Michael Jackson's HIStory (25th anniversary)

[PartySick 135,400]

INCOMING NOVEL 

In 1995, Michael Jackson released his most controversial and personal work in his 45 year career. HIStory was a two-disc set that served as a greatest hits album ("HIStory begins") as well as a new body of work ("HIStory continues") containing scathing songs brimming with paranoia, pain, and anger at not only global and societal issues such as police brutality, greed, pollution, and corruption but at his own experiences in the years leading up to this album's release.

25 years later, let's take a moment to remember (and enjoy) one of music's finest moments. When Michael Jackson made HIStory.

Tracklist:
Scream (ft. Janet Jackson)
They Don't Care About Us
Stranger in Moscow
This Time Around (ft. Notorious B.I.G.)
Earth Song
D.S.
Money
Come Together (Beatles Cover)
You Are Not Alone
Childhood
Tabloid Junkie
2 Bad (ft. Shaquille O'Neal)
HIStory
Little Susie
Smile (Charlie Chaplin, Geoffrey Parsons cover)

Commercial Success and bragging rights:
HIStory debuted at #1 and has since been certified 8 times platinum by the RIAA. At 20 million copies sold, it is not only among the best selling albums of all time, but it holds the record as the best selling multi-disc release of all time - further adding to the King of Pop's impressive number of records held with nearly every album.

The lead single, "Scream", a duet with his sister, holds the title of the most expensive music video of all time ($9 million) and was the first single to debut at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, though it would be bested months later when "You Are Not Alone", the album's second single, became the first song to ever debut at #1.

Two years after the album's release, Michael was coaxed into releasing a remix album with the agreement that he be allowed to add 5 new songs to it. "Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix" was released in 1997 and subsequently became the best selling remix album of all time.

My Personal Standout Songs and Stories:

Tabloid Junkie - Michael, like many celebrities, had a toxic relationship with the press. On his album Bad, he released "Leave Me Alone" which was accompanied with a video meant to showcase how ridiculous rumors could be. How laughable. However, in the '90s, the tabloids turned even more malicious than before. Thus "Tabloid Junkie" was born.

Spoiler

In the hood, frame him if you could
Shoot to kill, to blame him if you will
If he dies sympathize
Such false witnesses, damn self righteousness

In the black, stab me in the back
In the face, to lie and shame the race
Heroine and Marilyn
The headline stories of all your glory

It's slander
With the words you use
You're a parasite in black and white
Do anything for news
If you don't go and buy it
Then they won't glorify it
To read it sanctifies it
Then why do we keep foolin' ourselves

Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on a TV screen
Don't make it factual

 

Stranger in Moscow - In 1993, Michael was on tour promoting his album "Dangerous". When on a stop in Russia, moments before taking the stage, he got a call from the States informing him that he was being publicly accused of sexually assaulting a child. The Dangerous Tour opened with Michael jumping out of the stage and famously standing still for several minutes, all the while fans are fainting in the crowd. The decibels rise with every movement. Only this time, when he reached up to take his sunglasses off before performing "Jam", tears are seen streaming down his face.

It was the lowest point he'd been in yet. He felt betrayed and totally alone. Out of this god awful feeling, the heartbreaking ballad, "Stranger in Moscow" was borne of a broken man.

Spoiler

Here abandoned in my fame (Armageddon of the brain)
Kgb was doggin' me (Take my name and just let me be)
Then a beggar boy called my name (Happy days will drown the pain)
On and on and on it came
And again, and again, and again
Take my name and just let me be

How does it feel? (How does it feel?)
How does it feel?
How does it feel?
How does it feel?

When you're alone
And you're cold inside?

Childhood - A plea to those who would hate him, Michael wrote this song as a simple request to get to know the man behind the larger-than-life name before you judge him. He was put to work by his father at the age of 5 as the lead singer of the family group that eventually became the Jackson 5/Jacksons. When he recounted some of his earliest memories, they were of his father sitting in a chair with a belt threatening the boys if they messed up rehearsal. Michael has shared in a few interviews that he grew up physically and emotionally abused but above all else, painfully lonely. Playing with other kids, going to school normally, growing up normally. It was all put to the side for hard work, struggle, and pain which led to material success but left a gaping hole in his soul.

Spoiler

Have you seen my childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like fantastical stories to share
The dreams I would dare, watch me fly

Before you judge me, try hard to love me
The painful youth I've had

Have you seen my childhood

 

 

Morphine - Though it's on the remix album, "Blood on the Dance Floor", "Morphine" is very much in tune with the overarching theme of "HIStory". Anger. Michael wrote this song and has credits for drums and guitar, which he shares with Slash. It's a raging banger that hides what many believe was a cry for help 12 years prior to his death. Though it was only rehearsed twice, it was meant to be performed on the HIStory World Tour but for reasons unknown, it was scrapped from the setlist. What I wouldn't give to see those rehearsals though. This song has always been a highlight in MJ's discography for me.

A reminder, Michael died due to cardiac arrest brought on by an overdose of the surgical anesthetic Propofol which was administered in his home. He was so desperate for one night's sleep, he turned to a surgical strength drug and surrounded himself with enablers.

Spoiler

He's tried, hard to convince her
To be over what he had
Today he wants it twice as bad

Don't cry, I won't resent you
Yesterday you had his trust
Today he's taking twice as much

Demerol, demerol
Oh God he's taking demerol
Demerol, demerol
Oh my Oh God it's Demerol
Hee
Oooh

Oh!

He got **** baby
Your dog's a bitch baby
You make me sick baby
You are a liar

Is truth a game daddy
To win the fame baby
It's all the same baby
You're so reliable

Trust in me
Just in me
Put all your trust in me
You're doin' morphine!

 

They Don't Care About Us - Lastly, no "HIStory" revist would be complete without a track that has an unfortunate relevance still today. A song so important there's two music videos for it, "They Don't Care About Us" is a jarring departure from the soft spoken '80s pop star MJ fans knew at the time. Instead, it's a rallying cry shouted by a man who's had enough of trying to heal the world. There are problems that love and kindness do not fix. Sometimes, you have to be pissed off and hold the appropriate people accountable.

Rooted in the overarching societal issues we still see today, from corrupt politicians to cops who use often racially provoked lethal force when it's uncalled for, this song also has roots in Michael's personal life. After being accused in 1993 of a heinous crime, of which he was and is innocent of, his home was raided, his privacy invaded, his body photographed, and his humanity disregarded. One man was "named" in another song, "D.S." which stood for "Dom Sheldon". A name that's suspiciously close to the name of the district attorney who oversaw both the 1993 and 2005 child abuse allegation investigations - Tom Sneddon. Sneddon's police would end up physically torturing Michael in the second case.

If Michael were alive today, he'd be a vocal part of the Black Lives Matter movement. As an artist who broke down racial barriers in the world of music and always stood by his identity as a proud black man, regardless of his skin tone, his gift to us in times like this is this song. To remind us that we will have no voices unless we raise them. No rights unless we take them. And no freedom unless we demand it.

Spoiler

Tell me what has become of my rights
Am I invisible because you ignore me?
Your proclamation promised me free liberty, now

I'm tired of bein' the victim of shame
They're throwing me in a class with a bad name
I can't believe this is the land from which I came

You know I do really hate to say it
The government don't want to see
But if Roosevelt was livin'
He wouldn't let this be, no, no

Skin head, dead head
Everybody gone bad
Situation, speculation
Everybody litigation
Beat me, bash me
You can never trash me
Hit me, kick me
You can never get me

All I want to say is that
They don't really care about us

 

In summation:

I know this is long. Thanks to anyone who took the time to read it  I credit Michael as being one of the biggest influences on my life. Growing up, it was his music and him personally that made me feel stable and safe at times where stability and safety might as well have been foreign words.

If you've never taken the time to delve into Michael's discography, this is about the grittiest it gets. "HIStory" is pure emotion. I hope you can take the time to find something you enjoy or appreciate. And to those of you who are already Moonwalkers, let's toast to this legendary feat of musical genius delivered to us by the greatest entertainer to ever live, one of the greatest musicians to ever live, and above all else, one of the most kind hearted and loving people to have graced the surface of our beautiful world

[PartySick 135,400]

MJ FAM!

@Andreu @WholesomeOOf @Jacksonotta @misunderstood @Werk @Chromatislaps @WorstBehavior @monster4life231 @KanyeWest @Chickens in Malibu

I know I missed a few

[Pennywise 35,138]

Stranger in Moscow is actually one of my favorite MJ songs 

[Animal Claws 18,595]

King Of Pop ❤️

You Are Not Alone is the best song on the album imo

[Werewolves Wanted 2,252]

Ugh I still miss him 💔 history was absolutely iconic. So many good tracks. 

[Chromatislaps 34,562]

Best album to be honest. Truly his most personal album, and it showed what person he really was. Still very relevant. They Don't care About Us is THE BLM anthem really, but also the anthem for all the oppressed people the world. Earthsong also more relevant then ever. Truly a magical track. 

[PartySick 135,400]

7 minutes ago, Pennywise said:

Stranger in Moscow is actually one of my favorite MJ songs 

It's so sad

On it's own it's sad. When you know the circumstances behind its creation...ugh 

I wish I could go back in time and give him a big hug.

[Rio 5,088]

15 minutes ago, PartySick said:

MJ FAM!

@Andreu @WholesomeOOf @Jacksonotta @misunderstood @Werk @Chromatislaps @WorstBehavior @monster4life231 @KanyeWest @Chickens in Malibu

I know I missed a few

Yeah. Ya missed me 

[Rio 5,088]

Such an iconic album, my lord. Was listening to this the other day!

Did they really physically torture MJ?

[PartySick 135,400]

2 minutes ago, Chromatislaps said:

They Don't care About Us is THE BLM anthem really, but also the anthem for all the oppressed people the world.

And just to add it in, let's listen to the Immortal version for that GODLY chorus (starts at 1:45ish)

Give us the multitracks

[PartySick 135,400]

1 minute ago, Rio said:

Did they really physically torture MJ?

Yeah. When they arrested him for the second set of allegations, they locked him in a dirty bathroom (like, sh*t on the walls dirty) and he ended up leaving covered in bruises and with a dislocated shoulder.

[2School4Cool 5,348]

HIStory is my favorite album of his, a pure masterpiece! Stranger In Moscow may be my favorite song of his altogether. I can’t believe it’s been 25 years since it came out!

[2School4Cool 5,348]

I forgot just how much I love this album, I haven’t listened in so long. HIStory, They Don’t Care About Us, Childhood, Earth Song, D.S., Money, You Are Not Alone, it’s all just stellar .

[Guest]

I thought this was MEGARATE. Id love a MEGARATE for this 

[PartySick 135,400]

Just now, KanyeWest said:

I thought this was MEGARATE. Id love a MEGARATE for this 

@Twitter have someone do this please  we would both join