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

 

(Continued from Part Four)

 

All proceeds from "We Are The World" went to charity. These two superstars have a history of collaboration with Stevie Wonder producing an album for the Jackson 5 in 1974. Michael teamed with Stevie Wonder for the #4 R&B hit "Get It".

   "Dirty Diana", featuring a guitar solo from Steve Stevens, reached #1 in the U.S. and Spain, #2 in the Netherlands, #3 in Germany and Switzerland, #4 in the U.K., #5 in Canada and New Zealand and #9 in France and has sold over two million copies.

"Bad" captured the American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Song and received an Achievement Award, while Jackson was also nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.  Jackson also earned Grammy nominations for Album of the Year, Producer of the Year, Record of the Year (for "Man In The Mirror"), Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male.

 "Another Part Of Me" is one of the first songs Jackson wrote for the album and one of the last of 33 songs that he had written to make the cut.  His fifth R&B #1 from Bad debuted in the 1986 film Captain EO at Disneyland.  It was also included in Michael's 1988 movie Moonwalker.  #5 in Switzerland, #8 in New Zealand, #10 in Germany and #11 in the United States.

Bad has now topped 10 million in U.S. sales and 35 million worldwide.  Did you know that the line "Annie, are you OK?" is a phrase used in CPR manuals to address the dummy you're about to resuscitate?  Jackson pulled another huge hit off the album in "Smooth Criminal"--#1 in the Netherlands and Spain, #4 in France, #5 in Switzerland, #7 in the U.S. (#2 R&B), #8 in the U.K. #9 in Germany.  It was also a huge seller with sales of over four million in the United States alone.

"Leave Me Alone" was released as a single in several countries outside the U.S., and audiences responded by taking it to #1 in Spain and #2 in the U.K.

Michael received a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form, for "Leave Me Alone" and won the Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards.  "Dirty Diana"  won the World Music Award for Viewer's Choice #1 Video.

 

We also want to feature this Top Track* from Thriller.  "I wrote that at my house in the game room," Jackson said.  "I guess I was playing some pinball or something, and the song just popped into my head.  And I think I ran upstairs, put it on tape, and it became 'Liberian Girl'...I don't think about it, it just comes."

Swedien, who engineered this album for Michael as well said:

                "Liberian Girl" is one of my absolute

                favorites of all the music that I've done

                with Michael.  Who could think of a thing

                like that, except Michael Jackson?  It's

                astounding--the imagery and everything

                else in it.  It's just an amazing musical

                and sonic fantasy...Michael's vocals are

                absolutely stellar!  The lead, and the big

                block background harmonies.  Wow!

The song begins with South African singer Letta Mbulu speaking the Swahili phrase, "Naku Penda pia, Naka Taka pia, Mpenziwe!"  (I love you too, I want you too, my love!)

"Don't Be Messin' Around" was an outtake for these sessions that was to be considered for future albums, but it never made it on an album until the 25th anniversary release of Bad.  

Michael released the autobiography Moonwalk in 1988, which was a New York Times bestseller.  He also received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Fisk University.

Jackson bought 2,700 acres of land near Santa Ynez, California in 1988 which he named Neverland Ranch.  He had a movie theater, zoo, Ferris wheel, and a carousel built on the grounds, patrolled by a security staff of 40. 

Jackson performed "You Were There" to honor Sammy Davis Jr. for his 60th birthday celebration, which earned Michael an Emmy nomination.  

Jackson finished the decade as the top-selling artist.  He renewed his contract with Sony Records for $65 million in 1991 and released the album  Dangerous.  The world premier of its video on MTV was viewed by half a billion people.  

Michael wrote this song with producer Bill Bottrell, who first worked with him on the Bad album.  It is a plea for racial tolerance which falls on deaf ears only to the weak-minded.  The lead single, "Black Or White", rocketed to #1 for seven weeks and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male.

"Black Or White" has sold over two million singles.  The album has now sold over 32 million copies and helped Michael win World Music Awards for World's Best-Selling Pop artist and Best-Selling U.S. Artist of the Year.  "Remember The Time" also achieved Gold status and was a Top 10 hit everywhere--#1 in New Zealand, #2 in Canada and Spain, #3 in the U.S. (#1 R&B) and United Kingdom, #4 in the Netherlands and Switzerland, #5 in France and #8 in Germany.

Michael captured American Music Awards for Favorite Pop (Rock) Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Remember The Time" and International Artist Award of Excellence and was nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album.  He also won the Living Legend Award at the Grammy Awards and was nominated for three other awards including Best Vocal Performance (for "Black Or White"). 

 

The female singer in this song is credited as "Mystery Girl".  Later, it was revealed to be Princess Stephanie of Monaco.  The Gold record "In The Closet" reached #2 in Spain, #5 in Australia and New Zealand, #6 in the United States (#1 R&B) and #8 in the U.K.

We continue with more from Michael Jackson in Part Six!