This Is It: The new Michael Jackson song

[sedohr]

So it's out: Michael Jackson | Michael Jackson's This Is It Movie and Song | Michael Jackson Videos | Michael Jackson Music | The Official Michael Jackson Site .

Intresting production...


Kalli

[sedohr]

First impression...

The composition sounds somewhere between Thriller and Bad. The muted guitar sounds early 80's, the pre chorus sounds like I Just Can Stop Loving You, '87..the fingersnaps sound more modern.

I'm a bit amazed by the lack of tuning on the vocals. Some notes are a bit vulnerable..
I expected more "perfect" approach in these melodynosaurian times.

I dunno... Nice song though.

[Marbarbaar]

Originally Posted by sedohr

First impression...

The composition sounds somewhere between Thriller and Bad. The muted guitar sounds early 80's, the pre chorus sounds like I Just Can Stop Loving You, '87..the fingersnaps sound more modern.

I'm a bit amazed by the lack of tuning on the vocals. Some notes are a bit vulnerable..
I expected more "perfect" approach in these melodynosaurian times.

I dunno... Nice song though.

I'd rather have this than the (over)autotuned bogus I hear on the radio.

I really don't like fade outs, but hey...

Nice enough song.

[derek1984]

Vocals sound like they are from around 1980. The arrangement could have been better at the end. The sound quality could be better. Overall, I think the song is good.

[paultools]

Not to derail this thread so early, but pitch correction tools in the right hands do not turn singers into robots.

We miss you, MJ

[fakiekid]

2mins in and still waiting for the hook. Nice listen though. Classic MJ, you gotta love the man!

We miss you dude!

[derek1984]

I think we need to take into consideration that this is just a rough demo and Sony tried their best to "clean it up". They could have done a better job. If Michael ever got a chance to finish this, it would have been so much better. Still a pretty good song though.

[Marcadiablo]

The voice sounds so thin, distant and not so good. I think this isnt one of his best songs, at least for me. I doesn't have a big hook to make you sing along. I dont know. I think maybe I had to big expectations about it.

[sedohr]

Is it a rough demo ? When was it recorded ? Was it a stereo bounce or a multi track ? Who played on it ? Does anyone know ?

Kalli

[derek1984]

Originally Posted by sedohr

Is it a rough demo ? When was it recorded ? Was it a stereo bounce or a multi track ? Who played on it ? Does anyone know ?

Kalli

Nobody knows for sure but this is my take on it; It was a demo written and recorded around 1980. The demo only had MJ singing and playing the piano. Sony added the background music and the Jackson brothers recently recorded their background vocals for the song.

[sedohr]

Originally Posted by derek1984

... the Jackson brothers recently recorded their background vocals for the song.

Nicethumbsup

I bet they got some melodyne treatment before mastering
Not being nasty, the BV's sound very nice in the song.

Kalli

[Alécio Costa]

Why didn´t they release MJ´s version for "Horse with no name"?
It sounded great.

[derek1984]

Originally Posted by Alécio Costa

Why didn´t they release MJ´s version for "Horse with no name"?
It sounded great.

I believe that is up to the estate when they decide to release any kind of unreleased music.

[Jim Williams]

Originally Posted by derek1984

I believe that is up to the estate when they decide to release any kind of unreleased music.

Katherine and Joe need the money so expect a plethera of outakes and buried 1/2 finished songs to be released soon, sort of like Hendrix but much faster. How about the outakes from rehearsals that is now a movie?

The guy's not even cold and they are marketing the death out of him.

I'll leave the ethics discussion to the readers...

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[hipass]

Capitalism at it's finest hour.

[Macky]

I dont think the release of this product fits into the "Michael Jackson" Ethos.
.......................
On Immortality:

I always want to do music that will influence and inspire people...each generation. I mean I, well, let's face it, who want's mortality? I mean everyday you want immortality, you want what you create to live, be it a sculpture or painting or music, composition... Like Michaelangelo said, you know, I know the creator will go but his work surivives, that is why to escape death I attempt to bind my soul to my work. That's how I feel I give my all whenever because I want to just live and just give all that I have you know?

[Llitsor]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Katherine and Joe need the money so expect a plethera of outakes and buried 1/2 finished songs to be released soon, sort of like Hendrix but much faster. How about the outakes from rehearsals that is now a movie?

The guy's not even cold and they are marketing the death out of him.

I'll leave the ethics discussion to the readers...

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

He died in june.
And yes, died in debt, so the estate will be milking the situation some. However, his family do not directly inherit the debt. Katherine alone is paid quite handsomely now. But then she has custody of 3 children, so it's for them too.

-------

As for the song, sorry, not heard it yet! But if im honest, I don't expect great things. Jacksons earlier stuff was fantastic. But later stuff? Not so much.. I'd be happy to be proved wrong though..

[JP11]

Nice song...but...

seems odd, doesn't it, that Michael was basing his new tour around an old unused song co-written with Paul Anka??

[Resonater]

Originally Posted by sedohr

I'm a bit amazed by the lack of tuning on the vocals. Some notes are a bit vulnerable..
I expected more "perfect" approach in these melodynosaurian times.

Yes, I'm surprised by that, as well. "Vulnerable" is a very choice word!

[Resonater]

By the way, check this out. A little suspicious, right?

[EddieTheRed]

Originally Posted by JP11

Nice song...but...

seems odd, doesn't it, that Michael was basing his new tour around an old unused song co-written with Paul Anka??

Not sure whether he *really* planned to reture after the London shows or whether that was yet another misjudged marketing ploy but maybe he was planning to re-record and release it as a final one-off single?

The song's called 'this is it', and this was gonna be 'it' . . . It's a nice coincedence, and maybe out of all his unreleased back catalogue it gave this song an edge?

[JP11]

Originally Posted by Resonater

By the way, check this out. A little suspicious, right?

Yeah, there seems to be some confusion as to whether Michael co-wrote the song with Anka or stole it from him...

bizarre situation...

especially in regards to Michael's planned tour with the This Is It title, and the fact that this is the first big release...

he has tons of stuff that he was recently working on, no?

Doesn't seem like he would be going backwards in this regard...

it all seems very strange to me.

[trakk]

I heard on NPR today that the song was recorded around '91, I think. That makes sense to me. I think it has the sound of some of the History II stuff.

[creegstor]

Vocals are fine and don't need tuning. It's a pretty song but obviously isn't remotely finished from a writing point of view. Whoever's playing guitar is doing a world class emulation of David Williams!

[Chris Lago]

I think it's sad that people are Milking his death. Just shows how greedy people can be.

[MikeyMike]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Katherine and Joe need the money so expect a plethera of outakes and buried 1/2 finished songs to be released soon, sort of like Hendrix but much faster. How about the outakes from rehearsals that is now a movie?

The guy's not even cold and they are marketing the death out of him.

I'll leave the ethics discussion to the readers...

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

C'mon Jim, you acting like the record label and hollywood ain't behind this. How in the hell were they able to turn MJ's rehearsal routine into a freaking movie? It seems that they had his death and marketing scheme planned ahead of time.

[studjo]

sounds like a demo on my MacBook :(

[jduffy]

Originally Posted by Llitsor

He died in june.
And yes, died in debt, so the estate will be milking the situation some. However, his family do not directly inherit the debt. Katherine alone is paid quite handsomely now. But then she has custody of 3 children, so it's for them too.

-------

As for the song, sorry, not heard it yet! But if im honest, I don't expect great things. Jacksons earlier stuff was fantastic. But later stuff? Not so much.. I'd be happy to be proved wrong though..

Yeah he left the rights to his songs with his children.
Like his rights to the beatles collection

[mattkalin]

but still mj.

great arrangement, nice production, as always, but not very strong material.

goes to show how he could make anything sound great. wonderful to hear his voice again. i didn't hear tuning issues on the first listen yesterday, but i'll listen again having read the comments above. (then again, i love imperfect vox! i mean it... much more interesting.)

unfortunately, we seem to have entered a period in which - due to the family's financial pressures mentioned above - we may be inundated with unfinished, sub-par material that was rejected for the original releases and stored "in the vault." it's hard to believe that any of the unreleased music will come close to the power and quality of the body of work we already know. (not that we won't all be rushing to hear it the moment it comes out - but will WE buy it?)

this makes me doubt the quality of the supposed "hundreds" of tunes sitting in prince's and paul mccartney's and whoever else's storage lockers.

[Lawrence]

Originally Posted by trakk

I heard on NPR today that the song was recorded around '91, I think. That makes sense to me. I think it has the sound of some of the History II stuff.

'New' Michael Jackson song mystery resolved, Anka gets share - CNN.com

The Michael Jackson song "This Is It," released Monday, was co-written and recorded in 1983 with singer-songwriter Paul Anka, Anka and the Jackson estate confirmed Monday afternoon.