner – mastering
- Mike Bozzi – mastering assistant
Charts
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Release history
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | June 12, 2001 | Virgin | [62][63] | |
Germany | June 25, 2001 | CD | EMI | [38] |
Japan | July 7, 2001 | Maxi CD | [64] | |
France | July 17, 2001 | CD | [65] | |
Australia | July 23, 2001 | Maxi CD | [66] | |
United States | Hot adult contemporary radio | Virgin | [67] | |
United Kingdom | July 30, 2001 |
| [68] |
See also
- List of number-one dance singles of 2001 (U.S.)
References
- ^ a b "All For You - Janet Jackson | Allmusic". Allmusic. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ^ a b c Gelman, Jason (June 20, 2001). "Janet Jackson On The Creation Of 'Someone To Call My Lover'". Yahoo! Music. Archived from the original on September 11, 2006. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ "Jimmy Jam? Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Music Review: Janet Jackson "Someone To Call My Lover"". The Bland Is Out There. October 29, 2005. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ^ Terry, Lewis (July 31, 2001). "Janet Jackson "Someone To Call My Lover" Sheet Music - Download & Print". www.musicnotes.com. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
- ^ Park, Timothy (July 31, 2001). "NME Track Reviews: Janet Jackson: Someone To Call My Lover - NME.COM". NME. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ^ "- Janet : All For You - Album Reviews - NME.COM". NME. September 12, 2005. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
- ^ Stout, Gene (July 5, 2001). "Janet Jackson's steamy album leaves room for romance". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
- ^ "Janet Jackson's 50 best songs of all time, ranked". Entertainment Weekly. May 16, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
- ^ a b "Chart Beat Bonus | Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Rock on the Net: Janet Jackson". Rock on the Net. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ^ a b "Janet Jackson Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ a b "Janet Jackson – Someone to Call My Lover". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- ^ a b "Janet Jackson – Someone to Call My Lover". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- ^ "Someone to Call My Lover - Jermaine Dupri | Janet Jackson: AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ^ Wiederhorn, Jon (May 22, 2001). "Janet Jackson Two-Times Her 'Lover'". MTV. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
- ^ From janet. to Damita Jo: The Videos (DVD liner notes). Janet Jackson. Virgin Records. 2004. 7243 5 99508 9 1.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rasul, Juliana June (January 24, 2011). "Janet Jackson coming to Singapore despite earlier ban on songs". The New Paper: 17–18. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
- ^ Wallace, Emanuel (December 4, 2017). "Janet Jackson Delivers a Message of Love at Quicken Loans Arena Concert". Scene. Archived from the original on December 25, 2017. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ^ Mehr, Bob (December 7, 2017). "Review: Janet Jackson offers spectacle and intimacy at FedExForum concert". Commercial Appeal. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ^ Someone to Call My Lover (US CD single liner notes). Janet Jackson. Virgin Records. 2001. V25D-38799, 7243 8 38799 2 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Someone to Call My Lover (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Janet Jackson. Virgin Records. 2001. 7243-8-38799-1-5.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Someone to Call My Lover (UK CD single liner notes). Janet Jackson. Virgin Records. 2001. VSCD 1813.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Someone to Call My Lover (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Janet Jackson. Virgin Records. 2001. VST 1813, 7243 8 97816 63.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Someone to Call My Lover (UK cassette single sleeve). Janet Jackson. Virgin Records. 2001. VSC 1813, 7243 8 97773 4 5.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Someone to Call My Lover (European CD single liner notes). Janet Jackson. Virgin Records. 2001. VSCDE1813, 7243 8 97772 2 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Someone to Call My Lover (Australasian CD single liner notes). Janet Jackson. Virgin Records. 2001. 8977732.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Someone to Call My Lover (Japanese CD single liner notes). Janet Jackson. Virgin Records. 2001. VJCP-12141.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ All for You (US CD album booklet). Janet Jackson. Virgin Records. 2001. 7243 8 10144 2 4.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Janet Jackson – Someone to Call My Lover" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- ^ "Janet Jackson – Someone to Call My Lover" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- ^ "Canadian Top 20 in 2001" (PDF). Cross Canada Countdown. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2005. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
- ^ "HR Top 20 Lista". Croatian Radiotelevision. Archived from the original on July 1, 2001. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles Week 34/01" (PDF). Music & Media. August 18, 2001. p. 15. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
- ^ "Janet Jackson – Someone to Call My Lover" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- ^ a b "Janet Jackson – Someone to Call My Lover" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Someone to Call My Lover". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
- ^ "Janet Jackson – Someone to Call My Lover". Top Digital Download. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 28, 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ "Janet Jackson – Someone to Call My Lover" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Janet Jackson – Someone to Call My Lover". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- ^ "Janet Jackson – Someone to Call My Lover". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Janet Jackson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
- ^ "Janet Jackson Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
- ^ "Janet Jackson Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ "Janet Jackson Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
- ^ "Janet Jackson Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
- ^ "Janet Jackson Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Janet Jackson Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ "Canada's Top 200 Singles of 2001". Jam!. Archived from the original on January 26, 2003. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- ^ "BDS CHART : Top 100 of 2001". Jam!. Archived from the original on July 1, 2002. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 2001 - Longbored Surfer - Charts". Archived from the original on July 26, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
- ^ "Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 2001" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. December 21, 2001. p. 54. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
- ^ "The Year in Music 2001: Hot Dance Club-Play Singles". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 52. December 29, 2001. p. YE-48.
- ^ "Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2001" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. December 21, 2001. p. 60. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
- ^ "Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 2001" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. December 21, 2001. p. 48. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
- ^ "CHR/Rhythmic: Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1405. June 8, 2001. p. 51. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ "Impact Dates: Top 40 & Rhythm". Gavin Report. No. 2345. June 8, 2001. p. 46.
- ^ "サムワン・トゥ・コール・マイ・ラヴァー" ["Someone to Call My Lover"] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ "Someone to call my lover – Janet Jackson – CD single" (in French). France: Fnac. July 17, 2001. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: ARIA New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 23rd July 2001" (PDF). ARIA. July 23, 2001. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 24, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ "Hot AC: Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1411. July 20, 2001. p. 83. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting July 30, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 28, 2001. p. 33. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
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