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Rating: Could my reviewing career lack an album like Thriller? Like the best Marzullo, I give myself a straightforward answer: NO! As the great RingoStarFish said, Thriller is an album that's easier to take for granted than to face head-on. Simply because it's such a rare musical phenomenon with no precedent (except for the legendary Sergeant Pepper Lovely, etc. etc., which by the way recently turned 40 or 50 years old. Congratulations to the Beatles). Now, let's say that everything has already been said about Thriller on DeBaser; initially, RingoStarFish put up the first track, delivering the most beautiful and complete review I have ever read. Tommythebest then added some more insights, confirming an excellent debut. So, reviews on this album are abundant, but it's always a pleasure for a reviewer to talk about and give their interpretation of an album.
It's said that Michael Jackson had a dream as a child: to create the best-selling album of all time. Perhaps it's his willpower and experience that would lead him to produce the most beautiful, best-selling, and most awarded album ever. He introduced the concept of a music video as we understand it today. That is, a true promotional film. However, the budget was greatly exceeded. So, to recover the expenses, "The Making of Thriller" was made, showcasing the tricks used to create it, the behind-the-scenes, and comments from the protagonists. Of course, it was a tremendous success also because Mike was, in my opinion, at his peak, meaning cool and level-headed as opposed to those who say that his best moment was the "Dangerous Era," but those are just personal opinions and conjectures. Anyway, if along with the superstar status, you add 9 beautiful tracks that deserve to be injected into the heritage of anyone who has turned on a radio in the last 25 years, then you can surely think that this is not a rare phenomenon, but a unique one. If we consider that it has recently entered the Guinness World Records as the best-selling and most awarded album globally... well, do the math.
The other two videos shot for the other songs were more "normal," but not without originality. Michael's famous walk on tiles that light up with each step in the "Billie Jean" video can easily be compared to scenes from the most famous films like John Travolta's dance in "Saturday Night Fever" or the phrase "You're all a bunch of assholes" uttered by Al Pacino in the movie "Scarface" or even Rocky Balboa's shout "ADRIANAAAAAAA" in the first film...
Thriller contains 9 songs, all of great success. Let's examine them:
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" is an excellent opening for the album due to its slow-paced yet lively and sustained dance-afro-funk rhythm that seems to invite you to dance;
"Baby Be Mine" represents the "Rock With You" of the '80s due to that hot and sensual voice that makes every woman it encounters fall in love and/or excite;
Remember when, in the review of Off The Wall, I talked about a little help from other artists? Obviously, I was talking about "The Girl Is Mine", the excellent duet between MJ and Paul McCartney which indeed "threw" a handful of stars on the aforementioned Mike. But the heavyweights are yet to come...
OK, we've enjoyed a great appetizer, but how about moving on to the main courses? What can be said of "Thriller"? The perfect balance between Pop\R&B\Dance\Rock, the song that, as I already said, revolutionized the way of making videos for its horror and magical style. The cherry on top, the final rap by Vincent Price that chills the blood and makes "Thriller" (perhaps) the first song to feature a guest star. And then, let's be honest, could an album be called "Billie Jean"?
Another song, another genre. Here we almost switch to Rock, and at first listening, it seems so. But let's not be fooled. Here, the rock is tied to pop finesse to appear almost indistinguishable. It requires a certain talent to do such a thing (here Quincy more skilled than Michael). Hence, another pearl. Have you counted them? I have. We're at 5.
We reach "Billie Jean". Legend has it that during the tour with his brothers, Michael met a girl, probably crazy (or maybe not) who claimed MJ was the father of her twins (we don't know Mike's nightlife, so one might think he has a wild fun side at night). The strange thing was that each girl would do the same with the other Jacksons members. The fact remains that Mike came up with an anthology song that topped every global chart and was destined to become one of the most representative songs of the freaky '80s. Today, who doesn't know "Billie Jean"? And that's 6...
We land on "Human Nature", the journey into the human mind and its questions, explained in exquisite fashion with excellent lyrics and accompanied by splendid music. Another masterpiece. We're at 7.
"P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" which, at least from the title, does not appear promising (sounds like the title of a police district), actually proves to be a great R&B song, the highly desired girl reduced to a simple acronym. Highlighting the presence of Michael's sisters, LaToya and Janet, in the chorus. We're nearing the end, meanwhile, 8.
The album concludes beautifully with the relaxing "The Lady In My Life", one of Michael's most beautiful love songs, infinite class, perfect to conclude an album like Thriller. Another underestimated gem. We're at 9.
As you can see, nothing is wasted from Thriller. Even the less famous songs like "Baby Be Mine" or "The Lady In My Life" are and probably will remain in the history of music. Thriller is, therefore, one of the most representative albums of the '80s and one of the most beautiful in history, aside from holding the title of the best-selling album... but you probably already know that.
P.S. = don't miss the special edition which, besides unreleased songs, includes interviews and the "Billie Jean" demo, something to comprehend how the myth was born and evolved.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (06:02)
Chorus
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
1St Verse
I took my baby to the doctor
With a fever, but nothing he found
By the time this hit the street
They said she had a breakdown
Someone's always tryin' to start my baby cryin'
Talkin', squealin', lyin'
Sayin' you just wanna be startin' somethin'
Chorus
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
2Nd Verse
You love to pretend that you're good
When you're always up to no good
You really can't make him hate her
So your tongue became a razor
Someone's always tryin' to keep my baby cryin'
Treacherous, cunnin', declinin'
You got my baby cryin'
Chorus
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
You're a vegetable, you're a vegetable
Still they hate you, you're a vegetable
You're just a buffet, you're a vegetable
They eat off of you, you're a vegetable
3Rd Verse
Billie Jean is always talkin'
When nobody else is talkin'
Tellin' lies and rubbin' shoulders
So they called her mouth a motor
Someone's always tryin' to start my baby cryin'
Talkin', squealin', spyin'
Sayin' you just wanna be startin' somethin'
Chorus
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
You're a vegetable, you're a vegetable
Still they hate you, you're a vegetable
You're just a buffet, you're a vegetable
They eat off of you, you're a vegetable
Ad-lib
If you cant feed your baby (yeah, yeah)
Then don't have a baby (yeah, yeah)
And don't think maybe (yeah, yeah)
If you can't feed your baby (yeah, yeah)
You'll be always tryin'
To stop that child from cryin'
Hustlin', stealin', lyin'
Now baby's slowly dyin'
Chorus
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
Ad-lib
Lift your head up high
And scream out to the world
I know I am someone
And let the truth unfurl
No one can hurt you now
Because you know what's true
Yes, I believe in me
So you believe in you
Help me sing it, ma ma se
Ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa
Ma ma coo sa
(Repeat/fade-out)
04 Thriller (05:57)
It's close to midnight
And something evil's lurkin' in the dark
Under the moonlight
You see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream
But terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze
As horror looks you right between the eyes
You're paralyzed
'Cause this is thriller
Thriller night
And no one's gonna save you
From the beast about to strike
You know it's thriller
Thriller night
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer
Thriller tonight, yeah
You hear the door slam
And realize there's nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand
And wonder if you'll ever see the sun
You close your eyes
And hope that this is just imagination
Girl, but all the while
You hear a creature creepin' up behind
You're outta time
'Cause this is thriller
Thriller night
There ain't no second chance
Against the thing with the forty eyes, girl
(Thriller)
(Thriller night)
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer
Thriller tonight
Night creatures call
And the dead start to walk in their masquerade
There's no escaping the jaws of the alien this time
(They're open wide)
This is the end of your life
They're out to get you
There's demons closing in on every side
They will possess you
Unless you change that number on your dial
Now is the time
For you and I to cuddle close together, yeah
All through the night
I'll save you from the terror on the screen
I'll make you see
That this is thriller
Thriller night
'Cause I can thrill you more
Than any ghost would ever dare try
(Thriller)
(Thriller night)
So let me hold you tight
And share a
(killer, diller, chiller)
(Thriller here tonight)
'Cause this is thriller
Thriller night
Girl, I can thrill you more
Than any ghost would ever dare try
(Thriller)
(Thriller night)
So let me hold you tight
And share a
(killer, thriller)
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
[Rap]
Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize y'awl's neighborhood
And whosoever shall be found
Without the soul for getting down
Must stand and face the hounds of hell
And rot inside a corpse's shell
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
(Thriller, thriller)
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
(Thriller night, thriller))
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
Ooh, babe, I'm gonna thrill you tonight
Thriller night, babe
[Rap]
The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grizzly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
for no mortal can resist
the evil of the thriller
05 Beat It (04:18)
They told him don't you ever come around here
Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear
The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear
So beat it, just beat it
You better run, you better do what you can
Don't wanna see no blood, don't be a macho man (Uh)
You wanna be tough, better do what you can
So beat it, but you wanna be bad
Just beat it, (beat it), beat it, (beat it)
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong it's your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Uh!
They're out to get you, better leave while you can
Don't wanna be a boy, you wanna be a man
You wanna stay alive, better do what you can
So beat it, just beat it (Uh)
You have to show them that you're really not scared (Uuh)
You're playin' with your life, this ain't no truth or dare (Uh!)
They'll kick you, then they beat you,
Then they'll tell you it's fair
So beat it, but you wanna be bad
Just beat it, (beat it), beat it, (beat it)
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong it's your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Chorus
Just beat it, (beat it), beat it, (beat it)
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong it's your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it (x 12)
(Guitar solo)
Beat it, (beat it), beat it, (beat it)
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong it's your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
(Oooh, right!)
(wooohooo)
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated (Oh, lord)
Showin' how funky (Eeh, eeh) strong it's your fight (Eeh, eeh)
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, (beat it), beat it, (beat it), beat it
No one wants to be defeated (Oh, no)
Showin' how funky (Eeh, eeh)strong it's your fight(Eeh, eeh)
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, (beat it), beat it, (beat it)
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong it's your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right (Who’s wrong)
Just beat it, (beat it) (Wooohooo)
Beat it, beat it, beat it
06 Billie Jean (04:54)
She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene
I said don't mind, but what do you mean I am the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round
She said I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the round
She told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a scene
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round
People always told me,
"Be careful of what you do,
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts."
And mother always told me,
"Be careful of who you love
And be careful of what you do 'cause the lie becomes the truth."
Now Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one
But the kid is not my son
No, no.
For forty days and for forty nights
The law was on her side
But who can stand when she's in demand
Her schemes and plans
'Cause we danced on the floor in the round
So take my strong advice, just remember to always think twice
(Do think twice)
She told my baby we'd danced till three, then she looked at me
Then showed a photo my baby cried his eyes were like mine (oh, no!)
'Cause we danced on the floor in the round, baby
People always told me,
"Be careful of what you do,
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts."
(don't break no hearts!)
But she came and stood right by me
Then the smell of sweet perfume
This happened much too soon
She called me to her room
Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son (No, no)
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son
Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one (ad lib)
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son
She says I am the one
She says He is my son
She says I am the one
Billie Jean is not my lover...
07 Human Nature (04:06)
Written & Composed by Steve Porcaro & John Bettis
Looking out
Across the night-time
The city winks a sleepless eye
Hear her voice
Shake my window
Sweet seducing sighs
Get me out
Into the night-time
Four walls won't hold me tonight
If this town
Is just an apple
Then let me take a bite
Chorus
If they say -
Why, why, tell 'em that is human nature
Why, why, does he do me that way
If they say -
Why, why, tell 'em that is human nature
Why, why, does he do me that way
Reaching out
To touch a stranger
Electric eyes are ev'rywhere
See that girl
She knows I'm watching
She likes the way I stare
Chorus
If they say -
Why, why, tell 'em that is human nature
Why, why, does he do me that way
If they say -
Why, why, tell 'em that is human nature
Why, why, does he do me that way
I like livin' this way
I like lovin' this way
(Instrumental section)
Looking out
Across the morning
The city's heart begins to beat
Reaching out
I touch her shoulder
I'm dreaming of the street
Chorus
If they say -
Why, why, tell 'em that is human nature
Why, why, does he do me that way
If they say -
Why, why, tell 'em that is human nature
Why, why, does he do me that way
I like livin' this way
(Repeat Chorus - Ad-lib/fade-out)
08 P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (03:59)
Where did you come from lady
And ooh won't you take me there
Right away won't you baby
Tendoroni you've got to be
Spark my nature
Sugar fly with me
Don't you know now
Is the perfect time
We can make it right
Hit the city lights
Then tonight ease the lovin' pain
Let me take you to the max
I want to love you (P. Y. T.)
Pretty Young Thing
You need some lovin' (T. L. C.)
Tender lovin' care
And I'll take you there
I want to love you (P. Y. T.)
Pretty Young Thing
You need some lovin' (T. L. C.)
Tender lovin' care
And I'll shake you there
Anywhere you wanna go
Nothin' can stop this burnin'
Desire to be with you
Gotta get to you baby
Won't you come, it's emergency
Cool my fire yearnin'
Honey, come set me free
Don't you know now is the perfect time
We can dim the lights
Just to make it right
In the night
Hit the lovin' spot
I'll give you all that I've got
I want to love you (P. Y. T.)
Pretty Young Thing
You need some lovin' (T. L. C.)
Tender lovin' care
And I'll take you there
I want to love you (P. Y. T.)
Pretty Young Thing
You need some lovin' (T. L. C.)
Tender lovin' care
I'll take you there
Breakdown
Pretty young things, repeat after me
(Michael) Sing na na na
(P. Y. T.'s) na na na
(Michael) na na na na
(P. Y. T.'s) na na na na
(Michael) Sing na na na
(P. Y. T.'s) na na na
(Michael) na na na na na
(P. Y. T.'s) na na na na na
(Michael) I'll take you there
I want to love you (P. Y. T.)
Pretty Young Thing
You need some lovin' (T. L. C.)
Tender lovin' care
And I'll take you there
I want to love you (P. Y. T.)
Pretty Young Thing
You need some lovin' (T. L. C.)
Tender lovin' care
I'll take you there
I want to love you (P. Y. T.)
Pretty Young Thing
You need some lovin' (T. L. C.)
Tender lovin' care
And I'll take you there
I want to love you (P. Y. T.)
Pretty Young Thing
You need some lovin' (T. L. C.)
Tender lovin' care
I'll take you there
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Other reviews
By RingoStarfish
‘Thriller’ is a masterpiece of musical construction, a Nietzschean will to power in wanting to become the number one.
The Thriller project encapsulates in itself any strategy feasible to make one’s music a universal language, comprehensible to all.
By tommithebest
"Thriller, Michael Jackson's masterpiece album... is undoubtedly something unimaginable, an incredible album in its completeness and variety."
"Billie Jean... the true dragging pearl of 'Thriller', perhaps the greatest success of all time for Michael Jackson, a real gem."
By lucumine74
The answer to all these questions is just one, Thriller.
Billie Jean... alone it is worth the price of the record, the iconic track of the 80s, I bow to such greatness.
By andrew1992
"Thriller is indeed universal. It bridges the two cultures, offering if not a 'new' genre, a refined and complete pop."
"'Billie Jean' is one of those songs that will be remembered as long as music exists. Immortal."
By jif09
Thriller is still the best-selling album of all time, with approximately 110 million copies sold.
A truly unique album that will always remain a true benchmark for any contemporary pop work.
