May it never end, may it never end

Janet Jackson "And On And On"

To celebrate the start of summer, I'm sharing my very favorite song about my very favorite season: Janet Jackson's "And On and On." "This is a song about summertime," announces Jan, who embraces her birthright by leaving nothing to the imagination. Intent on never letting us forget what it is (we hear Jan say "B-side" before anything else on this non-album, janet.-era track), "And On and On" is as obvious as humidity in theme and foundation. Jan, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (...and Rene Elizondo?!?) fashion the pillow of sound her delicate voice always needs by liberally borrowing from Sly & the Family Stone's "Family Affair."

The long-smoldering ideals of Jan's lyrics ("May it never end, may it never end," she murmurs, echoing the summer love of anyone in school, and quite a few workers, as well) are accompanied by the gently boiling guitar and rhythmic sizzle. This song is no less robotic in assembly than "Rhythm Nation" (the other Jan, Jam & Lewis track that brilliantly xeroxes Sly & Co.), but it comes off infinitely less mechanical since it hits the heart (specifically the nostalgia sector), not the feet and mind.

Of course, for the privileged few of Janet's stature, who can set off to, say, Anguilla whenever, summer does indeed go on and on. At least she gave the rest of us something to keep us warm.

Comments

[Cory]

And On and On is great but Musique's "Summer Love" is my favorite summer single.

[Brad]

My own favorite summer song is a reach back to the early 80's. Bryan Ferry's Windswept from the album Boys And Girls.