Favorite Michael Jackson hits

[Eddie Roth]

Those who've seen the Michael Jackson memorial yesterday might have been reminded of some of his hit singles that have gotten somewhat less exposure recently, such as Will You Be There, Gone Too Soon or Human Nature. So, despite a similar thread in MISC, I'd like to poll my fellow BBSers who also happen to be fans of MJ's music. What were your favorite songs? (I limit the poll to his solo singles and only those that were a single in at least either the US or the UK).

 

[Starbreaker]

Several of these... and Blame it on the Boogie.

 

[Eddie Roth]

Oh yes, Blame it on the Boogie, infamously covered by some Stock Aitken Waterman band in the 80s (what were they called anyway?)... I forgot We Are The World too.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Oh yes, Blame it on the Boogie, infamously covered by some Stock Aitken Waterman band in the 80s (what were they called anyway?)...

Big Fun.

 

[exodus]

"Never Can Say Good-Bye."

 

[Mistral]

I'll Be There and ABC Where are they?

 

[exodus]

I'll Be There and ABC Where are they?

Just like "Never Can Say Good-Bye", it falls under the "Jackson 5" not Michael solo.

 

[OmahaStar]

Didn't he make waves with that one song? Oh, what was it called? Right ... "I Kissed a Boy And I Liked It" that was it.

 

[Caligula]

Ain't No Sunshine
Ben
Billie Jean
Beat It
Thriller
Smooth Criminal
Dirty Diana
Leave Me Alone
Scream
Earth Song

 

[Keith1701]

You Are Not Alone is my most favorite. It is a beautiful song.

 

[Vasquez Rocks]

Human Nature

 

[exodus]

Several of these... and Blame it on the Boogie.

Don't forget "Dancin' Machine".

 

[crouteru]

I went for many of the usual classics (Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal, etc) but also want to give a special mention to Stranger In Moscow, the often overlooked gem from the HIStory album. Most single disc hits collections tend to include the inferior Earth Song or They Don't Care About Us in it's place.

 

[Eddie Roth]

I went for many of the usual classics (Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal, etc) but also want to give a special mention to Stranger In Moscow, the often overlooked gem from the HIStory album. Most single disc hits collections tend to include the inferior Earth Song or They Don't Care About Us in it's place.

True, but Stranger in Moscow was a non-US single only. Maybe that's why.

 

[Kirby]

Wow, Man in the Mirror was the last song of his on that list that I even remember. I liked his stuff with Paul McCartney, that was cool.

 

[MyCylon]

It's tough to pick for me. I really like a lot of his stuff. Still, here's what I voted for after narrowing it down a little:

- Don't Stop Til You Get Enough
- Thriller
- Bad
- Man in the Mirror
- Dirty Diana
- Another Part of Me
- Smooth Criminal
- Leave Me Alone
- Black or White
- Jam
- Who Is It
- Give in to Me
- Scream
- Earth Song
- They Don't Care About Us
- Stranger in Moscow
- HIStory
- Ghosts
- Heaven Can Wait

If I had to pick a single favorite song it would probably be "Smooth Criminal", by the way.

 

[exodus]

I went for many of the usual classics (Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal, etc) but also want to give a special mention to Stranger In Moscow, the often overlooked gem from the HIStory album. Most single disc hits collections tend to include the inferior Earth Song or They Don't Care About Us in it's place.

True, but Stranger in Moscow was a non-US single only. Maybe that's why.

US VH-1 showed the video in heavy rotation.
So I kinda agree with it being overlooked due to the fact HIStory came out during the height of his controversy.

 

[Kirk's_Tights]

PYT and Dirty Diana are my favs but I also voted for a bunch of his other songs.

Ben makes me cry every single time

 

[Eddie Roth]

I went for many of the usual classics (Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal, etc) but also want to give a special mention to Stranger In Moscow, the often overlooked gem from the HIStory album. Most single disc hits collections tend to include the inferior Earth Song or They Don't Care About Us in it's place.

True, but Stranger in Moscow was a non-US single only. Maybe that's why.

US VH-1 showed the video in heavy rotation.
So I kinda agree with it being overlooked due to the fact HIStory came out during the height of his controversy.

Yes, a few years after the first child abuse allegations which is when, IMO, many people started losing focus on his music and completely came to regard him as some kind of bizarre... entity. However, truth be told, so did he if you listen to his songs after that. I was never a big fan of Angry!Michael that was so present on the HIStory album (e.g. Scream, This Time Around, Tabloid Junkie, etc.). When he scolded media sensationalism regarding him several years earlier in "Leave Me Alone", it was relatively benign, and of course veiled in lyrics that suggested an unsuccessful love affair. These later songs with an autobiographical tone were, I'm sad to say, artless in-your-face sermons set to a beat, almost as if the desire to get the message out loud and clear had overwhelmed any creativity in making a good piece of music.

"Stranger in Moscow" is an exception to that because it's not only musically beautiful, but the lyrics evoke Michael Jackson's dilemma with his public image without beating you over the head with it.

I'm also lenient on this little gem, "D.S." which a very thinly veiled attack on his prosecutor Tom Sneddon, so thinly veiled in fact that it almost qualifies as slander. But this one has a really infectious beat and is so brazenly over-the-top that you can't help but love it. If you don't know the song, listen to it and try to resist walking around your house singing how "Dom Sheldon is a coooooold maaaaan" all day - you'll fail!

They wanna get my ass
Dead or alive
You know he really tried to take me
Down by surprise
I bet he missioned with the CIA
He don't do half what he say

Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man

He out shock in every single way
He'll stop at nothing just to get his political say
He think he bad cause he's BSTA
I bet he never had a social life anyway
You think he brother with the KKK?
I know his mother never taught himright anyway
He want your vote just to remain TA.
He don't do half what he say

Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man

Dom S. Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man

Does he send letters to the FBI?
Did he say to either do it or die?

Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man

Dom S. Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man

Dom S. Sheldon is a cold man
[Ad lib fade]

 

[exodus]

True, but Stranger in Moscow was a non-US single only. Maybe that's why.

US VH-1 showed the video in heavy rotation.
So I kinda agree with it being overlooked due to the fact HIStory came out during the height of his controversy.

Yes, a few years after the first child abuse allegations which is when, IMO, many people started losing focus on his music and completely came to regard him as some kind of bizarre... entity. However, truth be told, so did he if you listen to his songs after that. I was never a big fan of Angry!Michael that was so present on the HIStory album (e.g. Scream, This Time Around, Tabloid Junkie, etc.). When he scolded media sensationalism regarding him several years earlier in "Leave Me Alone", it was relatively benign, and of course veiled in lyrics that suggested an unsuccessful love affair. These later songs with an autobiographical tone were, I'm sad to say, artless in-your-face sermons set to a beat, almost as if the desire to get the message out loud and clear had overwhelmed any creativity in making a good piece of music.

"Stranger in Moscow" is an exception to that because it's not only musically beautiful, but the lyrics evoke Michael Jackson's dilemma with his public image without beating you over the head with it.

I'm also lenient on this little gem, "D.S." which a very thinly veiled attack on his prosecutor Tom Sneddon, so thinly veiled in fact that it almost qualifies as slander. But this one has a really infectious beat and is so brazenly over-the-top that you can't help but love it. If you don't know the song, listen to it and try to resist walking around your house singing how "Dom Sheldon is a coooooold maaaaan" all day - you'll fail!

They wanna get my ass
Dead or alive
You know he really tried to take me
Down by surprise
I bet he missioned with the CIA
He don't do half what he say

Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man

He out shock in every single way
He'll stop at nothing just to get his political say
He think he bad cause he's BSTA
I bet he never had a social life anyway
You think he brother with the KKK?
I know his mother never taught himright anyway
He want your vote just to remain TA.
He don't do half what he say

Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man

Dom S. Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man

Does he send letters to the FBI?
Did he say to either do it or die?

Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man

Dom S. Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man
Dom Sheldon is a cold man

Dom S. Sheldon is a cold man
[Ad lib fade]

I agree with what you say too a point.
Michael was going to the press to try to claim his innocence and the press weren't listening, twisting his words and making him look like more of as freak. If an artist speaks thru his music, then his music was the only way to express what he felt and have his fans(his true fans ) hear him.

The media turned Michael from the guy who sang: "You got leave that 9to5 up on the shelf and just enjoy yourself." to "This time around I ain't takin' no shit because they really wanna get me, falsely accuse me." They made someone like Michael swear. A far cry from: "Tito bring me a tissue."