The palm muted guitar on "Wanna Be..."!!!
And his scatting in unison with it!
― shake it, shake it, sugary pee (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 04:12 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, well! Toto, when employed in the service of good, can be an amazing thing.
― Axolotl with an Atlatl (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, August 30, 2011 6:51 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark
As I recall, when they started putting out records, critical consensus was, "How can these guys sound so great on other peoples' records, but sound iredeemably shitty on their own?"
― shake it, shake it, sugary pee (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 04:14 (twelve years ago) link
I am no huge fan of "Say Say Say", but it probably would have benefited from Quincy Jones producing instead of George Martin, while "The Girl Is Mine" might have worked with Martin producing.
― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 10:11 (twelve years ago) link
Btw. I consider "The Man" to be the best of those three songs they did together. :)
― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 10:13 (twelve years ago) link
Can't hear Human Nature without being transported back to shit teenage house parties, circa 11pm. The vomit is drying on the carpet, one girl is crying on the stairs, the hard kids are ransacking the host's parents' bedroom. Then Human Nature comes on the stereo, and three couples take to the floor to "slow dance" and snog awkwardly while everyone else just wishes their fucking lifts home would arrive.
― Trudi Styler, the Creator (ithappens), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 10:15 (twelve years ago) link
Jackson could sing low—down to a basso low C
A lot of very famous people (JLennon for instance) had two signatures, one for autographs and one for contracts/cheques/etc.
I think MJackson had two speaking voices, one deeper one for normal business/work/private use, and the high one for fans/interviews/public.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 10:21 (twelve years ago) link
While I was aware of Michael Jackson as a kid in the 80s, I didn't really get round to hearing any of his albums until much much later. I therefore can't help thinking of SWV's excellent Right Here when I hear Human Nature.
― Sonny Chevrotain (dog latin), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 10:25 (twelve years ago) link
I'd love to here some basso MJ singing.
Lisa Marie says this is the case.
― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 10:37 (twelve years ago) link
I think John Noakes was the same.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 10:39 (twelve years ago) link
I challopsilly voted for The Girl Is Mine. This is a great album, but I've heard some of these songs a billion times, whereas TGIM is technically a deep cut. And yeah, it's kind of rubbish, if not crepey, but it's also kind of charming in its way. I have a perverse liking of McCartney in the mid-'80s (I share Geir's love of the Tug Of War album), so yeah... Iff this were Bad, I'd be all over the hits - Smooth Criminal being maybe my first favourite independently-heard song.
― Sonny Chevrotain (dog latin), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 10:46 (twelve years ago) link
technically a deep cut lead single that peaked at #2 on the Hot 100
― ✇ ruehl (some dude), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 10:52 (twelve years ago) link
it was a single? my bad.
― Sonny Chevrotain (dog latin), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 10:54 (twelve years ago) link
*slopes off to another thread*
in fairness to dog latin, TGIM has the same problem "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" -- a huge hit that somehow no one associates with the album.
― a 'catch-all', almost humorous, 'Jeez' quality (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 10:59 (twelve years ago) link
Both those had no video at the time, so both were 'low-key' singles, ahead of the big hitters which didn't need a "Hey hey new album soon, check this lead track" hype to hit top spot(s).
― Mark G, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 11:03 (twelve years ago) link
In fact, they never did this until "Black or White" which, um, had a fair bit of video-promotion...
yeah...and not having a video while being off an album with several hugely famous videos (xpost)
― ✇ ruehl (some dude), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 11:04 (twelve years ago) link
I can only remember maybe 2-3 singles off of Dangerous, and yet there were something like 7 or 8 of them released. This was when I was most exposed to chart countdowns and whatnot as well.
― Sonny Chevrotain (dog latin), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 11:07 (twelve years ago) link
i remember the first 4 Dangerous videos all getting big splashy premieres on MTV and heavy rotation afterward, and "Heal The World," thought not a huge hit, felt annoyingly ubiquitous later on
― ✇ ruehl (some dude), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 11:29 (twelve years ago) link
feel like everyones gonna rep for dif songs then billie jean will crush all
― ice cr?m, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 11:31 (twelve years ago) link
ILM seems like a place where "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" or "Human Nature" could stage an upset imo
― ✇ ruehl (some dude), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 11:38 (twelve years ago) link
hey dudes im upping this ron g blend of human nature for you cause its bananas http://www.mediafire.com/?xcs4uix1cri2f7m
― ice cr?m, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 11:43 (twelve years ago) link
"wanna be startin' something" would be my second choice. watching tracy morgan chant "mamasaymamasamamakoosa" onstage in prospect park was cathartic right after mike kicked it was way cathartic
― reggie (qualmsley), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 11:53 (twelve years ago) link
yes, doubly cathartic . . . and apparently i need my morning caffeine
― reggie (qualmsley), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 11:59 (twelve years ago) link
"beat it", which feels like a choice out of character but is also pretty unhesitating
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 12:09 (twelve years ago) link
oh wait "p.y.t." actually
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 12:36 (twelve years ago) link
Voted "Wanna Be Startin' Something."
― Gus Van Sant's Gerry Blank (Eric H.), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 12:50 (twelve years ago) link
I fully expect these to be #2 and #3 (behind '[/i]')
― now I have to imagine your penis (DJP), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 12:52 (twelve years ago) link
i voted [/i] jah rastafari
― ice cr?m, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 13:51 (twelve years ago) link
Nothing is bad on this album, but "I Wanna Be Startin' Something", "The Girl Is Mine" and "The Lady In My Life" are the only tracks that aren't downright great.
― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 14:22 (twelve years ago) link
Wow do i disagree w/ you (at least about the first two)
― notorious ilx wet noodle (remy bean), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 14:25 (twelve years ago) link
Well, the first *is* great, the next is bad, and the last I don't remember.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 14:37 (twelve years ago) link
Used to really love "I Wanna Be Startin' Something". It still sounds marvellous (like virtually anything produced by Quincy Jones at that time), but I feel the song becomes a bit too repetitive and mantra-like after a while. No bad track in any way, but doesn't have the magic that most of the others do.
On the other hand, "Baby Be Mine", a non-single which is often overlooked, is one of my definite fave tracks off the entire album.
― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 14:52 (twelve years ago) link
Baby Be Mine is awesome.
Lady in My Life is the only one that seems like it could've been done by a lesser R&B singer of the time. Also, it sounds like he says "I will love you, Morris Day".
― corey, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 14:57 (twelve years ago) link
― ice cr?m, Wednesday, August 31, 2011 2:31 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark
yep
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 14:58 (twelve years ago) link
the song becomes a bit ... mantra-like after a while
Bingo.
― Gus Van Sant's Gerry Blank (Eric H.), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 14:59 (twelve years ago) link
Realize now that many of my all-time Jackson tracks were composed by Rod Temperton.
― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 15:00 (twelve years ago) link
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GxI0cmRFEuc/RyoNrmDh_4I/AAAAAAAAAe8/TtqiKqlIRyY/s320/rod+temperton+-+Heatwave-%28Good%29.jpg
― hardcore oatmeal (Jordan), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 15:01 (twelve years ago) link
Of course he also wrote all those great Heatwave hits, and "Razzamatazz" and "Yah Mo B There" and "Sweet Freedom". LA needs more Brits ;)
― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 15:03 (twelve years ago) link
And "Stomp!" and "Give Me The Night".... Damn... Genius...
― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 15:04 (twelve years ago) link
Wanna Be Starting Something sounds more like a cut from Off The Wall than anything else off the album. A pure dance/disco track.
― Sonny Chevrotain (dog latin), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 15:12 (twelve years ago) link
On the topic of Michael Jackson's low voice, I did find this:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jl2VKqHRJw
― MarkoP, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 15:18 (twelve years ago) link
kind of feel like throwing a vote to thriller since it isnt coming up here much but man wanna be startin' somethin is kinda unbeatable
also yeah say say say is all time great
― dougie instructor (jjjusten), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 15:35 (twelve years ago) link
I'm going to vote for "The Girl is Mine" because I just listened to it again and it's such a warm record.
― a 'catch-all', almost humorous, 'Jeez' quality (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 15:53 (twelve years ago) link
I like the bridge a lot. But most of it is, um, not "Startin' Something."
― Gus Van Sant's Gerry Blank (Eric H.), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 15:56 (twelve years ago) link
i can't vote for girl is mine but i think it's hilarious and i never got why everyone in the universe is so uptight about it.
― the-dream in the witch house (difficult listening hour), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 15:58 (twelve years ago) link
For a bad song, Girl Is Mine is a pretty good song.
― Sonny Chevrotain (dog latin), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 15:59 (twelve years ago) link
how is "Girl is Mine" a bad song? I'm curious. It's at worst innocuous in a touching way.
― a 'catch-all', almost humorous, 'Jeez' quality (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 16:02 (twelve years ago) link
it's on thriller, usually seems to be the idea
― the-dream in the witch house (difficult listening hour), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 16:02 (twelve years ago) link