"I Want You" is a song recorded by American singer Janet Jackson for her eighth studio album, Damita Jo (2004). It was released on February 22, 2004 as the second single from the album, by Virgin Records. It was written by Harold Lilly, Kanye West, and John Legend, while it was produced by West, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and Jackson. The mid-tempo ballad consists of a retro sound and arrangement, paying homage to the classic pop sound of the Motown era. Its composition is based on Jackson's passion and desire for an estranged lover. "I Want You" is notable for being among the first singles produced with West and co-written by Legend, who were both upcoming artists at the time.
The song received positive reviews by music critics, who complimented Jackson's vocals and its fusion of nostalgic and modern qualities. The song's performance was largely affected by the blacklisting of Jackson's singles and music videos worldwide due to U.S. Federal Communications Commission fines regarding her controversial Super Bowl Halftime Show incident, with conglomerates such as Viacom and CBS enforcing the boycott. "I Want You" reached the top 20 in airplay prior to stalling due to the blockage, also becoming Jackson's 33rd consecutive top-40 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The blacklisting drew controversy amongst critics, who declared the song to likely have been an "across-the-board smash" hit had the incident not occurred.
"I Want You" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and received a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards. The song's music video was directed by Dave Meyers and portrays Jackson traveling through Los Angeles to meet her boyfriend. It did not air on MTV nor several other music channels owned by Viacom and CBS due to their boycott of Jackson following her Super Bowl performance incident. During the promotional campaign for Damita Jo, Jackson performed "I Want You" on various occasions, including on Good Morning America.
Background "I Want You" was written by Harold Lilly, Kanye West, and John Legend, while production was handled by West, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and Jackson.[ "I Want You" - Janet Jackson] AllMusic. Rovi Corporation Retrieved May 10, 2010. It was initially titled "Have Your Way with Me" in its early stages, and was one of two songs from the album which Jackson did not co-write, along with "Thinkin' 'Bout My Ex", written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. Describing the song, Jackson said, "It's a different kind of song for me, it's more of like a throwback. More of a doowoop-y [feel], which I've never done before which is quite exciting, and I enjoyed recording it in the studio." John Platt, senior Vice President of Virgin Records and EMI Publishing, commented that Damita Jo "is really about positive love and where she's at in her life right now. The second half of the album was very easy once me and Janet got to know each other, and found the songs that really were true to her and that she can sing with conviction. That's why there's so much passion in this "I Want You" record, that's where she's at in her life right now."
West first collaborated with Jackson several months prior to the release of his debut album, The College Dropout (2004). West stated, "I don't want to talk about it before it comes out, but it'll be unbelievable." John Legend, who co-wrote the track, also plays the piano on the track. Legend was an upcoming artist and relatively unknown at the time, having not yet released his debut album Get Lifted or any singles. The song was among Legend's first major credits along with the West-produced Jay-Z single "Encore", West's remix of Britney Spears' "Me Against the Music", and The Black Eyed Peas' "The Boogie that Be." Legend commented, "I'm not going to focus on her breast like the rest of y'all. I'm about the music. Since everyone's paying attention to her, it should bode well for her next single "Have Your Way With Me" which is gonna drop next week. We're just wrapping up the production now. It's produced by Kanye West and co-written by Kanye, Harold Lilly and yours truly. I played some piano on there too. It's a sweet, soulful song. I think it'll be a smash." The song also features contributions from Israeli violinist Miri Ben-Ari. Simon Umlauf of CNN commented Ari's contribution "gently caresses" the song, providing "a dramatic edge you won't find anywhere else."
Release and composition Due to an early leak, "I Want You" was released for digital download through Virgin Records's website and All Access Music Group on February 22, 2004, though it was not officially sent to radio until March 1, 2004. "Love Me", a newly recorded remix of "Just a Little While" produced by Just Blaze, was initially to be sent to urban radio formats. However, its release was canceled when the original version was removed from airplay due to blacklisting from several conglomerates regarding Jackson's Super Bowl performance incident, prompting the release of "I Want You". The album version concludes with a brief interlude of Jackson speaking of her passion for music, which the radio edit omits. A promotional single including the song's E-Smoove remix, music video, and exclusive interview was released for purchase at Regal Cinemas for a limited time.
"I Want You" is a pop ballad based on music of the Motown era. It incorporates doo-wop, R&B and hip-hop into its production, providing an "equally keen senses of retroism and hip-hop currency." Its instrumentation consists of guitar, piano, violins, and synthesized drums. It is written in the key of E♭ major with a slow tempo of 72 beats per minute in 12/8 time signature, with Jackson's vocals ranging from G3 to C5. It contains a brief sample from B. T. Express' 1976 version of The Carpenters' 1970 song "(They Long to Be) Close to You", written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Jackson described the song as having a "throwback" feel, considered a departure from her other works. Michael Paletta of Billboard described its "opening drum downbeat" accompanied by "swirling string crescendos," considered "the perfect backdrop for Jackson's breathy vocals." It was analyzed to have a "chimes-studded texture" and strings backed by drums, also having "a triangle thrown in there for good measure." Its lyrics focus on longing for an estranged lover and feeling emotionally distraught when apart. Jackson pleads for their affection during its chorus, telling them to "Have your way with me." Tareck Ghoneim of Contactmusic.com stated "The lyrics are simple. She just wants her man and she’s telling it straight," while Plugged In (publication) observed it to convey Jackson's "insatiable" desire for intimacy in a "vulnerable and lovesick" manner.
Critical reception
"I Want You" received favorable reviews from music critics. Michael Paoletta of Billboard stated, "the retro-vibed song calls to mind the sparkly yet wistful soul of '60s-era girl groups" while maintaining "a contemporary reference". Paoletta considered its aura and "girl-desires-boy theme" to make the track a "crossover gem". He also commented that it would potentially have "multiformat popularity." Ernest Hardy of LA Weekly called it "a retro affair" with a classic "girl-group arrangement", while a critique from Gashaus noted the song "shimmers with some of Janet's former iridescent glow." Alexis Petridis of The Guardian praised its "impossibly lithe basseline", calling it an electronic reconstruction of a 1970s soul ballad, also determined to be "not only inventive, but brilliantly constructed." Colin O'Hare from Hot Press called it an "obligatory ballad" which portrays Jackson's musicality, showcasing her "versatility and mastery of a bewildering array of styles."
Spence D. of IGN praised the single, calling it "'70s retro mode" and a perfect homage to the era of mainstream excess. The review added, "It's squeaky and clean sounding in a sugary, fluff kind of way, almost as if it were a song recorded by Janet years ago and recently rediscovered. And you know what? It's cool because of that." Aaron Foley of MLive considered it Jackson's fourth most underrated single, calling it among "the fruits from that era that don't get the respect they deserve". Foley added, that after Jackson's Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy, "I Want You" "got lost in the wash. The starry-eyed, Motown-inspired ballad had Janet vulnerable and lovesick, boo hooing for her lover's attention." Jim Abott of Orlando Sentinel classified "the sweetly melodic old-school" song among Jackson's "occasional bursts of inspiration," declaring it was "a beautifully big arrangement that's Motown-esque."
Additionally, its "depth and sweetness" was considered unexpected by Dan LeRoy from The Scene, commenting "West's swaying '50s pastiche "I Want You" is delightful". Richard Cromelin of the Los Angeles Times exclaimed the track "has a swooning charm, with a chimes-studded texture that suggests the sweeping light-points of a disco ball." Mikael Wood of Baltimore City Paper gave a similar critique, saying the "luscious slow jam" ultimately "shimmers with the sweet lovesickness Karen Carpenter had to fight through a scrim of suburban sang-froid to express." Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic declared the song "on the slower side", containing "a verse that's memorable." Plugged In observed subtle sexuality within its lyrics, commenting that Jackson is insatiable. Music critic Kevin Nottingham ranked it as West's second best production, classifying it as a "gorgeous piece of work", and adding that "the drums hit at the beginning and the listener should already fall in love. Janet's voice should intrigue you, but frankly, those strings and those drums grab my attention all the time".
Chart performance The song was released exclusively in North America and Europe to urban radio formats. Due to the blacklist, "I Want You" quickly rose to number eighteen in airplay before stalling on the chart. The song generated an audience impression of nearly twenty-two million on formats able to play the song during its first week. The song debuted at number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 3, 2004, before peaking at number 57 weeks later. It also peaked at number 18 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, becoming her thirty-third consecutive top forty hit on the chart. It had also reached number sixteen on Radio and Recordss weekly airplay report. Additionally, it also peaked at number four on Billboards Urban Adult Contemporary airplay chart. Due to strong sales, the song was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
"All Nite (Don't Stop)" was released as the album's second single in most international markets as a double A-Side with "I Want You", making the song ineligible to chart. However, "I Want You" reached number 19 in the United Kingdom. It also reached number ten on the United Kingdom's BBC Radio 2 airplay chart, while lead single "Just a Little While" spent multiple weeks atop the chart. It received a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards.
Blacklist