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{{Listen|filename=Michael Jackson - Billie Jean.ogg|title="Billie Jean"|description=Jackson's "Billie Jean," laced with interjections and vocal hiccups, features a prominent and repetitive bass line.}}
{{Listen|filename=Michael Jackson - Billie Jean.ogg|title="Billie Jean"|description=Jackson's "Billie Jean," laced with interjections and vocal hiccups, features a prominent and repetitive bass line.}}
"Billie Jean" is considered a [[dance-pop]] [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] song. It opens with a standard drum beat: [[kick drum|kick]], [[snare drum|snare]] and [[hi-hat]], and it contains hardly any [[reverberation]], aside from a long pre-delay reverb, primarily on the snare. The pattern continues unchanged throughout the entire song. After four [[bar (music)|bars]], a [[repetition (music)|repetitive]] [[bass line]] enters. It never rests for more than an eighth [[note]] and centers on a seventh. Each time it passes through the [[tonic (music)|tonic]], the note is doubled by a distorted [[synth bass]], played in unison with a [[shaker (percussion)|shaker]]. This accompaniment is followed by a repetitive three-note synth, played [[staccato]] with a deep reverb. The defining [[chord progression]] is then established. Jackson's quiet [[vocals]] enter, accompanied by a finger-snap, which comes and goes during the verses, as the rhythm and chord progression repeats.<ref name="Wadhams"/>
"Billie Jean" is considered a [[dance-pop]] [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] song. It opens with a standard drum beat: [[kick drum|kick]], [[snare drum|snare]] and [[hi-hat]], and it contains hardly any [[reverberation]], aside from a long pre-delay reverb, primarily on the snare. The pattern continues unchanged throughout the entire song. After four [[bar (music)|bars]], a [[repetition (music)|repetitive]] [[bass line]] enters. It never rests for more than an eighth [[note]] and centers on a seventh. Each time it passes through the [[tonic (music)|tonic]], the note is doubled by a distorted [[synth bass]], played in unison with a [[shaker (percussion)|shaker]]. This accompaniment is followed by a repetitive three-note synth, played [[staccato]] with a deep reverb. The defining [[chord progression]] is then established. Jackson's quiet [[vocals]] enter, accompanied by a finger-snap, which comes and goes during the verses, as the rhythm and chord progression repeats.<ref name="Wadhams"/>

According to [[Daryl Hall]], when Jackson was recording “[[We Are the World]],” Jackson approached him and admitted to lifting the bass line for "Billie Jean" from a [[Hall and Oates]] song (apparently referring to Hall’s "[[I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)]]" from the 1981 album ''[[Private Eyes (Hall & Oates album)|Private Eyes]]''): "Michael Jackson once said directly to me that he hoped I didn't mind that he copped that groove." Hall says he told Jackson that he had lifted the bass line himself, remarking, "it's something we all do."<ref name="classic-tracks">[http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_hall_oates_cant/ Classic Tracks: Hall & Oates "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)"], Gary Eskow, ''Mix Online'', April 1, 2006 "Listening to “I Can't Go for That” after letting it drift out of the mind for a while, one can clearly identify this track — one of the first pop hits to feature a drum machine — as a precursor to Michael Jackson's “Billie Jean” and the generation of songs built on drum machine tracks that came in its wake. “No question about it,” Hall agrees. “Michael Jackson once said directly to me that he hoped I didn't mind that he copped that groove. That's okay; it's something we all do. [Eddie] Van Halen told me that he copied the synth part from ‘Kiss on My List’ and used it in ‘Jump.’ I don't have a problem with that at all."</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/24383/118176|title= Michael Jackson Remembered: Daryl Hall on the Ultimate Video Star|last=Hall|first=Daryl|date=July 10, 2009|publisher=The Rolling Stone|accessdate=October 15, 2010}}"He sort of clung to Diana Ross pretty much, but at one point I was off to the side and he came over to me and said, 'I hope you don't mind, but I stole ''Billie Jean'' from you,' and I said, 'It's all right, man, I just ripped the base line off, so can you!'"</ref>

According to ''Inside the Hits'', the lyrics refer to the commotion created by Billie Jean on a dance floor. She entices the crowd with a seductive come-on before luring Jackson to her bedroom, through the [[fragrance]] of her [[perfume]]. Jackson's [[vocal range]] spanned from a high [[baritone]] to a [[falsetto]] and he usually wrote [[melody|melodies]] to show this range. However, in the verses of "Billie Jean," the singer's vocals range from a [[tenor]] to a low falsetto. A four note falsetto is showcased in the chorus and, during the last line, Jackson peaks at a full [[octave]].<ref name="Wadhams"/>
According to ''Inside the Hits'', the lyrics refer to the commotion created by Billie Jean on a dance floor. She entices the crowd with a seductive come-on before luring Jackson to her bedroom, through the [[fragrance]] of her [[perfume]]. Jackson's [[vocal range]] spanned from a high [[baritone]] to a [[falsetto]] and he usually wrote [[melody|melodies]] to show this range. However, in the verses of "Billie Jean," the singer's vocals range from a [[tenor]] to a low falsetto. A four note falsetto is showcased in the chorus and, during the last line, Jackson peaks at a full [[octave]].<ref name="Wadhams"/>
The song revolves around 117 BPM [[beats per minute]] and is played in the key of [[F-sharp minor|F# minor]].<ref name="sheetmusic">{{cite web |url=http://www.freehandmusic.com/sheet-music/billie-jean-112114 |title=Billie Jean Sheet Music - Michael Jackson - 112114 | FreeHandMusic.com |work=FreeHandMusic.com |publisher=[[Alfred Publishing|Alfred Publishing Co. Inc]] |accessdate=2010-01-26}}</ref><ref name="sheet">{{cite web |url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0041781 |title=Billie Jean - Michael Jackson Digital Sheet Music (Digital Download) |work=MusicNotes.com |publisher=[[Alfred Publishing|Alfred Publishing Co. Inc]] |accessdate=2010-03-26}}</ref> Following the first chorus, a [[cello]]-like synth eases in at the beginnings of both the third, and later, the fourth, verses. Upon the announcement that the baby's eyes resemble Jackson's, a voice laments, "oh no." This is met with Jackson's signature falsetto "hee hee."<ref name="Wadhams"/> The [[bridge (music)|bridge]] debuts the [[string instrument|strings]], and holds a [[pedal tone]] tonic with the exception of two lines and a chord leading into the chorus. Violins are then played, followed by a four-note [[minor chord|minor]] guitar solo. During the solo, vocal shouts, screams and laughs are added. Throughout this, the chord progression remains unaltered and is laced with Jackson's vocal hiccups. All the musical and vocal elements are then brought together in the final chorus. In the [[Fade (audio engineering)|fade]], Jackson repeats the denial of fathering Billie Jean's child.<ref name="Wadhams"/>
The song revolves around 117 BPM [[beats per minute]] and is played in the key of [[F-sharp minor|F# minor]].<ref name="sheetmusic">{{cite web |url=http://www.freehandmusic.com/sheet-music/billie-jean-112114 |title=Billie Jean Sheet Music - Michael Jackson - 112114 | FreeHandMusic.com |work=FreeHandMusic.com |publisher=[[Alfred Publishing|Alfred Publishing Co. Inc]] |accessdate=2010-01-26}}</ref><ref name="sheet">{{cite web |url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0041781 |title=Billie Jean - Michael Jackson Digital Sheet Music (Digital Download) |work=MusicNotes.com |publisher=[[Alfred Publishing|Alfred Publishing Co. Inc]] |accessdate=2010-03-26}}</ref> Following the first chorus, a [[cello]]-like synth eases in at the beginnings of both the third, and later, the fourth, verses. Upon the announcement that the baby's eyes resemble Jackson's, a voice laments, "oh no." This is met with Jackson's signature falsetto "hee hee."<ref name="Wadhams"/> The [[bridge (music)|bridge]] debuts the [[string instrument|strings]], and holds a [[pedal tone]] tonic with the exception of two lines and a chord leading into the chorus. Violins are then played, followed by a four-note [[minor chord|minor]] guitar solo. During the solo, vocal shouts, screams and laughs are added. Throughout this, the chord progression remains unaltered and is laced with Jackson's vocal hiccups. All the musical and vocal elements are then brought together in the final chorus. In the [[Fade (audio engineering)|fade]], Jackson repeats the denial of fathering Billie Jean's child.<ref name="Wadhams"/>

Revision as of 16:54, 18 September 2011

Template:Two other uses

"Billie Jean"
Song
B-side"It's the Falling in Love" (UK) / "Can't Get Outta the Rain"

"Billie Jean" is a dance-pop/R&B song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was written, composed, and co-produced by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones from the singer's sixth album, Thriller (1982). Originally disliked by Jones, the track was almost removed from the album after he and Jackson had disagreements regarding it. The song is well known for its distinctive bass line and Jackson's vocal hiccups. The song was mixed 91 times by audio engineer Bruce Swedien before he finalized the song with the second mix.

Following the successful chart performances of the single "The Girl Is Mine" and the album Thriller, "Billie Jean" was released on January 2, 1983, as the collection's second single. It became a worldwide commercial and critical success; "Billie Jean" was one of the best-selling singles of 1983, and topped both the US and UK charts simultaneously. In other countries, "Billie Jean" topped the charts of Spain and Switzerland, reached the top ten in Austria, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden, and initially peaked at number 45 in France. After Jackson's death in 2009, the song would reach number one in that territory. "Billie Jean" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1989.

Awarded numerous honors—including two Grammy Awards, one American Music Award and an induction into the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame—the song and corresponding music video propelled Thriller to the status of best-selling album of all time. The song was promoted with a short film that broke down MTV's racial barrier as the first video by a black artist to be aired by the channel in heavy rotation, and an Emmy-nominated performance on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, in which Jackson premiered "the moonwalk". The song was also promoted through Jackson's Pepsi commercials; during the filming of one commercial, Jackson's scalp was severely burned. Covered by modern artists, "Billie Jean" sealed Jackson's status as an international pop icon. Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song #58 in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It is the only song to appear on every version of the album King of Pop.

Background

There are contradictory claims as to what the song's lyrics refer. Some believe that they are derived from a real-life experience in which a mentally ill female fan claimed that Jackson had fathered one of her twins. Others, pointing to the fact that Jackson was an avid tennis fan, believed that the song was about tennis great Billie Jean King; however, King's sexual orientation since 1968 render implausible any contention that the song's narrator, who claims to have had both a romantic encounter with Jackson and a child resulting from that encounter, was modeled on King. Jackson himself, however, stated several times that "Billie Jean" was based on the groupies he and his brothers encountered while part of The Jackson 5.[1][2][3]

There never was a real Billie Jean. The girl in the song is a composite of people my brothers have been plagued with over the years. I could never understand how these girls could say they were carrying someone's child when it wasn't true.

Michael Jackson, Moonwalk (1988)[1]

"Billie Jean is kind of anonymous. It represents a lot of girls. They used to call them groupies in the '60s." He added, "They would hang around backstage doors, and any band that would come to town they would have a relationship with, and I think I wrote this out of experience with my brothers when I was little. There were a lot of Billie Jeans out there. Every girl claimed that their son was related to one of my brothers."[4]

Jackson biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli promoted the theory that "Billie Jean" was derived from a real life experience the singer faced in 1981. The Magic & The Madness documents how a young woman wrote Jackson a letter, which informed the singer that he was the father of one of her twins.[5][6] Jackson, who regularly received letters of this kind, had never met the woman in question and ignored it. The woman, however, continued to send Jackson more letters, which stated that she loved him and wanted to be with him. She wrote of how happy they would be if they raised the child together. She pondered how Jackson could ignore his own flesh and blood. The letters disturbed the singer to the extent that he suffered nightmares.[5]

Following the letters, Jackson received a parcel containing a photograph of the fan, as well as a letter and a gun. Jackson was horrified—the letter asked that the pop singer kill himself on a certain day and at a specific time. The fan would do the same once she had killed their baby. She wrote that if they could not be together in this life, then they would be in the next. To his mother's dismay, Jackson had the photograph of the woman framed and hung above the dining room table of their family home. Afterward, the Jacksons discovered that the female fan had been sent to a psychiatric hospital.[5]

Production

Jackson wrote "Billie Jean" with his female fan(s) in mind, and later stated that when he wrote the song, he knew it would be a success. "A musician knows hit material. Everything has to feel in place. It fulfills you and it makes you feel good. That's how I felt about 'Billie Jean'. I knew it was going to be big when I was writing it."[1][7] The singer explained that he was so absorbed by the song that, in one instance, he did not notice that his car had caught fire as he drove down a freeway with a friend until a passing motorcyclist informed him. Jackson noted, "The kid probably saved our lives."[1][7]

An African-American male, who has very little hair on his head and a mustache, with his hands crossed in front of him. The male is wearing a black shirt, black satin pants and a black jacket with golden colored designs.
Quincy Jones felt "Billie Jean" was too weak to be a part of Thriller.

The pop singer faced numerous disagreements with the song's producer. Quincy Jones did not want "Billie Jean" to appear on Thriller; he felt that the song was too weak to be part of the collection.[5][8] The producer disliked the demo and did not care for the song's bass line.[9] Jones wanted to cut Jackson's 29 second introduction, which was quite long for the era.[7][10] The entertainer, however, insisted that it be kept. "I said, 'Michael we've got to cut that intro'", Jones later recalled. "He said, 'But that's the jelly!'[...] 'That's what makes me want to dance'. And when Michael Jackson tells you, 'That's what makes me want to dance', well, the rest of us just have to shut up."[7][11] Jones also wanted to change the track's title to "Not My Lover", as he believed that people would think the song referred to the tennis player Billie Jean King.[12][13] Jackson refused to change the title and asked Jones to give him co-producing credits for the track; he felt that the demo tape sounded exactly like the finished product. In addition, Jackson wanted extra royalties. Jones granted neither and the two fell out for several days.[5][9]

Having resolved their differences, Jones had Jackson sing his vocal overdubs through a six-foot-long cardboard tube.[7] Jackson's entire lead vocal was performed in one take; he had received vocal training every morning throughout the production of the song.[2] Jazz saxophonist Tom Scott played the lyricon, a rare wind-controlled synthesizer. Bass guitarist Louis Johnson was then brought in and he played his part on every guitar he owned, before Jackson finally settled for a Yamaha bass.[7] Greg Phillinganes was also drafted in; he played the keyboard. He later said of the song, "'Billie Jean' is hot on every level. It's hot rhythmically. It's hot sonically, because the instrumentation is so minimal, you can really hear everything. It's hot melodically. It's hot lyrically. It's hot vocally. It affects you physically, emotionally, even spiritually."[7]

When numerous attempts made to record David Williams guitar solo with just the right sound in the studio failed, the final mix uses the version put down at Jackson's home studio for the Billie Jean demo.[14]

The song was mixed by Bruce Swedien. Swedien mixed the song ninety-one times, unusual for him as he usually only mixed a song once. After much discussion, Jackson and Swedien eventually chose to go with the second mix.[9] Jones had told Swedien to create a drum sound that no one had ever heard before. The audio engineer was also told to add a different element: "sonic personality". "What I ended up doing was building a drum platform and designing some special little things, like a bass drum cover and a flat piece of wood that goes between the snare and the hi-hat", Swedien later wrote. "The bottom line is that there aren't many pieces of music where you can hear the first three or four notes of the drums, and immediately tell what the piece of music is." He concluded, "But I think that is the case with 'Billie Jean'—and that I attribute to sonic personality."[7][9]

Composition

"Billie Jean"
Jackson's "Billie Jean," laced with interjections and vocal hiccups, features a prominent and repetitive bass line.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Billie Jean" is considered a dance-pop R&B song. It opens with a standard drum beat: kick, snare and hi-hat, and it contains hardly any reverberation, aside from a long pre-delay reverb, primarily on the snare. The pattern continues unchanged throughout the entire song. After four bars, a repetitive bass line enters. It never rests for more than an eighth note and centers on a seventh. Each time it passes through the tonic, the note is doubled by a distorted synth bass, played in unison with a shaker. This accompaniment is followed by a repetitive three-note synth, played staccato with a deep reverb. The defining chord progression is then established. Jackson's quiet vocals enter, accompanied by a finger-snap, which comes and goes during the verses, as the rhythm and chord progression repeats.[2] According to Inside the Hits, the lyrics refer to the commotion created by Billie Jean on a dance floor. She entices the crowd with a seductive come-on before luring Jackson to her bedroom, through the fragrance of her perfume. Jackson's vocal range spanned from a high baritone to a falsetto and he usually wrote melodies to show this range. However, in the verses of "Billie Jean," the singer's vocals range from a tenor to a low falsetto. A four note falsetto is showcased in the chorus and, during the last line, Jackson peaks at a full octave.[2] The song revolves around 117 BPM beats per minute and is played in the key of F# minor.[15][16] Following the first chorus, a cello-like synth eases in at the beginnings of both the third, and later, the fourth, verses. Upon the announcement that the baby's eyes resemble Jackson's, a voice laments, "oh no." This is met with Jackson's signature falsetto "hee hee."[2] The bridge debuts the strings, and holds a pedal tone tonic with the exception of two lines and a chord leading into the chorus. Violins are then played, followed by a four-note minor guitar solo. During the solo, vocal shouts, screams and laughs are added. Throughout this, the chord progression remains unaltered and is laced with Jackson's vocal hiccups. All the musical and vocal elements are then brought together in the final chorus. In the fade, Jackson repeats the denial of fathering Billie Jean's child.[2]

Release and reception

On December 1, 1982, Thriller was released to critical and commercial success.[17] A month later, on January 2, 1983, "Billie Jean" was released as the album's second single; it followed Jackson's successful duet with Paul McCartney on "The Girl is Mine".[18][19] The song reached number one on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, where it remained for seven weeks. "Billie Jean" topped the R&B chart within three weeks, and became Jackson's fastest rising number one single since "ABC", "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There" in 1970. It remained at number one for nine weeks, before the single was eventually replaced by The Gap Band's "Outstanding".[18] "Billie Jean" peaked at number nine on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.[19] It was also number one in the UK Singles Chart. "Billie Jean" and Thriller topped both the singles and album charts in the same week. This occurred on both sides of the Atlantic simultaneously, a feat very few acts have ever achieved. The song was the third best selling single of 1983 in the US and ninth in the UK.[18] "Billie Jean" also reached number one in Spain and Switzerland, the top ten in Austria, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden, and number 45 in France.[20]

In a Rolling Stone review, Christopher Connelly described "Billie Jean" as a "lean, insistent funk number whose message couldn't be more blunt: 'She says I am the one/But the kid is not my son'". He added that the track was a "sad, almost mournful song, but a thumping resolve underlies [Jackson's] feelings".[21] Blender stated that the song was "one of the most sonically eccentric, psychologically fraught, downright bizarre things ever to land on Top 40 radio". They added that it was "frighteningly stark, with a pulsing, cat-on-the-prowl bass figure, whip-crack downbeat and eerie multi-tracked vocals ricocheting in the vast spaces between keyboards and strings". Overall, the magazine described the track as "a five-minute-long nervous breakdown, set to a beat".[7] Stylus Magazine said of the song, "It's one of the best representations of film noir in pop music, ending with no resolution except a single mother and selfish, careless scumball."[22] In a review of Thriller 25, Allmusic observed that "Billie Jean" was "startling" in its "futuristic funk".[23] The track also won praise from Jackson biographers. Nelson George stated that Jerry Hey's string arrangement added danger to "Billie Jean", while J. Randy Taraborrelli added that it was "dark and sparse" by Quincy Jones' production standards.[5][24]

"Billie Jean" has been recognized with numerous awards and honors. At the 1984 Grammy Awards the song earned Jackson two of a record eight awards; Best R&B Song and Best R&B Male Vocal Performance. It won the Billboard Music Award for favorite dance/disco 12" LP, and the magazine's 1980's poll named "Billie Jean" as the "Black Single of the Decade". The American Music Awards recognized the track as the Favorite Pop/Rock Single, while Cash Box honored the song with the awards for Top Pop Single and Top Black Single. The track was recognised with the Top International Single award by the Canadian Black Music Awards, and awarded the Black Gold Award for Single of the Year. "Billie Jean" has also been awarded for its sales. It won the National Association of Recording Merchandisers Gift of Music award for best selling single in 1984. By 1989, the standard format single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, for shipments of at least one million units.[25][26] The digital sales of "Billie Jean" were certified gold in 2005, for shipments of at least 500,000 units.[27] The total number of digital downloads of the song in the US, as of September 2010, stood at 1,964,000.[28]


Promotion

Music video

A male is shown standing in a bent down position on his toes on top of a illuminated tile. He is wearing a black jacket and pants with white shoes and a pink shirt. Behind the male a grey narrow path can be seen as well as buildings in the far background.
Jackson landing on his toes and illuminating a tile in the music video for "Billie Jean".

The short film for Jackson's "Billie Jean" is considered the video that brought MTV, a fairly new and unknown music channel, into mainstream attention. It was one of the first videos by a black artist to be aired regularly by the channel, as the network's executives felt black music wasn't "rock" enough. "Billie Jean" was the first video for the Thriller album.[29] Inspired in part by the film Somebody Up There Likes Me, and directed by Steve Barron, the video shows a photographer who follows Jackson. The paparazzo never catches the singer, and when photographed Jackson fails to materialise on the developed picture. The entertainer dances his way to Billie Jean's hotel room and as he walks along a sidewalk, each tile lights up at his touch.[29][30] After he performs a quick spin, Jackson jumps and lands, freeze framed, on his toes. Upon arrival at the hotel, Jackson climbs the staircase to Billie Jean's room. Each step lights up as he touches it and a burnt out "Hotel" sign illuminates as he passes. The paparazzo then arrives at the scene and watches as Jackson disappears under the covers of Billie Jean's bed. Trailed by the police, the paparazzo is then arrested for spying on Billie Jean.[29] Jackson sported a new look for the video; Jheri curled hair. Jackson's clothes, a black leather suit with a pink shirt and red bow tie, were copied by children around the US.[29] Imitation became so severe that, despite pupil protests, Bound Brook High School in New Jersey banned students from wearing a single white glove like Jackson had on during the performance of "Billie Jean" at Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever.[31][32][33]

Walter Yetnikoff, the president of Jackson's record label, CBS, approached MTV to play the "Billie Jean" video. He became enraged when MTV refused to play the video, and threatened to pull all of the videos from CBS/Epic signed artists and go public with MTV's stance on black musicians. "I said to MTV, 'I'm pulling everything we have off the air, all our product. I’m not going to give you any more videos. And I'm going to go public and fucking tell them about the fact you don't want to play music by a black guy.'"[7] Les Garland, who was the head of acquisitions for MTV at the time, disputes the claim that the network played the video under pressure from CBS. "There was never any hesitation. No fret," he said. "I called Bob (Robert W. Pittman, MTV co-founder) to tell him, 'I just saw the greatest video I've ever seen in my life. It is off the dial it's so good.' We added it that day. How (the myth) turned into a story literally blew our minds."[34] At any rate, MTV played the "Billie Jean" video in heavy rotation.[7] After the video was aired, Thriller went on to sell an additional 10 million copies.[35] The short film was inducted into the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame in 1992.[25] In a 2005 poll of 31 pop stars, video directors, agents and journalists conducted by telecommunications company 3, the music video was ranked fifth in their "Top 20 Music Videos Ever".[36] The video was also ranked as the 35th greatest music video in a list compiled by MTV and TV Guide at the millennium.[37]

The music video of the song appear on the video albums: Video Greatest Hits - HIStory, Number Ones, on the bonus DVD of Thriller 25 and Michael Jackson's Vision.

Michael Jackson: The Experience

The song is featured as a dancing song on the video game Michael Jackson: The Experience.

Motown 25

On March 25, 1983, Jackson performed "Billie Jean" to critical and popular acclaim. Staged at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, and Forever was a celebration of Motown Records' twenty-fifth anniversary. Organized by Suzanne De Passe, the event was to feature all of the most popular Motown acts, both past and present. The Motown stars were to reunite for one evening, to pay tribute to Berry Gordy and acknowledge his effect on their lives. Jackson initially refused the invitation, and stated that he did not want to perform live, or perform with his brothers again. Jackson reconsidered after a personal visit from Gordy, for whom the singer had great respect. Jackson would perform on the condition that he have a solo spot. Gordy agreed and it was decided that the singer would perform "Billie Jean".[38] This was a controversial move, since the song was released through the rival Epic Records label, not Motown.

File:MichaelJacksonMoonwalk.ogg
Jackson debuting the moonwalk during his acclaimed performance of "Billie Jean" on Motown 25.

Following performances by Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Mary Wells, The Jacksons took to the stage for their first group performance together in eight years. The brothers sang a medley of their old hits. After they finished with "I'll Be There", they left Michael alone on stage. Jackson addressed the audience and then went into his routine. He wore black pants, leather penny loafers a black sequin jacket, and a single white rhinestone glove. To begin his performance, Jackson snapped a fedora to his head and struck a pose with a white glowing glove on his left hand, on top of the fedora—his left leg bent. He threw the hat aside and sang to the music of "Billie Jean".[38] During the interlude, the singer started moonwalking for the first time in public and this move was what marked him as a pop icon.[39][40] Jackson walked backwards to perform the moonwalk, before he spun and landed en pointe.[38] Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever was watched by 50 million people and Jackson's routine earned him an Emmy nomination.[41][42] With the performance, Jackson reached a new audience and increased the sales of Thriller, which eventually became the best-selling album of all-time.[43] The day after the show aired, Jackson was called by his childhood idol Fred Astaire, who commended the singer. Another childhood idol, Sammy Davis Jr., had admired Jackson's black sequined jacket during the performance and later received it as a gift.[43]

Jackson stated at the time that he was disappointed in his performance; he had wanted to remain on his toes longer than he had.[38] Jackson subsequently said that "Billie Jean" was one of his favorite songs to perform live, but only when he did not have to do it the way he had on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. "The audience wants a certain thing - I have to do the moonwalk in that spot", he later said. "I'd like to do a different version."[25]

In a Top 100 list compiled by VH1 and Entertainment Weekly in 2000, Jackson's performance was ranked as the sixth greatest rock 'n' roll TV moment.[44] Five years later, Entertainment Weekly named Jackson's Motown 25 performance as one the most important pop culture moments in history. "It was a moment that crossed over in a way that no live musical performance ever had. There was a messianic quality to it", Entertainment Weekly editor Steve Daly commented.[45]

Pepsi commercials

In 1984, Pepsi sponsored The Jacksons' Victory Tour. In return, Michael and his brothers were to star in two commercials for the company.[46] Jackson had reworked "Billie Jean" for the commercial and entitled it "Pepsi Generation". The song was used as the official jingle for the commercials and released as a 7" promo single. The first commercial featured Alfonso Ribeiro as a Jackson imitator. The two commercials were directed by Bob Giraldi, who also directed the "Beat It" video. The launch of "The Choice of a New Generation" campaign in February 1984 was attended by 1,600 people who were issued with a programme and the 7" single.[47] During the filming of the second commercial, the pyrotechnics used to light up the stage exploded and Jackson's hair caught fire. The incident left the singer in need of reconstructive surgery.[48][49][50] The commercials were premiered at the Grammy Awards, where Jackson wore a hairpiece to cover his burns as he collected a record eight awards.[46][51]

Legacy

Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" is considered one of the most revolutionary songs in the history of pop music.[52] To accompany a single with a high-production music video was groundbreaking. "Billie Jean" aided Thriller in becoming the biggest-selling album of all time and has been referenced by performers such as Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown and Usher.[52][53] The Guardian reflected that "more thought went into the production of this single than would go into the entire recording careers of Axl Rose, Coldplay, or Shania Twain."[52] Jackson's live performances of the song overshadowed the track; many preferred to watch him dance to "Billie Jean" rather than to simply listen to it. The song and accompanying performances contributed to Jackson's status as a pop icon.[52]

Frequently listed in polls of the best songs ever made, "Billie Jean" was named the greatest dance record of all time by BBC Radio 2 listeners. After the announcement of the winner, presenter Zoe Ball said, "I'm delighted that 'Billie Jean' has been voted the greatest dance record ever made. This is Jackson at his best." She continued, "This track is way up there for me - Jackson's rendition of it at the Motown 25th anniversary show has got to be one of the great live performances of all time. The bass line is awesome, the production is killer. It's just perfect."[54] In a list compiled by Rolling Stone and MTV in 2000, the song was ranked as the sixth greatest pop song since 1963. "I Want You Back" and "Beat It" were placed at numbers nine and twenty-two respectively.

In a 2005 poll conducted by Sony Ericsson, "Billie Jean" was ranked as the world's third favorite song. Over 700,000 people in 60 different countries cast their votes. Voters from the UK placed "Billie Jean" at number one, ahead of "Thriller", with a further five of the top ten being solo recordings by Jackson. The song was placed at number seven in MTV Europe's All-Time Top Ten R&B Songs. In a survey of over 600,000 people, Channel 4 and HMV revealed "Billie Jean" as the 16th best song in their Music of the Millenium poll.[37]

In an interview, R&B artist Pharrell Williams stated that "Billie Jean" was one of his favorite songs. "It is hard to say if there is a greater song than 'Billie Jean'. I think there will never be a song like this one again, with this bass line, with this kind of effect, this eternalness, this perfection."[55] The song has featured in the film Charlie's Angels and the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. When re-released as part of the Visionary campaign in 2006, "Billie Jean" charted at number 11 in the UK. It remained in the top 200 for over 40 weeks and was the most successful reissue by some distance.[37] To this day, "Billie Jean" is still in heavy rotation; it is played on over 90% of the world's radios and receives more than 250,000 spins per week in clubs around the world.[55]

Personnel

  • Written and composed by Michael Jackson
  • Produced by Quincy Jones
  • Co-Produced by Michael Jackson
  • Greg Phillinganes: Rhodes, synthesizer
  • Greg Smith: Synthesizer
  • Bill Wolder: Synthesizer, synthesizer programming
  • David Williams: Guitar
  • Louis Johnson: Bass
  • N'dugu Chancler: Drums
  • Michael Boddicker: Emulator
  • Vocal, rhythm and synthesizer arrangement by Michael Jackson
  • String arrangement by Jerry Hey
  • Strings conducted by Jeremy Lubbock

Track listing

  • Visionary single:
  1. Billie Jean - 4:54
  2. Billie Jean (12" edit) - 6:24
  3. Billie Jean (Music Video) - 4:56
  • 12" Version
  1. Billie Jean (12" edit) - 6:24
  2. Billie Jean (Instrumental) - 6:24
  • 12" Version (Mexico)
  1. Billie Jean (12" edit) - 6:24
  2. Beat It (Extended Version) - 5:41
  • 7" Version (USA)
  1. Billie Jean - 4:54
  2. Can't get Outta the Rain- 4:10
  • 7" version (UK)
  1. Billie Jean - 4:54
  2. It's The Falling In Love - 3:49

Official Remixes

  1. Album Version - 4:54
  2. 12" Version - 6:24
  3. Instrumental - 6:24
  4. Pepsi Version - 1:00
  5. Four On The Floor Club Mix - 6:28
  6. Four On The Floor Radio Mix - 4:40
  7. Underground Mix - 6:40
  8. Tony Moran's Luscious Vocal Mix (Unreleased)
  • Ronnie Ventura remixed the 1st part of the 1st verse, as well as the 1st B-section and chorus, for the MJ Megaremix in 1995, but he never made a complete mix of the song.

Charts and sales

Procession and succession

Preceded by Billboard Hot Black Singles number-one single
February 12, 1983 – April 9, 1983 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
March 5, 1983 – April 16, 1983 		Succeeded by
Preceded by UK Singles Chart number-one single
5 March 1983 		Succeeded by
Irish Singles Chart number-one single
5 March 1983 – 12 March 1983
Preceded by Canadian RPM 50 Singles number-one single
March 26, 1983 – April 2, 1983 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Australian Kent Music Report number-one single
9 April 1983 – 9 May 1983 		Succeeded by

Billie Jean 2008

"Billie Jean"
Song

Jackson's original version of "Billie Jean" was remixed by rapper and hip-hop artist Kanye West for Thriller 25, a 25th anniversary reissue of Jackson's Thriller. Entitled "Billie Jean 2008", the remix garnered a mixed reception; most critics felt that it was impossible to improve upon the original. Bill Lamb, of About.com, described the remix as "lifeless", and added that it sounded like West had "entered the studio fully intimidated by the genius of the original".[82] Pitchfork Media's Tom Ewing explained that a guest verse "might have added dynamics to the mix's clumsy claustrophobia".[83] Mike Joseph, in review of Thriller 25 for PopMatters, described the track listing of the reissue as "pleasant" but West's "lazy" remix was the only exception. He added, "You've been given the opportunity to remix the most iconic single from one of the most iconic albums of all time, and all you can do is stick a drum machine on top of the song's original arrangement?".[84] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone disliked the removal of the original bass line, and compared it to "putting Bobby Orr on the ice without a hockey stick".[85] IGN's Todd Gilchrist praised West's remix and stated that it was a "pretty great track". He added, "it almost overplays the track's originally understated drama, his additions enhance the song and demonstrate that in a contemporary context."[86]

Cover versions

"Billie Jean"
Song
"Billie Jean"
Song
B-side"Tonight"

The Slingshot Mash-up with Steely Dan's "Do It Again"

"Do It Again Medley with Billie Jean" was the title of Detroit-based dance music band Slingshot's 7" cover released in 1983. The song combines elements of "Billie Jean" with Steely Dan's 1973 top-ten hit "Do It Again."

The Bates version

In 1995 German punk rock band The Bates covered "Billie Jean" on their album Pleasure + Pain. The cover was also successful although intricacies of the original were not included in the cover.[citation needed] The music video parodies Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.[87][citation needed]

Track listing

Maxi-CD

  1. Billie Jean — 4:25
  2. Tonight (Remix) — 3:45
  3. Love Is Dead (Part II) — 3:22
  4. Yeah (Acoustic Version) — 1:06

Charts (The Bates version)

Chart (1995) Peak
position
Germany (Media Control AG)[citation needed] 21
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[88] 40
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[89] 10
UK Singles (OCC)[90] 67

Other covers

Throughout the years "Billie Jean" had been covered and sampled by several artists:

1980s/90s

  • In 1986, Brazilian composer Caetano Veloso covered the song.[91]
  • In 1991, rapper LL Cool J sampled the song on his track "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?".
    • After the death of Michael Jackson on June 25, 2009 he re-sampled it on his tribute song "Billie Jean Dream".[92]
  • In 1996, American R&B group Blackstreet covered the song for the remix of their single "No Diggity".[93][94]
  • In 1997, British funk group Linx recorded the track and retitled it "Billie Jean Got Soul".[37]
  • In 1999, hip hop group Invisibl Skratch Piklz perform a live cover of the song at the end of "Shiggar Fragger: Volume 2" with DJ Yogafrog providing an impression of Jackson's original vocals over a vinyl single instrumental.[95]

2000s

2010s

  • In 2010 and 2011, American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars covered this song during his Doo-Wops & Hooligans tour.[103]
  • In 2010, rock and pop artist Terra Naomi covered the song acoustically on YouTube and on the album MJ Acoustic Covers - Tribute to Michael.[104][105]
  • In 2011, Patrick Stump covered the song in an a cappella mash-up tribute to Jackson along with "Scream", "Man in the Mirror", "Thriller" and several other Jackson songs over pre-recorded backing vocals.[106]
  • In 2011, hard rock band Nonpoint covered the song and made it available for free download from their Facebook page.[107]

References

Footnotes
  1. ^ a b c d Jackson, pp. 192–194
  2. ^ a b c d e f Wadhams, pp. 418–422
  3. ^ "Billie Jean files lawsuit saying that he is the one". Philadelphia Daily News. (December 20, 2008). Retrieved March 13, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |DN&p_theme= ignored (help)
  4. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (July 6, 2009). "Michael Jackson Answers Fan Questions In 1996 Thailand Interview". MTV. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Taraborrelli, pp. 223–224
  6. ^ Murphy, Sport (January 27, 2008). "Man in the moonwalk". New York Post. Retrieved February 15, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born: Number 1". Blender. (October, 2005). {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ Daly, Susan (March 21, 2009). "The genius of Jacko". Irish Independent. Retrieved March 13, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ a b c d Halstead, pp. 36–37
  10. ^ Winterman, Denise (November 30, 2007). "Thrills and spills and record breaks". BBC News. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  11. ^ Glentzer, Molly (July 1, 2009). "The steps that made Michael Jackson great". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 13, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ "Moonwalker everything everyone already knows about Michael Jackson is in his fluffy autobiography". San Jose Mercury News. April 21, 1988. Retrieved March 13, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  13. ^ Jackson, Michael (May 1, 1988). "'Thriller of a Lifetime'". Toronto Star. Retrieved March 13, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help) [dead link]
  14. ^ Swedien, Bruce (August 29, 2006). "Clean guitar sound on Billie Jean". Retrieved May 18, 2011.
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  16. ^ "Billie Jean - Michael Jackson Digital Sheet Music (Digital Download)". MusicNotes.com. Alfred Publishing Co. Inc. Retrieved 2010-03-26.
  17. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 222
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  37. ^ a b c d e Halstead, pp. 39–41
  38. ^ a b c d Taraborrelli, pp. 234–240
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  53. ^ Rayner, Ben (February 10, 2008). "The return of Michael Jackson's Thriller". The Toronto Star. Retrieved February 21, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
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  55. ^ a b Thriller 25: The Book, p. 26
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Bibliography

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