Detailed list of unreleased songs that could be released

[wonderouzmj]

Even when Michael Durham Prince is addressing material that he himself recorded with Michael Jackson, his word does not always have weight.

I will give a very characteristic example:

In one of his interviews (few years ago), he could not remember the third song that he himself worked on along with Michael Jackson at the Bel Air Hotel.

During those sessions at the hotel, Michael Jackson re-recorded his vocals for three songs, with the help of Michael Durham Prince, but the producer in that interview could remember only the two of them (‘Best Of Joy’ and ‘I Was A Loser’).

About Joseph Vogel, he also wrote, some years ago, that the three Cascio tracks (‘Breaking News’, ‘Keep Your Head Up’, and ‘Monster’) have the authentic Michael Jackson’s vocals on them.

Joseph Vogel also wrote that the ‘BAD’ album sessions began in late 1986, when in actual reality those sessions began on January 5th (1987) as confirmed also by Bruce Swedien who was physically there.

And I can assure you that there are also more examples which prove that Joseph Vogel has been wrong or inaccurate about certain things concerning Michael Jackson's music.

So, Joseph Vogel’s statements generally should not be taken for granted.



I do not frame things in such a way that it defies the reality of the situation.

My phrasing here does not imply that the remaining 90% of material from the ‘BAD’ sessions exists in a releasable state, because I referred to recorded material in general.





In 1987, there were not ‘A-Team’ and ‘B-Team’, because members from both teams joined forces and created one team that was working on many songs (including the eleven ones that were included on the album).

Christopher Currell, for example, who initially started as a member of the ‘B-Team’ was closely working throughout 1987 (and until the album’s release) with Quincy Jones who came from the ‘A-Team’.

Bad was shot in November pf 86 so how on earth could the sessions start in January of 87 & released by August of 87 with a break of 4years? No!

 

[Fuzball]

01/05/87 was just the official kick-off date.

 

[dethorro]

Joseph Vogel also wrote that the ‘BAD’ album sessions began in late 1986, when in actual reality those sessions began on January 5th (1987) as confirmed also by Bruce Swedien who was physically there.

With all due respect, that's just wrong.

The sessions officially started at Westlake Studios on August 4th 1986 as reported by Rolling Stone magazine in 1987.
The January 5th date is simply the date they put on every release of the album, for some reason. It is probably the date on which the the 2nd part of the sessions commenced after the Christmas break.
The date on the Dangerous album is also wrong (June 25th 1990). The sessions had officially started almost a year before that date (even though technically they were working on Decade not Dangerous at the time).

Oh and btw songs like Bad, Liberian Girl (and probably even Smooth Criminal) were definitely recorded in 1986. You can look at the track sheets if you don't believe me.

 

[SmoothCriminal1995]

Thanks everyone for sharing. I'd love to know more about the Bad sessions, they seem like such a productive and happy time in Mike's life. I'd love to know when songs were recorded and finished, stuff like that. The Beatles fans are so lucky

 

[travis3000]

Monster is one that really interests me, from the descriptions I've heard it's pretty good although incomplete

It's

1. Completely different than the fake trash we received on the Michael album

2. A phenomenal production that is quite literally unlike anything we've ever heard even to date. Had MJ of finished this one, the critics would have been speechless. When Michael mentioned on Access Hollywood in 2006 that he was putting sounds under the microscope.....he wasn't lying. Monster is a prime example of this.

 

[travis3000]

As far as I know, Michael only recorded the chorus of ''Monster'' right?

Can you give us some information regarding ''Rocker'' and ''Adore You''?
What do these songs sound like?
Is ''Adore You'' similar to ''Will You Be There'' (as Brad Buxer has stated)?

The version I've heard of Monster only had a chorus and KILLER production. It was an incredible track, and unfortunately unfinished.

Adore You reminds me of Will You Be There. Uplifting, magical, romantic.

Rocker is a hard rock song, this is another one that is unlike anything MJ ever recorded. I can't even give you a song that I've heard from other artists which might be similar. Rocker is edgy, hard, aggressive, and unfortunately is also unfinished.

 

[SmoothCriminal1995]

It's

1. Completely different than the fake trash we received on the Michael album

2. A phenomenal production that is quite literally unlike anything we've ever heard even to date. Had MJ of finished this one, the critics would have been speechless. When Michael mentioned on Access Hollywood in 2006 that he was putting sounds under the microscope.....he wasn't lying. Monster is a prime example of this.

Sounds amazing mate, thanks for your insight on the unreleased stuff
Yourself and AlwaysThere are the two people I look out for most when it comes to unreleased music

 

[Themidwestcowboy]

It's

1. Completely different than the fake trash we received on the Michael album

2. A phenomenal production that is quite literally unlike anything we've ever heard even to date. Had MJ of finished this one, the critics would have been speechless. When Michael mentioned on Access Hollywood in 2006 that he was putting sounds under the microscope.....he wasn't lying. Monster is a prime example of this.

The version I've heard of Monster only had a chorus and KILLER production. It was an incredible track, and unfortunately unfinished.

Adore You reminds me of Will You Be There. Uplifting, magical, romantic.

Rocker is a hard rock song, this is another one that is unlike anything MJ ever recorded. I can't even give you a song that I've heard from other artists which might be similar. Rocker is edgy, hard, aggressive, and unfortunately is also unfinished.

Man this makes me sad. From what you're describing MJ was making the some of the most interesting music in his career. I have one question though. how is the vocal performance on these tracks? Especially the harder ones? Is it more reminiscent of Invincible or earlier than that?

 

[mjfan_93]

The version I've heard of Monster only had a chorus and KILLER production. It was an incredible track, and unfortunately unfinished.

Adore You reminds me of Will You Be There. Uplifting, magical, romantic.

Rocker is a hard rock song, this is another one that is unlike anything MJ ever recorded. I can't even give you a song that I've heard from other artists which might be similar. Rocker is edgy, hard, aggressive, and unfortunately is also unfinished.

Oh wow. Sounds like MJ was truly working on amazing stuff in his final years. Are the two Songs you mentioned (Adore You and Rocker) vocally complete? Do they have a releasable vocal take or are the just early demos with potential. If there are musically unfinished a producer can finish them but if there aren‘t proper vocals I dont think we will ever hear them

 

[SmoothCriminal1995]

Man this makes me sad. From what you're describing MJ was making the some of the most interesting music in his career. I have one question though. how is the vocal performance on these tracks? Especially the harder ones? Is it more reminiscent of Invincible or earlier than that?

Thank you for asking this my friend. I've wanted to know this for years as well

 

[mj_frenzy]

Bad was shot in November pf 86 so how on earth could the sessions start in January of 87 & released by August of 87 with a break of 4years? No!

01/05/87 was just the official kick-off date.

With all due respect, that's just wrong.

The sessions officially started at Westlake Studios on August 4th 1986 as reported by Rolling Stone magazine in 1987.
The January 5th date is simply the date they put on every release of the album, for some reason. It is probably the date on which the the 2nd part of the sessions commenced after the Christmas break.
The date on the Dangerous album is also wrong (June 25th 1990). The sessions had officially started almost a year before that date (even though technically they were working on Decade not Dangerous at the time).

Oh and btw songs like Bad, Liberian Girl (and probably even Smooth Criminal) were definitely recorded in 1986. You can look at the track sheets if you don't believe me.

Just because the ‘BAD’ song was recorded in 1986, this does not mean that the ‘BAD’ album sessions began in 1986.

Bruce Swedien is pretty clear that the album sessions began in 1987 (January):

“…The year is 1987. Quincy, Michael and I are comfortably ensconced in Westlake Audio’s beautiful new Studio D, on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, recording Michael’s new solo album Bad. The first session on the Bad album was done on Monday January 5, 1987. Westlake Audio had very recently installed a brand-new, quite large Harrison MR-2 desk of 56 inputs in their lovely new Studio D. For the time, 56 inputs was an extremely large mixing desk…” (Bruce Swedien, ‘In the Studio with Michael Jackson’ book)

That particular first day of the ‘BAD’ album sessions was a memorable moment for Bruce Swedien (also because of his big desire to use the recently installed Harrison MR-2 mixing desk of 56 inputs), so he could not be wrong about that.

Magazines or some authors that were not there can claim anything (like, that the album sessions began in 1986), this does not mean that it is necessarily true.

Thanks everyone for sharing. I'd love to know more about the Bad sessions, they seem like such a productive and happy time in Mike's life. I'd love to know when songs were recorded and finished, stuff like that. The Beatles fans are so lucky

‘I Just Can't Stop Loving You’, ‘Leave Me Alone’, ‘Dirty Diana’, ‘Just Good Friends’ were recorded and finished in June (1987), while ‘Man In The Mirror’ was recorded and finished in March (1987).

 

[dethorro]

Just because the ‘BAD’ song was recorded in 1986, this does not mean that the ‘BAD’ album sessions began in 1986.

Bruce Swedien is pretty clear that the album sessions began in 1987 (January):

“…The year is 1987. Quincy, Michael and I are comfortably ensconced in Westlake Audio’s beautiful new Studio D, on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, recording Michael’s new solo album Bad. The first session on the Bad album was done on Monday January 5, 1987. Westlake Audio had very recently installed a brand-new, quite large Harrison MR-2 desk of 56 inputs in their lovely new Studio D. For the time, 56 inputs was an extremely large mixing desk…” (Bruce Swedien, ‘In the Studio with Michael Jackson’ book)

That particular first day of the ‘BAD’ album sessions was a memorable moment for Bruce Swedien (also because of his big desire to use the recently installed Harrison MR-2 mixing desk of 56 inputs), so he could not be wrong about that.

Magazines or some authors that were not there can claim anything (like, that the album sessions began in 1986), this does not mean that it is necessarily true.

So I guess it's impossible that Bruce is wrong.

Christopher Currell was also there and this is what he had to say about the Bad sessions:

''Michael’s album project was to be recorded at Westlake Recording Studios in Studio D. Westlake is located at Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood, California. The day prior to officially starting the album, I had Michael’s Synclavier brought into the studio. The main tower was set up in a small room just outside the control room. The keyboard and terminal were set up in the control room. This was to be the Synclavier’s permanent home for the next 12 months.''

He says for the next 12 months, which makes perfect sense if the sessions started in August 1986 since the album was released in August 1987.

I also don't think that you can dismiss the fact that the dates on the multitrack sheets of some of the songs on Bad say 1986.

Liberian Girl:
Lead vocal: September 26th 1986
Background vocals: October 3rd 1986

I Just Can't Stop Loving You:
Background vocals: December 27th 1986
Piano: December 26th 1986

Smooth Criminal:
Background vocals:September 14th 1986
Bass:September 8th 1986

 

[mj_frenzy]

So I guess it's impossible that Bruce is wrong.

Christopher Currell was also there and this is what he had to say about the Bad sessions:

''Michael’s album project was to be recorded at Westlake Recording Studios in Studio D. Westlake is located at Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood, California. The day prior to officially starting the album, I had Michael’s Synclavier brought into the studio. The main tower was set up in a small room just outside the control room. The keyboard and terminal were set up in the control room. This was to be the Synclavier’s permanent home for the next 12 months.''

He says for the next 12 months, which makes perfect sense if the sessions started in August 1986 since the album was released in August 1987.

I also don't think that you can dismiss the fact that the dates on the multitrack sheets of some of the songs on Bad say 1986.

Liberian Girl:
Lead vocal: September 26th 1986
Background vocals: October 3rd 1986

I Just Can't Stop Loving You:
Background vocals: December 27th 1986
Piano: December 26th 1986

Smooth Criminal:
Background vocals:September 14th 1986
Bass:September 8th 1986

No, it does not make perfect sense.

When Christopher Currell said that thing (“home for the next 12 months&#8221 the date of the ‘BAD’ album was still unknown to everyone, even to Michael Jackson.

And that type of statement (“home for the next 12 months&#8221 looks more like a statement that one makes at the beginning of a year, especially if they initially planned a 1987 Christmas release of the ‘BAD’ album.

 

[mj_frenzy]

So I guess it's impossible that Bruce is wrong.

Christopher Currell was also there and this is what he had to say about the Bad sessions:

''Michael’s album project was to be recorded at Westlake Recording Studios in Studio D. Westlake is located at Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood, California. The day prior to officially starting the album, I had Michael’s Synclavier brought into the studio. The main tower was set up in a small room just outside the control room. The keyboard and terminal were set up in the control room. This was to be the Synclavier’s permanent home for the next 12 months.''

He says for the next 12 months, which makes perfect sense if the sessions started in August 1986 since the album was released in August 1987.

I also don't think that you can dismiss the fact that the dates on the multitrack sheets of some of the songs on Bad say 1986.

Liberian Girl:
Lead vocal: September 26th 1986
Background vocals: October 3rd 1986

I Just Can't Stop Loving You:
Background vocals: December 27th 1986
Piano: December 26th 1986

Smooth Criminal:
Background vocals:September 14th 1986
Bass:September 8th 1986

No, it does not make perfect sense.

When Christopher Currell said that thing (“home for the next 12 months&#8221 the date of the official release of the ‘BAD’ album was still unknown to everyone involved, even to Michael Jackson.

And that type of statement (“home for the next 12 months&#8221 looks more like a statement that one makes at the beginning of a year, especially if they initially planned a 1987 Christmas release of the ‘BAD’ album.

 

[dethorro]

No, it does not make perfect sense.

When Christopher Currell said that thing (“home for the next 12 months”) the date of the official release of the ‘BAD’ album was still unknown to everyone involved, even to Michael Jackson.

Christopher Currell wrote that in a blog in 2015, not during the time they were working on Bad.

 

[NatureCriminal7896]

Smooth Criminal and Liberian Girl was wrote WAY before 1986. in one of Michael older interviews he talk about both songs. he knew both songs would be a hit. Smooth Criminal was originally call buffalo bill then to al capone.

Smooth Criminal was suppose to be a western short film but he change his mind and went with what he have now. an 1930's nightclub.

 

[Fuzball]

Smooth Criminal and Liberian Girl was wrote WAY before 1986. in one of Michael older interviews he talk about both songs.

Sure, those were his demo recordings which he presented to Q.

Smooth Criminal was originally call buffalo bill then to al capone.

That's bs. Buffalo Bill has nothing to do with Smooth or Capone.

 

[NatureCriminal7896]

That's bs. Buffalo Bill has nothing to do with Smooth or Capone.

yes it does. if i'm wrong. please show me because buffalo bill and al capone were demos before it was made into smooth criminal.

 

[travis3000]

Michael Jackson personally started work on BAD way before 1987. He started writing songs for the album as far back as 1984 and 1985. He recorded dozens of songs at his own personal studio in 1986. I've read multiple biographies on MJ.....Michael Jackson All The Songs, Man In The Music, as well as spoken to people who were involved.

It may have been that the "official" Quincy Jones sessions didn't begin until early 1987 , but make no mistake.... half of the stuff was already done by then. MJ came in with dozens upon dozens of demos. The heavy lifting was already done.

 

[travis3000]

Man this makes me sad. From what you're describing MJ was making the some of the most interesting music in his career. I have one question though. how is the vocal performance on these tracks? Especially the harder ones? Is it more reminiscent of Invincible or earlier than that?

His voice on Rocker reminds me of the Invincible era to a certain extent, but not 100%. It sounded quite unique in total honesty. The tracks Rocker, Water, Adore You, and Monster were totally unique. It really does anger me when I think about it that these gems weren't finished.

 

[dethorro]

The tracks Rocker, Water , Adore You, and Monster were totally unique. It really does anger me when I think about it that these gems weren't finished.

Was Michael humming this song after the Billie Jean rehearsal in This Is It?

 

[JichaelMackson]

Let's face it there is nothing left to be released that is completed and it looks like we aren't getting any demo's at all.

Thank you @travis3000 for the information, it's very interesting but honestly I don't fall for it anymore. Back in the day I used to read about how amazing and different the invincible songs were and honestly they are not all that.
If he was really making something revolutionary different he wouldn't have come up with the bland Invincible album.

I'm also interested in the classical pieces he was involved in. They guy who worked with him hoped he would ever be able to release them so perhaps that's something for the future. If he is still interested in doing so after all the damaging controversies of course.

 

[travis3000]

Was Michael humming this song after the Billie Jean rehearsal in This Is It?

Haha yes.

 

[AlwaysThere]

Knowing that Brad Buxer said "Adore You" was one of the songs he wishes Michael had the opportunity to finish only makes me want to hear it more. Anything that's comparable to "Will You Be There" is something the WORLD needs to hear.

I know I've said it elsewhere, but it still boggles my mind that the fan community as a whole still has no idea what state Michael's songwriting was in around the time of his passing. Of the two post-trial recordings we have, one ("Hold My Hand") was written by someone else and the other ("Best of Joy") was written in the early eighties. We've yet to hear a true, honest-to-God NEW song by the King of Pop.

People like travis3000 and Damien Shields have really heaped praise on this era of material, so I hope this changes soon.

 

[OnirMJ]

His voice on Rocker reminds me of the Invincible era to a certain extent, but not 100%. It sounded quite unique in total honesty. The tracks Rocker, Water, Adore You, and Monster were totally unique. It really does anger me when I think about it that these gems weren't finished.

Isn't Monster vocals recorded in 1998?

 

[mj_frenzy]

Christopher Currell wrote that in a blog in 2015, not during the time they were working on Bad.

Okay.

Apparently Christopher Currell (in that blog in 2015) refers to pre-sessions of the 'BAD' album that took place in 1986.

Smooth Criminal and Liberian Girl was wrote WAY before 1986. in one of Michael older interviews he talk about both songs. he knew both songs would be a hit. Smooth Criminal was originally call buffalo bill then to al capone.

Smooth Criminal was suppose to be a western short film but he change his mind and went with what he have now. an 1930's nightclub.

yes it does. if i'm wrong. please show me because buffalo bill and al capone were demos before it was made into smooth criminal.

‘Smooth Criminal’ originated from a song called ‘Chicago 1945’.

‘Chicago 1945’ also exists as ‘Chicago Nights’.

‘Chicago 1945’, which remains unreleased, later became ‘Al Capone’, and then ‘Al Capone’ became eventually ‘Smooth Criminal’.

‘Buffalo Bill’ is totally unrelated to all of these three above songs.

‘Buffalo Bill’ was a song that Michael Jackson wrote for inclusion on the ‘Victory’ album, and few years later he also planned to include it on his ‘BAD’ album.

 

[Themidwestcowboy]

His voice on Rocker reminds me of the Invincible era to a certain extent, but not 100%. It sounded quite unique in total honesty. The tracks Rocker, Water, Adore You, and Monster were totally unique. It really does anger me when I think about it that these gems weren't finished.

Thank you for sharing this. Much appreciated

 

[dethorro]

Haha yes.

Oh wow! That's awesome to hear.

‘Smooth Criminal’ originated from a song called ‘Chicago 1945’.

‘Chicago 1945’ also exists as ‘Chicago Nights’.

‘Chicago 1945’, which remains unreleased, later became ‘Al Capone’, and then ‘Al Capone’ became eventually ‘Smooth Criminal’.

‘Buffalo Bill’ is totally unrelated to all of these three above songs.

‘Buffalo Bill’ was a song that Michael Jackson wrote for inclusion on the ‘Victory’ album, and few years later he also planned to include it on his ‘BAD’ album.

Chicago 1945 has no connection to Al Capone or Smooth Criminal.
Someone who attended one of Brad Sundberg's seminars which featured also Steve Porcaro as a special guest (the guy who worked with Michael on Chicago 1945) wrote this in a blog:

''After the Thriller album came out, during the Victory tour (or maybe right before it) Porcaro submitted a few grooves to Michael. Sometime later MJ called Steve and told him that he wanted to do something with one of them. Apparently, he had gone to the library and read on Chicago of the 1930s-40s, and that’s how he came up with an idea for the song. He and Porcaro met and recorded nine straight vocal takes for what would become “Chicago 1945.”

Of course, it’s impossible to describe music in text, but here are five things you need to know about “Chicago 1945”:
- The song is completed musically an vocally and perfectly releasable as is;
- It has no connection to “Al Capone” or “Smooth Criminal” (another myth) – a completely different and separate song;
- The lyrics tell a story about (three?) girls who went out at night and disappeared;
- It’s a catchy song. Not the level of greatness of “Billie Jean” or “Beat It,” but a solid groove. The hook (“Never to be found again… never to be found again”) was stuck in my head for 3 days after we had heard it;
- As the song was playing, I was trying to find another MJ song to compare it to. The closest I could come up with was “Behind the Mask” – the song is in the same tempo, and even the composition seemed somewhat similar to me. Although I think “Chicago 1945” is sung in a lower key – Michael’s voice is not as resonant as in “BTM.”

 

[mjfan_93]

His voice on Rocker reminds me of the Invincible era to a certain extent, but not 100%. It sounded quite unique in total honesty. The tracks Rocker, Water, Adore You, and Monster were totally unique. It really does anger me when I think about it that these gems weren't finished.

@travis3000
Is there any Chance that the Estate will ever release Rocker, Adore You and Water? Are there enough (proper) vocals?

 

[AlwaysThere]

‘Smooth Criminal’ originated from a song called ‘Chicago 1945’.

‘Chicago 1945’ also exists as ‘Chicago Nights’.

‘Chicago 1945’, which remains unreleased, later became ‘Al Capone’, and then ‘Al Capone’ became eventually ‘Smooth Criminal’.

No, it didn’t.

“Chicago 1945” is a completely separate track that has no lyrical or musical connection to “Al Capone” or “Smooth Criminal.”

This has been confirmed by (1) co-writer Steve Porcaro, (2) Matt Forger, (3) Damien Shields, and (4) a number of attendees of an In the Studio with MJ seminar where the song was played.

Also, “Chicago 1945” has never once been referred to as “Chicago Nights.” If I recall correctly, “Chicago Nights” was/is the working title for the segment in Moonwalker that contained the “Smooth Criminal” short film, and fans took the title connection and ran with it.