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Michael Jackson: For The Record - Sample Entries

BAREFOOTIN’

Song the Jackson 5 performed regularly in the early days, initially in and around their home town, Gary, Indiana. Whilst singing, young Michael often used to kick off his shoes, and dance around the stage.

The Jackson 5 won Gary’s city wide Talent Search with Barefootin’ in 1965, and earned their first press write-up in the Gary Post-Tribune.

A hit for Robert Parker in the States in 1966, making no.2 on the R&B singles chart and no.7 on the Hot 100.

MAN IN THE MIRROR

Song written by Siedah Garrett and Glen Ballard, and recorded by Michael for his album, BAD, issued in September 1987.

Hit no.1 on both American charts, but surprisingly struggled to no.21 in the UK.

Official Versions:
Album Version.
Single Mix.
Instrumental.

Promo short film, which didn’t feature Michael, spliced footage of people who have endeavoured to ‘make that change’ with notorious figures – people like Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy and Mother Teresa, plus Adolf Hitler and Idi Amin. Directed by Don Wilson.

Performed by Michael at the Grammy Awards ceremony at Radio City Hall, New York, in March 1988.

Grammy nomination: Record Of The Year (Bobby McFerrin’s Don’t Worry, Be Happy took the award).

Soul Trains Awards: Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Single, Male and Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Music Video.

Performed live – along with What More Can I Give – by Michael on 21st October 2001, at the ‘United We Stand – What More Can I Give’ concert, staged at Washington DC’s RFK Stadium. Michael dedicated the song to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack and their families, saying: ‘You are not alone. You are in our hearts, you are in our thoughts, and you are in our prayers.’

Montage of live performances opened Michael’s ‘movie like no other’, Moonwalker.

Live performance by Michael, at his Dangerous Tour concert in Bucharest, Romania, on 1st October 1992, featured on the DVD released as part of his box-set, THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION, issued in November 2004.

Cover version by Italian singer, Giorgia, featured on her live 1995 album, NATURAL WOMAN.

Performed by 98º, Usher and Luther Vandross during the Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration, The Solo Years concerts, staged at New York’s Madison Square Garden on 7th and 10th September 2001.

Recorded by co-writer Siedah Garrett in 2003, for her solo album, SIEDAH!. ‘This song is very special to me,’ said Siedah. ‘We (her and Glen Ballard) sat down and almost instantly, we came up with the music, lyric and melody for the first verse and chorus… we knew that afternoon that we had something special.’

Sampled by Rhythme Digital, featuring Redd Angel on vocals, on the track, All Around The World.

SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN

Another festive favourite the Jackson 5 recorded for their CHRISTMAS ALBUM, issued in October 1970 in the States and December 1970 in the UK.

Released as a single in the States in 1970 – at this time, Christmas singles were excluded from the mainstream Billboard charts. Hit no.1 on the special Christmas Singles chart in 1970 and 1971, and peaked at no.9 in 1973.

Charted at no.43 in the UK in December 1972.

One of four tracks from CHRISTMAS ALBUM featured on the Merry Christmas From Michael Jackson With the Jackson 5 EP, issued in the UK in 1987 – charted at no.91.

Other hit versions:
4 Seasons – no.23 on the Hot 100 in the States in 1962.
Carpenters – no.37 in the UK in 1975.
Bruce Springsteen – no.1 on the Christmas singles chart in the States, and no.9 in the UK, in 1985.
Bjorn Again – no.55 in the UK in 1992.

WHAT MORE CAN I GIVE

Written by Michael, and originally inspired by Nelson Mandela, a song he had planned to premiere at his ‘Michael & Friends – What More Can I Give’ concerts in June 1999, staged in the South Korean capital, Seoul, and in Munich, Germany.

‘In an earlier conversation I had this year with President Mandela,’ said Michael in 1999, ‘we discussed the concept of giving, and the words ‘what more can I give’ kept coming into my mind… we all have to do what we can, to help end the needless suffering in the world.’

Re-written by Michael, following the ‘9/11’ terrorists attacks in America on 11th September 2001 – recorded as a charity single with a host of stars, including Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Luis Miguel, Tom Petty, Carlos Santana, Usher and Luther Vandross.

Completed on 19th October 2001, premiered two days later at the ‘United We Stand – What More Can I Give’ concert at Washington DC’s RFK Stadium, in front of 46,000 people. Concert edited and aired on ABC TV on 1st November.

‘I’m not one to sit back and say, “Oh, I feel bad for what happened to them”,’ said Michael. ‘I want the whole world to sing (What More Can You Give), to bring us together as a world, because a song is a mantra, something you repeat over and over. And we need peace, we need giving, we need love, we need unity.’

Promo short film premiered at the Radio Music Awards in 2003.

Spanish language version, titled Todo Para Ti, also recorded – featured contributions from Michael, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, Julio Iglasias, Ricky Martin and Jon Secada.

Serious disagreements between Michael and Sony Music meant both charity singles went unreleased – however, 200 promo copies were distributed to the artists involved and music industry representatives involved with the project.

Made available as a download single in October 2003 – no other official release.