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==Post-production and release==
==Post-production and release==
In June 2001, several months before the release of ''Invincible'', "Speechless" was among several songs showcased from the album exclusively to executives of Jackson's music label, [[Epic Records]] (a subsidiary of [[Sony Music Entertainment]]). Roger Friedman of [[Fox News]] reported that the executives who listened to the previews liked what they heard. Epic Records' president, Dave Glew, said of the tracks, "It's wonderful and amazing. Michael is singing better than ever." He added, "The ballads! The ballads are beautiful, and they're all there."<ref name="Michael Jackson Presents the 'Invincible' Album, Record Execs Go Crazy">{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,27356,00.html|title=Michael Jackson Presents the 'Invincible' Album, Record Execs Go Crazy|last=Friedman|first=Roger|date=June 15, 2001|publisher=[[Fox News]]|accessdate=April 17, 2010}}</ref>
In June 2001, several months before the release of ''Invincible'', "Speechless" was among several songs showcased from the album to executives of Jackson's music label, [[Epic Records]] (a subsidiary of [[Sony Music Entertainment]]). Roger Friedman of [[Fox News]] reported that the executives who listened to the previews liked what they heard. Epic Records' president, Dave Glew, said of the tracks, "It's wonderful and amazing. Michael is singing better than ever." He added, "The ballads! The ballads are beautiful, and they're all there."<ref name="Michael Jackson Presents the 'Invincible' Album, Record Execs Go Crazy">{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,27356,00.html|title=Michael Jackson Presents the 'Invincible' Album, Record Execs Go Crazy|last=Friedman|first=Roger|date=June 15, 2001|publisher=[[Fox News]]|accessdate=April 17, 2010}}</ref>


Jackson intended to revive the song for a [[This Is It (Michael Jackson concerts)|2009 concert series]] that was planned before [[death of Michael Jackson|his death]]. Afterwards, ''[[Michael Jackson's This Is It]]'', a documentary-concert film showing the 2009 rehearsal sessions featured a scene in which Jackson sang a segment of "Speechless".<ref name="Inside 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' From The New York Premiere">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1624952/story.jhtml|title=Inside 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' From The New York Premiere|last=Ditzian|first=Eric|date=October 28, 2009|publisher=MTV|accessdate=April 24, 2010}}</ref>
Jackson intended to revive the song for a [[This Is It (Michael Jackson concerts)|2009 concert series]] that was planned before [[death of Michael Jackson|his death]]. Afterwards, ''[[Michael Jackson's This Is It]]'', a documentary-concert film showing the 2009 rehearsal sessions featured a scene in which Jackson sang a segment of "Speechless".<ref name="Inside 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' From The New York Premiere">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1624952/story.jhtml|title=Inside 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' From The New York Premiere|last=Ditzian|first=Eric|date=October 28, 2009|publisher=MTV|accessdate=April 24, 2010}}</ref>

Revision as of 07:27, 22 July 2010

"Speechless"
The cover to "Speechless" features a man with long dark hair in four different poses. He is against a white background and his name (Michael Jackson), as well as "Sony Music" and "Speechless" are printed in red toward the bottom of the cover.
Promotional single cover
Promotional single by Michael Jackson
from the album Invincible
B-side"You Rock My World" (remix)
Released2001
FormatCD, Radio airplay
Recorded2001
GenreR&B, pop, soul
Length3:18
LabelEpic Records
Writer(s)Michael Jackson
ProducerMichael Jackson

"Speechless" is a song by the American recording artist Michael Jackson, included on his tenth studio album, Invincible (2001). The singer was inspired to write the ballad after a water balloon fight with youngsters in Germany. Jackson collaborated on the production with musicians such as Jeremy Lubbock, Brad Buxer, Novi Novoq, Stuart Bradley and Bruce Swedien. Andrae Crouch and his gospel choir provided backing vocals.

Executives at Jackson's record label, Epic Records, responded positively to the track when given a preview several months before Invincible's release. "Speechless" was issued as a promotional single, receiving positive reviews from music critics. Commentary focused on the track's a cappellas, lyrics and music. A clip of Jackson singing "Speechless" was included in the 2009 documentary-concert film Michael Jackson's This Is It.

Writing and recording

Michael Jackson wrote "Speechless" after a water balloon fight with children in Germany.[1] In an interview with Vibe magazine, the musician commented, "I was so happy after the fight that I ran upstairs in their house and wrote 'Speechless'. Fun inspires me. I hate to say that, because it's such a romantic song." He added, "But it was the fight that did it. I was happy, and I wrote it in its entirety right there. I felt it would be good enough for the album. Out of the bliss comes magic, wonderment, and creativity."[2][3]

"Speechless" was one of only two song from Invincible to be written solely by Jackson.[4] Jeremy Lubbock worked with the musician in arranging and conducting an orchestra. Instrumentalists on the track included Brad Buxer on keyboards, and Novi Novoq and Thomas Tally on violas. The violinists consisted of Peter Kent, Gina Kronstadt, Robin Lorentz, Kirstin Fife and John Wittenberg. The track featured backing vocals from Andrae Crouch and his gospel choir, The Andrae Crouch Singers. "Speechless" was digitally edited by Buxer and Stuart Brawley, and was mixed by Bruce Swedien,[5] who later said, "Everything with Michael is a stand-out moment but an absolutely gorgeous piece of music called 'Speechless' was really an event. Michael sings the first eight bars a cappella. At the end, he closes it off a cappella – it was Michael's idea to add the a cappella parts."[6]

Composition

The lyrics to "Speechless" deal with being lost for words because of love.[7] The song opens with Jackson's singing a cappella: "Your love is magical, that's how I feel, but I have not the words here to explain", which Rick de Yampert of The Daytona Beach News-Journal felt the singer "[crooned] sweetly".[5][8] The chorus includes the lines, "Speechless, speechless, that's how you make me feel. Though I'm with you, I am far away and nothing is for real."[5] A second a cappella verse bookends the track.[9]

"Speechless" is a ballad,[10][11] and is described as an R&B, pop and soul song on the sheet music published on Musicnotes.com by Alfred Music Publishing. It adds that the track was performed in common time, with a tempo of 80 beats per minute. It is played in B♭, and sung in a vocal range from F4 to D♭5.[12]

Post-production and release

In June 2001, several months before the release of Invincible, "Speechless" was among several songs showcased from the album to executives of Jackson's music label, Epic Records (a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment). Roger Friedman of Fox News reported that the executives who listened to the previews liked what they heard. Epic Records' president, Dave Glew, said of the tracks, "It's wonderful and amazing. Michael is singing better than ever." He added, "The ballads! The ballads are beautiful, and they're all there."[13]

Jackson intended to revive the song for a 2009 concert series that was planned before his death. Afterwards, Michael Jackson's This Is It, a documentary-concert film showing the 2009 rehearsal sessions featured a scene in which Jackson sang a segment of "Speechless".[14]

Critical reception

"Speechless" received a mixed reaction from music journalists. Craig Seymour of The Buffalo News felt that the song was the only one from the album in which Jackson successfully revisited his past. The journalist said the song was reminiscent of the 1995 chart-topper "You Are Not Alone", as it sounded to him like a track that could have been written by R. Kelly, who penned the number one hit.[15] Writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, Jim DeRogatis described "Speechless" as a "beautifully minimal, heartfelt romantic ballad".[16] Music journalist Roger Catlin stated that the song leaned toward "neo-gospel".[9] The New York Post said that "Speechless" was "lullaby-like" and the best song on Invincible, and Jon Pareles of The New York Times praised Jackson's "long lines and creamy overdubbed choruses [sailing] weightlessly" in the ballad, that the journalist felt could have been "a love song to God".[17][18]

Pop music critic Robert Hilburn described "Speechless", and another song from Invincible ("Butterflies"), as being "as woefully generic as their titles".[7] Ben Rayner of the Toronto Star contested that the a cappellas in "Speechless" were enough to make a person wish that Jackson actually was unable to make a sound.[19] Michigan Daily writer Dustin J. Seibert wrote that the song was a "shining [example] of what happens when The Gloved One gets beside himself and writes smarmy crap that should be reserved for a CD changer somewhere in a preschool".[20] The Fort Worth Star-Telegram said that "Speechless" was one of the weaker tracks from Invincible.[21] Elliot Sylvester of The Independent felt that the song was "pure Jackson – almost to a formulaic fault".[22] The Dallas Morning News' Thor Christensen said that "Speechless" was "produced by Mr. Jackson in bombastic style à la Celine Dion". He added that as the track ended with an emotional Jackson, it drew a parallel with the singer's 1972 ode to a rat, "Ben".[23]

Vaughn Watson of The Providence Journal hailed "Speechless" as Invincible's "best song, and one of Jackson's finest of any album". He added that with the song, the musician acknowledged the pain that accompanies isolation.[24] In a review of Invincible, The Wichita Eagle stated that "Speechless", "Don't Walk Away" and "Cry" were among the "sincere ballads" in which Jackson was exemplary.[25] Ada Anderson of The Ball State Daily News expressed the view that "Speechless" would become a popular song, and writers for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel stated that the ballad would take time to get used to.[26][27] The Dayton Daily News' Ron Rollins described the track as a "pretty love song".[28] Music critic Kevin C. Johnson thought that "Speechless" was "one of [Jackson's] typical, whispery ballads that swells as it moves along".[29] A journalist for The Olympian stated that the song was "gorgeous".[30]

Track listing

  • Promotional single:
  1. "Speechless" – 3:18
  2. "You Rock My World" remix featuring Jay-Z – 3:28

Notes

  1. ^ Reiter, Amy (January 29, 2002). "Jacko inspired by balloon battle". Salon.com. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
  2. ^ Good, Karen R. (March 2002). Black skin, white mask. Vibe. Retrieved March 14, 2010. {{cite book}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ Jones, p. 283
  4. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 612
  5. ^ a b c Liner notes of Invincible by Michael Jackson
  6. ^ Grant, p. 296
  7. ^ a b Hilburn, Robert (October 28, 2001). "Michael Jackson's 'Invincible'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ de Yampert, Rick (November 13, 2001). "Jackson trying to be new kid on the block" (Payment required to access full article.). The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Retrieved April 19, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ a b Catlin, Roger (October 31, 2001). "'Invincible': new material, echoes of past" (Payment required to access full article.). The Hartford Courant. Retrieved April 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ Beaumont, Mark (October 30, 2001). "Michael Jackson : Invincible". NME. Retrieved April 16, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ Reid, Shaheem (October 26, 2001). "Michael Jackson Revisits Old Self, Rails At Press, Tries Bounce On Invincible". MTV. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  12. ^ "Speechless – Michael Jackson Digital Sheet Music (Digital Download)". MusicNotes.com. Alfred Publishing Co. Inc. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  13. ^ Friedman, Roger (June 15, 2001). "Michael Jackson Presents the 'Invincible' Album, Record Execs Go Crazy". Fox News. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
  14. ^ Ditzian, Eric (October 28, 2009). "Inside 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' From The New York Premiere". MTV. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
  15. ^ Seymour, Craig (October 26, 2001). "Same old Jacko" (Payment required to access full article.). The Buffalo News. Retrieved April 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ DeRogatis, Jim (October 29, 2001). "Whiny dancer" (Payment required to access full article.). Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved April 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  17. ^ "Hands down, not out" (Payment required to access full article.). New York Post. October 30, 2001). Retrieved April 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  18. ^ Pareles, Jon (October 28, 2001). "Music; To Regain Glory, The New Michael Imitates the Old". The New York Times. Retrieved April 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  19. ^ Rayner, Ben (October 30, 2001). "Invincible incredibly insipid ; New album is not the come-back Jackson has been hoping for" (Payment required to access full article.). Toronto Star. Retrieved April 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ Seibert, Dustin J. (October 30, 2001). "CD review: Jacko moonwalks toward old form" (Payment required to access full article.). Michigan Daily. Retrieved April 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  21. ^ "The thriller is gone Jackson's latest shows how far he's fallen" (Payment required to access full article.). Fort Worth Star-Telegram. (November 2, 2001). Retrieved April 24, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  22. ^ Sylvester, Elliot (January 14, 2002). "Invincible shows that Jacko is not". The Independent. Retrieved April 24, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  23. ^ Christensen, Thor (November 4, 2001). "Off the wall, out of touch Michael Jackson leans too much on the past for his comeback album" (Payment required to access full article.). The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved April 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  24. ^ Watson, Vaughn (November 11, 2001). "Spears and Jackson: Mostly stuck in old grooves" (Payment required to access full article.). The Providence Journal. Retrieved April 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  25. ^ "Still the king" (Payment required to access full article.). The Wichita Eagle. (November 11, 2001). Retrieved April 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  26. ^ Anderson, Ada (November 1, 2001). "CD Review: Pop king's new album average" (Payment required to access full article.). The Ball State Daily News. Retrieved April 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  27. ^ Roache, Dwight (November 30, 2001). "The Jackson legend" (Payment required to access full article.). South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved April 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  28. ^ Rollins, Ron (November 2, 2001). "Recordings on review" (Payment required to access full article.). Dayton Daily News. Retrieved April 24, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  29. ^ Johnson, Kevin C. (November 2, 2001). "Jackson's 'Invincible' isn't 'bad', just 'old'" (Payment required to access full article.). St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved April 24, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  30. ^ "Ross Raihala sound affects" (Payment required to access full article.). The Olympian. (November 9, 2001). Retrieved April 24, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

References

  • Grant, Adrian (2009). Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9781849382618.
  • Jones, Jel D. Lewis (2005). Michael Jackson, the King of Pop: The Big Picture: the Music! the Man! the Legend! the Interviews!. Amber Books Publishing. ISBN 097497790X.
  • Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2004). The Magic and the Madness. Headline. ISBN 0330420054.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Speechless_(Michael_Jackson_song)&oldid=374814165"