Music Review: Janet Jackson & Nelly "Call On Me"
Janet Jackson & Nelly
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Call On Me
Album: 20 Y.O.
Year: 2006
Janet Jackson and Nelly rely on each other in the moth-eaten “Call On Me.”
Clanging hand-claps and a mousy piano open the single, setting a stiff tone and watering down the S.0.S. Band sample “Tell Me If You Still Care.” In the first verse, she says she’s never had a friend who knew her well in a short amount of time. She’s certain Nelly can be considered her best friend and she wants to share all the details she can about her life. She’s been hurt over former friends who abandoned her. She can’t lose Nelly, like all her other former friends. If she has to rearrange her schedule or skip a day of work to see him, she’ll do it.
In the chorus, she tells Nelly she’ll listen to him, no matter the time. Nelly tells her she’s not lonely with him in her life. If she wants to hang out, he’ll drive over to her house. She just has to say when. They both want to have a give-and-take friendship with one another and be important in each other lives.
In the second verse, Nelly says he hasn’t had many close girl friends. He usually falls for them and it changes the friendship for him. He loses contact with them eventually. But with Jackson, he knows where he stands. He’ll pay attention to see if anything is bothering her. If she were to call him up to talk, it wouldn’t be interrupting any of his plans. He’ll probably be hanging out and finishing housework. He urges her not to worry about messing up anything.
The chorus is sung again.
In the bridge, she once again says she will be someone who will listen. If he’s in the middle of nowhere and crying, she will drive there to talk to him. She says he’s like a family member to her.
The chorus is sung again.
In the final section, Nelly once again says he’ll be available to her 24/7. Jackson says the same thing. Then, they combine both their sections to close the single.
Jackson and Nelly became quick friends. They met through a mutual friend at a party. There, they bonded over their love of reality shows. Before the party was over, they made plans to hang out again. Since then, they have been inseperable. It’s a friendship they both cherish and want to continue for a long time.
Jackson’s emaciated, plain vocals are stale and drowsy. She’s not interested in the single at all. Nelly’s alert, unvarying vocals are monotonous after a while. Nonetheless, he’s the one trying to pick up the energy. But he gets slowed down by the tedious accompiant each time.
The dry arrangement first dilutes the richness of S.O.S. Band’s “Tell Me If You Still Care.” It then pours on the handclaps from the sample, overwhelming the overall flavor. Lastly, it’s coated with nostalgia, which producer Jermaine Dupri burns to a crisp.
The desperate “Call On Me” pulls every stop to create an aura of classic Jackson. But it serves to remind that she can't recreate past success.
Album: 20 Y.O.
Year: 2006
Janet Jackson and Nelly rely on each other in the moth-eaten “Call On Me.”
Clanging hand-claps and a mousy piano open the single, setting a stiff tone and watering down the S.0.S. Band sample “Tell Me If You Still Care.” In the first verse, she says she’s never had a friend who knew her well in a short amount of time. She’s certain Nelly can be considered her best friend and she wants to share all the details she can about her life. She’s been hurt over former friends who abandoned her. She can’t lose Nelly, like all her other former friends. If she has to rearrange her schedule or skip a day of work to see him, she’ll do it.
“I don't know if I've ever felt like this before/But I'm sure that the way I feel, I don't want it to go/'Cause I've cried my share of tears/And I've sang my share of blues/But to keep you over here, I'll do what I got to do.”
In the chorus, she tells Nelly she’ll listen to him, no matter the time. Nelly tells her she’s not lonely with him in her life. If she wants to hang out, he’ll drive over to her house. She just has to say when. They both want to have a give-and-take friendship with one another and be important in each other lives.
“So baby, call on me/Whether day or night, I'll never leave/See you don't have to be alone/I'll come anywhere you want/Baby just pick up the phone and call on me/So you ain't know/I wanna be your homie, lover, friend/See there it go, see there it go.”
In the second verse, Nelly says he hasn’t had many close girl friends. He usually falls for them and it changes the friendship for him. He loses contact with them eventually. But with Jackson, he knows where he stands. He’ll pay attention to see if anything is bothering her. If she were to call him up to talk, it wouldn’t be interrupting any of his plans. He’ll probably be hanging out and finishing housework. He urges her not to worry about messing up anything.
“See I never met a girl that could break me down/It's like I get caught in the middle/I get caught up a little anytime that she's around/I be posted, waitin' on standby/Lookin' to catch the hint/I'm doin' whatever, whenever/Never forget I said I'd be here when you want/To get what you need, if you wanna receive/Oh, please believe you could.”
The chorus is sung again.
In the bridge, she once again says she will be someone who will listen. If he’s in the middle of nowhere and crying, she will drive there to talk to him. She says he’s like a family member to her.
“Call on me/When ya need someone who cares/Say the words and I'll be there/I can meet you anywhere/Call on me/Anytime that you please/Babe, whatever you want/Be whatever you need/Because you're the one I love baby, yeah.”
The chorus is sung again.
In the final section, Nelly once again says he’ll be available to her 24/7. Jackson says the same thing. Then, they combine both their sections to close the single.
“It don't matter where you go/I'll come anywhere you want me to/It don't matter near or far/It's like anything you say I'll do/It don't matter where you go/I'll come anywhere you want me to/It don't matter near or far/It's like anything you say I'll do.”
Jackson and Nelly became quick friends. They met through a mutual friend at a party. There, they bonded over their love of reality shows. Before the party was over, they made plans to hang out again. Since then, they have been inseperable. It’s a friendship they both cherish and want to continue for a long time.
Jackson’s emaciated, plain vocals are stale and drowsy. She’s not interested in the single at all. Nelly’s alert, unvarying vocals are monotonous after a while. Nonetheless, he’s the one trying to pick up the energy. But he gets slowed down by the tedious accompiant each time.
The dry arrangement first dilutes the richness of S.O.S. Band’s “Tell Me If You Still Care.” It then pours on the handclaps from the sample, overwhelming the overall flavor. Lastly, it’s coated with nostalgia, which producer Jermaine Dupri burns to a crisp.
The desperate “Call On Me” pulls every stop to create an aura of classic Jackson. But it serves to remind that she can't recreate past success.