Quincy Jones - From Q With Love (1999)

Q sure had his hand in a lot of good stuff, huh? Questionable track selection but Jones has earned the right to do as he pleases. I hope you don't mind if I just sit back and enjoy instead of pecking at this keyboard.

Billboard, February 27, 1999, p. 24

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #72

Tracks:

Volume 1:

Song	Album	Year	Hot 100	R&B	AC
Setembro (Brazilian Wedding Song)	Back On The Block	1989
The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)	Back On The Block	1989	31	1	26
I'm Yours	From Q With Love	1999		73	27
Baby, Come To Me	Every Home Should Have One	1982	1	9	1
You Put A Move On My Heart	Q's Jook Joint	1995	98	16
Velas	The Dude	1981
Moody's Mood For Love	Q's Jook Joint	1995
Liberian Girl	Bad	1987
Love Dance	Give Me The Night	1980
One Hundred Ways	The Dude	1981	14	10	5
Rock With You	Q's Jook Joint	1995
The Lady In My Life	Thriller	1982
The Shadow of Your Smile	Sinatra at The Sands	1966

Volume 2:

Song	Album	Year	Hot 100	R&B	AC
How Do You Keep The Music Playing?	It's Your Night	1983	45	6	5
Something I Cannot Have	From Q With Love	1999		87
Human Nature	Thriller	1982	7	27	2
Everything Must Change	Body Heat	1974
I'm Gonna Miss You In The Morning	Sounds...and Stuff Like That!!	1978
Everything	From Q With Love	1999
Just Once	The Dude	1981	17	11	7
If This Is The Last Time	From Q With Love	1999
Somewhere	Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky)	1973
Heaven's Girl	Q's Jook Joint	1995
Prelude to The Garden	Back On The Block	1989
Sax In The Garden	From Q With Love	1999
At The End Of The Day (Grace)	Q's Jook Joint	1995

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: see individual album links above

Previously revisited for the blog:
Back On the Block (1989)
The Dude (1981)
Explores the Music of Henry Mancini (1968)

Michael Jackson - Dangerous (1991)

By request!  (In this particular case, "by request" means that a reader actually sent me a CD.  Thanks!)

To be honest, I gave up on Michael after Bad for no other reason than he gave up on Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton in order to chase a younger audience. So I've never heard this album before, only the singles (and I don't even remember many of those). Here we go...

Billboard, November 30, 1991, p. 51

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #1 (Four consecutive weeks, December 14, 1991 - January 4, 1992)

Tracks: I'm not much for New Jack Swing (I usually make exceptions for Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis), so my picks are Remember The Time and Keep The Faith. While I've never cared for Black Or White, it turns out to be one of the better songs on the album.

Song	Pop	R&B	Dance	AC
Black or White	1	3	2	23
Remember the Time	3	1	2	15
In the Closet	6	1	1	-
Jam	26	3	4	-
Heal the World	27	62	-	9
Who Is It	14	6	1	-
Will You Be There	7	53	-	5

On first listen, it seems that Michael tried to copy to sound/success of sister Janet's Rhythm Nation album then tacked on a few leftover tunes from Bad. Well, at least we've still got Off The Wall and Thriller.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: While I don't remember the many of the singles, I do remember the hype of the release of the video for Black and White. Seems like we all rushed home to see the premiere - must see TV! I was more impressed with the morphing in the video than the music. Plus, the wind machine budget was probably more than my current salary. The Internets tell me it was Thursday, November 14, 1991 and since I can't remember let's go with that.

For more information on the brief life of the CD longbox,
go visit The Legend of the Longbox.

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Jacksons - Story: Number 1's (2007)
Bad (1987)
Thriller (1982)
Off the Wall (1979)

Michael Jackson - Bad (1987)

By request!

Note: the CD I listened to was the 2001 "Special Edition" with 7 bonus tracks.

I hate to compare this album to its predecessor, Thriller, but I'm gonna do it anyway: it's just not as good. No matter; being MJ's third best album (after Thriller and Off the Wall) is still something fantastic. Quincy Jones does yet another great job and it makes me wonder why the Jackson/Jones team ever split. Most of the material on this was written by Jackson and while MJ puts out some excellent tunes here, he's no Rod Temperton when it comes to songwriting. However, MJ the performer brought his A game to this album so the charts loved Bad:

Song	Hot 100	R&B	AC	Dance
I Just Can't Stop Loving You	1	1	1
Bad	1	1	33	1
The Way You Make Me Feel	1	1	9	1
Man In the Mirror	1	1	2
Dirty Diana	1	5
Another Part Of Me	11	1	44	18
Smooth Criminal	7	2		10

Not bad, Michael. Throw in two Grammies to the mix then (Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and Best Music Video for Leave Me Alone), add 30+ million-plus in global sales and you've really got something there. While I rarely listen to this album from top-to-bottom, I always enjoy the good tracks when they shuffle around on iTunes.

Update: In its 2020 list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Rolling Stone ranked Bad at #194.

Press of the time:

• Rolling Stone: "even without a milestone recording like 'Billie Jean,' Bad is a better record"
• Smash Hits (7 out of 10): "get beyond all the swish, impressive production tricks and the impressive arrangements, and the songs are not always entirely wonderful."
• Robert Christgau (B+): "the strongest and most consistent black pop album in years"
• Stereo Review: "good enough to keep him well ahead of his imitators"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #1 (6 consecutive weeks, Sept 26 - Oct 31, 1987)
• Billboard Pop CD: #1 (1 week, Oct 3, 1987)
• Billboard R&B: #1 (18 weeks)
• CashBox CD: #1 (1 week, Oct 17, 1987)
• Rolling Stone: #1 (2 weeks)

Tracks:  My favorite cut on this album is easily The Way You Make Me Feel, an infectious, danceable shuffle with overbearing electronic drums. It's beyond the scope of this blog, but I just love that song's video for two reasons: 1) MJ acting tough while using a hair ribbon for a belt, and 2) model Tatiana Thumbtzen, who made my eyes pop out of my head like I was in a Tex Avery cartoon. Coming in second, third and fourth place are, respectively, Another Part Of Me, Smooth Criminal, and I Just Can't Stop Loving You. I was never much for Dirty Diana or Leave Me Alone. While Thriller was completely devoid of filler, this album has Speed Demon, a track that I'd put in that category. On the other hand, there are songs like Just Good Friends that are funky enough that they shoulda been released as a single.

Bonus tracks: some Quincy Jones interviews, a Spanish language version of I Just Can't Stop Loving You, and two previously unreleased tunes including one that probably should have been put on the album: Streetwalker.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This is one of those albums I didn't feel the need to own upon its release because I could hear the songs constantly on the radio and see the videos on MTV. The local radio station would play all the tracks, even those not officially released as singles, so it wasn't uncommon to hear Liberian Girl, which I originally thought was Librarian Girl (that would make it a different song altogether, wouldn't it?)

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Jacksons - Story: Number 1's (2007)
Thriller (1982)
Off the Wall (1979)

The Jacksons - Story: Number 1's (2007)

A compilation of 20 hits from various configurations of Jacksons, both together and solo, spanning the years 1969 to 1983. Despite the title, not all these songs reached a top spot on the US charts.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: did not chart (reached #19 on the Catalog Albums chart)

Tracks:  The hits are all here; this is a good listen from top to bottom. I've put a check mark by some forgotten favorites that made this disc worth the purchase price.

• I Want You Back - Jackson 5: #1 Hot 100 and R&B
• ABC - Jackson 5: #1 Hot 100 and R&B
• The Love You Save - Jackson 5: #1 Hot 100 and R&B ✔
• I'll Be There - Jackson 5:  #1 Hot 100 and R&B
• Mama's Pearl - Jackson 5: #2 Hot 100 and R&B
• Never Can Say Goodbye - Jackson 5: #1 R&B, #2 Hot 100 ✔
• Got To Be There - Michael Jackson: #4 Hot 100 and R&B, #14 AC ✔
• Rockin' Robin - Michael Jackson: #2 Hot 100 and R&B
• Ben - Michael Jackson:  #1 Hot 100, #5 R&B, #3 AC
• Dancing Machine - Jackson 5: #1 R&B, #2 Hot 100 ✔
• Let's Get Serious - Jermaine Jackson: #1 R&B, #9 Hot 100 ✔ (Stevie Wonder!)
• Enjoy Yourself - The Jacksons:  #6 Hot 100, #2 R&B
• Show You The Way To Go - The Jacksons:  #28 Hot 100, #6 R&B ✔ (Gamble & Huff!)
• Blame It On The Boogie - The Jacksons: #54 Hot 100, #3 R&B
• Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) - The Jacksons:  #7 Hot 100, #3 R&B
• Lovely One - The Jacksons: #12 Hot 100, #2 R&B, #1 Dance
• This Place Hotel - The Jacksons: #22 Hot 100, #2 R&B
• Can You Feel It - The Jacksons:  #77 Hot 100, #30 R&B, #1 Dance ✔
• Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson: #1 Hot 100, #1 R&B, #2 Dance
• Billie Jean - Michael Jackson: #1 Hot 100, #1 R&B, #9 AC

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Not long after purchasing this disc, it turned up missing. I looked all over the house and through my truck to no avail. I finally found it in the CD player of my oldest son's car alongside some Beatles CDs. I didn't say a word and let him keep those as long as he wanted - yes, that does indeed qualify me for Father Of The Year honors.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Thriller (1982)
Off the Wall (1979)

Michael Jackson - Thriller (1982)

Note: my CD is the 2001 "Special Edition" reissue.

Released 30 years ago today. Almost a perfect storm of pop goodness: Quincy Jones' production, the hottest West Coast session musicians (mostly members of Toto), an all-star guest list (Paul McCartney, Eddie Van Halen, Vincent Price, James Ingram, etc.), top-notch songwriting, and, of course, Jackson himself.

The history is well-known. The album went on to win 8 Grammy awards and become one of the best selling albums of all time. For a great recap, check out this list from The Stuck In the '80s blog.

Update: In its 2020 list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Rolling Stone ranked Thriller at #12.

Press of the time:

• High Fidelity: "a sleek and sharp machine"
• Rolling Stone (★★★★): "another watershed in the creative development of this prodigiously talented performer."
• Smash Hits (7½ out of 10): "a first class product."
• Stereo Review: "lives up to its title"
• Musician: "an album that fortifies Jackson's enviable niche in the pop pantheon"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #1 (37 weeks between Feb 26, 1983 - Apr 14, 1984, including 17 consecutive weeks in 1983 and another 17 consecutive weeks in 1984). As I write this, it is currently on the chart in spot #185.
• Billboard Rock: #33
• Billboard R&B: #1 (37 weeks)
• CashBox: #1 (38 non-consecutive weeks)
• CashBox CD: #3
• Rolling Stone: #1

Tracks:

1. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' - (Peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, July 16, 1983)  A great opener.  Rarely has more been done with just two chords.  Funky bass line, tasty horn licks, and background vocals that really push the whole thing along.  By the time you get to the breakdown section and the backup singers yell "Yee-haw!!" around 3:39 you should be in full dance mode. "Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo-sa"
2. Baby Be Mine -Maybe just hint of filler here, but MJ's filler would be other people's hits.  Written by Rod Temperton, this reminds of his song Spice Of Life which later appeared on The Manhattan Transfer's Bodies And Souls album.
3. The Girl Is Mine - (Peaked at #2, Jan 8, 1983)  The first single released from the album. Written by MJ; a duet with Paul McCartney. Laughable lyrics including a spoken word section. I love Macca, but this is probably my least favorite track on the album. 
   
4. Thriller - (Peaked at #4, March 3, 1984)  Many people remember this tune solely for the music video, er, I mean short movie, it's a great song from the pen of Temperton and includes the classic voice over by Price at the end.  Yes, I remember where I was when the short premiered.  I was hooked from the first time I heard the chorus' revoiced chord progression at 3:51.  I'm a sucker for Jerry Hey's horn parts and that guitar ostinato that plays underneath both verse and chorus (you can hear it kick in at 1:14).
5. Beat It - (Peaked at #1, April 30, 1983)  I had the 45 single.  What a great riff.  I listened to it so much that I quickly tired of it, much like...
6. Billie Jean - (Peaked at #1, March 5, 1983)  A bass line shamelessly lifted from Hall & Oates' I Can't Go For That (No Can Do).  It's a catchy line and was subsequently lifted by numerous artists like Cee Lo Green his wonderful Bright Lights, Bigger City and sampled by Simply Red in Sunrise.  My youngest son still loves this tune; I pretty much skip over it these days whenever it comes on the radio.  That speaks more to the song's ubiquity than the quality of the song.  FYI, I can't moonwalk, never could.
7. Human Nature - (Peaked at #7, Sept 17, 1983)  My favorite tune on the album.  The New York Times agreed with me, calling this tune the "most striking" song on the album.  Written by Steve Pocaro, this sounds a lot like a Toto tune, but MJ's pleading vocals take it to another level. 
8. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) - (Peaked at #10, Sept 17, 1983)  Another fantastic bass line.  Just as danceable as Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'.  I could do without the vocoder and emulator, but that's just nitpicking.
9. The Lady In My Life - Not a great verse, but a beautiful chorus.  It also works as a smooth jazz tune; it was soon covered by Stanley Jordan, among others.  I like the sequencing here, calmly and smoothly bringing the album to a close.

This Special Edition includes 12 bonus tracks: audio interviews with Quincey Jones and Rod Temperton, demo recordings of Billie Jean and a cut track titled Carousel, the Thriller voice over work outtakes from Vincent Price, and the song Someone In the Dark, which was a Grammy-winning track from the "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Storybook."  Interesting to hear once, but don't rip these bonus tracks to iTunes.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: You probably won't believe this, but I never owned a copy of this on LP or cassette back in the '80s. Back then you didn't need to - all the songs were on the radio. I don't think I bought this CD copy until 4 or 5 years ago.

My senior year in high school, I broke numerous copyright laws and made a jazz band arrangement of the song Thriller. It was a crappy arrangement, but thanks to a very supportive band director, I learned a great deal during the arranging and rehearsing process. I think I've got a cassette recording around here somewhere of a performance of that arrangement. I should find that and make a digital mp3 transfer for prosperity's sake ;-)

In 1983, I knew a family of 6 that would gather together at some point every day and listen to Thriller. It was a family event - they sang and danced together every day. I'm not sure if that's true or they were just telling me a story, but just the thought of that happening makes me smile.

Exclusive CD longbox photo courtesy of
Dirk Digglinator of the Hambonian Archives.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Off the Wall (1979)

Michael Jackson - Off the Wall (1979)

Here's a creepy coincidence: I ordered this CD on June 19, 2009, it was shipped June 23 and was in transit when Michael Jackson died unexpectedly on June 25. I can't remember what prompted me to buy the disc, but its purchase was certainly timely. I can't overstate the importance of Quincy Jones to Jackson's work. Jackson would have made it big, but I doubt he would have become the international superstar without Jones' musical genius. This was the first of Jackon's big three with Jones. It's interesting to look at the photo on the back on the CD because it looks like MJ is holding a piece of chalk that looks like a cell phone which, of course, wouldn't have been around in 1979.

Update: In its 2020 list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Rolling Stone ranked Off The Wall at #36.

Press of the time:

• Rolling Stone: "A triumph"
• Musician: "Jackson has yet to establish an identity separate from its indisputedly superior material and innovative production.
• Billboard: "the emphasis is definitely on brassy arrangements"
• CashBox: "lots of highpoints"
• Smash Hits: "Best disco album since the last Chic." 
• Robert Christgau (A): "the dance groove of the year"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #3
• Billboard R&B: #1 (16 weeks)
• CashBox: #2
• Rolling Stone: #4

Tracks: Check your pulse if you can sit still during Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough. It's a good thing they put Rock with You in the #2 spot because going directly from Don't Stop to Workin' Day and Night might be too exhausting to listen to back-to-back. And I have to admit that I like She's Out of My Life even though I think the voice cracking at the end is a bit much. The 9 bonus tracks which include demos and commentaries are interesting, but only need to be heard once.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Rock with You reminds me of eighth grade at McAllister School while She's Out of My Life reminds me of Eddie Murphy's mocking version on Delirious. In 8th grade, I had a crush on a brunette that loved the song Rock with You so of course I had to love it as well.