Togetherness

I could talk all day about how singing together makes us feel amazing! But what I’m actually going to talk about is songs about Togetherness starting with an absolute club classic – ‘Together Again’ by Janet Jackson.

This has got to be the happiest song about death ever. It was inspired by Janet’s own personal experience of losing a friend to AIDS and was always designed to be a joyful happy song. Which I think you’ll agree, it is! It was released in December 1997 and became a club classic.

Why do I teach this song? There’s so much going on in this track vocally – it’s not easy. There’s the main tune of course and everyone loves the little ‘solo’ bit ‘There are times when I look above and beyond, there are times when I feel your love around me baby, I’ll never forget my baby.’ There are several backing vocal parts underneath, lots of oohs and ahhhhs which make it great for choirs to sing. There are also harmony parts galore over the top. There’s also a significant key change on ‘all my love’s for you’ which whilst hard to teach, actually really propels the songs forwards reaching it higher and higher. I love this bit. The melody really allows the singers to release their inner diva – it swoops and rises and falls beautifully.

I’ve taught his song to three choirs (two adult choirs and my children’s KS2 choir back when I was a teacher) and it always goes down well. Right from the start, the distinctive introduction has the happy feel which continues through the song. And that’s why I’ll continue to teach it.

Right now, when it’s so important for us all to feel a connection, and feel together again, it seems a fitting song to offer to all of my choirs. I have spaces for lunchtime workplace clients if you think your organisation could do with a bit of Janet in their lives.