I'd imagine that they needed some filler for the short film, so instead of just an instrumental part or repeating the chorus, they asked him to do some more lines for the song.
So there's a video on youtube titled Making of Moonwalker, Frank DiLeo says they were filming Moonwalker at the same time they were still finishing up the Recording of Bad, so I don't think Michael had to go back to the studio to record the extra line, I think the Moonwalker version of the second verse IS the original version and the line was cut for the album release for some reason.
The other reason that makes me believe the Moonwalker version is the original is that in the album version; the second verse actually is shorter than the first verse, by two lines, but the Moonwalker version is balanced:
First verse:
Line 1: As he came into the window, it was the sound of a crescendo
Line 2: He came into her apartment, he left the bloodstains on the carpet
Line 3: She ran underneath the table, he could see she was unable
Line 4: So she ran into the bedroom, she was struck down, it was her doom
Second Verse:
Line 1: So they came into the outway, it was Sunday, what a black day
Line 2:
Every time I tried to find him, he's leaving no clues left behind him
Line 3:
And he had no way of knowing of the suspect or what to expect
Line 4: Mouth to mouth resuscitation, sounding heartbeats, intimidations
The Bad album version misses the second and third lines from the second verse and makes it feel unbalanced.
I ripped the audio from the DVD because the video version is my preferred version of the track. Breakdown and all. I like the instrumental part too when he does the lean.
Several people did that, I don't like any of the ripped versions, audio wise they always sound shitty, that's why I'm wondering why, with all the reissues of Bad and the collections, why haven't they given us a decent studio recording of the original version.
Could it have been edited for time on the LP?
See I thought about the "edited for time" theory, it's the most likely scenario, but what a poor decision! I mean I know Quincy Jones didn't like Smooth Criminal but Michael had to have known that it was the centerpiece of the album, arguably the best song on the album IMO, unless Quincy really influenced him in thinking the song wasn't so unique, which would explain why it wasn't one of the first singles released, it was actually the seventh when I think it should have been the first or second.
But even then, edit a verse short of a line to save time?! instead of, say, trim the chorus at the end! Or trim some of that IJCSLY's boredom! Such a poor choice IMO.
On Bad 25 documentary they said Michael wanted the album to be called Smooth Criminal initially, so Michael had a lot of recognition for the strength of the song for sure.
The only living people who can tell us why these lines were cut are QJ and that engineer, I forgot his name and as far as I know they have never been asked or addressed the subject. Basically because fans don't conduct interviews, just reporters with weak research.
Didn't Michael sing those Moonwalker lines - at least in part - when he sang it at MSG in '88?
I actually didn't know that, thanks for telling me! I looked it up and yeah he did, in part like you said, only found it in audio though, no video footage. I think it actually further proves that the cut lines were in the original version, not just added for Moonwalker.
Wasn't an entire verse of Bad cut for time? (I've never heard it)
I'm sure we discussed the Moonwalker lyrics before on here...
I never heard of that Bad verse you're talking about, but that sounds interesting.
I searched on the forums and I couldn't find a topic about it.
I'm surprised that the extra Moonwalker lyrics weren't added into the CD version of the album. I can understand them being cut from the Cassette version, because they needed more space.
Also in later CD versions the spoken intro for IJCSLY was cut, so the extra Moonwalker lyrics for SC could have been added instead.
I agree, it's quiet a mystery, an annoying one haha
I prefer the video version with those extra lines in the second verse. The album version seems very repetitive.
The song itself is repetitive, filled with the same question time and again.
I don't view Smooth Criminal as repetitive, lyrically maybe but melodically it's very intriguing. It's actually artistically brilliant IMO how Michael sang the chorus and how many variation he applied to the same line, "Annie are you okay?". I think saying Smooth Criminal is repetitive is like saying Pink Floyd's The Great Gig in The Sky or Set The Control ForThe Heart of The Sun is repetitive.
