album discussion: bad
oh, hell yes. HERE WE GO, HERE WE MOTHERFUCKING GO.
You guys have to admit, this is sort of the album. Love it or hate it (and if you hate it, omg WHAT IS UP, EXPLAIN YOURSELF), Bad marks a change in several areas of pop music, Michael's career, and the public's intrepretation of him. It's the comeback that really wasn't a comeback, although it certiantly held high expectations from many fans and many critics. For many reasonable and unreasonable reasons, I personally consider it an underrated album.
I'm not going to lie and say I'm not intimidated by covering this, but hell--it's my favorite album of his, and I think it's pure musical perfection. Overdoing it? Maybe. But we all know we're crazy for it. If nothing else, it gave us ~Sassy~! (I love that tour, does it show?)
I'm super SRS BSNS when it comes to shit like this, so I'm making this clean:
Pop music: Let's be honest, by the time Bad was released, Michael was pretty much a fixture in pop music. Thriller had already picked up its 40 million of its 100 million worth of copies and was well on its way of being the best selling album ever. Despite never living up to Thriller's success, Bad sold over 32 million copies (over 8 million in the United States.) It's the first and only album to have five #1 hits on one album, won two Grammys (one of them being for Leave Me Alone's pop art/cut-out video) and is ranked #53 and #202 in the 100 Greatest Albums of All Time of the MTV Generation and Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, respectively. (thank you, Wikipedia!)
This dude was breaking records, is what I mean. Yet Bad still remains somewhat in the shadows of Thriller's success. Some even consider it to be a total flop in comparison to Thriller. One of the somes has sometimes included Michael himself, but I don't really think it so. 32 million is not a flop in any means, but okay, if you are coming back from selling 100mil worldwide it isn't something to throw your hands up about. Although, when you consider the pressure that Michael was probably under, and how much this album could've flopped because of said pressure, the album is really much of a miracle. Bad could've completley wrecked his career. There wouldn't have been a Dangerous, or a HIStory if everyone had rejected Bad. It's very much a stepping stone for him, in more ways than one.
Michael's career: Way to go for me at already touching down on some of this! But along with being a ~miracle~, it was also the first time he had a lot of control in what went into his songs and what songs went into the album. It's part of the reason I am so in love with the tracks here and even the way they were slotted onto the album (I'll go into this later.) Apparently, Michael was ~*so excited~* for this album that he wrote sixty songs and recorded thirty, and originally planned to release them in three disc. Quincy Jones cut this down to ten tracks (god knows how he did) and later allowed Leave Me Alone to be the 11th track and last single off the album.
A lot of Michael's freedom probably came from Bad being the last collaboration between him and Quincy Jones. There even began to be a bit of debate between the two (one of them being choosing songs for the album. The two choices ended up being "Streetwalker"--Michael's choice--and "Another Part of Me," Quincy's choice. I think we all know how that was settled.) Eventually Michael would go on to take more control of the reins for his following albums, but Bad definitely marked his taking more of a stand.
The Public and Michael: (lolol that actually sounds like a tabloid title.) Even with Bad's success, it still ended having a lot public backlash. Most of this backlash came from Michael's sudden transformation into the crotch-grabbing, leather-wearing (UNF) bad boy. For most people, this was a complete overnight transformation. It might've been hard to adjust from zombie/werewolf-Michael to thrusting-Michael, which led to the bad boy image being somewhat of a joke. Along with the image, there was the ever emerging interest of the tabloids in Michael's personal life, which played some havoc with the album's reception. There have been rumors of Michael trying to up the ante on his own in order to create more success for the album. I'm not sure how to take this, to be honest. Whether or not he did kick up the sands isn't really important to me; it's the way the tabloids took to following him and writing about him, and the negative effects it seemed to have for him musically and personally. Bad, for all its good, does hold the title for being the era that officially started the strife between Michael and media.
Musical differences: Thriller, to me, gets its award for being funky-as-hale. It's pop, it's funk, it's soul--but Bad? Bad contributes to Michael's bad boy image for that era by having heavy guitars (Dirty Diana, anyone?) richer vocals (more back up singers/chorus in "Man in the Mirror"), interesting instrument placements (organs in "Bad," really?) Listening to both Thriller and Bad back-to-back kind of gives you a "who is this person?" reaction to it. Michael's voice even becomes less innocent and a little lower (not Dangerous-low, but low enough) and a lot of his vocal ticks take more time to shine.
The Bad tour even featured a bigger backing band, and I'm sure the chorus was pulled out a couple of times of "Man in the Mirror's" performance. I don't think Michael's flamboyancy (in relation to his tours) really took place until Dangerous, but you could sort of see a start in that. If anything else, it does the mark the time when the crowds got amazingly huge.
Track Review: My favorite part in the whirl. I'm listening to these as I comment, so expect some randomness?
Bad: Horns! I am in a sucker for intros when it comes to albums, and Michael feeds that kink for me like no one else. Bad also has a super sassy thing going with the bass and the drums, and it's perfect to strut to (I'm serious, try it out for a moment. Don't worry, I'll wait.) The organs are very subtle in the verses (you're too busy listening to Michael school you with his lyrics~) so they do end being a little lulzy shock when they come in full force for the instrumental solo. I love the backing vocals (I sing along to them when I dance to it!) and Wikipedia tells me they belong to him, but I also envision ladies. The little dramatic breaths end up being a little awkward for me, although I couldn't tell you why.
The organs come in again! Instrumental solo! I love how I can imagine the organist totally wailing and getting into his thing while playing. And it still tickles me pink to know that in all his badness, Michael still sneaks in a little hope ("the world could be a better place") with his lyrics. Love him for that. The song takes forever to end, but that makes it ten more times more fun to shake ass to.
The Way You Make Me Feel: This song also has a nice strutting thing going. It's fun, it's sexy (even without any lyrics and just with Michael telling me to "go on, girl!" the intro already has me, well, interested.) It screams bad boy with the lyrics. It just happens to be one of my favorite songs for the way that makes me think it would've been a hit without the video. Don't me wrong, I LOVE the video (UNF UNF UNF), but there's so much goodness going on here that I firmly believe he could've released it and people would've been to busy losing it to care.
The instrumental solo is good for a nice dancing break (synthesizers, yesssss) and I could mouth the lyrics to my mirror all day. I approve of the falsetto in the ending chorus, how he's sounds like he's telling everyone to back off with "ain't nobody's business." Love the back-up singers little solo at the end. Amazing song, very hot.
Speed Demon: It's a little sad that Speed Demon automatically comes off as a filler song, something people will immediately forget. I do like that it comes after TWYMMF, because it gives a chance to slow down and get some of your funk on before moving on. The bass is a buffet in funk of this song, not even joking. Michael has some whispering-raspy thing going with his voice, which I always love. More falsetto later (I love what this man can do with his voice, Jesus--he had great range.) Funky guitars following falsetto! I also really like the way they stayed true to the theme of the song and added in some car/engine-revving noises.
Liberian Girl: Again, another filler. The funny thing about the fillers on Bad--and Rolling Stone said this, not me--is that they end up being sexy. They chalk up to this being that Michael wrote most of the songs. I'm not sure if I agree. I like Liberian Girl's beat, but I am not a girl interested in slow songs. I could fall asleep to this song. It's not really my favorite--but it shows how Michael's range again and some heavy breathing/vocal ticks which are never boring. :D :D
Just Good Friends: I don't really want to call this one a filler, but it really isn't the first song you leap at when someone talks about Bad. Michael's voice seems to match the funk the bass is putting out, and there are more vocal ticks! The drums seem more prominent in this song (something that goes beyond them being louder.)
Then it's: hello, Stevie Wonder! I rather like him being here, but I feel like the song would've benefited better if it'd just been Michael. Nothing against Stevie, but I would've liked to see what Michael could've done if it'd just been him. Or maybe I'm just selfish? :D
Another Part of Me: EVERYBODY ON THE BUS, WE'RE GOING TO FUNKY TOWN. The bass really ends up being my favorite part with the instruments. Another huge favorite is Michael’s lyrics. I will never get tired of this man’s message. I will never get tired of his ‘we’re really all the same’ subtleties in this song. This song is love, honestly, and it’s love you can dance to, which makes everything better.
I also like how it sounds like Michael is having a great time with this song-almost as much of a good time as I’m having with listening to it. One image that comes to mind is the video for the single-anyone see him goofing off, the smile? I love it so much. For me, it’s a nod back to Thriller--the funkiness. You take a little break from the in your face attitude, and yet it’s still badass. What else could you want, really?
Man in the Mirror: There is so, so much with this song. I don’t know where to begin. I love how soft the intro is, I love how soft everything in this song ends up being before the chorus. The contrast is amazing, something your brain ends up expecting (it knows it’s going to be loud and epic, but it doesn’t know how epic.) The lyrics are beautiful and inspirational, and it honestly ends up sounding like its not pointing any fingers. It knows what’s up with the world and it knows where to start if it wants to change it. Then it tells you (“if you want to make the world…”) that if you want to join in, in simple terms, you know where you need to start.
I don’t know how anyone can listen to this song and not want to plant some trees. Not want to open a charity. Not want to stand on a street corner and hand flowers to everyone walking by and telling them how beautiful they are. This song pulls at something inside you, and you can’t sit still while it’s pulling. Do you know how many songs in this day and age that do that to you? (I’d like to hear them, if yes.)
The chorus comes in-fantastic. You have to turn the song up. The chorus is rich and Michael explodes in voice with them, if only for a moment. There’s no doubt that this is a song that was meant to be sung live, and sounds much more amazing when done so. But I do love the album version for what it is, and what it was meant to do. And again, you take a break from the heavy, but you are still interested. You still want more.
I Just Can’t Stop Loving You: Let’s take a break, you guys, okay? That’s what this song says-another filler. It’s a slow filler too, which takes away more kick for me (seriously you guys, I don’t like slow songs.) The intro starts off very…sweet, and hey, it’s a duet! Siedah sounds very good, but I think I have a thing with Michael and duets: I DON’T WANT THEM. Good for you wanting to work with others, Michael, but if it ain’t Janet, it ain’t happening.]
I do love the backing vocals, if I’m being honest. There’s a part near the bridge before the final chorus where I can’t tell Michael from Siedah (sad, but true) which doesn’t do much points for me. I can’t say I straight out dislike the song, but it’s very low on the list. What can I say?
Dirty Diana: LET’S GO, LET’S GO, LET’S GO. I love this song, you know this. I’d pull this song into an alley and make out with it. It starts out with synthesizers, and I’ve always said it: pure sex, with every single part of the song. The drums have its own languid beat, the guitars are nice and controlled for the verse and the chorus (so it can release it later, of course.) Michael sounds absolutely devilish and even a little disgusted by what’s going in the lyrics (why won’t this chick get off of him? He doesn’t want to be tempted, but totally is,) and the little “no’s” are both resistant and willing. (Hell yes, I’m reading too much into this.)
The violins? Yes, please. Violins, for me, can be the sexiest instruments on the planet when used correctly. I like the way they come in, I like the way they instantly mix in with the urgency when Michael’s being advanced on by Diana (“Diana walked up to me”), it’s like they know something’s coming.
If you’re like me, and you don’t mind pelvic thrusting, then this is the song to do it to. It’s a very sexual song, totally great for body rolls and I don’t know. It’s epic. Just epic.
Smooth Criminal: You get punched in the face with the horns-short and sweet. Michael’s heartbeat making it creepy, go. Synthesizers, go. Michael’s rough lyrics and tone, go. I find it weird that I can listen to the song and know that it’s pulling at some gangster theme-even without the video providing a visual. In Michael’s Home Movies, I remember him saying that he originally wanted Smooth Criminal’s video to be something like a western, which prompted a huge “NO” for me. Smooth Criminal can’t be anything but a gritty-20/30s-interpration of an unsolved crime and a murdered dame.
The falsettos in the chorus are perfect. I’ll be honest and tell you that I wish I could be a fly on a wall for when this song was being thought up and recorded. The instrumental solo with the funky guitar and the synthesizers and the final chorus, shit, you guys. He gets into it-listen to him with his falsetto and his “daggone it, Annie/baby”s. I love how into he sounds-it makes me get into it. I have to stop and dance. You need to stop and dance.
And lastly, the ending violins, which make seriously want to listen to it over and over again. I have no idea how he thought that out. The song clearly could’ve just ended with the beat. The violins just give it something extra, something more. I don’t know. It’s beautiful. It’s great. Excuse me, I need to listen to it again.
Leave Me Alone: I really do love how the song starts out. Those could be violins, although I’m not sure. I love Michael’s “ow!” and I love how fierce he sounds in here. I really do love how this is a chin-flick (reminiscent of flipping the bird) to the media. “There’s a time that you know you are right-“ hell yes, Michael, hell yes to that. I love how blunt he is about the lyrics (“Leave me alone…”) and how he could easily be telling this to media in plain words, if he wanted to. I love how he chose to make this a song instead.
I do also love how it could easily be telling some chick to exit stage left. You really don’t know who he’s talking to (I just choose to believe it’s the media.) (I love how I’m using “I love” as a sentence starter for every paragraph in this post, but it’s true.)
The video for the single really fits in well with how cut out this song comes across to me. I can’t listen to the song without seeing the video, but even if there wasn’t a video, I’d imagine something close to it. You know this song really couldn’t have a video of Michael just dancing-it had to be something weird and awesome, which it was.
More vocal ticks and Michael not wanting it! Andddd, fade out.
If anyone comments here with tl; dr, I will totally understand. I get carried away with these types of things. But as it stands: Bad is a truly amazing, incredible album with chart toppers and heart pullers and ass-shakers and everything you could want. It wants you to get down and do better! It gives you funk and it gives you rock! You can strut your stuff and sing hallejuah to it! It even delivers the love songs! It’s a huge musical buffet that you can keep coming back to, over and over. And if it’s not all of that for you 90s-Michael lovers, then it’s a stepping stone for your favorite after albums. As for this little music freak, it’s something she can’t turn off once she turns it on.
And hell, to be honest, it really is Badass. :D
You guys have to admit, this is sort of the album. Love it or hate it (and if you hate it, omg WHAT IS UP, EXPLAIN YOURSELF), Bad marks a change in several areas of pop music, Michael's career, and the public's intrepretation of him. It's the comeback that really wasn't a comeback, although it certiantly held high expectations from many fans and many critics. For many reasonable and unreasonable reasons, I personally consider it an underrated album.
I'm not going to lie and say I'm not intimidated by covering this, but hell--it's my favorite album of his, and I think it's pure musical perfection. Overdoing it? Maybe. But we all know we're crazy for it. If nothing else, it gave us ~Sassy~! (I love that tour, does it show?)
I'm super SRS BSNS when it comes to shit like this, so I'm making this clean:
Pop music: Let's be honest, by the time Bad was released, Michael was pretty much a fixture in pop music. Thriller had already picked up its 40 million of its 100 million worth of copies and was well on its way of being the best selling album ever. Despite never living up to Thriller's success, Bad sold over 32 million copies (over 8 million in the United States.) It's the first and only album to have five #1 hits on one album, won two Grammys (one of them being for Leave Me Alone's pop art/cut-out video) and is ranked #53 and #202 in the 100 Greatest Albums of All Time of the MTV Generation and Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, respectively. (thank you, Wikipedia!)
This dude was breaking records, is what I mean. Yet Bad still remains somewhat in the shadows of Thriller's success. Some even consider it to be a total flop in comparison to Thriller. One of the somes has sometimes included Michael himself, but I don't really think it so. 32 million is not a flop in any means, but okay, if you are coming back from selling 100mil worldwide it isn't something to throw your hands up about. Although, when you consider the pressure that Michael was probably under, and how much this album could've flopped because of said pressure, the album is really much of a miracle. Bad could've completley wrecked his career. There wouldn't have been a Dangerous, or a HIStory if everyone had rejected Bad. It's very much a stepping stone for him, in more ways than one.
Michael's career: Way to go for me at already touching down on some of this! But along with being a ~miracle~, it was also the first time he had a lot of control in what went into his songs and what songs went into the album. It's part of the reason I am so in love with the tracks here and even the way they were slotted onto the album (I'll go into this later.) Apparently, Michael was ~*so excited~* for this album that he wrote sixty songs and recorded thirty, and originally planned to release them in three disc. Quincy Jones cut this down to ten tracks (god knows how he did) and later allowed Leave Me Alone to be the 11th track and last single off the album.
A lot of Michael's freedom probably came from Bad being the last collaboration between him and Quincy Jones. There even began to be a bit of debate between the two (one of them being choosing songs for the album. The two choices ended up being "Streetwalker"--Michael's choice--and "Another Part of Me," Quincy's choice. I think we all know how that was settled.) Eventually Michael would go on to take more control of the reins for his following albums, but Bad definitely marked his taking more of a stand.
The Public and Michael: (lolol that actually sounds like a tabloid title.) Even with Bad's success, it still ended having a lot public backlash. Most of this backlash came from Michael's sudden transformation into the crotch-grabbing, leather-wearing (UNF) bad boy. For most people, this was a complete overnight transformation. It might've been hard to adjust from zombie/werewolf-Michael to thrusting-Michael, which led to the bad boy image being somewhat of a joke. Along with the image, there was the ever emerging interest of the tabloids in Michael's personal life, which played some havoc with the album's reception. There have been rumors of Michael trying to up the ante on his own in order to create more success for the album. I'm not sure how to take this, to be honest. Whether or not he did kick up the sands isn't really important to me; it's the way the tabloids took to following him and writing about him, and the negative effects it seemed to have for him musically and personally. Bad, for all its good, does hold the title for being the era that officially started the strife between Michael and media.
Musical differences: Thriller, to me, gets its award for being funky-as-hale. It's pop, it's funk, it's soul--but Bad? Bad contributes to Michael's bad boy image for that era by having heavy guitars (Dirty Diana, anyone?) richer vocals (more back up singers/chorus in "Man in the Mirror"), interesting instrument placements (organs in "Bad," really?) Listening to both Thriller and Bad back-to-back kind of gives you a "who is this person?" reaction to it. Michael's voice even becomes less innocent and a little lower (not Dangerous-low, but low enough) and a lot of his vocal ticks take more time to shine.
The Bad tour even featured a bigger backing band, and I'm sure the chorus was pulled out a couple of times of "Man in the Mirror's" performance. I don't think Michael's flamboyancy (in relation to his tours) really took place until Dangerous, but you could sort of see a start in that. If anything else, it does the mark the time when the crowds got amazingly huge.
Track Review: My favorite part in the whirl. I'm listening to these as I comment, so expect some randomness?
Bad: Horns! I am in a sucker for intros when it comes to albums, and Michael feeds that kink for me like no one else. Bad also has a super sassy thing going with the bass and the drums, and it's perfect to strut to (I'm serious, try it out for a moment. Don't worry, I'll wait.) The organs are very subtle in the verses (you're too busy listening to Michael school you with his lyrics~) so they do end being a little lulzy shock when they come in full force for the instrumental solo. I love the backing vocals (I sing along to them when I dance to it!) and Wikipedia tells me they belong to him, but I also envision ladies. The little dramatic breaths end up being a little awkward for me, although I couldn't tell you why.
The organs come in again! Instrumental solo! I love how I can imagine the organist totally wailing and getting into his thing while playing. And it still tickles me pink to know that in all his badness, Michael still sneaks in a little hope ("the world could be a better place") with his lyrics. Love him for that. The song takes forever to end, but that makes it ten more times more fun to shake ass to.
The Way You Make Me Feel: This song also has a nice strutting thing going. It's fun, it's sexy (even without any lyrics and just with Michael telling me to "go on, girl!" the intro already has me, well, interested.) It screams bad boy with the lyrics. It just happens to be one of my favorite songs for the way that makes me think it would've been a hit without the video. Don't me wrong, I LOVE the video (UNF UNF UNF), but there's so much goodness going on here that I firmly believe he could've released it and people would've been to busy losing it to care.
The instrumental solo is good for a nice dancing break (synthesizers, yesssss) and I could mouth the lyrics to my mirror all day. I approve of the falsetto in the ending chorus, how he's sounds like he's telling everyone to back off with "ain't nobody's business." Love the back-up singers little solo at the end. Amazing song, very hot.
Speed Demon: It's a little sad that Speed Demon automatically comes off as a filler song, something people will immediately forget. I do like that it comes after TWYMMF, because it gives a chance to slow down and get some of your funk on before moving on. The bass is a buffet in funk of this song, not even joking. Michael has some whispering-raspy thing going with his voice, which I always love. More falsetto later (I love what this man can do with his voice, Jesus--he had great range.) Funky guitars following falsetto! I also really like the way they stayed true to the theme of the song and added in some car/engine-revving noises.
Liberian Girl: Again, another filler. The funny thing about the fillers on Bad--and Rolling Stone said this, not me--is that they end up being sexy. They chalk up to this being that Michael wrote most of the songs. I'm not sure if I agree. I like Liberian Girl's beat, but I am not a girl interested in slow songs. I could fall asleep to this song. It's not really my favorite--but it shows how Michael's range again and some heavy breathing/vocal ticks which are never boring. :D :D
Just Good Friends: I don't really want to call this one a filler, but it really isn't the first song you leap at when someone talks about Bad. Michael's voice seems to match the funk the bass is putting out, and there are more vocal ticks! The drums seem more prominent in this song (something that goes beyond them being louder.)
Then it's: hello, Stevie Wonder! I rather like him being here, but I feel like the song would've benefited better if it'd just been Michael. Nothing against Stevie, but I would've liked to see what Michael could've done if it'd just been him. Or maybe I'm just selfish? :D
Another Part of Me: EVERYBODY ON THE BUS, WE'RE GOING TO FUNKY TOWN. The bass really ends up being my favorite part with the instruments. Another huge favorite is Michael’s lyrics. I will never get tired of this man’s message. I will never get tired of his ‘we’re really all the same’ subtleties in this song. This song is love, honestly, and it’s love you can dance to, which makes everything better.
I also like how it sounds like Michael is having a great time with this song-almost as much of a good time as I’m having with listening to it. One image that comes to mind is the video for the single-anyone see him goofing off, the smile? I love it so much. For me, it’s a nod back to Thriller--the funkiness. You take a little break from the in your face attitude, and yet it’s still badass. What else could you want, really?
Man in the Mirror: There is so, so much with this song. I don’t know where to begin. I love how soft the intro is, I love how soft everything in this song ends up being before the chorus. The contrast is amazing, something your brain ends up expecting (it knows it’s going to be loud and epic, but it doesn’t know how epic.) The lyrics are beautiful and inspirational, and it honestly ends up sounding like its not pointing any fingers. It knows what’s up with the world and it knows where to start if it wants to change it. Then it tells you (“if you want to make the world…”) that if you want to join in, in simple terms, you know where you need to start.
I don’t know how anyone can listen to this song and not want to plant some trees. Not want to open a charity. Not want to stand on a street corner and hand flowers to everyone walking by and telling them how beautiful they are. This song pulls at something inside you, and you can’t sit still while it’s pulling. Do you know how many songs in this day and age that do that to you? (I’d like to hear them, if yes.)
The chorus comes in-fantastic. You have to turn the song up. The chorus is rich and Michael explodes in voice with them, if only for a moment. There’s no doubt that this is a song that was meant to be sung live, and sounds much more amazing when done so. But I do love the album version for what it is, and what it was meant to do. And again, you take a break from the heavy, but you are still interested. You still want more.
I Just Can’t Stop Loving You: Let’s take a break, you guys, okay? That’s what this song says-another filler. It’s a slow filler too, which takes away more kick for me (seriously you guys, I don’t like slow songs.) The intro starts off very…sweet, and hey, it’s a duet! Siedah sounds very good, but I think I have a thing with Michael and duets: I DON’T WANT THEM. Good for you wanting to work with others, Michael, but if it ain’t Janet, it ain’t happening.]
I do love the backing vocals, if I’m being honest. There’s a part near the bridge before the final chorus where I can’t tell Michael from Siedah (sad, but true) which doesn’t do much points for me. I can’t say I straight out dislike the song, but it’s very low on the list. What can I say?
Dirty Diana: LET’S GO, LET’S GO, LET’S GO. I love this song, you know this. I’d pull this song into an alley and make out with it. It starts out with synthesizers, and I’ve always said it: pure sex, with every single part of the song. The drums have its own languid beat, the guitars are nice and controlled for the verse and the chorus (so it can release it later, of course.) Michael sounds absolutely devilish and even a little disgusted by what’s going in the lyrics (why won’t this chick get off of him? He doesn’t want to be tempted, but totally is,) and the little “no’s” are both resistant and willing. (Hell yes, I’m reading too much into this.)
The violins? Yes, please. Violins, for me, can be the sexiest instruments on the planet when used correctly. I like the way they come in, I like the way they instantly mix in with the urgency when Michael’s being advanced on by Diana (“Diana walked up to me”), it’s like they know something’s coming.
If you’re like me, and you don’t mind pelvic thrusting, then this is the song to do it to. It’s a very sexual song, totally great for body rolls and I don’t know. It’s epic. Just epic.
Smooth Criminal: You get punched in the face with the horns-short and sweet. Michael’s heartbeat making it creepy, go. Synthesizers, go. Michael’s rough lyrics and tone, go. I find it weird that I can listen to the song and know that it’s pulling at some gangster theme-even without the video providing a visual. In Michael’s Home Movies, I remember him saying that he originally wanted Smooth Criminal’s video to be something like a western, which prompted a huge “NO” for me. Smooth Criminal can’t be anything but a gritty-20/30s-interpration of an unsolved crime and a murdered dame.
The falsettos in the chorus are perfect. I’ll be honest and tell you that I wish I could be a fly on a wall for when this song was being thought up and recorded. The instrumental solo with the funky guitar and the synthesizers and the final chorus, shit, you guys. He gets into it-listen to him with his falsetto and his “daggone it, Annie/baby”s. I love how into he sounds-it makes me get into it. I have to stop and dance. You need to stop and dance.
And lastly, the ending violins, which make seriously want to listen to it over and over again. I have no idea how he thought that out. The song clearly could’ve just ended with the beat. The violins just give it something extra, something more. I don’t know. It’s beautiful. It’s great. Excuse me, I need to listen to it again.
Leave Me Alone: I really do love how the song starts out. Those could be violins, although I’m not sure. I love Michael’s “ow!” and I love how fierce he sounds in here. I really do love how this is a chin-flick (reminiscent of flipping the bird) to the media. “There’s a time that you know you are right-“ hell yes, Michael, hell yes to that. I love how blunt he is about the lyrics (“Leave me alone…”) and how he could easily be telling this to media in plain words, if he wanted to. I love how he chose to make this a song instead.
I do also love how it could easily be telling some chick to exit stage left. You really don’t know who he’s talking to (I just choose to believe it’s the media.) (I love how I’m using “I love” as a sentence starter for every paragraph in this post, but it’s true.)
The video for the single really fits in well with how cut out this song comes across to me. I can’t listen to the song without seeing the video, but even if there wasn’t a video, I’d imagine something close to it. You know this song really couldn’t have a video of Michael just dancing-it had to be something weird and awesome, which it was.
More vocal ticks and Michael not wanting it! Andddd, fade out.
If anyone comments here with tl; dr, I will totally understand. I get carried away with these types of things. But as it stands: Bad is a truly amazing, incredible album with chart toppers and heart pullers and ass-shakers and everything you could want. It wants you to get down and do better! It gives you funk and it gives you rock! You can strut your stuff and sing hallejuah to it! It even delivers the love songs! It’s a huge musical buffet that you can keep coming back to, over and over. And if it’s not all of that for you 90s-Michael lovers, then it’s a stepping stone for your favorite after albums. As for this little music freak, it’s something she can’t turn off once she turns it on.
And hell, to be honest, it really is Badass. :D