In the Closet

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"In the Closet"
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album Dangerous
Released May 8, 1992
Format CD single, 7", 12"
Recorded March-May 1991[1]
Genre New jack swing, R&B
Length 6:34 (Album Version)
4:49 (Single Version)
Label Epic
Writer(s) Michael Jackson
Teddy Riley
Producer Teddy Riley
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson chronology
"Remember the Time"
(1992)		 "In the Closet"
(1992)		 "Jam"
(1992)
Dangerous track listing
"Why You Wanna Trip on Me"
(2)		 "In the Closet"
(3)		 "She Drives Me Wild"
(4)

"In the Closet" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson from his 1991 Dangerous album. The song became that album's second number one R&B single and its third top ten pop single, hitting number six on the Billboard Hot 100.

Contents

[edit] Song information

The song, written and composed by Michael Jackson and Teddy Riley, is about keeping a relationship secret between lovers. "In the closet" is an English idiom used when one is not open about an aspect of their life, particularly in regard to sexual orientation. Despite the song's suggestive name its lyrics do not allude to hidden sexual orientation but rather a concealed relationship; "Don't hide our love/ Woman to man." The New York Times stated, "Only Jackson would use that title for a heterosexual love song..."[2] Rolling Stone described the number as "titillatingly titled" but "determinedly heterosexual." [3] The single's music video, directed by Herb Ritts, features Jackson performing sensual and physically complicated dance techniques with supermodel Naomi Campbell. The song's female vocal was originally labeled "Mystery Girl" but was later revealed to be Princess Stéphanie of Monaco.[4] Campbell mimed the lyrics for the music video.

The song, with its heavy industrial-sounding percussion and uptempo arrangement, is typical of producer Teddy Riley's new jack swing style. The unique, Eastern-influenced backing vocals, reaching crescendo at middle eight imbue the song with an erotic edge usually missing from Jackson's music. His vocals are whispered and subdued for most of the song, embellished with gasps, moans, and shudders. It is generally considered one of his most provocative singles with lyrics that include "...And if it's aching, you have to rub it."

The song was not performed during Jackson's Dangerous World Tour (however, during his concert in Toulouse, the band played a short instrumental before Man In The Mirror), but a short version, with the intro of "She Drives Me Wild," was the third song of a medley including "Scream" and "They Don't Care About Us" during the HIStory World Tour. Princess Stéphanie's spoken lines were replaced with Jackson's live speech for the sequence.

[edit] Collaboration with Madonna

"In the Closet" was originally conceived as a duet between Jackson and Madonna. According to a 1992 interview with British journalist Jonathan Ross, Madonna said she worked on some lyrical ideas for the song but when she presented them to Michael, he decided they were too provocative and they decided not to continue with the project.[5]

[edit] Music video

In the sepia colored music video, directed by Herb Ritts, Jackson is seen dancing with top model Naomi Campbell. The video was filmed in late March 1992 in Salton Sea, California and premiered on April 23, 1992.[6][7] This video was Jackson's most sexually provocative piece ever. This video was banned in South Africa due to its imagery. The video is featured on Dangerous - The Short Films and Michael Jackson's Vision.

[edit] Remixes

In keeping with the trend in the early 1990s, several remixes were commissioned by Jackson and released on a maxi CD by DJ/ Producers Frankie Knuckles and Tommy Musto, two prolific remixers of the time that transformed the single version into versions that made their way into the clubs and on dance radio. Two versions were included on the remix album Dangerous - The Remix Collection, called 'The Reprise' and 'The Underground Mix'.

[edit] Michael Jackson The Experience

This song is featured on the video game Michael Jackson The Experience.

[edit] Track listings

[edit] Original release

[edit] UK single

  1. "In the Closet" (7" Edit) – 4:49
  2. "In the Closet" (Club Mix) – 8:00
  3. "In the Closet" (The Underground Mix) – 5:32
  4. "In the Closet" (Touch Me Dub) – 7:53
  5. "In the Closet" (KI's 12") – 6:55
  6. "In the Closet" (The Promise) – 7:18

[edit] U.S. single

  1. "In the Closet" (Club Edit) – 4:07
  2. "In the Closet" (The Underground Mix) – 5:34
  3. "In the Closet" (The Promise) – 7:20
  4. "In the Closet" (The Vow) – 4:49
  5. "Remember the Time" (New Jack Jazz Mix) – 5:06

[edit] Visionary single

CD side
  1. "In the Closet" (7" Edit) - 4:47
  2. "In the Closet" (Club Mix) - 8:02
DVD side
  1. "In the Closet" (Music video) - 6:02
  2. "In the Closet" (Club Mix Music video) - 8:02
  3. "Making of 'In the Closet'"
VHS Single Promo
  1. "In the Closet" (Club Mix Music Video) - 8:02
  2. "In the Closet" (Music video) - 6:02
  3. "Making of 'In the Closet'"

[edit] Official versions

  • Album Version – 6:31
  • 7" Edit – 4:47
  • Video Mix – 6:05

[edit] Tommy Musto mixes

  • Club Mix – 7:53
  • Club Edit - 4:11
  • The Underground Mix - 5:39
  • The Underground Dub - 6:27

[edit] Frankie Knuckles mixes

  • The Mission - 9:27
  • The Mission Radio Edit - 4:28
  • The Mix of Life - 7:41
  • The Vow - 4:53
  • The Promise - 7:26
  • The Reprise - 2:44

[edit] Other mixes

  • Touch Me Dub - 6:43
  • KI's 12" - 7:16
  • Radio Edit (The Newark Radio Edit) – 4:29
  • Freestyle Mix - 6:34
  • The Newark Mix - 7:07

[edit] Charts

Chart listings for the single are as follows:[8]

[edit] Peak positions

Chart (1992) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 6
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play 1
US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks 1
Australian Singles Chart 5
Austrian Singles Chart 23
Belgium Singles Chart 14
Spanish Singles Chart 2
Dutch Singles Chart 9
French Singles Chart 9
German Singles Chart 15
Italian Singles Chart 9
Norwegian Singles Chart 10
Swedish Singles Chart 29
Swiss Singles Chart 25
UK Singles Chart 8

[edit] End of year charts

End of year chart (1992) Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[9] 66

[edit] Personnel

  • Written and composed by Michael Jackson and Teddy Riley
  • Produced by Teddy Riley and Michael Jackson
  • Recorded and mixed by Bruce Swedien, Teddy Riley, Jean-Marie Horvat and Dave Way
  • Vocal duet with Michael Jackson and Mystery Girl (later revealed to be Princess Stéphanie of Monaco)
  • Michael Jackson: Solo and background vocals
  • Rhythm and synthesizer arrangements by Teddy Riley
  • Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson
  • Teddy Riley: Keyboards and synthesizers
  • Wayne Cobham: Sequencing and programming

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution Page Number: D/2 Word Count: 335

    ^Pareles, Jon. RECORDINGS VIEW; Michael Jackson in the Electronic Wilderness. The New York Times. November 24, 1991 ^Light, Alan. Album Reviews - Dangerous. Rolling Stone. January 9, 1992 ^Whitburn, Joel. (2000). The Billboard book of top 40 hits.Billboard Books. p. 320. ISBN 978-0823076901^the song was set in ancient Egypt. Youtube. July 7, 2008 ^Landis, David (1992-03-26). dids=56195740:56195740&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+26%2C+1992&author=David+Landis&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=ASTHMA+COSTS&pqatl=google "Asthma Costs". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/56195740.html? dids=56195740:56195740&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+26%2C+1992&author=David+Landis&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=ASTHMA+COSTS&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2010-05-21. ^Scaduto, Anthony; Vaughan, Doug; Stasi, Linda (March 20, 1992). "Inside New York". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/77515941.html?dids=77515941:77515941&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+20%2C+1992&author=By+Anthony+Scaduto%2C+Doug+Vaughan+and+Linda+Stasi.&pub=Newsday+(Combined+editions)&desc=INSIDE+NEW+YORK&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2010-05-21. ^Halstead, Craig; Cadman, Chris (2003). Jacksons Number Ones. Authors On Line Ltd. p. 71. ISBN 978-0755200986^"Billboard Top 100 - 1992". http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1992. Retrieved 2010-07-30. 

    [edit] See also

    Opposition is building in Palm Beach, Fla., to Donald Trump's proposal to subdivide the historic Mar-a-Lago estate so he can sell condos. Both preservationists and business types are fighting the plan, which faces its first test, a vote by the town's Landmarks Preservation Committee, on Friday. "Palm Beach has reached a point where we are trying to decrease the population density and preserve the quality of life," said Chamber of Commerce

    . May 15, 1991. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AT&p_theme=at&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB7D0B9441F782A&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. 
    Michael Jackson singles
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    Dangerous
    "Black or White" · "Remember the Time" · "In the Closet" · "Jam" · "Who Is It" · "Heal the World" · "Give In to Me" · "Will You Be There" · "Gone Too Soon"
    HIStory
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    The Ultimate Collection
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