What was the best Michael Jackson song?

[rikwakefield]

He wrote Billie Jean. Just looking on Wiki he wrote 4 of the songs on Thriller including his most execrable, The girl is mine (McCuntney definitely needs shooting for that too), and most of Bad except two.

And ironically, he didn't write Ben.

 

[isitme]

don't stop till you get enough

it's more cos of quincy jones than MJ, but it's still his best tune

for a tune about michael jackson i'd probably pick 'i want you back'

 

[isitme]

also, i bet noone has said black or white

that's a fucking awesome tune

 

[rikwakefield]

Dirty Diana is a favourite of mine too.

 

[HobgoblinMan]

The guy that wrote "Thriller" and "Rock With You" is from Cleethorpes. Fact.

 

[rikwakefield]

The guy that wrote "Thriller" and "Rock With You" is from Cleethorpes. Fact.

Indeed. How the fuck did that happen?

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

also, i bet noone has said black or white

that's a fucking awesome tune

Out of his later stuff, I quite like Give In To me, the one with Slash playing guitar.

 

[isitme]

Out of his later stuff, I quite like Give In To me, the one with Slash playing guitar.

and the one he did with janet jackson where he keeps going 'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rikwakefield]

Out of his later stuff, I quite like Give In To me, the one with Slash playing guitar.

The more people make suggestions, the more I remember that he was an absolutely amazing artist.

 

[DotCommunist]

they were all shit.

 

[rikwakefield]

and the one he did with janet jackson where he keeps going 'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scream .

 

[rikwakefield]

they were all shit.

You don't really believe that.

 

[HobgoblinMan]

The more people make suggestions, the more I remember that he was an absolutely amazing artist.

He wasn't really. If you go by body of work, MJ has nothing compared to Bowie or even Madonna. Fact.

 

[Relahni]

Thriller is the best.

 

[rikwakefield]

He wasn't really. If you go by body of work, MJ has nothing compared to Bowie or even Madonna. Fact.

He's amazing. The fact that other people are too doesn't detract from the fact.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Madonna is much better, in fairness. Well, I think Michael Jackson had more of the intangible, but Madonna has made a superior body of work.

 

[rikwakefield]

Madonna is much better, in fairness. Well, I think Michael Jackson had more of the intangible, but Madonna has made a superior body of work.

There's room for more than one genius imo.

 

[isitme]

of course michael jackson was an amazing artist

compare someone more recent like eminem and it's just not the same thing at all

and michael jackson wasn't just about the songs, he was a thing. his album career isn't that exceptional, but his career is

 

[HobgoblinMan]

He's amazing. The fact that other people are too doesn't detract from the fact.

But I really have to stress that so many people make out he is soooo fucking good, like he was the best ever. He wasn't. His music does not match people like Sly Stone, George Clinton, James Brown or Hendrix. He had a collection of good singles, much more tat and sold of fuckload of records. Just like someone like Phil fucking Collins. He didn't write a lot of his material too which is a big factor in his greatness. Elvis and Sinatra have this problem too.

His legacy of influence??? Yeah, Justin Timberlake et al. Not good.

People say he was a great dancer. Who cares, so was Fred Astaire.

People say, "he revolutionised video". No he didn't, whoever directed and produced them did. And besides, the Thriller video looks so dated now. And have you seen "Do You Remember The Time"??? It's dreadful.

I know I shouldn't hijack the thread, but I've been holding my tongue for a week now and the truth must be told.

As an entertainer give him mad props, but as a musician hold back on the praise.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

of course michael jackson was an amazing artist

compare someone more recent like eminem and it's just not the same thing at all

and michael jackson wasn't just about the songs, he was a thing. his album career isn't that exceptional, but his career is

I would compare Jackson more with Cobain somehow. They both basically got fucked up by their fame. Cobain also had something of the intangible.

 

[isitme]

i dunno if madonna is as much of a one off as michael jackson

she did better songs, and lasted longer. but there are plenty of madonnas

alicia keys and jeniffer lopez are both much smarter and more talented than madonna for example

noone even competes with michael jackson, he's just michael jackson

 

[isitme]

I would compare Jackson more with Cobain somehow. They both basically got fucked up by their fame. Cobain also had something of the intangible.

i think kurt cobain was more of a real person. i could relate to him in a way

it's impossible to think what was going on in jacko's head

 

[bi0boy]

 

[machine cat]

am i the only one who thinks 'Get on the Floor' was his best?

 

[machine cat]

I would compare Jackson more with Cobain somehow. They both basically got fucked up by their fame. Cobain also had something of the intangible.

The difference being that Cobain bailed out when he was young. Jackson just kept hanging on.

 

[rikwakefield]

Someone who doesn't get enough credit in my opinion is Quincy Jones. That guy is a genius.

 

[rikwakefield]

The difference being that Cobain bailed out when he was young. Jackson just kept hanging on.

As morbid as it sounds, the best thing that could have happened to Jacko would be to die in 91/92, before the kid scandals started.

 

[Geri]

She's Out Of My Life.

 

[paulhackett]

But I really have to stress that so many people make out he is soooo fucking good, like he was the best ever. He wasn't. His music does not match people like Sly Stone, George Clinton, James Brown or Hendrix. He had a collection of good singles, much more tat and sold of fuckload of records. Just like someone like Phil fucking Collins. He didn't write a lot of his material too which is a big factor in his greatness. Elvis and Sinatra have this problem too.

His legacy of influence??? Yeah, Justin Timberlake et al. Not good.

People say he was a great dancer. Who cares, so was Fred Astaire.

People say, "he revolutionised video". No he didn't, whoever directed and produced them did. And besides, the Thriller video looks so dated now. And have you seen "Do You Remember The Time"??? It's dreadful.

I know I shouldn't hijack the thread, but I've been holding my tongue for a week now and the truth must be told.

As an entertainer give him mad props, but as a musician hold back on the praise.

I think his influence extended far wider than Timberlake.. I'm no fan of the Thriller type dance routine but like it or not it was hugely influential. And rightly or wrongly it as Wacko who had that influence and as Thriller made him, it also seemingly destroyed him.

Bad songs do not add up to a bad artist (the thread is 'which is the best MJ song?' not 'which is the best song?), otherwise Bowie would be fucked for Hello Spaceboy or Laughing Gnome.

That something now looks or sounds dated is irrelevent. His influence was clearly extended by the advent of MTV, and I'd be interested to see if the divide in opinion is affected by people who do not remember the hullaballoo that MTV created when it started up (Peter Gabriel, Robert Palmer et al made 'great' videos for q frankly shit songs).

Madonna is a product of MTV - you couldn't get a drink in a pub in the early 80s without the whole pub gawping at her prancing about in Venice, never mind the music was shit.

I'd vote for I Want You Back, a great pop song, irrespective of who wrote it, played the drums..

 

[felixthecat]

.

Ace song.

Easily this one ^^

Good choice NVP