Every Time

"Every Time" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her sixth studio album, The Velvet Rope (1997). In Japan, it was released as the album's third single on March 25, 1998, while in the United States, it was released as the album's sixth and final single in November 1998. The song has been described as a ballad that lyrically delves into the protagonist's fear of love. Jackson only performed it on the last Japanese date of The Velvet Rope Tour in Tokyo. Critical response Billboard magazine's review was positive, stating, "'Every Time' ranks with [Jackson's] most memorable ballads, such as "Let's Wait Awhile" and "Again", calling on the things that make Janet so effective with this type of delicate material: Her voice quivers with emotion as she practically whispers about the promise and fear of an imminent romance, while steadfast writer/producer team Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis wrap her vocal around a beautiful and sensuous chorus. This song sounds so perfect with the more civil pace of fall, it's an easy decision across the board, at top 40, AC, and R&B. Absolutely destined to be one of her greats." A reviewer from Birmingham Evening Mail wrote, "Gorgeous ballad featuring Miss Jackson's quivering vocals, a piano, strings and some understated percussion." J.D. Considine for Entertainment Weekly deemed it as one of the album's most affecting moments, noting "when the chords in the chorus to "Every Time" modulate into melancholy as Jackson observes that "every time I fall in love/It seems to never last"." Music Week thought Janet was "at her most relaxed" and called her delivery over the songs piano hook as "delicate", but felt that radio "is already spoilt for choice for ballads and many may feel this is a release too far." Andrew Le from Renowned for Sound website called the song "tender, angelic", and also commented that it was "far superior than the overrated, soppy saccharine Again, as it has an even better piano hook and more intimate vocal performance". Chart performance The single peaked at number fifty-two in Australia, number sixty-seven in Germany, and number ninety-five in France. But in Iceland it peaked at number 5. In the US it failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number twenty-five on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.