The Playlist: Michael Jackson

Guinness World Records named him the most successful entertainer of all time. He holds the record for the best-selling album of all time. And in the realm of pop culture, he may end up being the strangest personality of all time.

Those too young to have lived through his stay at the top of the music world may not see his talent or charisma. But, to the children of the 70s and 80s, it’s undeniable.

There are legends. There are icons. And then there is Michael Jackson.

Mention his name today and you probably think of pop music’s Phantom of the Opera – upturned rodent nose, albino skin, dangling his child from a hotel balcony.

He looks more like Skeletor than the little kid that once lead the Jackson 5. And yes, that was a He-Man reference. Told you I grew up in the 80s.

It seems like he had both the golden touch of a Justin Timberlake and the abysmal fall from grace of a Britney Spears. With his name attached to controversy for well over 15 years, it’s easy to forget just how good he once was and how influential he continues to be.

Eddie Van Halen’s guitar riff in "Beat It" reminded me of that when I was in my car Super Bowl Sunday. Naomi Campbell dancing with cartoon lizards to "Thriller" during the game made it even clearer.

On Tuesday, a 25th anniversary edition of "Thriller," the best-selling album of all time, was released. In addition to the nine original songs, the expanded version features remixes by the likes of will.i.am, Akon, Fergie and Kanye West.

What better opportunity to highlight my five favorite MJ songs.

As I mentioned to some of my co-workers a few weeks ago, I’m ignoring everything after 1988.

"So are the courts," replied Cherish Wilson, The Star’s education reporter.

Touché.

Beat It (1982)
Album: Thriller

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

It earned Jackson a Grammy for Record of the Year and Best Male Rock Vocal Performance and, along with "Billie Jean," a nomination for Song of the Year. Personally, I think what put "Beat It" on the map – thus making Jackson an even bigger name – is the guest guitar work of Eddie Van Halen. From that, Jackson was able to reach a much broader audience.

And how much did Eddie want in return for his talent and time? Reportedly, he didn’t request a dime for his performance. While noble, I wonder if he ever second-guessed that decision, considering "Beat It" is one of the top songs of the 80s.

Jackson’s success with Van Halen lead to him working with Slash – of Guns N’ Roses fame – years later. At Jackson’s 30th anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in 2001, Slash performed Eddie’s guitar solo during the performance of "Beat It."

The music video



A 2006 performance of the song by Amy Winehouse and Charlotte Church



Billie Jean (1983)
Album: Thriller

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, who will dance on the floor in the round

The white glove. The Moonwalk. The infamous Pepsi commercial where Michael’s hair caught fire. It’s all because of this song.

"Billie Jean" was the first video from a black artist to receive regular airplay on MTV. And for a little local trivia, Jackson reportedly wrote the song while living in Wilson, North Carolina in the fall of 1981. He pitched it to co-producer Quincy Jones and Jones wanted to change the title to "Not My Lover" so no one would think Michael was singing about tennis star Billie Jean King.

Imagine what those kids would have looked like…

The music video



From MJ's 30th anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in 2001



Thriller (1984)
Album: Thriller

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
But all the while you hear the creature creepin’ up behind
You’re out of time

Some regard the song’s 14-minute music video as the greatest of all time. Directed by John Landis ("National Lampoon’s Animal House"), the video was the most expensive of its time - $800,000 – and was named by Guinness in 2006 as being the most successful music video of all time, selling over 1 million units (I bet at least half of that is due to Vincent Price’s narration).

The trademark "Thriller" dance and Jackson’s outfit in the video have since turned up in movies ("The Wedding Singer"), TV shows ("South Park"), and even other music videos (The Gorillaz’ "Clint Eastwood").

In 2007, one of the most popular viral videos of the year showed a group of several dozen inmates in the Philippines acting out the music video. As of Feb. 7, the YouTube video had been viewed over 11 million times, received over 26,000 comments and was even featured in Time magazine.

The music video



The entire 14-minute video done with Legos



The Philippine inmates



Smooth Criminal (1988)
Album: Bad

As he came into the window
Was a sound of a crescendo
He came into her apartment
He left the bloodstains on the carpet

Following in the footsteps of "Thriller," "Smooth Criminal" was also released as an extended music video. The song – from the climax of Jackson’s 1988 "Moonwalker" film – reached No. 7 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and Alien Ant Farm released a cover of the song for their 2001 debut album, "ANThology." The cover also found its way into "American Pie 2" during a very awkward scene involving Jason Biggs and a container of super glue.

The video is probably most noted for Jackson debuting the "anti-gravity lean" in which he and his backup dancers perform a forward lean that, by all accounts, should have them falling down.
An arcade and Sega Genesis video game adaptation of "Moonwalker" featured Jackson in scenes from the "Smooth Criminal" music video.

The song from "Moonwalker" (not to be confused with "Moonraker," with James Bond)



The Alien Ant Farm cover (2001)



Man in the Mirror (1988)
Album: Bad

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna’ make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change

Released in the spring of 1988, the song was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and earned Jackson a nomination for Record of the Year at the Grammys. The song was written by Jackson, Siedah Garrett (who spent time as a backup singer for Jackson) and Glen Ballard (best known for producing Alanis Morissette’s 1995 breakthrough "Jagged Little Pill"). "Man in the Mirror" is probably most well known for its inclusion of a gospel choir, something that Mariah Carey and Madonna would later help popularize.

The video features notable historic figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Theresa, Ronald Reagan, John Lennon and Jimmy Carter in an attempt to convey hope and peace for the future.

The music video



Jackson's performance from the 1988 Grammy Awards



That’s what I got for this week, kids. Check out next Thursday’s Star for the next Playlist.

Questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome at grahamcawthon@shelbystar.com.