Michael Jackson, The #5 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Four

 

(More from Thriller, continued from Part Three)

Jackson debuted his moonwalk dance to rave reviews while he performed "Billie Jean" for the Motown 25:  Yesterday, Today, Forever television special on NBC in 1983.  The groundbreaking performance won an Emmy Award.  

The red-hot Jackson combined with McCartney again for another song recorded while Paul was working on his album Tug of War.   Jackson stayed at the home of Paul and his wife Linda during the sessions and became friends with both.  

 

While sitting at the dining table one night, McCartney brought out a booklet to show Jackson that showed all the songs to which he owned the publishing rights.  "This is the way to make big money," Paul told Michael according to Randy Taraborrelli's 2004 book, The Magic and the Madness.  "Every time someone records one of these songs, I get paid.  Every time someone plays these songs on the radio, or in live performances, I get paid.  Those words had a profound impact on Jackson and his purchase of ATV Music Publishing in 1985.  The two superstars combined for the #1 hit "Say Say Say" (#2 for four weeks R&B), which sold over two million copies.

Jackson then released the title song, which was promoted with an iconic video which featured the creepy spoken voice of Vincent Price.  "I've known Vincent since I was 11 years old," Michael told Smash Hits.  I thought he was the perfect voice."  The six-million-selling "Thriller" went to #1 in France and Spain, #3 in Canada, Australia, Switzerland and New Zealand and #4 in the U.S. (#3 R&B) and Germany.

Jackson came home with eight awards at the Grammys, still a Grammy record that Santana tied 16 years later.  Michael and producer Quincy Jones shared the award for Producer of the Year, while Michael won Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male (for "Beat It"), Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male (with the entire album recognized in this instance), and Best R&B Song and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male for "Billie Jean".  He was also nominated for Song of the Year (for both "Billie Jean" and "Beat It"), Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group (for "The Girl Is Mine") and Best R&B Song (for "Wanna' Be Startin' Something"). 

Michael also scored big at the American Music Awards, taking home eight trophies:  Favorite Male Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Album/ Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Pop (Rock) Song and Favorite Soul/R&B Song for "Billie Jean", Favorite Pop/Rock Video and Favorite Soul/R&B Video (for "Beat It") and winning the Award of Merit to boot.

Jackson was the hottest performer in the world and was earning $2 for every album sold, the best royalty rate in the business.  He won People's Choice Awards for Best All Around Entertainer of the Year and Favorite Video of the Year (for "Thriller").  

"Farewell My Summer Love" is a song Jackson recorded in 1973 that was included on the compilation album of the same name.  It hit #7 in the U.K.

But not all was going smoothly in Jackson World.  In 1983, although he and his brothers signed a $5 million promotional contract with PepsiCo, while Jackson was filming a commercial, pyrotechnics accidentally set Michael's hair on fire.  The mishap caused second-degree burns to his scalp, and Jackson ordered treatment to hide the scars and also had a third rhinoplasty as well.  But the surgeries did not help his appearance; the more he had, the worse it got.

He also was diagnosed with vitiligo, a disorder of the skin that causes loss of pigmentation in parts of the body.  As he related to those closest to him, this was a humiliating personal challenge, as Michael went to great lengths to hide his condition with long-sleeve shirts, hats, gloves, sunglasses and masks.

 

Michael lent his star and talents to Berry Gordy's son, Kennedy, in 1984.  Credited to Rockwell, it has a lot of MJ on it, as well as brother Jermaine who helped out--"Somebody's Watching Me".  It shot up to #2 in the United States and reached the Top 5 in most countries.

U.S. President Ronald Reagan honored Jackson with an award recognizing his support of alcohol and drug abuse charities.  Michael earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and joined the Jacksons for a worldwide tour in 1984.  

In 1985, Jackson and Lionel Ritchie wrote "We Are The World", the monumental charity single which went to #1.  Proceeds from sale of the single raised $63 million to aid the poor in the U.S. and Africa.  The single sold 20 million copies and won four Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year.

Jackson began to invest in copyrights and catalogs of artists such as Sly & the Family Stone and Dion, but he hit the jackpot when he bid $46 million in 1984 and won the rights to most of the Beatles' songs.

Michael teamed up with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola for a 17-minute 3D film Captain EO, which was played at Disneyland theme parks.

Jackson released the album Bad in 1987, his first album since the blockbuster Thriller.  It was another historic release, becoming the first album in history with five #1 songs.  He first hoped to do a duet with Barbra Streisand and then Whitney Houston but both ideas fell through.  The ballad "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" led off the parade, sung with Siedah Garrett instead.  For the first time in his career, Michael recorded Spanish and French versions of the sing:  "Todo Mi Amor Eres Tu" and "Je Ne Veux Pas la Fin de Nous".

Sheryl Crow toured with Jackson and sang "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" on stage with him during shows.  The title song was a Top 5 hit in every major country, including #1 for two weeks in the U.S., and went Platinum.  It was the first of four consecutive R&B #1's from Bad. 

Bad went to #1 in 25 countries, the first album to do so.  Michael had such an effect on Tatiana Thumbzen (the woman he wooed in the video of this song) that she wrote a book about it.  "The Way You Make Me Feel" is The #37 R&B Song of the '80s*.

MJ toured for two years to support the album.  He performed before 504,000 in seven sold-out shows at London's Wembley Stadium (pictured above), which was a new Guinness World Record.  Fourteen shows in Japan drew 570,000 fans to nearly triple the existing record for a Japanese tour.  

Although Jackson didn't write this song, his identification with the words helped him give one of his best vocal performances.  "it is my philosophy too," he said.  "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change...I'm never totally satisfied," Jackson continued.  "I always wish the world could be a better place...hopefully that's what I do with my music--bring happiness to people.  And to bring joy and peace into their lives."

Garrett co-wrote this song and recalled her experience:

              I was signed to Quincy's publishing

              company, and he wanted a song to 

              finish out the "Bad" album.  I wanted to

              write a song that made [Michael] feel

              like he had something important to say

              to the world, and he let me know that I

              did exactly that.  I remember the first

              time I heard the song on the radio.  I

              got goose bumps as I pulled to the 

              side of the road, and I turned up the

              radio as loud as it would go, and I

              just sat there with tears streaming

              down my face because it was such

              a moving, emotional moment.

 

"Man In The Mirror" promptly rocketed to #1 and has sold over six million copies.

We have much more to feature from Bad.  Stay tuned to Inside The Rock Era!