Smooth Criminal
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| "Smooth Criminal" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Single by Michael Jackson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| from the album Bad | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Released | October 24 1988 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Format | 5" CD single 3" CD single 12" vinyl 7" single Cassette single |
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| Recorded | 1987 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Genre | Dance-pop, R&B | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length | 4:17 (Album Version) 4:10 (Video/7" Mix) |
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| Label | Epic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Michael Jackson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Producer | Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michael Jackson singles chronology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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"Smooth Criminal" is the seventh single from Michael Jackson's Bad album (1987). The song contains a fast-paced beat intertwined with Jackson's lyrics about a woman named Annie, who has been attacked in her apartment by a "smooth" assailant. It was released as a single on October 24, 1988 and peaked at 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] It was re-released on April 10, 2006 as a part of the Visionary: The Video Singles box-set. The re-released Visionary single charted at #19 in the UK. In 2003, the song appeared on the Number Ones greatest hits album.
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[edit] Song information
The song was the centerpiece in Jackson's musical film Moonwalker, featuring Joe Pesci. In the film, Jackson plays with his young friends outdoors when they come upon a cave, which leads to a kind of dream world in which "Mr. Big" Frankie Lideo has been selling drugs to youths in order to get everyone hooked. The "Mr. Big" character was a play on the name of Michael's manager, Frankie Dileo. In the movie, Joe Pesci is often heard repeating his character's last name, "Lideo, L-I-D-E-O, They never spell my name right." This was an inside joke between Jackson and Dileo. "Smooth Criminal" was presented in a ten-minute long clip in which Jackson dances through a 1930s-style nightclub (known in the film as "Club 30s"). The version of the song used in the clip is different from the album version: the background beats are different, there are several new lyrics (see below), and the song is much longer overall. The version of the video that is usually aired on network television is 4 minutes long and is merely a sped up version of the clip from the film. Jackson briefly moonwalks before the famous anti-gravity lean. The ten minute long "Smooth Criminal" clip is reminiscent of the musical number known as "The Girl Hunt Ballet" which is featured as the final number in the 1952 musical film The Band Wagon starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. "The Girl Hunt Ballet" is a spoof of Mickey Spillane's hard-boiled detective novels.[2]
"Smooth Criminal" was a song that almost didn't make it into the Bad album. With the final decision to include the song, Jackson originally decided to make the music video a western-styled short film. However, he later decided to change the style into a 1930s nightclub style.[3]
An early version of the song was written by Jackson and John Barnes in 1985 and the original demo was recorded in 1986. The original title was "Al Capone". This version didn't make the album and was re-worked and re-written as "Smooth Criminal".
Both the style of the clip and the clothes and mannerisms Jackson portrayed were reused in the arcade, the Sega Master System, the Sega Mega Drive and the Sega Game Gear adaptations of Moonwalker. The song itself serves as the soundtrack for the first stage, in Club 30s, the nightclub from the movie, in all versions of the game.
The song was performed live during the second leg of Jackson's 1987–88 Bad World Tour. The performance featured a dance routine modeled after the scene from Moonwalker. By the time the 1992 Dangerous World Tour came around, this performance became a regular on Jackson tours. Jackson also performed the song on the HIStory Tour. This time Jackson had devised a way to perform the patented anti-gravity lean, which was featured in the Moonwalker video, on stage. Much like the robot move from "Dancing Machine" and the Moonwalk from "Billie Jean", this showcased Jackson's talent for creating unique moves to enhance stage performances. This performance can be seen on the Bucharest Dangerous Tour performance which is included as a DVD in The Ultimate Collection boxed set.
Part of the song is also briefly used in the middle of the live version of the song "Dangerous" since the performance at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards. On the HIStory Tour during the performance of "Dangerous" he also used a briefly part of the song during the performance. He would have performed it on This Is It had the concert series not been canceled due to his sudden death.
[edit] Chart performance
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
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| Australian Singles Chart | 29 |
| Belgium Singles Chart | 1 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 6 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 1 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 Singles | 2 |
| French Singles Chart | 4 |
| German Singles Chart | 9 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 4 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 6 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 29 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 5 |
| UK Singles Chart | 8 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 7 |
| U.S. ARC Weekly Top 40 | 4 |
| U.S. Hot R&B Singles | 2 |
| U.S. Hot Dance Club Play | 9 |
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 16 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 31 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 14 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 37 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 33 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 12 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 12[4] |
| UK Singles Chart | 13 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs[5] | 12 |
[edit] Music video
Jeffrey Daniel of the soul music group Shalamar co-choreographed the "Smooth Criminal" video. It was directed by special effects coordinator Colin Chilvers. The dance sequence of the video in the 1930's style lounge pays tribute to the Fred Astaire musical comedy film The Band Wagon. Currently there are four different versions of the video for "Smooth Criminal":
- Original Moonwalker Version - This is the version included in the Moonwalker film - while technically the whole "Smooth Criminal" segment is about 40 minutes long, the actual "Smooth Criminal" song section is only about ten minutes. It is generally the most complete version of the video and includes the unedited middle section of interpretive dance with the dancers but does not include the last six seconds where a flapper fans herself after the door is shut behind Michael. In comparison to the original song this version has two lines in the second stanza added: "Everytime I try to find him he's leaving no clues left behind him. And they have no way of knowing of the suspect, or what to expect".
- Moonwalker Edit - This version is included on History on Film, Volume II and it is basically an edited version of the ten minute song section from the "Smooth Criminal" segment in the film Moonwalker. It is essentially the same, however it has some minor changes including: different opening music and no dialogue, the middle section with the dancers chanting has been truncated (some of the chanting has been shortened) and ends similarly to the original where Michael exits the club but with the addition of the lead flapper fanning herself. Being a PAL to NTSC transfer (the Moonwalker DVD has only been released in PAL regions), this version suffers from blurred colors and other artifacts. Also, despite having almost a minute cut out from the middle section, this version is approximately the same length as the original video, due to the PAL speed-up phenomenon.
- Moonwalker End Credits Video - This is the version of the video that is on Michael Jackson's official website, as well as his YouTube channel. It also appears during the end credits for Moonwalker and was included on the "Visionary" single. It is essentially a lot of clips from the Original Moonwalker Version of the "Smooth Criminal" video, that have either been sped up, or slowed down, with an added blur effect, and some alternate angles. The video is four minutes and seventeen seconds long. Throughout the video, the regular version of the song is played. This version is also the version sold in the iTunes Music Store.
- TV Version - This is the video shown on most music video stations - it is the Moonwalker Edit, edited to be in sync with the regular version of the song. It excludes the added lyric, the middle section along with various other moments. This video is also four minutes and seventeen seconds.
The video won Best Music Video at the 1989 Brit Awards.
In the Alvin and the Chipmunks video special Rockin' with the Chipmunks, part of the music video is shown, but with animation of Alvin inserted.
Singer Shakira pays homage to Jackson by doing an anti-gravity lean in her "She Wolf" music video.
[edit] Covers
[edit] Alien Ant Farm cover
| "Smooth Criminal" | ||||
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| Single by Alien Ant Farm | ||||
| from the album ANThology | ||||
| Released | July 24, 2001 | |||
| Format | CD | |||
| Recorded | 2001 | |||
| Genre | Alternative metal Hard rock |
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| Length | 3:29 | |||
| Label | SKG Music | |||
| Writer(s) | M. Jackson | |||
| Producer | Jay Baumgardner | |||
| Alien Ant Farm singles chronology | ||||
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In 2001, Alien Ant Farm released a cover of "Smooth Criminal" as their debut single from their album ANThology. According to the band members, they would play a few riffs of the Jackson song while warming up before gigs and audience members would request them to play the entire song. This positive feedback encouraged them to record their own rendition of "Smooth Criminal" and include it on ANThology. It became a number one hit on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart and was also a number one in Australia. The song was also featured in the 2001 film American Pie 2, during a scene where Jason Biggs' character Jim superglues his hand to his crotch. Also in the album Greatest Hits (1999) is a "hidden track" named "Slick Thief", which is in fact an early version of "Smooth Criminal".
This version was featured on the video games Karaoke Revolution and Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades. It was released as downloadable content for the Rock Band series of video games.
[edit] Track listing
- "Smooth Criminal" - 3:29
- "Orange Appeal" - 4:45
- "Denigrate" - 4:15
- "Smooth Criminal" (Video)
[edit] Music video
The music video depicts the band performing in a wrestling ring at a house backyard. It also features numerous references to Michael Jackson:
- The video for the original "Smooth Criminal" is referenced when the band members do the video's anti-gravity lean.
- Various objects and sidewalk panels lighting up is a reference to the video for "Billie Jean." Additionally, an editing technique utilizing several split screens and freeze frames mirrors a similar sequence in "Billie Jean."
- The scene where lead singer Dryden Mitchell stands on a car and screams while its windows explode is taken from the controversial ending of the video for "Black or White".
- Several references are made to "Thriller", including the dance by the old men, the werewolf mask worn by the girl jumping into the pool, and the end of the video where a man turns to the camera with cat's eyes.
- The chimpanzee is a reference to Jackson's pet chimp Bubbles. In addition to that, the chair Mitchell is sitting on during the scenes with the chimp is shaped like a gloved hand.
- The Japanese school girls in uniforms holding the sign reading "We love AAF" is a reference to Jackson's idol status in Japan.
- Lead singer Mitchell rips a ventilation shaft grill from the ground, releasing steam. This is a combined reference to the video for the song "Bad", in which Jackson pulled a grill from a subway wall as well as another scene from the controversial ending of the video for "Black or White" where Jackson danced in steam rising from the ground.
- Michael Jackson-like vocalizations can be heard, including a high-pitched "Whoo!" several times in a row.
- The lead singer Mitchell pulls up his pants to expose his socks, much like Jackson.
- Drummer Mike Cosgrove wears one white studded glove.
- Bobby Edner performs a dance similar to the moves of Jackson. He wears an E.T. shirt, a reference to the E.T. storybook album narrated by Jackson. In an alternate version of the video, he is wearing a surgeon's mask, as Jackson often did in public.
- One man has a tattoo of Elizabeth Taylor on his back. In 1989, Taylor proclaimed Jackson as the King of Pop. The same man also sports lizard and/or cat like eyes, the same as Michael from the end of the Thriller video.
| Preceded by "Because I Got High" by Afroman |
ARIA (Australia) number one single November 4, 2001 - December 23, 2001 |
Succeeded by "Get the Party Started" by Pink |
| Preceded by "Fat Lip" by Sum 41 |
Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number-one single August 25, 2001 |
Succeeded by "How You Remind Me" by Nickelback |
[edit] Other versions
- The band ApologetiX has recorded a parody of "Smooth Criminal" called "Smooth Grandmama".[6] The song's instrumentation is a parody of the Alien Ant Farm version.
- Violinist David Garrett recorded an instrumental cover of "Smooth Criminal." It is released on his album "Encore".
- J.Viewz, stage name of Israeli musician Jonathan Dagan and his band, recorded an easy-listening/jazz cover of "Smooth Criminal", which was released on the Besides EP.
On the video game Saints Row 2, part of the dance from Smooth Criminal can be used as a taunt against your enemies.
[edit] References
- ^ http://mjjsource.com/main/index.php?option=content&task=category§ionid=3&id=67&Itemid=28
- ^ soundtrack
- ^ Michael Jackson's Private Home Movies, 2003
- ^ "Swiss Singles Chart Archives". hitparade.ch. http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Michael+Jackson&titel=Smooth+Criminal&cat=s. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
- ^ [1]
- ^ ApologetiX's official site album information
[edit] External links
- J.Viewz cover of Smooth Criminal
- Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal (Radio Edit) at YouTube (requires Adobe Flash)
- Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal: MTV Mask Version at YouTube (requires Adobe Flash)
- Smooth Criminal (Movie version) 1987 HD at YouTube (requires Adobe Flash)
- Smooth Criminal lyrics
- Method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion
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