Michael Jackson: Man in the Music, Part 3 (Three Hidden Gems)

[This is Part 3 of a series exploring Michael Jackson the artist through his albums and songs. The following excerpts are taken from Man in the Music: An Album by Album Guide to Michael Jackson]

I Can't Help It -- (from Off the Wall)
The emotional ending to "She's Out of My Life" sets the stage for the ethereal gem, "I Can't Help It." Composed by musical prophet Stevie Wonder, this synthesis of jazz, funk, and pop could qualify as Jackson's most brilliant early song people don't know about. It is certainly one of his best vocal performances, with its flawlessly smooth delivery, brilliant harmonies, and variety of vocal twists, syncopation, and even scatting. From its lush opening chords, "I Can't Help It" moves with the fluidity of a dream. "Looking in my mirror," Jackson sings. "Took me by surprise/I cant help but see you/Running often through my mind." Jackson allows the endings of words to take off, as if flying through the imagination. The song is about a lover ("an angel in disguise") who has enchanted the singer. "Love to run my fingers/Softly while you sigh," Jackson tells her. The subtle, but sensual lyrics float on the melody, rendering the weightless feel of being in love. Finally, towards the end of the song the lyrical descriptions dissolve into wordless exultations, perhaps signifying the joy of intimacy that simply can't be expressed in language.

"I Can't Help It" is the end result of two of the most talented musicians in history at the top of their games.

Human Nature -- (from Thriller)
"Human Nature" is synth-pop at its finest. "Simple, stark, quiet and beautiful," writes music critic J. Edward Keyes, " Jackson himself once described it as "music with wings," and indeed the singer's smooth voice seems to float effortlessly over its lush synthetic strings. An early version of the song was sent to Quincy Jones by the musical group Toto. Jones left the tape running until it reached an instrumental version of the track which he immediately fell in love with and brought to Jackson. "He and I both agreed that the song had the prettiest melody we'd heard in a long time," recalled Jones (197).

In its 1982 review the New York Times called "Human Nature" Thriller's most "striking" song: "This is a haunting, brooding ballad by Steve Porcaro and John Bettis, with an irresistible chorus, and it should be an enormous hit." In its 2003 review Slant Magazine concurred, calling the track "probably the best musical composition on the album and surely one of the only A/C ballads of its era worth remembering." Rolling Stone called it "beautifully fragile...open and brave."

Easily one of Jackson's best vocal performances, the song is further enhanced by it's subtle, intriguing lyrics: "Looking out/ Across the nighttime," Jackson sings, "The city winks a sleepless eye/ Hear her voice/ Shake my window/ Sweet seducing sigh. . ." The imagery throughout conjures the magic of a city at night; a young man, as if walking in a dream, is both observed (by "electric eyes") and observes ("she likes the way I stare"). Everything is experienced in a sort of fascinated detachment but he seems to yearn for something more intimate. If this town is just an apple," he tells himself, "Then let me take a bite."

Jazz legend Miles Davis covered the song for his 1985 album You're Under Arrest; it has also been sampled or covered by numerous others including Boyz II Men, Ne-Yo, and SWV. "Human Nature" was the last song included on Thriller, replacing "Carousel."

Liberian Girl -- (from Bad)
Once Jackson has successfully sped the listener out of society's world of control, discrimination, hypocrisy and limitations [in "Speed Demon"], we are suddenly transported into the faraway, primal jungles of Africa. The juxtaposition is striking (and quite bold and artistic for an album accused of being commercially calculated). The sounds shift from mechanical to natural as the noises of engines dissolve into the distant cries of birds and animals. For Jackson, this imagined Africa seems to represent a purer, simpler, richer world. It is as if he is returning to the birthplace of music's origins to explore what it can teach us, to recover some essence that has been lost. In this way, "Liberian Girl" seems to be as much a love song to Africa and what it signifies as it is to any one woman.

The song begins with the beautiful Swahili intro (spoken by Letta Mbulu), "Naku penda piya, naku taka piya--mpenziwe (which translates: "I love you too, I want you too--my love). The lush arrangements, including deep drum sounds and exotic instruments, beautifully support Jackson's passionate, yearning vocals, which are arguably his best since "Human Nature." Indeed, like "Human Nature" on Thriller (and "I Can't Help It" from Off the Wall) "Liberian Girl" is the hidden gem on Bad, often overlooked on an album of numerous well-known hits. The song is yet another "dream capsule," a cinematic fantasy in which Jackson transports the listener to a vivid paradise of possibility.

(Copyright by Joseph Vogel, from Man in the Music: An Album by Album Guide to Michael Jackson)

Comments

[Cherubim]

For those of you wondering why Michael Jackson's London tour sold out in minutes
let me give you two clues:
"Rock With You"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKOF7FaYjPA
and
"Human Nature"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjywI7nc_PQ
For those of you with your failed attempts of belittling Michael Jackson,
I leave you with a message of hope from of course Michael Jackson.
"Can You Feel It:.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A08_nlku

[nowarpleez]

"I Can't help It" and "Human Nature" are two of my favorite songs by any artist. Here is a video of MJ rehearsing Human Nature and it is stunning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loJiia3ORHY

[Cherubim]

I agree, Thank YOU!!!.

[MsIrisMG]

Human Nature goes without saying. The video to Liberian Girl is fun, with all his friends in the video. I think it's great that Mr. Vogel and others are re-discovering Michael's music and finally understanding the genius that he was. Can't help but wish there was this focus on his music when he was alive. Blind men and women never cared what Michael Jackson looked like.

One other thing about Michael that new fans may not be aware of - his story videos. MIchael routinely took some of his hits and even his less popular recordings and made these fantastic (in every sense) visual accompaniments that lasted in some cases twice as long as the actual songs. They are outstanding. Go to youTube and seek out "Earth Song" - someone's even got that one in a cappela that's gorgeous.

I already miss him so much, it hurts. I have such a feeling of abandonment as all my childhood heroes and even family members disappear one by one. Today is July 1, and on this day in 2005 I was mourning the death of the great Luther Vandross and it was almost more than I could take. Now MIchael's gone, a man I feel like I've known for the past 40 years. It's a keen hurt.