by Joseph Vogel
“Blue Gangsta”
Invincible outtake
Status: Released
“Blue Gangsta” was another collaboration with Dr. Freeze, first recorded in 1998. The gangster concept made it a sequel of sorts to songs like “Al Capone” and “Smooth Criminal,” which Freeze said was intentional. The cinematic touches are obvious, from old Hollywood-era gangster films to Westerns (note the standoff whistling). It also mixes a number of musical genres, from cabaret to hip-hop to jazz.
Jackson brought in an all-star team of collaborators to help out with the track, including his go-to guy Brad Buxer, keyboardist Greg Phillinganes, and horns specialist Jerry Hey. “The song was just awesome,” said recording engineer Michael Prince. “Michael obviously loved ‘Blue Gangsta,’ because to bring in some of those musicians is very expensive. I mean, you’ve got Jerry Hey doing the horn arrangement. It’s no wonder the brass on ‘Blue Gangsta’ was so incredible.” From the big cinematic brass to the Italian-style accordion, the track is packed with interesting details and would have undoubtedly made for a great short film. But the highlight is Jackson’s vocal: aggressive in the verses, bereaved in the chorus cries. Jackson continued to add new details to the song in 1999, including new percussion, which he beatboxed to Buxer, and new vocals on the outro. The 1998 demo was released on Xscape in 2014.
“Escape”
Invincible outtake
Status: Released
“Wait ’til the world hears ‘Escape,’ ” Michael Jackson told Rodney Jerkins in 1999. The producer had first presented the groove to Jackson earlier that year over the phone; the artist subsequently came up with the melody, harmonies, and lyrics. As the title suggested, the song was about finding some relief from the surrounding pressures and intrusions. It featured a taut, mechanical beat and sweeping harmonies. “MJ loved everything about it,” recalled Jerkins. “The energy, the lyrics. It’s kind of a prophetic song. Listen to the bridge. MJ says, ‘When I go, this world won’t bother me no more.’ It’s powerful.” The opening sketch of a prison break was Jerkins’s idea; he remembered Jackson loving it.
According to Jerkins, however, “Escape” was never on the playlist for Invincible. “We sat down and talked about which songs were going on. I think he really wanted to save it. He knew that it was one of the best songs that we did, but it was one of those things where he was going to save it for another project in his mind, or wasn’t ready for that particular message to come out at that time.” Jackson and Jerkins continued to work on the track after Invincible was released. Jerkins ultimately updated the track for the posthumous album Xscape, on which the original demo also appears.
“Fall Again”
Invincible outtake
Status: Released
“Fall Again” is a moody, jazz-tinged ballad about second chances written by Walter Afanasieff and Robin Thicke. It was recorded by Jackson at the Hit Factory in New York City in 1999. The track is one of the artist’s more distinctive later love songs, but he never completed it. “It was a great pleasure and honor for me to work with Michael Jackson,” said Afanasieff, who had also worked with artists like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Céline Dion. “People like him—that’s one in a million.” The 1999 demo was released on Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection in 2004.
“Get Your Weight Off of Me”
Invincible outtake
Status: Unreleased
One of a handful of unreleased Jackson-Jerkins tracks, “Get Your Weight Off of Me” sounds as if it were made of the same cloth as album cuts like “Privacy” and “Invincible.” Its techno-beat grinds with an assembly line–like repetition, as Jackson sings about accumulating pressures and haters. It’s not a standout outtake, but a further demonstration of the sound Jackson and Jerkins were exploring. It remains officially unreleased.
“Hollywood Tonight”
Invincible outtake
Status: Released
“Hollywood Tonight” was first recorded in 1998 and revisited many times over the ensuing years. The song, according to a note the artist wrote on Beverly Hills Hotel stationery, was about a “runaway girl” who leaves home at just fifteen to “make it in Hollywood.” Jackson envisioned it as a sort of cautionary tale about the traps and illusions of the industry. He worked on the track with Brad Buxer, who helped translate Jackson’s sonic vision. He was especially keen to capture a particular sound on the song’s lethal bass hook. “Do smooth muted bass on ‘Hollywood,’ ” he indicated in one handwritten note.
In the 1998 demo, he delivers an unfinished scratch vocal and can be heard giving instructions, including during the bridge. “Keep the loop drums going,” he said before launching into an operatic falsetto, à la “Who Is It.” Jackson eventually wrote lyrics for the bridge but never recorded them. “Hollywood Tonight” is one of Jackson’s more compelling later rhythm tracks. An altered version of the song was released on the 2010 album Michael, but the original demo remains officially unreleased.
“I Have This Dream”
Invincible outtake
Status: Unreleased
Jackson described “I Have This Dream” as a song to bring the world into the new millennium. It was composed together with Carole Bayer Sager and David Foster. The song, however, ultimately was not finished in time and did not make it onto Invincible. In 2002, AOL Music sponsored a songwriting contest around the track, which reportedly had a chorus but no verses. The contest was won by Nashville songwriter Ric Kipp. That version, however, never saw the light of day. Jackson resurrected the track again in 2005, updating it and giving it a new title, “From the Bottom of My Heart.” It was intended as a charity single to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. “It pains me to watch the human suffering taking place in the Gulf Region of my country,” said Jackson in a statement. “My heart and prayers go out to every individual who has had to endure the pain and suffering caused by this tragedy. I will be reaching out to others within the music industry to join me in helping to bring relief and hope to these resilient people who have lost everything.” Jackson assembled a number of fellow artists to participate on the track. That version, however, also failed to come to fruition and remains officially unreleased.
“One More Chance”
Invincible outtake
Status: Released
“One More Chance” was one of two songs R. Kelly wrote for Invincible. It was intended to have a retro, early ’80s feel. Jackson recorded his vocal for the light, mid-tempo track with Brad Buxer. Although it ultimately wasn’t included on the album, it was revisited and mixed in 2003 before being featured on the 2003 greatest-hits collection Number Ones. While it failed to receive airplay in the United States, it became a Top 10 hit in the UK, Italy, and Spain.
“She Was Loving Me”
Invincible outtake
Status: Released
“She Was Loving Me” is a lush, mid-tempo R&B track written by then Sony vice president Cory Rooney. Jackson recorded the song in the spring of 1999 at the Hit Factory in New York City. Jackson sings the verses in a lower register, matching the song’s sensual vibe, before unleashing angst-filled aggression in the chorus. Rooney remembered the “magic in the room” when Jackson laid down his vocals. Afterward, the artist went back through the takes “with a pen and paper…and picked out all his favorites. He pieced it all together.” The 1999 demo was released as “Chicago” on Xscape in 2014.
“Seeing Voices”
Collaboration with Sidney Fine
Status: Unreleased
“Seeing Voices” is an orchestral, Chaplin-esque song, inspired by Oliver Sacks’s 1989 book of the same name. It was written by legendary composer Sidney Fine, husband of Jackson’s tutor from his Jackson 5 days, Rose Fine, whom the artist credited for instilling in him his love of books and learning.
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nbsp; Rose was a mother figure for Jackson. “Boy did I need it,” he confessed in a 2000 interview. “I was never with my mother when I was little, very seldom….[Rose] called me her son. Whenever [we went touring and would board] the plane you see these seven little black kids and a black father, all got big Afros, [officials] would stop her and go, ‘Who are you?’ She would say, ‘I’m the mother.’ She would say it every time and they would let her go. Sweet story. She was special. I needed her.”
Jackson took care of Rose’s medical bills and housing expenses until her death. In 1999, Sidney Fine asked Jackson if he would record “Seeing Voices” as a tribute to their son, Peter, who had died of a rare brain disease that caused him to lose his hearing. “I remember how deeply dark and sad [Rose] was [when he died],” said Jackson. “He was a wonderful doctor, went to Harvard, and he was tall and handsome. He had some kind of brain tumor. I can’t imagine losing your own child like that.” Jackson not only agreed to sing the song, but also helped with the production, including arranging the beautiful strings. The song, which also features the Ray Charles Choir, was unveiled at a private, informal gathering in Sherman Oaks, California, hosted by Fine in May 1999. The song remains officially unreleased.
“Shout”
Invincible outtake
Status: Released
“Shout” draws on the Isley Brothers’ 1959 hit by the same name but is a completely different song. Where the Isley Brothers’ song is a celebration, Jackson’s song is a condemnation. The artist raps the verses in a throaty whisper. “Living encaged like animals and cannibals,” he sings in one verse, “Eating each other alive just to survive the nine to five.” His “shout” in the chorus is one of exasperation, similar to his 1995 single “Scream.” The track features a jagged beat and roiling electric guitar. It was a last-minute cut from Invincible, replaced by the Babyface ballad “You Are My Life.” The song was subsequently released as the B-side to “Cry” in December 2001.
“The Way You Love Me”
Invincible outtake
Status: Released
Jackson worked on “The Way You Love Me” with Brad Buxer during the early Invincible sessions in 1998. It was revisited again during recording sessions at the Hit Factory in 2000. The song is a throwback to classic doo-wop soul with beautiful Beach Boys–style harmonies. The lyrics follow suit, offering a simple but pure expression of love. The blissful modulating “woo-ooo-oohs” highlight the song. Music legend Stevie Wonder cited it as one of his favorites. “I love that song! I just love it,” he said. “It makes me feel that he’s here. That’s the spirit of how I like to remember his voice.” “The Way You Love Me” originally appeared on the 2004 box set Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection. A modified version was featured on the 2010 album Michael.
“We’ve Had Enough”
Invincible outtake
Status: Released
One of Jackson’s most powerful protest songs, “We’ve Had Enough” was written with Carole Bayer Sager and Rodney Jerkins in 1999. The song’s antiwar sentiment would have been timely had it been featured on Invincible, given the US-led war in Iraq in 2003. The lyrics not only protest war, but they condemn violence in all forms, including what seems to be a reference to police violence in this line: “She asked the men in blue / How is it that you get to choose / Who will live and who will die / Did God say that you could decide?” A series of vignettes follow as Jackson testifies on behalf of unheard voices.
As the song unfolds, pain morphs into outrage. Over the final two and a half minutes, Jackson soars over symphonic strings and a fiery guitar solo before the song returns to a stark drumbeat and the artist’s pained lamentations (“Why did you do it?”). Along with “Man in the Mirror” and “Earth Song,” it is one of Jackson’s most powerful, politically pointed anthems. Why it didn’t make it onto Invincible is anyone’s guess. Buried at the end of the 2004 box set Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection, it remains unknown to most listeners.
“What More Can I Give”
Charity song
Status: Unreleased
The melody to “What More Can I Give” has its origins in the early ’90s. At that time, the track was called “Heal L.A.,” in response to the Los Angeles riots. Jackson worked on the song primarily with Brad Buxer. In 1999, after a conversation with then South African president Nelson Mandela, Jackson reworked and renamed the song “What More Can I Give.” “We discussed the concept of giving,” Jackson said, “and the words, ‘What more can I give’ kept coming into my mind.” Jackson planned to use the song as a charity song that year. While Jackson did perform two charity concerts that year, the song was never released.
Jackson returned to the track in 2001, shortly after 9/11. Two versions were recorded that fall—one with Jackson’s solo vocal, the other featuring an all-star cast of artists, including Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Céline Dion. That version, however, also failed to see the light of day, due to a messy dispute between producer Marc Schaffel, Sony, and sponsors. The song eventually surfaced briefly as an online release in 2003, but has still not been officially released as a single or on an album.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book would not have been possible without the help and support of hundreds of people. I am especially grateful to my agent, Helen Zimmermann, for believing in this project (and me) when I first pitched it back in 2009. Thank you for your patience and persistence in finding this book a home all those years ago, and again for this second edition.
Thank you to Vintage Books and my fantastic editor, Catherine Tung, for seeing the vision and potential of this new edition. Catherine, working with you was such a pleasure. From the get-go you were enthusiastic, perceptive, thoughtful, and always alert to things that would make the writing clearer and stronger. The book definitely became much better because of you.
Thanks also to my copyeditor, Diana Drew, and to the designer for a beautiful book.
Thank you to the Michael Jackson Estate, especially John Branca and Karen Langford, for your support. Karen, you’ve been enormously helpful from the beginning. I can’t thank you enough for tracking things down for me, for answering my many queries, and for your smart suggestions. John, it’s always a pleasure talking to you and hearing your insights about Michael as an artist, person, and businessman. Thank you also to John McClain, Howard Weitzman, and Jim Bates.
Thank you to the Jackson family: Katherine, Joseph, Jackie, Jermaine, Tito, Marlon, Randy, Rebbie, LaToya, and Janet. Thank you also to Taj, Taryll, and T.J. It’s been a privilege meeting and corresponding with many of you, who knew Michael in ways most people did not.
Thank you to Spike Lee for allowing me to be part of two incredible documentaries and one unforgettable class/pizza party at NYU. Much respect for all you have done for Michael’s legacy.
Thank you to all of Michael Jackson’s creative partners, especially to those who were kind enough to spend hours talking over the phone and in person, e-mailing me back, sharing notes and track sheets, calendars and photos, demos and memories. Bill Bottrell, your work with Michael is phenomenal. Thank you for everything you shared with me, especially about “Earth Song.” John Barnes, I learned so many new things talking to you about the B-Team and those magical years between Thriller and Bad. Brad Buxer, you are brilliant. Your passion, integrity, warmth, and knowledge came through in every conversation. Matt Forger, you are incredible. Thank you for our hours of conversations and so much insight (“It’s about what people feel, not just what they hear”). Teddy Riley, thanks for talking to me about Dangerous and sharing so many amazing stories. Rodney Jerkins, it was so great to meet you and talk to you about your time in the studio with Michael. Buz Kohan, I loved hearing your stories about songs like “Gone Too Soon” and “Scared of the Moon.” Thank you for your time and insight. Brad Sundberg, thanks for all the things you’ve shared with me over the years, bo
th at your illuminating seminars and through follow-up questions. Bruce Swedien, I’m not sure a recording engineer could be more universally respected than you. Thank you for your generosity and bottomless well of knowledge. Thanks to so many others: Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton, Greg Phillinganes, Steve Porcaro, Jeff Porcaro, David Paich, Glen Ballard, Siedah Garrett, Chris Currell, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, David Foster, Rob Hoffman, Russ Ragsdale, George Del Barrio, Michael Prince, and Bernie Grundman.
Thank you to fellow scholars, journalists, and Michael Jackson biographers and researchers. I depended on so many of you to make this book as accurate, informative, and comprehensive as possible. In particular, I want to thank Constance Pierce, Marie Plasse, Susan Fast, Willa Stillwater, Joie Collins, Toni Bowers, Jason King, Barry Michael Cooper, Greg Tate, Mark Anthony Neal, Nelson George, Questlove, Anthony DeCurtis, Rob Sheffield, Hampton Stevens, Zack O’Malley Greenburg, Steve Knopper, J. Randy Taraborrelli, Mary Fischer, Tanner Colby, Armond White, Elizabeth Amisu, Karin Merx, Nina Fohoroff, B. D. Anderson, Charles Thomson, Damien Shields, Vera Serova, Susan Siders, Andy Healy, Mike Smallcombe, Chris Cadman, Craig Halstead, Chris Merante, Jenny Boyar, Mike Heyliger, Bernard Zollicoffer, Bruce Aguilar, Sebastian Mille, and Pez Greaves. I’m sure I have overlooked someone, but to all who contributed, directly or indirectly, your talents and time: thank you.