It’s difficult to digest that seven years have passed since music lost its largest and most luminous star.
This week’s From The Vault is dedicated to the one and only King Of Pop, Michael Jackson. Our selection comes in the form of 1982’s ‘Human Nature.’
Released as the fifth single from the monumental ‘Thriller’ LP, the cut was penned by by Toto’s Steve Porcaro and John Bettis. Production, as like was of its housing album, was helmed by musical genius Quincy Jones.
Peaking at #7 in the US, it was ‘Thriller’’s fifth Top 10 single. Unfortunately it was not officially released in the UK, but didn’t dent it’s popularity in the region.
With its mesmerizing production and melodies, ‘Nature’ has been sampled many times over the past 30 years, most recently by Chris Brown in ‘She Ain’t You’ and of course by SWV for the remix to ‘Right Here’ back in 1992.
Uniquely, a video was never shot but numerous are the live performances which make for very emotional moments. Michael showcased that he didn’t always need an army of dancers and fast-paced music to make people “feel”, he could also rely on his voice and a magical musical arrangement and let the magic happen.
Seven years after his passing, with today’s biggest artists struggling to bring anything new to the table, it’s becoming more and more clear why Michael was and still is the King Of Pop. And no we’re not saying that to diminish them. We simply mean that in his lifetime, as an artist MJ, has done EVERYTHING there was to do with a precision and a determination that only he possessed. Thus making it hard for anybody to keep up.
From reinventing himself, to using shock tactics to make people listen, to experimenting with different genres, and writing socially woken music, he will always be the ultimate star. One whose impact is resonates both music and pop culture.
Mike, we loved you then, we love you now, we’ll love you forever. Long live the King!