Released: October 26, 1997

Songwriter: René Elizondo Jr Terry Lewis Jimmy Jam Janet Jackson

Producer: Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Janet Jackson

[Spoken Intro]
1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4

[Verse 1]
How could it be that you knew me?
My deepest fears, my fantasies
Confide in you what no one knows
But it feels so real (1, 2, 3, 4)

[Pre-Chorus]
(When I close my eyes) I can see your face
(When I lick my lips) I can taste your smile
(When I see your name) My heart starts to race
(If I can't read your thoughts) Then I feel empty

[Chorus]
(When I close my eyes) I feel empty
(When I close my eyes) I feel empty
(When I close my eyes) Whoa, I feel empty
(When I close my eyes)

[Verse 2]
Is this a new way to love?
Never face to face, is it enough?
Does it really count or am I a fool?
So tell me, please, am I wasting my time?
Your phrases, descriptive
And through the textured words
With beauty, you post it
And use such colored verbs
We've never met, ooh (1, 2, 3, 4)

[Pre-Chorus]
(When I close my eyes) I can see your face
(When I lick my lips) I can taste your smile
(When I see your name) My heart starts to race
(If I can't read your thoughts) Then I feel empty

[Chorus]
(When I close my eyes) I feel empty
(When I close my eyes) Whoa, I feel empty
(When I close my eyes) Oh yeah yeah
(When I close my eyes)

[Verse 3]
I'm rushin' home to turn you on
Sometimes you're there, sometimes you're gone
Wait for hours for your return
So tell me please, am I wasting my time?
Your phrases, descriptive
And through the textured words
With beauty, you post it
And use such colored verbs
So tell me, you think that maybe we've gone insane?
To find a, a lover and through the words of pain
We've never met, ooh

[Pre-Chorus]
(When I close my eyes) I can see your face
(When I lick my lips) I can taste your smile
(When I see your name) My heart starts to race
(If I can't read your thoughts) Then I feel empty

[Chorus]
When I lick my lips (When I close my eyes)
I can taste your smile (When I close my eyes)
My heart starts to race (When I close my eyes)
I can taste your smile (When I close my eyes)

[Pre-Chorus]
(When I close my eyes) I can see your face
(When I lick my lips) I can taste your smile
(When I see your name) My heart starts to race
(If I can't read your thoughts) Then I feel empty

[Chorus]
(When I close my eyes) I feel empty
(When I close my eyes) I feel empty

(1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4)

(When I close my eyes)
(When I close my eyes)
(When I close my eyes)
(When I close my eyes)
(4, 3, 2, 1)

Damn, disconnected

Janet Jackson

Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an iconic R&B/pop artist who has sold over 100 million records worldwide and has amassed a number of awards in her illustrious music career.

Born in Gary, Indiana on May 16, 1966, Janet is the youngest of the Jackson family, who rose to prominence a few years after her birth when they signed with Motown Records. Janet joined the family business when she appeared on The Jacksons variety show in 1976, leading to her role as Penny Gordon in Season 5 of the CBS sitcom Good Times. She released two overlooked albums in the early 1980s—Janet Jackson (1982) and Dream Street (1984)—and continued to act during this time, appearing in Diff'rent Strokes and Fame.

The legend of Janet was created after she connected with the legendary Minneapolis production duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis to work on her seminal third album, Control. Control and her following album, 1989’s Rhythm Nation 1814, featured several #1 pop hits and made her a worldwide superstar. The trio would go on work on Janet’s subsequent hit albums, including janet., The Velvet Rope, as well as her 2015 comeback album, Unbreakable.