Man in the Music

by Joseph Vogel

  6. “YOU ROCK MY WORLD”

  Written by Michael Jackson, Rodney Jerkins, Fred Jerkins III, LaShawn Daniels, and Nora Payne

  Produced by Michael Jackson and Rodney Jerkins

  “You Rock My World” ended up being the last hit single of Jackson’s career. Globally, it reached the Top 10 in over twenty countries, hitting #1 in six of them. In the United States, however, it peaked at #10 and was therefore viewed as a bit of a disappointment. It was the lowest-charting lead single in Jackson’s adult career.

  Critics were lukewarm on the track. It was clearly trying to tap into the retro, disco-era Michael Jackson vibe. “It’s like Michael back to the melodies,” Rodney Jerkins explained. “It makes you want to dance. It’s a feel-good song.”

  For some, the song played too safe and conservative. Yet others felt it was largely successful in doing exactly what Jerkins intended. Entertainment Weekly called it his “least forced, most seamless single [in ages]. A simple, taut mesh of unwavering dance beats and strings.” Rolling Stone said it “recall[ed] the singer’s work with Quincy Jones by way of finely sculpted and exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies.”

  “You Rock My World” had been the first demo Jerkins and his creative team ever introduced to Jackson. A tape was sent to the artist’s hotel room. He sent back word that he liked it. A few days later, he came to the Hit Factory to record it. “He had Rodney just play the track,” recalled Jerkins’s writing partner LaShawn Daniels, “and he said, ‘Who’s the guy doing the melodies?’ And it was me. So I came into the room, Michael’s standing there—freakin’ Michael Jackson!—and…says to me, ‘Can you sing the melodies to me in my ear?’ ” Daniels did as he was asked and Jackson began tweaking the melody and arrangement right there. Daniels was so overwhelmed by the experience he confessed that he could barely concentrate. But by the end of the session, they had most of the lead and background vocals locked in. Jackson seemed excited about the track, and Jerkins and company were relieved.

  The track begins with a humorous exchange with comedian Chris Tucker. “I called them interludes,” said Jerkins. “Michael called them vignettes.” “Watch me get that girl,” the singer declares, before the bass kicks in and Jackson slides into the song as naturally as a sequined glove. From there, it’s vintage Michael Jackson: a pulsing beat, jubilant keyboard, finger-snapping percussion, and disco strings. Jackson begins cool and restrained before unleashing his signature gravelly ad-libs over the outro.

  It may not have been a new or innovative song for Michael Jackson, but it was still a lot of fun to listen to.

  7. “BUTTERFLIES”

  Written by Andre Harris and Marsha Ambrosius

  Produced by Michael Jackson and Andre Harris

  For many fans and critics alike, “Butterflies” was a revelation. One of the buried gems of his late career, it is a reminder of what made Michael Jackson’s voice such a marvel in the first place.

  If not for fortuitous happenstance, however, the artist never would have sung it. “Butterflies” was one of the later additions to Invincible. The song came from a relatively unknown (at the time) British retro soul duo called Floetry, composed of Marsha Ambrosius and Natalie Stewart. Ambrosius was just nineteen years old when she wrote the song. “I first recorded ‘Butterflies’ in London in 1997,” she pointed out, “Just me and the piano. It was about a boy I had a crush on that worked at McDonald’s. It was that simple, that initial feeling.”

  In the late ’90s, Floetry was connected with Philadelphia-based producer Andre Harris, who was affiliated with A Touch of Jazz. Harris also happened to be friends with Jackson’s manager John McClain. It was McClain who talked to Jackson about A Touch of Jazz and Floetry. When the artist heard their material, he was impressed—so impressed, in fact, that he called them and left a message. Marsha Ambrosius vividly remembers hearing the voice-mail message: “This really light voice comes out of the answering machine: ‘I’m really interested in that stuff coming out of A Touch of Jazz. That Floetry stuff is really cool.’ It was Michael Jackson!”

  Floetry sent the artist a handful of unreleased demos to review. Jackson chose “Butterflies.” Ambrosius and Stewart were flown to New York City the day Jackson recorded the song. It seemed surreal as they walked into the Hit Factory to meet the King of Pop. “My heart is literally beating out of my chest,” remembered Ambrosius. “All I recall is the sound of a grand piano playing a harmonic scale, someone singing and seeing who that voice was coming from eye to eye. It was him.”

  As nervous as they were, Jackson came across as gentle and humble, and soon put Ambrosius and Stewart at ease. Before long, he was asking them for guidance on the song. “It was incredible,” recalled Ambrosius of the experience, “because he continually asked, ‘Marsh, what’s the next harmony? Girls, does this sound right? What do you think? Is this what you were looking for?’ He was so open.”

  Jackson finished most of the work on the song that day. It was a stunning vocal performance. “It is not too overstated to suggest that ‘Butterflies’ is one of Jackson’s most significant R&B recordings in some time,” claimed music critic Mark Anthony Neal. “Jackson opens the song with a growl-like murmur of a tenor, but the song takes off in the second verse when he pushes his range to a breathy lilting falsetto that powerfully captures the vulnerability that the song’s lyrics attempt to convey.”

  That vocal is delivered over the vintage crackling sound of a vinyl record and a mellow beat that mimics the flapping wings of a butterfly in slow motion. Ambrosius and Stewart provide soulful background vocals as Jackson declares his presence with a falsetto cry. Then he launches into the song with the rhythmic timing of a jazz master, showcasing his vocal range with effortless dexterity.

  Though Sony never officially released “Butterflies” as a single, it quickly became an underground hit, particularly in urban areas like New York. Given the enthusiastic response, many people couldn’t understand why it wasn’t promoted more. In fact, some argued that Jackson should have simply done an entire album in this retro soul/Touch of Jazz style. “It would have opened people’s minds,” music critic Steven Ivory told NPR.

  For Ambrosius, however, it was an unforgettable experience. “Getting the opportunity to work with the best whoever did it, on planet Earth, period, is just a blessing,” she said. “For me, it was just paying my respects.”

  8. “SPEECHLESS”

  Written by Michael Jackson

  Produced by Michael Jackson

  The ballads on Invincible were generally considered hit or miss by critics. “Speechless” is a hit. A soaring Broadway-esque ballad, like “Butterflies,” it puts Jackson’s distinct vocal ability on full display. Jackson even opens and closes the song a capella.

  “Speechless” is one of only two songs on the album that Jackson wrote and produced himself. He came up with the melody while visiting Germany. He was playing with children when inspiration struck. “There are these two sweet little kids, a girl and a boy, and they’re so innocent,” he said in a 2001 interview. “They’re the quintessential form of innocence, and just being in their presence I felt completely speechless, ’cause I felt I was looking in the face of God whenever I saw them. They inspired me to write ‘Speechless.’ ”

  Brad Buxer remembered getting the familiar late-hour phone call from Jackson soon afterward. “I got a call at four thirty in the morning,” he noted. “He sang all the parts over the phone. At 6:30 a.m. it was done.” When Jackson returned to the United States, he worked with Buxer and Jeremy Lubbock on the orchestral arrangement. “He wanted it to be this kind of ecstasy,” recalled Buxer. “He said, ‘I want you to play these arpeggios.’ I thought it would be too busy, too sweet. When the modulations start coming, you hear all this arpeggiating going on on the keyboard. It’s not sequenced; it’s all playing. That’s what he wanted.” Jacks
on also enlisted the Andraé Crouch Choir to give the song the lift he envisioned.

  The result was a song that starts as a simple confession of love and blossoms into a sublime crescendo of joy. Critics predictably dismissed it as sentimental, but there is an authenticity and purity to it. Like some of his gospel-tinged songs (“Will You Be There,” “You Are Not Alone”), it reaches a spiritual peak that is uncommon in most pop music. “When I’m with you,” he sings at the song’s climax, “I’m in the light / Where I cannot be found / It’s as though I am standing in / The place called Hallowed Ground.”

  9. “2000 WATTS”

  Written and composed by Michael Jackson, Teddy Riley, Tyrese Gibson, and J. Henson

  Produced by Michael Jackson and Teddy Riley

  Many listeners hardly recognized Jackson on “2000 Watts”—an ode to sound, sound technology, and the eroticism of sound technology—that features the singer in an uncharacteristically deep baritone voice. There has been some debate about whether it is actually Jackson’s “natural voice” or whether it was digitally altered in some way. Clearly, some kind of filter was used, but according to Teddy Riley, the pitch wasn’t changed and it is indeed the artist’s real voice.

  Following the orchestral bliss of “Speechless,” “2000 Watts” provides a sharp contrast, sonically and lyrically. Over a driving techno beat and electronic noise, Jackson evokes the machinery of music—with a heavy dose of sexual innuendo layered on top.

  The song was originally written by actor, model, and singer Tyrese Gibson. It was further developed by Teddy Riley, who also delivers the “You may now apply your 3-D glasses” intro and provides background vocals on the track. It was first intended for Gibson’s own forthcoming album, also called 2000 Watts (a title he kept even though the song was no longer on it). When Gibson heard that Jackson was interested in it, however, he gladly handed it over. Jackson further modified the track with Brad Buxer. According to collaborators, the song was one of the on-the-fence decisions for inclusion on the album.

  The song was polarizing among both fans and critics. Some felt it was trend-chasing filler that could have been replaced by much better material; others cited it as one of the album’s most energizing club tracks.

  10. “YOU ARE MY LIFE”

  Written by Michael Jackson, Babyface, Carole Bayer Sager, and John McClain

  Produced by Michael Jackson and Babyface

  “You Are My Life” was a last-minute inclusion on Invincible, replacing the up-tempo “Shout” just weeks before the album was released. The song no doubt had personal significance for Jackson, whose two young children had brought new meaning to his life. Among his released music, it may be the best expression of what his children meant to him.

  The song is about a loneliness and emptiness that is filled—and the sense of gratitude and relief he feels as he is “brought back to the light.” It was written primarily by Babyface, with input from Carole Bayer Sager, John McClain, and Jackson. Another reason it may have found its way on the album was so that Jackson could give these individuals a songwriting credit—particularly Babyface, whose tracks had been cut from both Dangerous and HIStory. Babyface also wrote additional songs for Invincible (which some felt were much better than “You Are My Life”). But this was the one that ultimately made the final cut.

  Many critics cited “You Are My Life” as the weakest of the ballads on the album, pointing to its lethargic pacing and cliché-ridden chorus. Entertainment Weekly described it as having “more sap than a syrup factory.” Yet the airy ballad isn’t without its virtues. It is in many ways a classic Babyface song (in addition to writing and coproducing it, he also plays just about every instrument on the track). The song takes its time, building slowly, as Jackson tells his story of redemption over a soft-strumming acoustic guitar. Gradually it gains momentum, until the final minute and a half explodes into a sublime celebration of life. Jackson wrings the song for all it’s worth in the finale. “You opened my eyes when I couldn’t see,” he sings. “Love was always here waiting for me.”

  11. “PRIVACY”

  Written by Michael Jackson, Rodney Jerkins, Fred Jerkins III, LaShawn Daniels, and Bernard Belle

  Produced by Michael Jackson and Rodney Jerkins

  “Privacy” swiftly shifts the mood, as Jackson growls about the unethical tactics of the media over a grinding beat and the sound of flashing cameras. It’s not subtle, hitting as hard as anything on the album. Its aggressive tone is supplemented by ominous strings and fierce guitar (the solo was supposed to be played by Slash, whom Jackson calls out in the song, but his performance never materialized due to scheduling conflicts).

  “Privacy” was one of the earlier grooves Jackson worked on with Rodney Jerkins in 1999. He liked the anger in it and responded with some pointed lyrics. The subject matter is a late-era Michael Jackson staple, from “Leave Me Alone” to “Why You Wanna Trip on Me” to “Tabloid Junkie.”

  Songs like “Privacy” were intended to alert people to the media’s manipulation of the truth (“You’ve got the people confused…”) and assert his humanity in the face of dehumanizing tactics (“You try to get me to lose the man I really am”). The song begins with another brief vignette that recalls his short film for “Speed Demon,” a satirical take on the pop star’s life on the run from the paparazzi, before giving way to Jackson’s indignant attack.

  In the second verse Jackson alludes to the death of Princess Diana, who was aggressively chased by tabloid reporters when her car fatally crashed in a Parisian tunnel in 1997. Her lover, Dodi Fayed, and driver Henri Paul were also killed in the crash. In a 1997 interview with Barbara Walters, Jackson was asked how he learned of the news. “I woke up,” he recalled, “and my doctor gave me the news. And I fell back down in grief, and I started to cry. The pain…I felt inner pain in my stomach, and in my chest. So, I said, ‘I can’t handle this…it’s too much.’ Just the message and the fact that I knew her personally.”

  Jackson first met Princess Diana in London on his Bad World Tour in 1988. In the years that followed, they occasionally spoke over the phone. Jackson identified with Diana as a kindred gentle soul who also happened to be one of the most famous people on the planet (and a fellow tabloid favorite). “I’ve been living that kind of life all my life,” Jackson told Barbara Walters. “I’ve been running for my life like that, hiding, getting away….Someone should say, ‘Hold on! Stop! This person deserves their privacy.’…I go around the world dealing with running and hiding. You can’t…I can’t take a walk in the park….I can’t go in the store….You can’t…I have to hide in the room. You feel like you’re in prison.”

  Barbara Walters challenged Jackson, saying that he relied on the publicity to sell his music. “You can’t invite them in again and again,” she countered, “and then at a certain point, close them out.” Jackson responded that yes, you should be able to. There have to be boundaries. “You should not say, ‘He’s an animal.’…You should not say, ‘He’s Jacko.’ I’m not a ‘Jacko.’ I’m Jackson….‘Wacko Jacko,’ where did that come from? Some English tabloid. I have a heart and I have feelings….I’m not a ‘Wacko.’…They created that. Did they ever think I would have a child one day…that I have a heart? It’s hurting my heart. Why pass it on to him?”

  Critics, of course, didn’t have much empathy for this view and generally dismissed the track as celebrity whining. Yet Jackson’s message—in his interview and the song—was simply: famous or not, he was still a human being.

  12. “DON’T WALK AWAY”

  Written by Michael Jackson, Teddy Riley, Richard Stites, and Reed Vertelney

  Produced by Michael Jackson and Teddy Riley; Coproduced by Richard Stites

  “Don’t Walk Away” is understated and often overlooked. But it may be Jackson’s most genuine expression of heartache since “She’s Out of My Life.” Music cr
itic Mike Heyliger described the track as a “stunningly heartbreaking ballad that the Backstreet Boys would still salivate in their sleep for.”

  The song was written by Richard Stites and Reed Vertelney, two talented songwriters working for Sony Music. It was further developed and produced by Michael Jackson and Teddy Riley.

  While Jackson didn’t write the lyrics, they clearly resonated for the artist, who had been divorced twice over the past few years. Most painful was the dissolution of his relationship with Lisa Marie Presley. Years after their marriage ended, Jackson kept a photo of her on his nightstand. They continued to see each other for years afterward and to talk on the phone. Asked about his former wife in a 1999 interview, Jackson responded: “Lisa’s sweet. I like her very much, and we are friends. And who knows what tomorrow brings? I have no idea how she feels today. I’ll just say that.”

  While Lisa Marie eventually distanced herself from Jackson, she later acknowledged how devastated she was to lose him: “He had something so intoxicating about him and when he was on, when he was ready to share with you or give it to you, and be himself and allow you to come in. I don’t know if I’ve ever been that intoxicated by anything….It was like a drug. I just always wanted to be around, always wanted to be a part of—I felt so high. I’ve never felt that way around another human being, except for one, which was my father.”