Late Night Music Part 54................"R.I.P. Michael Jackson"
In the recent one year anniversary of the passing of Michael Jackson, I thought it only appropriate to take a look back at the musical career of one of the most influential, talented, and charismatic artists to ever grace a stage. I'll begin with the Jackson's 1978 album "Destiny" (their second album after leaving Motown- as great as the Motown-era Jackson 5 was, that's another post for another day, plus I like to think of those "solo albums" of Michael's in the early 70's as never really happening.
"Blame It On The Boogie". As I mentioned, the Jacksons were fresh off of their divorce with Motown Records in 1978 and had left Jermaine Jackson and their old band name at Motown to go for a more disco/funk sound with their album "Destiny". Is it just me, or does Randy Jackson look really excited to finally be let in the group? Even though he had been in the group 2 years at this point, he still looks like a kid in the candy store. This would be the last time we would ever see Michael Jackson with an afro.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjW1iq4IO2k
"Don't Stop Til You Get Enough". Michael followed up "Destiny" with his own post-Motown solo album "Off The Wall" in 1979 and this smash lead single. Long before Chris Tucker's rendition in "Rush Hour 2" 21 years later, Michael made tuxedos with really big bow ties cool with this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrPTDU40hO4
"Can You Feel It". Fresh off of his success with "Off The Wall", Mike returned to the Jacksons to record 1980's "Triumph" and it's groundbreaking video for their hit single "Can You Feel It". While it was groundbreaking in special effects, they were still pretty primitive on audio, because as you can see, it is very difficult to actually hear the MUSIC! Bonus points for looking like an episode of "He-Man And The Masters of The Universe", but taking more away for the future boy band 3T (the sons of Tito Jackson) appearing in the video as extras.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW1fXL3s7bk
"Billie Jean". Sick of making bad videos with his brothers, Michael teamed up with Quincy Jones to make 1982's "Thriller", which is still to this day, the most popular album in music history. The video for the second single "Billie Jean" was groundbreaking in the fact that it made MJ one of the first solo black artists to be heavily featured on the newly formed MTV.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi_XLOBDo_Y
"Beat It". After the success of "Billie Jean" and "Thriller" (which will not be featured just because it scared the ever loving crap out of me), MJ showed his street cred with the gang related "Beat It" even though I feel more like I'm watching "West Side Story" rather than a Michael Jackson video. Rumor has it that Epic Records hired actual gang members to be in the video, but with those dance moves, I highly doubt that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym0hZG-zNOk
"Say Say Say". In 1983, Michael teamed up with famous former Beatle Paul McCartney on his album "Pipes of Peace" for this hit and unbelievably gay inuendo video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLEhh_XpJ-0
"Torture". After the success of "Thriller", Michael reunited with his brothers (including Jermaine) for an all 6 Jackson album called "Victory". A world tour would follow "The Victory Tour", but before the tour, videos like this were made. Michael and Jermaine are definitely singing on the track, but good luck finding a non wax manequin of either one in the video. Yes, they both appeared on tour, but how bad did Randy, Tito, Marlon, and Jackie probably feel right here? Anything to make money right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4bgjXPdczw
"We Are The World". After an exhausting world tour, Michael was asked to take part in a charity single with Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie. Michael agreed only if he could write the song (which he did). You know the song and the video, but how nice of Michael to bring his brothers along and let them stand in the corner and sing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne7fPpxAnuM
"Man In The Mirror". In 1987, Michael went on his first solo world tour ever. While it shattered numerous world records for attendance and revenue, it set the world on fire as well. Pictured in the video is the famous 125,000 person show in Liverpool at Aintree Race Course. Great performance, but is it really worth all that screaming? "Man In The Mirror" was released in early 1988 and pole vaulted "Bad" into another hemisphere.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9lq8oaK5Mw
"Smooth Criminal". In 1988, MJ released a film of short films featuring music videos from his 1987 follow up to Thriller, "Bad". For some reason, Michael really like gang related videos. Here we see him again. Still, I ask again, who in the world is Annie?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-WVpQ0ZG8Q
"Leave Me Alone". Also from "Moonwalker", MJ has a song here about the media bothering him constantly. I'm not sure how many of these "Headlines" in the video are real, but some make me laugh- just shows that even Michael Jackson could poke fun at himself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crbFmpezO4A
"Black or White". In 1991, Michael Jackson world premiered his new video with new friend and overnight celebrity Maculay Culkin who had become a household name due to the success of the "Home Alone" films. I love this song, and this video is super cool. However, while he may have been a worldwide icon and the most talented person in music ever, Michael also proved that he was, without a doubt, strange.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2AitTPI5U0
"Jam". I never cared for this song, but this video having Michael Jordan in it and getting a 3 network premiere in 1992 made a bad song shoot up the charts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbHI1yI1Ndk
"Remember The Time". By 1992, many people thought Michael had lost his "black fan base". To respond, the video for "Remember the Time" featured Magic Johnson, Eddie Murphy, Iman, and the Pharcyde and featured a lengthy world premiere special on BET.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWPmOdjEtxs
"Heal The World". As 1993 got underway, Michael had his biggest performance yet- the Halftime Show of Super Bowl 27. (Most of you remember this at the Leon Lett game). This one performance marked the only time in Super Bowl history that more people watched the Halftime Show than the actual game, with halftime viewership topping out at around 135 million people. MJ closed a out of this world performance with "Heal The World", and then we suffered through 30 minutes of bad football.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drc6gARRBT8
"Will You Be There". Michael closed out his "Dangerous Era" with the hit song from the movie "Free Willy" which I would have to say probably put about 20% of the butts in the seats for the movie. Michael Madsen and Lori Petty can thank Michael Jackson for actually getting people to come see them act, because why would anyone really want to anyway?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iTcKR4_dTg
"You Are Not Alone". Probably my favorite MJ song ever, but this look is my least favorite he ever had.......I wanna scrape out my retinas with an apple peeler! YIKES! I'm also begging Lisa Marie to put a shirt on. In 1995, Michael released "HIStory" as a greatest hits/new material album with a tour to complement it. He also was involved with his very public marriage to Elvis Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie, who as I mentioned, is in the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAyKJAtDNCw
"Scream". Michael's duet with his sister Janet was their only time to ever be featured on a duet together despite both of their worldwide successes. While the song went to #1 on the charts, I'm always baffled at the music video. The music video is 4:46 long, and cost over $7 million to make, making it the most expensive music video ever made, and it's not even close! Full length movies have been made for FAR less.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P4A1K4lXDo
"You Rock My World". In 2001, MJ released his last album "Invicible" and featured a music video with Chris Tucker (who had now been known for his karaoke scene in Rush Hour 2), Michael Madsen (like I said, grateful to Mike), Marlon Brando, and model Catherine Halaby. While he had a video released for the song "Cry", this would be the last time Michael Jackson would appear in a music video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4tpuu-Up90
Bonus Videos-
Michael poked a little fun at himself with a cameo in the 2002 film "Men In Black 2"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvlAoIcisU
Spike Lee also paid homage in this video of his single to be released with his planned tour that was cancelled due to his death. "This Is It"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFebSiaY9vU
"Blame It On The Boogie". As I mentioned, the Jacksons were fresh off of their divorce with Motown Records in 1978 and had left Jermaine Jackson and their old band name at Motown to go for a more disco/funk sound with their album "Destiny". Is it just me, or does Randy Jackson look really excited to finally be let in the group? Even though he had been in the group 2 years at this point, he still looks like a kid in the candy store. This would be the last time we would ever see Michael Jackson with an afro.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Don't Stop Til You Get Enough". Michael followed up "Destiny" with his own post-Motown solo album "Off The Wall" in 1979 and this smash lead single. Long before Chris Tucker's rendition in "Rush Hour 2" 21 years later, Michael made tuxedos with really big bow ties cool with this video.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Can You Feel It". Fresh off of his success with "Off The Wall", Mike returned to the Jacksons to record 1980's "Triumph" and it's groundbreaking video for their hit single "Can You Feel It". While it was groundbreaking in special effects, they were still pretty primitive on audio, because as you can see, it is very difficult to actually hear the MUSIC! Bonus points for looking like an episode of "He-Man And The Masters of The Universe", but taking more away for the future boy band 3T (the sons of Tito Jackson) appearing in the video as extras.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Billie Jean". Sick of making bad videos with his brothers, Michael teamed up with Quincy Jones to make 1982's "Thriller", which is still to this day, the most popular album in music history. The video for the second single "Billie Jean" was groundbreaking in the fact that it made MJ one of the first solo black artists to be heavily featured on the newly formed MTV.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Beat It". After the success of "Billie Jean" and "Thriller" (which will not be featured just because it scared the ever loving crap out of me), MJ showed his street cred with the gang related "Beat It" even though I feel more like I'm watching "West Side Story" rather than a Michael Jackson video. Rumor has it that Epic Records hired actual gang members to be in the video, but with those dance moves, I highly doubt that.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Say Say Say". In 1983, Michael teamed up with famous former Beatle Paul McCartney on his album "Pipes of Peace" for this hit and unbelievably gay inuendo video.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Torture". After the success of "Thriller", Michael reunited with his brothers (including Jermaine) for an all 6 Jackson album called "Victory". A world tour would follow "The Victory Tour", but before the tour, videos like this were made. Michael and Jermaine are definitely singing on the track, but good luck finding a non wax manequin of either one in the video. Yes, they both appeared on tour, but how bad did Randy, Tito, Marlon, and Jackie probably feel right here? Anything to make money right?
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"We Are The World". After an exhausting world tour, Michael was asked to take part in a charity single with Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie. Michael agreed only if he could write the song (which he did). You know the song and the video, but how nice of Michael to bring his brothers along and let them stand in the corner and sing.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Man In The Mirror". In 1987, Michael went on his first solo world tour ever. While it shattered numerous world records for attendance and revenue, it set the world on fire as well. Pictured in the video is the famous 125,000 person show in Liverpool at Aintree Race Course. Great performance, but is it really worth all that screaming? "Man In The Mirror" was released in early 1988 and pole vaulted "Bad" into another hemisphere.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Smooth Criminal". In 1988, MJ released a film of short films featuring music videos from his 1987 follow up to Thriller, "Bad". For some reason, Michael really like gang related videos. Here we see him again. Still, I ask again, who in the world is Annie?
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Leave Me Alone". Also from "Moonwalker", MJ has a song here about the media bothering him constantly. I'm not sure how many of these "Headlines" in the video are real, but some make me laugh- just shows that even Michael Jackson could poke fun at himself.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Black or White". In 1991, Michael Jackson world premiered his new video with new friend and overnight celebrity Maculay Culkin who had become a household name due to the success of the "Home Alone" films. I love this song, and this video is super cool. However, while he may have been a worldwide icon and the most talented person in music ever, Michael also proved that he was, without a doubt, strange.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Jam". I never cared for this song, but this video having Michael Jordan in it and getting a 3 network premiere in 1992 made a bad song shoot up the charts.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Remember The Time". By 1992, many people thought Michael had lost his "black fan base". To respond, the video for "Remember the Time" featured Magic Johnson, Eddie Murphy, Iman, and the Pharcyde and featured a lengthy world premiere special on BET.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Heal The World". As 1993 got underway, Michael had his biggest performance yet- the Halftime Show of Super Bowl 27. (Most of you remember this at the Leon Lett game). This one performance marked the only time in Super Bowl history that more people watched the Halftime Show than the actual game, with halftime viewership topping out at around 135 million people. MJ closed a out of this world performance with "Heal The World", and then we suffered through 30 minutes of bad football.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Will You Be There". Michael closed out his "Dangerous Era" with the hit song from the movie "Free Willy" which I would have to say probably put about 20% of the butts in the seats for the movie. Michael Madsen and Lori Petty can thank Michael Jackson for actually getting people to come see them act, because why would anyone really want to anyway?
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"You Are Not Alone". Probably my favorite MJ song ever, but this look is my least favorite he ever had.......I wanna scrape out my retinas with an apple peeler! YIKES! I'm also begging Lisa Marie to put a shirt on. In 1995, Michael released "HIStory" as a greatest hits/new material album with a tour to complement it. He also was involved with his very public marriage to Elvis Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie, who as I mentioned, is in the video.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"Scream". Michael's duet with his sister Janet was their only time to ever be featured on a duet together despite both of their worldwide successes. While the song went to #1 on the charts, I'm always baffled at the music video. The music video is 4:46 long, and cost over $7 million to make, making it the most expensive music video ever made, and it's not even close! Full length movies have been made for FAR less.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
"You Rock My World". In 2001, MJ released his last album "Invicible" and featured a music video with Chris Tucker (who had now been known for his karaoke scene in Rush Hour 2), Michael Madsen (like I said, grateful to Mike), Marlon Brando, and model Catherine Halaby. While he had a video released for the song "Cry", this would be the last time Michael Jackson would appear in a music video.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Bonus Videos-
Michael poked a little fun at himself with a cameo in the 2002 film "Men In Black 2"
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Spike Lee also paid homage in this video of his single to be released with his planned tour that was cancelled due to his death. "This Is It"
http://www.youtube.com/wat
This Is It
Destiny
Off The Wall
Triumph
Thriller
Victory
Bad
Dangerous
HIStory
Invincible
posted by General 5A Pigott at 2:33 PM
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