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The Beginning Of "You Are Not Alone" during HIStory World Tour

mj_frenzy

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Is there any particular reason (technical, or something else) which could explain why MJ had to start singing always the first lines of "You Are Not Alone" from backstage?
 
My guess is that he was still changing clothes back stage. And he wasn't singing. He was obviously lip syncing
 
analogue said:
My guess is that he was still changing clothes back stage. And he wasn't singing. He was obviously lip syncing
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OK, but this delay looks preplanned and on purpose

Moreover, the word "another" (for some people) was to blame for bringing on critical fit issues which I cannot explain
 
I never understood why MJ would try to fool fans that he was really singing.. I get that he was probably out of breath or whatever but I'd rather he waited an extra 3 mins before coming back onstage as long as he sang live.. Whenever I would watch the HIStory Tour with friends and YANA would start I'd cringe a little knowing that nobody was fooled..
 
he went to change his shirt from Smooth Criminal and prolly wipe off some sweat and sip some water. And it wouldn't matter if he came on too late, he wasn't singing it live until the end of the song (the best part).
 
from my understanding before he got on stage, while the camera man hamid always filmed( during smooth criminal, the beginning) us at the front row michael could see the video he was filming live backstage, and that he altso chosed the girl that was going to have her dream come true :)
 
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you&meforever said:
from my understanding before he got on stage, while the camera man hamid always filmed( during smooth criminal, the beginning) us at the front row michael could see the video he was filming live backstage, and that he altso chosed the girl that was going to have her dream come true :)
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So, you are saying that the YANA girl had already been chosen before the song started
 
Cant be because he was getting ready/changing. No reason they couldn't delay the start of the song for that reason. It's probably just an idea Michael had to start singing off stage/screen and then appear. Completely missed the mark here with whatever he was trying to do because it wasn't sung live so essentially we were all just listening to the CD for the first bit.

That being said, I was in the crowd and didn't notice at the time- nor did I care. But looking back with footage etc. it just looks silly.
 
I think It's a theory Mike had, to let the audience hear the first few lines of the song, then he would walk out to rapturous applause, in recognition of "yes, I've done it again, I've given you-all another massive anthem" a little nuance to tease the fans & a sort of an appreciation of that fact. The song was massive at the time, of course the fact that it's lip-synced works against this idea & only rubs it in further, at the same time, in retrospect, it's pretty obvious that the HIStory Tour wasn't very thought-through with the intention of a TV or VHS release, & when Mike watched back the Munich concert, aside from him not being very well during that particular show, is it possible that he also realized the production didn't really work for an official release? In part, it's more theatrical like a play than a pop concert. Even the stage lighting doesn't work very well on screen in my opinion, it's quite flat in parts with massive gels of bright white (again more suited for a play) drowning out the overall visual aspect, on the TV/PC screen, but it worked quite well when actually being there.
 
aazzaabb said:
I think It's a theory Mike had, to let the audience hear the first few lines of the song, then he would walk out to rapturous applause, in recognition of "yes, I've done it again, I've given you-all another massive anthem" a little nuance to tease the fans & a sort of an appreciation of that fact. The song was massive at the time, of course the fact that it's lip-synced works against this idea & only rubs it in further, at the same time, in retrospect, it's pretty obvious that the HIStory Tour wasn't very thought-through with the intention of a TV or VHS release, & when Mike watched back the Munich concert, aside from him not being very well during that particular show, is it possible that he also realized the production didn't really work for an official release? In part, it's more theatrical like a play than a pop concert. Even the stage lighting doesn't work very well on screen in my opinion, it's quite flat in parts with massive gels of bright white (again more suited for a play) drowning out the overall visual aspect, on the TV/PC screen, but it worked quite well when actually being there.
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Regarding this aspect (mood), MJ seemed to be happiest (and most energetic) during the first show in Copenhagen (14 August 1997)
 
aazzaabb said:
if you haven't seen the amateur Amsterdam show, I highly recommend it. Mike is really feeding off the crowd. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgTig8din4w
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Well, all I can say is WOW, WOW, WOW. I have been dead set against having any History tour, 3D or otherwise shown in any cinema, but I clicked on your link of the Amsterdam show.

I don't know if it was because it was shot from the stands on a shaky little camera or what, but I watched it with absolutely amazement for the last two hours on my tiny little phone and I felt like I was there. My mouth fell open, my eyes teared up and I had tingles down my spine over and over.
This film made you feel like you were right there with everybody in the stands watching the show from way high.

And what was really making me teary, was that all the time people here at home were making him the punchline of jokes, degrading him, ridiculing him, there was all this enormous wave of love overseas rushing at him from the stands to the stage-I've never heard ROARING like that, and it never ever stopped and never faded down-people were screaming and clapping and singing the whole two hours. And there were THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of them. I can't tell you how happy that made me that he was receiving this tidal wave of love over there. Really, really happy.

Edited to add: I watched it on YouTube and read the comments-everyone just raving on the show-no word about lip synching-I think that had to be because we were watching from the audience and it was NOT professionally shot. Everything was raves.
 
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^ It's easy to overlook the lip-syncing on an amateur low quality footage that shoots him from far afar and where you cannot really see that. In HD and on a big screen however it would be blatant. I don't think History tour belongs on the big screen. Put something there that shows him at his artistic peak.
 
respect77 said:
^ It's easy to overlook the lip-syncing on an amateur low quality footage that shoots him from far afar and where you cannot really see that. In HD and on a big screen however it would be blatant. I don't think History tour belongs on the big screen. Put something there that shows him at his artistic peak.
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Using a hands free microphone amplifies that he is not singing too when watching in high quality. Now I know even if he was using a handheld we'd still know that he was lip synching, but it would be a bit easier on the eyes to see its not as blatant. Especially for songs like YANA, Heal The World, WYBT.
 
^^no. I still totally agree with you both. This was grainy, shaky even when they filmed the jumbotron, which was rare.

It was really high up so you could see the whole stage and they were all tiny down there.

It was that noise in the stands that got me. It started with that rocket ship exploding thru the stage and never stopped. I just got overwhelmed with emotion.

(This was amateur shot and very far away. Totally different. )
 
barbee0715 said:
Well, all I can say is WOW, WOW, WOW. I have been dead set against having any History tour, 3D or otherwise shown in any cinema, but I clicked on your link of the Amsterdam show.

I don't know if it was because it was shot from the stands on a shaky little camera or what, but I watched it with absolutely amazement for the last two hours on my tiny little phone and I felt like I was there. My mouth fell open, my eyes teared up and I had tingles down my spine over and over.
This film made you feel like you were right there with everybody in the stands watching the show from way high.

And what was really making me teary, was that all the time people here at home were making him the punchline of jokes, degrading him, ridiculing him, there was all this enormous wave of love overseas rushing at him from the stands to the stage-I've never heard ROARING like that, and it never ever stopped and never faded down-people were screaming and clapping and singing the whole two hours. And there were THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of them. I can't tell you how happy that made me that he was receiving this tidal wave of love over there. Really, really happy.

Edited to add: I watched it on YouTube and read the comments-everyone just raving on the show-no word about lip synching-I think that had to be because we were watching from the audience and it was NOT professionally shot. Everything was raves.
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That's awesome! Yeah, I strangely prefer a lot of the amateur shot shows, I sometimes find them a more authentic way to enjoy the experience & get more a sense of what it was like to be there. I really enjoyed being at the HIStory Tour but it didn't always translate well onto pro-shot footage, for obvious reasons.
 
barbee0715 said:
Well, all I can say is WOW, WOW, WOW. I have been dead set against having any History tour, 3D or otherwise shown in any cinema, but I clicked on your link of the Amsterdam show.

I don't know if it was because it was shot from the stands on a shaky little camera or what, but I watched it with absolutely amazement for the last two hours on my tiny little phone and I felt like I was there. My mouth fell open, my eyes teared up and I had tingles down my spine over and over.
This film made you feel like you were right there with everybody in the stands watching the show from way high.

And what was really making me teary, was that all the time people here at home were making him the punchline of jokes, degrading him, ridiculing him, there was all this enormous wave of love overseas rushing at him from the stands to the stage-I've never heard ROARING like that, and it never ever stopped and never faded down-people were screaming and clapping and singing the whole two hours. And there were THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of them. I can't tell you how happy that made me that he was receiving this tidal wave of love over there. Really, really happy.

Edited to add: I watched it on YouTube and read the comments-everyone just raving on the show-no word about lip synching-I think that had to be because we were watching from the audience and it was NOT professionally shot. Everything was raves.
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You need to see the full stage to feel the full extent of the excitement to be quite honest, i don't enjoy close ups at all! they should present a release in a wide shot camera angle, you will then see his expressions/body language/feet movement and his energy all at once! also needed throughout is crowd shots, i don't mean just the crowd.. but gliding over the crowd with the stage still in view! mix in some of the live vocal recording's from the soundboard, keep crowd noise at an acceptable/smooth level and there you have a unforgettable experience of Michael in his artistic/theatrical prime. Also, Munich sounded like a studio recording.. the sound should be kept authentic! as though as you're inside the stadium.... witnessing the masterpiece in person.
 
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^^Thats the experience I got watching this one. I saw the whole spectacle and the camera swooped over the crowd below so you could just see heads and arms. Thousands if them.

And I saw the whole stage. Looked like he had a cast of thousands with him.

I never got that with my Bucharest DVD which I don't care for.
 
barbee0715 said:
^^Thats the experience I got watching this one. I saw the whole spectacle and the camera swooped over the crowd below so you could just see heads and arms. Thousands if them.

And I saw the whole stage. Looked like he had a cast of thousands with him.

I never got that with my Bucharest DVD which I don't care for.
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Yeah, i agree with you completely! such great ideas fans have, would be great if our wishes of the most substantial release is blessed
 
Zakk said:
You need to see the full stage to feel the full extent of the excitement to be quite honest, i don't enjoy close ups at all! they should present a release in a wide shot camera angle, you will then see his expressions/body language/feet movement and his energy all at once! also needed throughout is crowd shots, i don't mean just the crowd.. but gliding over the crowd with the stage still in view! mix in some of the live vocal recording's from the soundboard, keep crowd noise at an acceptable/smooth level and there you have a unforgettable experience of Michael in his artistic/theatrical prime. Also, Munich sounded like a studio recording.. the sound should be kept authentic! as though as you're inside the stadium.... witnessing the masterpiece in person.
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If it could feel like an organic experience and you're actually watching it from up in the stands-with the weather, with the audience, with the sound effects and the whole stage, and not the close ups-yeah-the love and energy being sent back and forth in gigantic waves was it for me.
But I don't see them doing that way-it would look too slick, and professional, and there would be too many close-ups and singing to studio recordings. Unfortunate, but I think true.
 
barbee0715 said:
If it could feel like an organic experience and you're actually watching it from up in the stands-with the weather, with the audience, with the sound effects and the whole stage, and not the close ups-yeah-the love and energy being sent back and forth in gigantic waves was it for me.
But I don't see them doing that way-it would look too slick, and professional, and there would be too many close-ups and singing to studio recordings. Unfortunate, but I think true.
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That's exactly what i think should happen, seeing it from the crowds point of view.. i'm sure there are some great camera angles from some shows that could replicate the experience! sound is of an equal importance to this, i feel very irritated when the audience noise gets cut out as soon the performance begins.. high def release can benefit from wide shots far more than tape releases.. much more detail, capable for larger screen projections..
 
Zakk said:
That's exactly what i think should happen, seeing it from the crowds point of view.. i'm sure there are some great camera angles from some shows that could replicate the experience! sound is of an equal importance to this, i feel very irritated when the audience noise gets cut out as soon the performance begins.. high def release can benefit from wide shots far more than tape releases.. much more detail, capable for larger screen projections..
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It's much better from the crowds point of view-and seeing the whole stage at the same time-I don't like the Bucharest shots of the crowd showing certain people just fainting and screaming.

And the crowd noise all the time is ESSENTIAL-that really made this Amsterdam concert for me. They never let up.

Think about it-the screaming of the Motown veterans in the audience of the first "Billie Jean" performance and first moonwalk is as much a part of that performance as the song/dance itself.

I would go for it if they could make it exactly like this amateur video. Only if.
 
barbee0715 said:
It's much better from the crowds point of view-and seeing the whole stage at the same time-I don't like the Bucharest shots of the crowd showing certain people just fainting and screaming.

And the crowd noise all the time is ESSENTIAL-that really made this Amsterdam concert for me. They never let up.

Think about it-the screaming of the Motown veterans in the audience of the first "Billie Jean" performance and first moonwalk is as much a part of that performance as the song/dance itself.

I would go for it if they could make it exactly like this amateur video. Only if.
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Gelsenkirchen is another great amateur concert! i love the fact Michael had a whole tower for production and filming, there has to be some great shots from there.
 
The vocal track of this song is interesting because the first word “another” seems to cause an issue because it doesn’t fit accurately on a “four four” beat, causing issues with the first word. Which might be the reason he started off stage.
 
RockOrBluesInNorway;4076749 said:
The vocal track of this song is interesting because the first word “another” seems to cause an issue because it doesn’t fit accurately on a “four four” beat, causing issues with the first word. Which might be the reason he started off stage.
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Could you explain it to us a little bit more?
 
RockOrBluesInNorway;4076749 said:
The vocal track of this song is interesting because the first word “another” seems to cause an issue because it doesn’t fit accurately on a “four four” beat, causing issues with the first word. Which might be the reason he started off stage.
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Not sure if this is what you mean but the vocal starts almost acapella so he wouldn't know when to begin miming as the crowd would be too loud to hear the intro.

On VMAs he could here the cue but in front of a huge crowd he couldn't.
 
Couldn't they just count him in? With the drum sticks '1,2,3? Good point though. Hmm.
 
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