Since 1) I am horribly one-track minded when it comes to things, and 2) because Michael Jackson has made some of the most innovative (as well as interesting) music videos, this edition will be dedicated in its entirety to the King of Pop.
This edition is extended. Snoogins.
Michael Jackson -- Rock With You
Circa 1979, Jackson is is 21, wearing a sequined top and striped pants standing against a black background with pretty lights flashing. It's amazing that a little over 25 after this video was made, he's be shelling out a cool 7 million dollars to make "Scream."
Michael Jackson -- Billie Jean
"...she's just a girl who thinks that I am the one." Sorry, I can not help myself when I hear this song. The beat is great and Jackson's vocals are superb. The split screens are cool (doubling and tripling your pleasure), and I wish the ground lit up when I walked. He was gorgeous back in the day and this video is definitely a testament to that.
Michael Jackson -- Bad
Directed by Martin Scorcese, shot in four days in the Big Apple, and clocking in at nearly twenty minutes, "Bad" is more accurately classified as a short film than a music video. MJ plays Daryl, a City youth who returns home after a term away at a private school. Hooligan-turned-schoolboy Daryl has to prove to his hooligan friends how down he is without having to resort to violence. Naturally, a lot of dancing (coupled with a costume change) ensues to prove just how bad he is.
Michael Jackson -- Dirty Diana
"Dirty Diana" is one of my top five Jackson tracks. His voice paired with thrashing guitar is a gasm and a half to my ears. The video is definitely one of his most minimalist, with just him performing--no story, no interpretive dancing or crazy moves. A few cuts to the silhouette of a curvy woman and that's it.
Michael Jackson -- Smooth Criminal
An awesome song shittily covered by some forgettable alt-rock band with a shitty name of the early 2000's. This is the Moonwalker version, meaning it has the extra lyrics that were omitted in the album version of "Smooth Criminal." Strange interpretive dancing all the way! Also? I would fucking kill to know how to do the fucking lean.
Michael Jackson -- Black or White
Presented here in its full 11 minute glory. When I was little, the mornings in my home were musical, my sister would put MTV on in the living room (the hubub of activity) as everyone bustled about getting ready for school and I remember busting out of my room in nothing but my underwear to sing and dance when "Black or White" came on. The video was unreal and I just could not get enough of the song--much to the chagrin of my Michael-Jackson-loathing brothers. I was six and thought Michael Jackson was the bee's knees--still do.
Michael Jackson -- Leave Me Alone
Definitely Jackson's most playful video, and perhaps his most critically acclaimed. Cartoonish and reminiscent of the early MTV spots. It's hard not to like this video and definitely takes more than one watch to really absorb some of the images.
Michael Jackson -- Who Is It
My favourite track off Dangerous by far. The video has a surrealistic feel to it, directed by the guy who directed Se7en.
Michael Jackson -- Childhood
This video makes me want to pinch his cheeks and give him a hug. Between him sitting in the forest with children flying above him in ships, the video screams Peter Pan. A song that, surprisingly, didn't garner much attention with lyrics like:
People say I'm not okay
'Cause I love such elementary things
It's been my fate to compensate,
for the Childhood
I've never known...
He addresses why his interest in children and other "elementary things" is so grand, and no one notices. Nice.
Michael Jackson -- You Rock My World
The last music video released by Mr. Jackson off his last release, Invincible, co-stars Marlon Brando, Michael Madsen, and Chris Tucker. This video has a longer version HERE which I highly recommend you watch. The man is pushing fifty but moves like he's twenty. Pushing the weird plastic surgery aside--any man who can move like that can rock my world any time. "I don't know man, I think we should just beat it."
I know some of you may be feeling a bit mutinous in my not including "Thriller," but come on, who hasn't seen "Thriller"?
Expect a full-on Michael Jackson post Monday or Tuesday.
2 comments:
Nice blog ya got here! Stumbled across it looking for Basement Jaxx remixes and, as I always do, I read the whole page.
I almost left a comment above on the covers section to commend you for including Alien Ant Farm's version of Smooth Criminal. Then, as I continued reading, I saw your comment under the MJ video... WTF?!!! I listened to all the covers and most of them REALLY sucked! (Sorry, but I'm getting sick of all the I play acoustic guitar & am so indy cutsy 'artists' sic.) EXCEPT Alien Ant Farm! Not only a GREAT cover that fully captures the staccato rhythms of the song and makes it rock, but also had a great video with some excellent dancing from that young kid!
Speaking of dancing, I saw a show a while back where they explained how the 'lean' was done. They secured the shoes to the stage. You can tell by looking at the photo you used. Look at the feet behind MJ, you can see the ankle of the dancer almost coming out of the shoe. From there it was just a matter of edits and high tech 'blue screen' usage to make it all appear seamless. Simple movie 'magic', not actually physically possible to do 'live'.
Thanks again for the Basement Jaxx remixes! Now, I believe you said you would kill to learn the 'secret' of the 'lean'. Since I gave it to you, I believe you owe me a 'contract'. It will have to look like an 'accident' so I'm thinking we could try to find a way to hook you up for a hunting trip wih Dick Cheney!
Nice blog ya got here! Stumbled across it looking for Basement Jaxx remixes and, as I always do, I read the whole page.
I almost left a comment above on the covers section to commend you for including Alien Ant Farm's version of Smooth Criminal. Then, as I continued reading, I saw your comment under the MJ video... WTF?!!! I listened to all the covers and most of them REALLY sucked! (Sorry, but I'm getting sick of all the I play acoustic guitar & am so indy cutsy 'artists' sic.) EXCEPT Alien Ant Farm! Not only a GREAT cover that fully captures the staccato rhythms of the song and makes it rock, but also had a great video with some excellent dancing from that young kid!
Speaking of dancing, I saw a show a while back where they explained how the 'lean' was done. They secured the shoes to the stage. You can tell by looking at the photo you used. Look at the feet behind MJ, you can see the ankle of the dancer almost coming out of the shoe. From there it was just a matter of edits and high tech 'blue screen' usage to make it all appear seamless. Simple movie 'magic', not actually physically possible to do 'live'.
Thanks again for the Basement Jaxx remixes! Now, I believe you said you would kill to learn the 'secret' of the 'lean'. Since I gave it to you, I believe you owe me a 'contract'. It will have to look like an 'accident' so I'm thinking we could try to find a way to hook you up for a hunting trip wih Dick Cheney!
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