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Liberian Girl

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"Liberian Girl"
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album Bad
B-sideGirlfriend (album version)[1]
ReleasedJuly 3, 1989[1]
Recorded1986[1]
StudioWestlake Recording Studios (studio D), Los Angeles
GenreR&B
Length3:53 (album version)
3:40 (single version)
Label
Songwriter(s)Michael Jackson
Producer(s)
Michael Jackson singles chronology
"Leave Me Alone"
(1989) 		"Liberian Girl"
(1989) 		"Do the Bartman"
(1990)
Music video
"Liberian Girl" on YouTube

"Liberian Girl" is the ninth single released from American singer Michael Jackson's 1987 album Bad. The song was written as early as 1983 and was among those considered for the Jacksons' Victory album. It was reworked and rewritten for Bad. The song was released as a single in Europe, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. Although a commercial success (ranking the Top 15 in several countries), the song was never performed live by Michael Jackson during his Bad World Tour or later concerts.

Critical reception

The New York Times editor Jon Pareles wrote that a melody line from "Billie Jean" reappears in this song.[2] Rolling Stone's Davitt Sigerson praised the song: "'Liberian Girl' – "is Michael's filler, which makes it richer, sexier, better than Thriller's forgettables" and he also described that it "glistens with gratitude for the existence of a loved one."[3] In 2003, Q magazine ranked the song at number 1,001 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever".[4]

Reaction in Liberia

The song received a positive reception in Liberia,[5] with women from the country viewing the song as empowering.[5] Liberian woman Margaret Carson said in an interview with The Washington Times "When that music came out … the Liberian girls were so astonished to hear a great musician like Michael Jackson thinking about a little country in Africa. It gave us hope, especially when things went bad … . It made us to feel that we are still part of the world."[5]

Music video

Directed by Jim Yukich and produced by Paul Flattery for FYI (Flattery Yukich Inc.), the video for the song was filmed in two days in April 1989 at A&M Chaplin Stage in Los Angeles, California.[1] The music video featured many of Jackson's celebrity friends who gather on a soundstage to film the music video for "Liberian Girl", only to discover that Jackson was filming them all along. The following people are listed in order of appearance (ordered by columns):[6]

There was also someone dressed as a mummy in the video. In the ending credits the mummy was credited with a question mark.

The music video of the song was included on the video albums: HIStory on Film, Volume II, Vision and the Target version DVD of Bad 25.

Track listings

7-inch

  1. "Liberian Girl" (edit) – 3:40
  2. "Girlfriend" – 3:05

12-inch

  1. "Liberian Girl" (edit) – 3:40
  2. "Get on the Floor" – 4:44
  3. "Girlfriend" – 3:05

CD single

  1. "Liberian Girl" (edit) – 3:40
  2. "Girlfriend" – 3:05
  3. "The Lady in My Life" – 5:00
  4. "Get on the Floor" – 4:44

CD 3-inch

  1. "Liberian Girl" (edit) – 3:40
  2. "Get on the Floor" – 4:44
  3. "Girlfriend" – 3:05

Personnel

  • Michael Jackson – Songwriter, co-producer, solo and background vocals, drums, rhythm arrangement, vocal arrangement
  • Quincy Jones – Producer, rhythm arrangement, synthesizer arrangement
  • John Barnes – Rhythm arrangement, vocal arrangement, synthesizer arrangement, synthesizers
  • Michael Boddicker – Synthesizers
  • Miko Brando – Drums
  • Christopher Currell – Synclavier
  • Paulinho da Costa – Percussion
  • Douglas Getschal – Drum programming
  • Jerry Hey – Synthesizer arrangement
  • Letta Mbulu – Swahili chant
  • David Paich – Synthesizers
  • Steve Porcaro – Synthesizer programming
  • John Robinson – Drums
  • Caiphus Semenya – Swahili chant arrangement
  • Larry Williams – Synthesizers

Charts

Initial chart performance for "Liberian Girl"
Chart (1989) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[7] 50
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 12
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] 24
Finland (Suomen virallinen singlelista)[10] 9
France (SNEP)[11] 15
Ireland (IRMA)[12] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] 15
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] 14
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 31
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] 12
UK Singles (OCC)[17] 13
West Germany (GfK)[18] 23
Chart performance for "Liberian Girl" upon Jackson's death
Chart (2009) Peak
position
French Digital Singles Chart (SNEP)[19] 34
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 36
UK Singles (OCC)[21] 86

References

  1. ^ a b c d Lecocq, Richard; Allard, François (2018). "Bad". Michael Jackson All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London, England: Cassell. pp. 461–63. ISBN 978-1-78840057-2.
  2. ^ Pareles, Jon (31 August 1987). "Pop: Michael Jackson's 'Bad,' Follow-Up To A Blockbuster". The New York Times.
  3. ^ Sigerson, Davitt (22 October 1987). "Michael Jackson Bad Album Review". Rolling Stone.
  4. ^ "Q - 1001 best songs ever (2003)".
  5. ^ a b c "Memory of Michael Jackson uplifts Liberia". The Washington Times. July 2, 2009.
  6. ^ Cadman, Chris (2015). Michael Jackson The Maestro The Definitive A-Z Volume II - K-Z. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1-50762440-1.
  7. ^ "Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  8. ^ "Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  9. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 32. August 12, 1989. p. V. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  10. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Michael Jackson". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 113. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  11. ^ "Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  12. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Liberian Girl". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  13. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 30, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  14. ^ "Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  15. ^ "Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  16. ^ "Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  17. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  18. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  19. ^ "Download French Single Top 50". lescharts. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011. Retrieved December 31, 2009.
  20. ^ "Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  21. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
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