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Heartbreak Hotel appreciation

Mister_Jay_Tee said:
It's very close. Top 3 easily. Not many others. Shake Your Body, and Show You The Way To Go maybe.
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On your list, maybe. On mine, Shake Your Body goes toward the bottom.

Edit: “Not many others”??
 
My top 10 Jacksons songs because I like top 10s 😜

1) Shake your body (it is one of my top 10 fave songs all together, especially the long ass album cut)
2) Be Not Always ( I have a hard time crediting this as a group effort though)
3) Show You The Way To Go ( groovy, laid back, feel good)
4) Push Me Away (a very warm song, top production, love the strings so hard, this relates very hard after @zinniabooklover did the same to me)
5) Time Waits For No One (just waiting to be discovered, Michael sounds so fresh here, the outro is just brilliant vocally)
6) Find Me A Girl (classic vocals, the Gamble & Huff stuff is just really cool soul music, very romantic)
7) Living Together (cool light disco tune with a universal positive message)
8) Strength of one man ( superb chorus, a true group effort, Michael later found out how strong one man could be)
9) Bless his soul ( freaking awesome bridge, seems personal lyrics wise, love the tempo changes, musically great)
10) That‘s what you get for being polite (seems lyrically connected to bless his soul to me, what instrument is that musical interlude? love that sound!)

This was a very hard top 10, I feel bad for leaving out your ways, everybody, man of war and others)

Edit: after listening to some tracks I feel Mike’s voice was at its most beautiful around 1977/1978 especially on the ballads, I think it is no secret by now that I like his voice best from 1977 to 1985 in general, I wish I could explain what it is but it sounds so pure and warm and clear)
 
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I think the live performances of Heartbreak Hotel really elevates the song to a new level.

My favourites are probably can you feel it, dreamer, time waits for no one, that's what you get for being polite, torture, destiny, show you the way to go, good times.

Shake your body is great live too.
 
filmandmusic said:
My top 10 Jacksons songs because I like top 10s 😜

1) Shake your body (it is one of my top 10 fave songs all together, especially the long ass album cut)
2) Be Not Always ( I have a hard time crediting this as a group effort though)
3) Show You The Way To Go ( groovy, laid back, feel good)
4) Push Me Away (a very warm song, top production, love the strings so hard, this relates very hard after @zinniabooklover did the same to me)
5) Time Waits For No One (just waiting to be discovered, Michael sounds so fresh here, the outro is just brilliant vocally)
6) Find Me A Girl (classic vocals, the Gamble & Huff stuff is just really cool soul music, very romantic)
7) Living Together (cool light disco tune with a universal positive message)
8) Strength of one man ( superb chorus, a true group effort, Michael later found out how strong one man could be)
9) Bless his soul ( freaking awesome bridge, seems personal lyrics wise, love the tempo changes, musically great)
10) That‘s what you get for being polite (seems lyrically connected to bless his soul to me, what instrument is that musical interlude? love that sound!)

This was a very hard top 10, I feel bad for leaving out your ways, everybody, man of war and others)

Edit: after listening to some tracks I feel Mike’s voice was at its most beautiful around 1977/1978 especially on the ballads, I think it is no secret by now that I like his voice best from 1977 to 1985 in general, I wish I could explain what it is but it sounds so pure and warm and clear)
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His voice was defo more pure and clear around this period, a lot less trademark grunting and the strain on some of his more aggressive sounding songs.

I think vocally Off the wall is his best album, such smooth classic rnb singing from MJ.

I can't help it vocals are off the charts!!
 
BuffaloBill87 said:
His voice was defo more pure and clear around this period, a lot less trademark grunting and the strain on some of his more aggressive sounding songs.

I think vocally Off the wall is his best album, such smooth classic rnb singing from MJ.

I can't help it vocals are off the charts!!
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It's like MJ made himself into James Brown. He never ever had grit but he literally just created it for himself. Thriller, the song, is like the bridge and link to the entire rest of his discography and style of voice, for better or for worse.
 
filmandmusic said:
That’s cool to know.
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Tito has been on Questlove's show twice. The first time was by himself (which is where he made the Johnny comment), and the 2nd was with Jackie & Marlon. But Tito didn't say much on the group interview. Qwest even got Randy do an episode, which I was surprised about since Randy seems to stay out of the spotlight. Also I doubt anybody else would be interested in interviewing him.
 
filmandmusic said:
4) Push Me Away (a very warm song, top production, love the strings so hard, this relates very hard after @zinniabooklover did the same to me)
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Man, you just dissed me on the other thread. No wonder we had to get the lawyers in, lol. :ROFLMAO:

filmandmusic said:
5) Time Waits For No One (just waiting to be discovered, Michael sounds so fresh here, the outro is just brilliant vocally)
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Those harmonies. So beautiful. They can carry me through an entire day.

filmandmusic said:
6) Find Me A Girl (classic vocals, the Gamble & Huff stuff is just really cool soul music, very romantic)
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G&H are the business! Find Me A Girl is off-the-chart awesome!

filmandmusic said:
9) Bless his soul ( freaking awesome bridge, seems personal lyrics wise, love the tempo changes, musically great)
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Heart-breaking. Wonderful lyrics but so heart-breaking.
 
Speaking of vocals , is it just me or does MJ's voice sound better and more mature on Off the wall compared to Triumph?

Hard to believe that Triumph came after Off the wall - I often forget this.
 
BuffaloBill87 said:
Speaking of vocals , is it just me or does MJ's voice sound better and more mature on Off the wall compared to Triumph?

Hard to believe that Triumph came after Off the wall - I often forget this.
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Maybe this is due to how each album were engineered. Wish Bruce Swedien had worked with The Jacksons on the Triumph album.
 
I think the song can be looked at as a prototype to ‘billie jean’ (in terms of lyrics) and ‘thriller’ (in terms of cinematic feel). it’s the perfect bridge for understanding michael’s transition as a songwriter between the ‘off the wall’ & ‘thriller’ albums.
 
I remember an interview in which MJ was talking very proudly of Heartbreak Hotel and claiming it was the first song to have sound effects in it..? Although I don't think that is true, it sure is one of the first to do that and so in a way a predecessor to Thriller!

I also wonder if Goldie's track 'Mother' was inspired by the intro of HH; the melody sounds so similar imo
 
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Victorious said:
I remember an interview in which MJ was talking very proudly of Heartbreak Hotel and claiming it was the first song to have sound effects in it..?
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Not sure what Michael was getting at but that def is not true. Not even close. I've got at least four songs from the 1960's in my head right now that have various sound effects on them. Plus at least another 3 or 4 from the 1970's. I'm sure I could find more if I Googled this.

I don't think I've come across this interview. I wonder what he was getting at, exactly. It would be interesting to know. Maybe he was making a very specific point. 🤔

Victorious said:
Although I don't think that is true [...]
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It definitely isn't. I love Michael but I'm ... confused by his claim. I'll leave it at that. :)
 
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zinniabooklover said:
Not sure what Michael was getting at but that def is not true. Not even close. I've got at least four songs from the 1960's in my head right now that have various sound effects on them. Plus at least another 3 or 4 from the 1970's. I'm sure I could find more if I Googled this.

I don't think I've come across this interview. I wonder what he was getting at, exactly. It would be interesting to know. Maybe he was making a very specific point. 🤔


It definitely isn't. I love Michael but I'm ... confused by his claim. I'll leave it at that. :)
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I'm going to try to find it, maybe the George Harrison interview
 
Victorious said:
I found it! He didn't literally claimed to be the first to use sound effects but also kinda does, I guess..? Either way he did say it was an inspiration for Thriller (at 12:35):
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Hm, OK. I think the conversation's has just gone a bit wonky. I do like this interview but this little bit isn't her best work across the 30 mins. She uses the word 'prototype' which is a bit misleading but I don't think it's intentional. Michael was a big fan of The Beatles so I'm sure he knew songs like Good Morning Good Morning, Yellow Submarine, Come Together (obvs!). He also loved Freddie Mercury so he must have known about Queen's Bicycle Race.

I agree with you that Michael talks about HH with pride, as he should. Fab song, great use of sound effects which all add to the atmosphere. I think he sounds a bit bashful, as well, as he so often does. :)
 
zinniabooklover said:
Hm, OK. I think the conversation's has just gone a bit wonky. I do like this interview but this little bit isn't her best work across the 30 mins. She uses the word 'prototype' which is a bit misleading but I don't think it's intentional. Michael was a big fan of The Beatles so I'm sure he knew songs like Good Morning Good Morning, Yellow Submarine, Come Together (obvs!). He also loved Freddie Mercury so he must have known about Queen's Bicycle Race.

I agree with you that Michael talks about HH with pride, as he should. Fab song, great use of sound effects which all add to the atmosphere. I think he sounds a bit bashful, as well, as he so often does. :)
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Yeah I agree, I think they sort of talk past each other. He must know about the other the songs with sound effects, maybe he is talking about the drama of HH

It's a great interview btw, hearing Michael explain and debunk stuff is so refreshing. Tbh I believe a documentary/podcast just consisting of interview bits would be stronger than a regular or rebuttal documentary to clear his image..
 
Victorious said:
Yeah I agree, I think they sort of talk past each other.
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Absolutely. That is absolutely what happened and she didn't really have enough time to kind of haul it back and reset. She knew she only had so much time for the interview and she had to just keep going. And it's fine, it's actually one of my top fave Michael interviews. He speaks so freely, sounds so relaxed, has a lot to say, is delightfully bashful but is also happy to acknowledge the quality of his work. Just so much to love about this one. It captures a moment in Michael's life and does it beautifully.

Victorious said:
He must know about the other the songs with sound effects,
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He totally would. I could reel off a whole list of 60's and 70's songs with sound effects that he would know about. Even the British songs.

Victorious said:
maybe he is talking about the drama of HH
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This is what I was trying to get at. I think he's probably referring to how the sound effects add to the drama and sort of tell the story alongside the lyrics. Bc some sound effects are used like that whereas others are just dropped in as a sort of extra 'add-on' with no special meaning. I think HH very much has an actual soundscape although, again, I would say it wasn't the first song to do that.

Victorious said:
It's a great interview btw, hearing Michael explain and debunk stuff is so refreshing.
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oh, I've listened to this one several times. It's so nice to hear him sounding so unguarded. This interview is just delightful. I love it so much.

Victorious said:
Tbh I believe a documentary/podcast just consisting of interview bits
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You just described one of my top fave fantasies, lol.

Victorious said:
would be stronger than a regular or rebuttal documentary to clear his image..
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This I'm not so sure about but I can see the potential. I get your point. Interesting idea.
 
zinniabooklover said:
You just described one of my top fave fantasies, lol.


This I'm not so sure about but I can see the potential. I get your point. Interesting idea.
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Yes and not only because it's refreshing to hear him explain things himself (instead of a fan, narrator or journalist etc.) but when you line up all his interviews your can truly experience how much consistincy there was in his beliefs and that they all (from the earliest interviews to the last) boil down to the same values and messages!
 
Victorious said:
Yes and not only because it's refreshing to hear him explain things himself (instead of a fan, narrator or journalist etc.) but when you line up all his interviews your can truly experience how much consistincy there was in his beliefs and that they all (from the earliest interviews to the last) boil down to the same values and messages!
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That is a really good point.
 
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BTW version of this song is so dope. I wish Michael had re-recorded HH during Bad sessions & released it in some way - either as a b-side or as a bonus on the cd version of the album.
 
Yeah. And i always say it is Heartbreak Hotel too. Really gets my goat when it is put as this place...Anyway , these lyrics ..
some of the best from M i think ... The way he constructs each word. IDK Just the placement of each word and the bounce in his voice excites me.

Live in sin
Ten years ago on this day, my heart was yearning
I promised I would never ever be returning
Where my baby broke my heart and left me yearning

As we walked into the room, there were faces
Staring, glaring, tearing through me
Someone said, "Welcome to your doom"
Then they smiled with eyes that looked as if they knew me
This is scaring me <- This is genius , way he expresses that.

i remember when i first come across it. Haha well it would have been 1992 for me...Motown on Showtime on VHS . i think ?... i can't recall but ..it was a clip of just the start ...wasn't much. but enough to say ....
...yeah , that is nice.
 
Anyone know why MJ changed the intro of HH to SC during the Bad tour? Also curious where did the intro idea come from? And why did he use it? All I know is that during the first Bad tour shows in Japan he did the intro with less dancing and without the giant curtain that he used later on.
 
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flight85 said:
Anyone know why MJ changed the intro of HH to SC during the Bad tour? Also curious where did the intro idea come from? And why did he use it? All I know is that during the first Bad tour shows in Japan he did the intro with less dancing and without the
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I see a lot about how he sings and dances. But what does the song MEAN? I saw one, maybe two people in this thread mention the lyrics, no one else seems to care. Anyone have a clue as to why there are so many 'Heartbreak Hotels'?
 
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filmandmusic said:
My top 10 Jacksons songs because I like top 10s 😜

1) Shake your body (it is one of my top 10 fave songs all together, especially the long ass album cut)
2) Be Not Always ( I have a hard time crediting this as a group effort though)
3) Show You The Way To Go ( groovy, laid back, feel good)
4) Push Me Away (a very warm song, top production, love the strings so hard, this relates very hard after @zinniabooklover did the same to me)
5) Time Waits For No One (just waiting to be discovered, Michael sounds so fresh here, the outro is just brilliant vocally)
6) Find Me A Girl (classic vocals, the Gamble & Huff stuff is just really cool soul music, very romantic)
7) Living Together (cool light disco tune with a universal positive message)
8) Strength of one man ( superb chorus, a true group effort, Michael later found out how strong one man could be)
9) Bless his soul ( freaking awesome bridge, seems personal lyrics wise, love the tempo changes, musically great)
10) That‘s what you get for being polite (seems lyrically connected to bless his soul to me, what instrument is that musical interlude? love that sound!)

This was a very hard top 10, I feel bad for leaving out your ways, everybody, man of war and others)

Edit: after listening to some tracks I feel Mike’s voice was at its most beautiful around 1977/1978 especially on the ballads, I think it is no secret by now that I like his voice best from 1977 to 1985 in general, I wish I could explain what it is but it sounds so pure and warm and clear)
Click to expand...
How about his voice in Much Too Soon?
 
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