Is There Complete Version of In The Back?

SmoothCriminal1995

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:praying Please let there be a vocally complete version of this song

The song is one of the best unreleased songs I've heard, in terms of emotion, impact and potential.
It's musically complete and the soundscape is one of the most rich from the HIStory era, the instrumental break is divine.
This had potential to be a stand out track in an extraordinary album, sonically it parallels Stranger In Moscow for putting you in Michael's shoes.
The melody is so memorable I find myself humming constantly after one listen.
I really hope Michael added more vocally to this track. The vocals which are here are nice, I like his use of low register whispers and the way he bites into the words really hit you, the vocal delivery reminds me a lot of This Time Around.

I adore the lyrics, "You've got two hands on the Bible, and they still think you're a liar".
Those words really give a painful glimpse into Michael's inner most thoughts of that horrific period in his life.

I heard rumours there is a more complete version (which was up for consideration for Blood On The Dance Floor)
Does any know any more? Plus what do you think of the song?
 
As far as I recall Buxer's comments, there are versions with different instrumental arrangements, some possibly richer than what was released, but vocal-wise the UC version represents the length the song went.
 
In the Back was up for consideration for BOTDF, but because it required so much work (i.e., writing the lyrics and re-recording the vocals completely), they dropped it rather quickly. Same with the Bryan Loren collab Seven Digits.
 
I always thought it evolved into 'tabloid junkie' based on the verses..
 
I've always been curious to see if anything more ever became of this track. Thanks for the info guys
 
The song in the back is not finished, Michael didn't finished the song and replace by Morphine in 1997
 
Im pretty sure if he did it would've been on t.u.c... why use a unfinished version to release instead of a fully vocal version ya kno

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Too bad he did not came back to finish it.

Though I am not a big fan of the song - in the state we have it.
 
Im pretty sure if he did it would've been on t.u.c... why use a unfinished version to release instead of a fully vocal version ya kno

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Maybe Michael worked on the song after it was released on TUC? I remember a list was found in MJ's house after he died with names of songs he wanted to finish and at least one of them was previously released on TUC. I forgot which track it was.
 
I’m so diggin this track. It’s a typical Michael Jackson production. I just love it. One of his best works after invincible we’ve got.
 
The track is so lush and warm, the chords are so rich and the vocal delivery is so haunting and on point. like Smoothcriminal1995 said the landscape is so beautiful, it's like it whisks you away right at the opening of the song. I think this is my favorite song post invincible. . This one and maybe Cheater
 
Maybe Michael worked on the song after it was released on TUC? I remember a list was found in MJ's house after he died with names of songs he wanted to finish and at least one of them was previously released on TUC. I forgot which track it was.

I think he wanted to finish Beautiful Girl - but maybe more? MJ often went back to demos and earlier songs from previous recording sessions when he worked on a new album.
 
IMWhizzle;4210754 said:
I’m so diggin this track. It’s a typical Michael Jackson production. I just love it. One of his best works after invincible we’ve got.
Totally agree. Typical Michael Jackson on the one hand, but at the same time it feels fresh and like he's exploring new territory. It really is a shame that it was never completed.
 
I think he wanted to finish Beautiful Girl - but maybe more? MJ often went back to demos and earlier songs from previous recording sessions when he worked on a new album.

Beautiful Girl, Scared Of The Moon and The Way You Love Me are some songs that was on the list
 
SoCav;4210825 said:
Totally agree. Typical Michael Jackson on the one hand, but at the same time it feels fresh and like he's exploring new territory. It really is a shame that it was never completed.

I’m listening to it now on my way to work. Man, what a production. So much complexity and detail in sound. Also the way he uses his voice is cool. If you listen closely you can hear a full orchestra in the background.

Also the sound is fresh and far better than stuff on the radio right now. When I first heard the track I wished that Invincible would be an album with this sound. It’s innovating and complex. At the same time highly enjoyable.
 
IMWhizzle;4210844 said:
I’m listening to it now on my way to work. Man, what a production. So much complexity and detail in sound. Also the way he uses his voice is cool. If you listen closely you can hear a full orchestra in the background.

Also the sound is fresh and far better than stuff on the radio right now. When I first heard the track I wished that Invincible would be an album with this sound. It’s innovating and complex. At the same time highly enjoyable.

Yes, exactly! It's one of his more innovative and complex tracks and exactly the kind of sound I would have loved to have see him pursue after BOTDF. It's still got the typical MJ thing of pretty sparse and hard-hitting verses followed by very densely layered strings/orchestral elements during the chorus. But instead of the more operatic elements he included on BOTDF, this has more of a dark jazzy vibe (due to that section between chorus and verse). The songwriting is pretty unorthodox too (for instance, there's not really a proper chorus). Classic Michael Jackson, but a fresh take on it.

Totally agree about the use of his voice. Not just for the beat, which sounds great, but especially for the way they sampled his voice to make that cascading "whooo" sound that comes in after every "stab me in the back" (which plays alongside that harp and flute).

I'm still holding out hope that there's more material like this in the vault.
 
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I love that everyone is feeling this song as much as me.

The production is so complex and innovative yet it still sounds like an MJ song.
The way he really bites into the vocals is another great aspect to this demo. When he says why you wanna fix me, and he bites into the word fix, to convey just how much the thought of them wanting to change him is.

Another question I have is, I wonder if Michael knew what demos Sony released on TUC? Or what version of each song was released?
I say this because he wanted specifically to go back to these songs.
Also I don't think MJ was as hands on post HIStory with the track listing (take the get music interview in 2001, when he doesn't know how many songs are on the album)
 
I listen to the songs right now. - It is kinda funky

Nice beat. - his voice is hoarse or something (intentionally of course) - fits the song and sounds great.

Would be nice if there was a finished vocal version.
 
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