Michael Jackson kicked open the doors of opportunity for black artists and took the world by storm with the phenomenal marriage of musical styles in this pop masterpiece that remains the biggest selling album of all time. 'Thriller' capitalized on the success of his blockbuster 'Off the Wall' album that yielded four top ten hits. Building on the futuristic disco funk of that album, Jackson went for broke with his new album, bringing in guest stars like Paul McCartney, Vincent Price, Eddie Van Halen, and members of Toto to bridge musical forms like pop, soul, funk, and hard rock into a new hybrid that would appeal to a wide array of fans. He co-produced the album with Quincy Jones at Westlake Recording Studios drawing inspiration from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Jackson called the album "a complete transition. Ever since I was a little boy, I would study composition. And it was Tchaikovsky that influenced me the most. If you take an album like Nutcracker Suite, every song is a killer, every one. So I said to myself, 'Why can't there be a pop album where every [song is a killer]?'...I do that same process with every song. It's the melody, the melody is the most important...If the melody sounds good in my head, it's usually good when I do it."
The sessions included: Brian Banks on keyboards, synthesizers, and programming; Michael Boddicker on keyboards and synthesizers; N'dugu Chancler on drums; Paulinho da Costa on percussion; David Foster on keyboards and synthesizers; Gary Grant on trumpet and flügelhorn; Eddie Van Halen on guitar; Jerry Hey on trumpet and flügelhorn; Michael Jackson on lead and background vocals, drum case beater, bathroom stomp board, vocal, drum, horn and string arrangement; Paul Jackson on guitar; Louis Johnson on bass guitar; Steve Lukather on guitar and bass; Anthony Marinelli on synthesizer programming; Paul McCartney on vocals; David Paich on keyboards, synthesizers, and programming; Dean Parks on guitar; Greg Phillinganes on keyboards, synthesizers, and programming; Jeff Porcaro on drums and horn and string arrangements; Steve Porcaro on keyboards, synthesizers, and programming; Vincent Price on voice-over; Bill Reichenbach on trombone; Rod Temperton on keyboards and synthesizers; David Williams on guitar; Larry Williams on saxophone and flute; Bill Wolfer on keyboards and synthesizers; Greg Smith on synthesizers; and La Toya Jackson and Janet Jackson on background vocals.
The music may have been pop music; but there were dark themes in the lyrics. Jackson drew from paranoia and obsession and addressed his critics and the music industry in general: "They demand that, and they want you to do this. They thing that they own you, they think they made you. If you don't have faith, you go crazy. Like not doing interviews. If I talk, I say what's on my mind, and it can seem strange to other peoples' ears. I'm the kind of person who will tell it all, even though it's a secret. And I know that things should be kept private...Some circumstances require me to be real quiet, but I dance every Sunday."
'Thriller' broke barriers for black musicians when CBS Records threatened to pull all of their videos from MTV if the music channel wouldn't play Jackson's videos. Likewise, the songs received massive airplay on radio and paved the way for other artists that followed. The success of the album was unprecedented: seven of the nine songs on 'Thriller' were released as singles and all of them were top ten hits; and it stayed in the top ten of the US album chart for a whole year. Of the eighty consecutive weeks it spent in the top ten, thirty-seven were at number one. It also hit number one in Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, and the UK. In 1984, it was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest selling album of all time, after two years of massive sales that made it the best selling album of both years. Jackson won the Special Award of Merit, three MTV Video Music Awards, eight American Music Awards, and a record of eight Grammy Awards, including: Best Engineered Non-Classical Recording for Bruce Swedien, Producer of the Year for Jones and Jackson, Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 'Billie Jean', Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for 'Thriller', Best Male Rock Vocal Performance and Record of the Year for 'Beat It', plus Album of the Year. 'Thriller' has sold more than forty-two million copies worldwide (thought some claim as much as one hundred and ten million copies).
'Thriller' made Jackson as the King of Pop and established him as one of the greatest artists of all time.
Jackson debuted his phenomenal moonwalk dance to the song on the 'Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, and Forever' television special.
"Beat It" featured Eddie Van Halen on guitar and went to number one as well. The video was an homage to 'West Side Story'.
"Thriller" was the last single released from the album, and it made it's debut at number seven on the pop chart. The groundbreaking video directed by John Landis is the best selling music video of all time. Jackson said: “My idea was to make this short film with conversation...I remember my original approach was, ‘How do you make zombies and monsters dance without it being comical?’ So I said, ‘We have to do just the right kind of movement so it doesn’t become something that you laugh at.’ But it just has to take it to another level. So I got in a room with [choreographer] Michael Peters, and he and I together kind of imagined how these zombies move by making faces in the mirror.”
'Thriller'
full album:
All tracks produced by Quincy Jones except where noted.
http://www.michaeljackson.com/
"Billie Jean" was a number one smash. The subject matter drew from a paternity suit with one of his brothers and the music was inspired by 'I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)' by Hall & Oates. Jones tried to get Jackson to shorten the instrumental intro; but he refused saying: "That's the jelly!"
"Billie Jean" was a number one smash. The subject matter drew from a paternity suit with one of his brothers and the music was inspired by 'I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)' by Hall & Oates. Jones tried to get Jackson to shorten the instrumental intro; but he refused saying: "That's the jelly!"
She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene
I said don't mind, but what do you mean I am the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round
She said I am the one will dance on the floor in the round
She told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a scene
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round
People always told me be careful of what you do
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts
And mother always told me be careful of who you love
And be careful of what you do 'cause the lie becomes the truth
Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son
For forty days and forty nights
The law was on her side
But who can stand when she's in demand
Her schemes and plans
'Cause we danced on the floor in the round
So take my strong advice, just remember to always think twice
(Do think twice)
She told my baby we'd danced till three, then she looked at me
Then showed a photo my baby cried his eyes were like mine (oh, no!)
'Cause we danced on the floor in the round, baby
People always told me be careful of what you do
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts
She came and stood right by me
Then the smell of sweet perfume
This happened much too soon
She called me to her room
Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son
Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son
She says I am the one
(Billie Jean is not my lover)
Jackson debuted his phenomenal moonwalk dance to the song on the 'Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, and Forever' television special.
"Beat It" featured Eddie Van Halen on guitar and went to number one as well. The video was an homage to 'West Side Story'.
They told him don't you ever come around here
Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear
The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear
So beat it, just beat it
You better run, you better do what you can
Don't wanna see no blood, don't be a macho man
You wanna be tough, better do what you can
So beat it, but you wanna be bad
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
They're out to get you, better leave while you can
Don't wanna be a boy, you wanna be a man
You wanna stay alive, better do what you can
So beat it, just beat it
You have to show them that you're really not scared
You're playin' with your life, this ain't no truth or dare
They'll kick you, then they beat you,
Then they'll tell you it's fair
So beat it, but you wanna be bad
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
"Thriller" was the last single released from the album, and it made it's debut at number seven on the pop chart. The groundbreaking video directed by John Landis is the best selling music video of all time. Jackson said: “My idea was to make this short film with conversation...I remember my original approach was, ‘How do you make zombies and monsters dance without it being comical?’ So I said, ‘We have to do just the right kind of movement so it doesn’t become something that you laugh at.’ But it just has to take it to another level. So I got in a room with [choreographer] Michael Peters, and he and I together kind of imagined how these zombies move by making faces in the mirror.”
It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes
You're paralyzed
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
And no one's gonna save you from the beast about strike
You know it's thriller, thriller night
You're fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight
You hear the door slam and realize there's nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand and wonder if you'll ever see the sun
You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination, girl!
But all the while you hear the creature creeping up behind
You're out of time
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
There ain't no second chance against the thing with forty eyes, girl
Thriller, thriller night
You're fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight
Night creatures calling, the dead start to walk in their masquerade
There's no escaping the jaws of the alien this time
(They're open wide)
This is the end of your life
They're out to get you, there's demons closing in on every side
They will possess you unless you change that number on your dial
Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together, yeah
All through the night I'll save you from the terror on the screen
I'll make you see
That this is thriller, thriller night
'Cause I can thrill you more than any ghost would ever dare try
Thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a
Killer, diller, chiller, thriller here tonight
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
Girl, I can thrill you more than any ghost would ever dare try
Thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a killer, thriller, ow!
(I'm gonna thrill ya tonight)
Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize y'alls neighborhood
I'm gonna thrill ya tonight, ooh baby
I'm gonna thrill ya tonight, oh darlin'
Thriller night, baby, ooh!
The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grizzly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller
'Thriller'
full album:
All tracks produced by Quincy Jones except where noted.
Side one
2. "Baby Be Mine" (Rod Temperton) 4:21
3. "The Girl Is Mine" (featuring Paul McCartney) (Jackson) 3:43
produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson
Side two
5. "Beat It" (featuring Eddie Van Halen) (Jackson) 4:18
produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson
6. "Billie Jean" (Jackson) 4:54
produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson
7. "Human Nature" (Steve Porcaro, John Bettis) 4:07
8. "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (James Ingram, Quincy Jones) 3:58
9. "The Lady in My Life" (Temperton) 4:59
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