Michael Jackson: The Short List
Image by janeb13 (pixabay.com)
Michael Jackson produced some of the most phenomenal music the world ever heard.
We all know that Michael Jackson is both beloved and reviled. Long before the child sexual abuse allegations and court cases happened, he was the biggest pop star in the world. He toured the globe multiple times, each time selling out concerts with rabid fans clamoring to get as close to him as possible.
He obviously became less popular once the allegations against him came to light. He was never convicted of what he was accused of doing, although he did reach a settlement with one of his accusers. Some saw this as an admission of guilt, others viewed it as him just wanting to end the turmoil. The damage was done and his image had been tarnished, especially here in the States.
Even though MJ was problematic towards the end of his career and life, his music is still some of the best pop out there.
“Billie Jean”
Album: Thriller
Year: 1983
“Billie Jean” is a standout song in MJ’s catalog. Throw it on at a party and most people will find themselves dancing to the hit tune. In fact, it was his biggest hit in his solo career.
“Billie Jean’’ is the song that he performed at the ’84 Grammy’s and debuted the now infamous moonwalk dance move. Whether or not MJ came up with this move (it’s been disputed) kind of doesn’t matter because he is the person that is associated with it, as well as the person that perfected it.
The song is bouncy and catchy, despite the serious subject matter of the lyrics claiming MJ fathered a love child. Whether or not he actually did have a secret child has never been proven, but the lyrics, which MJ wrote, paint a clear picture of the accusation. With a steady drumbeat, rhythmic guitars, and MJ’s recognizable high voice, “Billie Jean” remains one of his best songs.
“They Don’t Really Care About Us”
Album: HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
Year: 1996
This song is definitely not one of his more popular ones, but I chose it because it was a departure from the normal things that people were used to seeing from MJ. The song is about oppression, racism, and injustice towards, above all else, Black people worldwide. MJ wrote a majority of his music, so to know that MJ wanted to use his platform and popularity to highlight these serious issues is notable.
The song faced criticism because of some anti-semitic lyrics, which MJ denied that being the case. The lyrics in question are:
Jew me, sue me
Everybody, do me
Kick me, kike me
Don’t you black or white me
The controversy over the lyrics led to those portions of the song (because he sings it more than once) having a static noise placed on top of MJ’s voice to cover up the words.
The song has a militarized drum beat, which brings images of prisoners working on a chain gang. There is a heavy metal-esque guitar solo, more than likely because MJ was a rock fan, as well as an angelic chorus singing in the background at various times. The combination of these elements placed together create an overlooked protest anthem.
“Smooth Criminal”
Album: Bad
Year: 1988
Many people might not remember that “Smooth Criminal” was part of a movie that MJ starred in titled Moonwalker. He was at one of the heights of his fame when this song and movie came out, so I guess he could get away with what one might call an ego project.
I would have to say that if someone asked me which MJ song is my favorite, this would be the one. Part of my love for this song is the music video. The 1930s costumes, the choreography, and, of course, the famous visual and physical trick of “the lean.” All of this, along with the storyline, create an interesting video that is still so fun to watch.
In terms of the composition of the song, there’s just something about it that appeals to me; I can’t even really break it down into concrete terms. It’s got an amazing rhythm without any real breaks in it, which creates a nonstop chance to boogie; it’s a bop for sure. I could listen to this song repeatedly and not get tired of it.
“Remember the Time”
Album: Dangerous
Year: 1992
If there’s one thing that MJ did well with his videos, it was the fact that many of them were like mini-movies. When the video for “Remember the Time” came out, it was a big deal. Not only was it a new MJ song, but the video starred Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson. I remember that MTV did an entire behind the scenes/making of before the official debut.
This is, yet again, another jam to groove to. MJ was so good at producing songs that would make people want to get on the dancefloor. The dance break towards the end is punctuated with his interesting way of injecting nonsensical noises and sounds to keep listeners on their toes, literally.
Throughout his career, MJ released so many hits that it’s hard to choose which ones are the best. It’s a shame that his artistry is forever tainted by his personal and legal woes because he was the world’s most talented male pop star when he was in his prime.