Hi you guys. Here it is. It's a pretty lengthy one.
"Dangerous" Sessions (1990-1992) – PART III
Now that I have taken some time to listen more closely to the "Dangerous" album, particularly the love songs, it seems like MJ had some things that he wanted to get off of his chest. You know, by this time, he was really going through a lot. Most of it was being caused by those that were determined to paint him as a person that was not interested in women. We fans know that cannot possibly be the truth, not after closely listening to his songs on up to the "Dangerous" era and beyond, or after seeing him with various women over the years.
He clearly loves women and apparently, he was hoping to become a one-woman man between the "Bad" and "Dangerous" eras. The "Bad" era reveals he had started his search for a wife. He wanted someone to give his last name to. He was looking for Mrs. Jackson.
In addition to some trying to get everyone in the world to think that he doesn't find women appealing, they were also trying to convince the world that he was whatever that crap is that was being created out of thin air. But those of us that have been really paying attention to the type of person that MJ is, know he is nothing but a kind and giving guy that had, and still has, big dreams. He’s someone that likes to do big things. He can’t help it if he’s a go-getter. There’s nothing wrong with that and there isn’t anything strange about that either. Besides, strange people are not well liked all over the world and since MJ is definitely someone that is well liked, as well as very much loved, most people know not to believe the things that have been said about him. What was being said about him was being said unfairly.
Although most of us were still very much in his corner, and still enjoying his work very much, it did not stop him from feeling hurt. It did not stop him from feeling a need to let out some of his frustration. He recorded some songs that allowed him to do just what he needed to do—let off some steam!
But, until we get to that point in the list of songs, let’s first listen in on what he sort of wanted to keep a secret. lol And don’t worry about putting your ear to the wall, because the video for this song was shot outdoors and it is hot…hot…hot!!! Why? Because he still must have been getting the goodies that someone was giving, and I guess he wanted to do this type of a video to fill us all in on it while also keeping it a secret! lol So umm, roll ‘em!!
-In The Closet (Youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tnI2_Ym7PI )
-In The Closet (Lyrics -
http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/lyrics/inthecloset.html )
Wasn’t it fun going into the closet with them?! lol Sometimes, MJ is very shy and obviously, sometimes he is not—at all! LOL That’s Mike, y’all!!! He’s the King of Pop!!! Know what I’m saying? lol
Moving on to the next song…You know, MJ is clearly a man that loves women. We can tell just from listening to his love songs from the “Off The Wall” era on up to the "Dangerous" era. We can also tell just by listening to the way that he cried about no longer having the one that placed him on this road to love and romance.
Speaking of romance, he seems to like the way this next woman looks in her jeans and things. He’s saying she drives him wild! Well, if she drives him wild, I hope one of them brought along a map, because there's just no telling where they could end up. He’s a man that wants to get very far in life, you know. Let’s see where she’s going to let him take her.
-She Drives Me Wild (Youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CWrWnFoR68 )
-She Drives Me Wild (Lyrics -
http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/lyrics/shedrivesmewild.html )
So, while she was driving him wild, he was putting out some very nice songs! lol Thanks, Ms. Lady! Whatever your name is! lol
Didn’t you all notice that MJ was starting to look sexier and sexier from era to era? I mean, don’t get me wrong, he has always been gorgeous, but as I’ve said before, men glow when they are happy with their love lives. Women aren’t the only ones that glow.
Well, although these first two songs were a lot of fun to listen to and probably were a lot of fun for MJ to record, he’s not having fun throughout this entire recording session like the previous ones. Unfortunately, during this recording session, he was experiencing heartbreak as well. *sigh*
We may never know who could have caused him to sing this next song, but he must have really loved her deeply. When a person loves deeply, they can also hurt just as deeply should the relationship end with no forewarning.
Until I heard this next song, I never knew a song could capture so much emotion the way that this one did. MJ’s music is always so beautiful no matter what he’s going through and sometimes, it makes it hard to tell just when or how much he is hurting inside. Because of this, we’re going to listen to him sing this next song two different ways. One is acapella.
The first version is with the video that was made for it. Although some of you may think about going straight to the version where he’s singing acapella, I’m hoping that you won't do that. I’m hoping you will first listen to the version with the video so you can hear how the beautiful music is covering up his pain…somewhat. Then, listen to the other version so you can hear what’s really going on with him.
-Who Is It - w/video (Youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjvoVpOrlbM )
Now, here is the acapella version...
-Who Is It (Youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruVhMi1xZyQ&feature=channel_page )
-Who Is It (Lyrics -
http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/lyrics/whoisit.html )
See, there is a huge difference without the music, isn’t there? I felt you all should hear that. Somehow, he always manages to do something beautiful with something painful. That man right there is the same man that has been bringing joy to so many people for so many years. It’s amazing that he was able to bounce back from not only that, but all the other things that were placed upon him. We can thank God for that. He has really been working wonders in MJ's life lately to help him straighten things out.
Before we move on, I think we should take another look at something that MJ said during an interview many years ago. He said this while sitting at the top of his ferris wheel at Neverland.
"Do you know how much time I spend up here alone, just sitting up here by myself? I have all of this, yet I have...nothing. The things I really want in my life are the things I don't have. The only thing that matters in life is having someone who understands you, who trusts you and who will be with you when you grow old, no matter what."
I bet the hurt that MJ poured into that song has something to do with this quote. It sounds like something that was weighing heavy on his mind.
Now, we’re moving on to this other song. After listening to it, I got a sense that, although MJ was devastated and thinking that his woman had left him for another man, he was still singing about wanting her. Making changes if it would help him to keep her. Thinking he would be a fool if he had to live alone without her. Now, that doesn’t sound like a man that’s behaving like he does not have a desire for women, does it? Of course it doesn’t. Yet, around this same time period, someone was preparing to say he was everything except a man that loves women. Anyway, let’s listening to MJ some more. He seems to be singing about wanting to keep his potential bride and trying to figure out how to not lose her fully.
-Can't Let Her Get Away (Youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1nOYeNAU-0 )
-Can't Let Her Get Away (Lyrics -
http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/lyrics/cantlethergetaway.html )
He sounds just like any other man that is brokenhearted after losing a special woman, doesn’t he? If there are any men reading this, and listening to him sing, I’m sure they can identify with what he is saying. I’m sure they understand how he’s feeling if they have experienced heartbreak before.
While listening to this next song, we will notice that MJ doesn't quite seem like he is ready to let go of this situation. From listening to what he’s saying in the next song that he recorded, his thoughts seem to have switched over to something else that he still wants from her. He misses being intimate with her. He sounds a little stern, but I guess at this point, he’s just tired of what has been happening to him. If there were other women in his life during the “Dangerous” era, it seems like this woman that he was singing about in “Who Is It,” was the main one that he wanted. It sounds like he was hoping to marry her. There’s another song on the “Dangerous” album that kind of makes me think that someone else wanted to be in the spot that this woman was in, but we’ll get to that song in a moment. We should give this next one a listen first.
-Give In To Me (Youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-CcqOe9WWU&feature=channel_page )
-Give In To Me (Lyrics -
http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/lyrics/giveintome.html )
Here we are, years later, listening to MJ in a way that we’ve never really listened to him before, and what are we hearing? We’re hearing that he was very close to making up his mind about which woman he wanted to live the rest of his life with. And because we know about the other things that he has been through since the early ‘90’s, we know that by this time, he was getting closer to going through complete hell, but he didn’t know it yet.
As we listen to this next song, it will sound like there were other women besides the one he was close to making up his mind about. It seems like he refers to them as lover friends. Some were probably closer to him than others, but all probably meant something to him.. After all, he was unmarried for a very long time. He spent many of his years traveling the globe. What man that has a strong desire for women can go years and years and years with no woman at all? Most men can’t and don’t. That includes MJ. Women are often the main subject of what he sings about. True, he does also sing beautiful songs about awareness, but when he isn’t doing that, women are at the center of the majority of his songs.
Now about this next song where he uses the term lover friend in it…Looks like someone was trying to push her way up to the front of the line and MJ had to let her know that wasn’t going to happen if he could avoid it. But, from all the things that are being said in this song, he wasn’t able to resist her. Well, I guess he tried, but some women are really good at using their feminine qualities to get where, what and who they want.
-Dangerous (Youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-DyQ268AFs )
-Dangerous (Lyrics -
http://www.loglar.com/song.php?id=5062 )
From listening to this next song, he seems to be possibly looking back in time to when he first really fell in love. And by the time he gets to the end of this song, he starts to sound like he is a little perturbed. Can anyone blame him? It shouldn’t be hard for anyone to understand why he’s starting to sound this way. He’s been going through the same thing over and over. It hasn’t been easy for him at all.
This next song sounds like it’s starting off with a telephone conversation. The conversation begins in a sweet and calm way, but by the time he gets to the end of it…well…you’ll see…
-Remember The Time (Youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtuP_etKCIo&feature=channel_page )
-Remember The Time (Lyrics -
http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/lyrics/rememberthetime.html )
Sounds like one of those telephone conversations where someone gets hung up on, doesn’t it? I wonder who hung up the phone first? I’m betting it was him. And there probably wasn’t much of a good-bye before it was done. Just *click*
Again, this seems to be an album where MJ was letting off some steam. Our man was really going through a lot during the “Dangerous” era. He never allowed the things that he was going through to get in the way of the quality of his music, but he was clearly hurting while working on it.
We are now nearing the end of the "Dangerous" era as far as the listed love songs go. The one we are about to listen to now shows MJ just sort of saying…well…
I think it’s best to just let you hear him. It’s now like he’s just coming on out with it. He’s saying she doesn’t love him. He probably tried everything to get her back and it just didn’t work. And you know what he does afterwards, he just lets it go as we will see in the very last love song. It’s in the very last song that he opens up about what it is that he really wants. We’ll listen to the one about him trying to accept that the love is no longer there, as far as the person that was on his mind while recording the "Dangerous" album, and then we will listen to him while he's starting to hand his situation over to God.
Here he is letting off a little more steam. Hey, it’s gotta go somewhere, right?
-If You Don't Love Me (Youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdRXnPu1nMY )
-If You Don't Love Me (Lyrics -
http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/lyrics/ifyoudontloveme.html )
Now, on to the sound of a man that is trying to find some peace of mind. He knows what he wants. It didn’t come through the woman that was in his life during the “Dangerous” recording sessions, but it did eventually come down the road. We can look at him and listen to him in the present day and tell.
I’m really looking forward to getting to his music of the present day, but not before going through the love songs for the “HIStory” and “Invincible” recording sessions. Again, he does eventually get back to a place where he’s feeling loved, but until we get to that moment in time, let’s listen to this heartfelt song that he recorded in the early ‘90’s. It shows he hasn’t completely given up on love. He doesn’t want to.
-Someone Put Your Hand Out (Youtube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRt4pYBJsRA )
-Someone Put Your Hand Out (Lyrics -
http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/lyrics/someoneputyourhandout.html )
So, this is it for now. I will go swimming in the MJ ocean again and then I will post Part IV.