So it starts. From beat 1, bass drum, but not just any bass drum, that bass drum (filled to the brim with all sorts of modifications) belongs to Billie Jean, beat 2, we have an even more iconic snare drum, production perfection, and so genius as to have faith in the simplest beat around. By beat 3 we now know the beat, minus a few basic but incredibly tastefull fills later in the record. The beat is so simple, but so intriguing, begging for more. The high hat gently taps the quavers, but mixed to a level so quiet it's disguised by the bass and snare, but simply adding to that sonic perfection that Billie Jean masters like no other. After bar 1 most people already know what this record is, and if you're a hardcore MJ fan, you know by beat 1, yes that's just 0.5 seconds into the track. After just 2 bars, the composition reaches another level as the bass enters. Played on the yamaha bass by Louis Johnson the line moves in quavers in the key of F#minor, the notes rise and fall, giving a true feeling of circularity and looping. It also hits the F# on the first and fourth quaver of the bar, creating a sycopated feel. Everytime it does this a synth bass doubles the note to emphasize that rhythm, no doubt subconciously affecting a new listener to the track allowing the synth chords later on to take the listener to the next level, as sneakily, they have already been introduced to that rhythm without possibly being aware of it through the emphasis on the F#'s in the bassline. After 12 seconds a shaker is added to the groove, to spice up the flavour and to give a sense of building, this will bring out the dancer inside you and the quaver motion in the shaker and high hat further strenghtens the movement in the bassline. After 10 bars, the chords enter played on the synth. These are F#min, G#min and Amajor, all three played in 1st inversion. They are hit on the first and fourth quavers of the bar, something you will notice is on these same beats F# is played in the bass, and this movement creates a harmonically interesting features of the whole intro being dragged backwards by the note F#. This restrain is cleaver and will also create dark tension around the dance groove, as most other dance tracks do not do this, this may be a reason Billie Jean creates a feeling like no other. At 29 seconds (after 14 bars) the voice of Michael Jackson enters it's own groove, it's important to note that whilst Michael's voice in came in after 14 bars, Michael Jackson entered the track from beat 1. From this point onwards, history is made, no more needs to be said. The intro lasts throughout the whole song, as more layers are added and added, this is to keep that energy going, and to stop the groove drying up. I could write an essay for hours on this song, it is incredibly cleaver, and a testament to all the work Michael put into this career.
