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'Off The Wall' appreciation thread

Zakk

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Michael's first solo album after leaving Motown, his coming of age as an all round entertainer. 10 fantastic recording's, my favorite being 'I Can't Help It' a mid tempo ballad, captivating the listener. I adore 'Get On The Floor' and 'Burn This Disco Out' just as much, plus although i wasn't born at the time.. i feel so caught up in the aura that surrounded Michael's talents within this particular 'era'. He certainly changed the music industry for the better.
 
yup, its overlooked cuz of thriller and the vids are simple but the songs are all winners like you said:)
 
One of Michael's best works, but I think it's overlooked solely because of the success of Thriller. I also think part of it has to do with how his image changed, during the in between period of Destiny & Thriller is when the vitiligo & lupus effects became noticeable, and all he did to hide it for the camera's, it made him look more exotic in a way, from the minor surgeries to how his hair got, Michael just got a lot more appealing IMO, post OTW.
 
I sometimes skip 'Girlfriend'! all other tracks are incredible though, i would certainly take out that track and replace it with 'Sunset Driver'. I do hope that the planned documentary will bring more exposure to this LP! seeing as no tracks pre 1980 have been released on any posthumous albums, perhaps a possible expanded edition could work.. 'Going To Rio' & 'I/lOWA' (if it is from the OTW era of course) seem interesting.
 
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WhoIsIt89 said:
One of Michael's best works, but I think it's overlooked solely because of the success of Thriller. I also think part of it has to do with how his image changed, during the in between period of Destiny & Thriller is when the vitiligo & lupus effects became noticeable, and all he did to hide it for the camera's, it made him look more exotic in a way, from the minor surgeries to how his hair got, Michael just got a lot more appealing IMO, post OTW.
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I don't know how to say this, but I'm going to say it, although it is a sensitive subject. There is a black dominated MJ forum where this subject comes up from time to time and many of MJ's black fans feel that it's offensive to black people to say things like "MJ looked better when he turned white/exotic looking". Sometimes people do not even notice when they say something that could be offensive to others.

I think MJ looked gorgeous during OTW and before. To me he did not have to do any plastic surgery. He chose to and he could not help his skin getting white, but he was gorgeous before. Case in point, my avi or any of the OTW videos.
 
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I don't think Off The Wall is ignored within the media. Within the media it's MJ's 2nd most praised album after Thriller. But within the fanbase Off The Wall is ignored and underrated.
 
I think Off The Wall is seen by many in the entertainment industry as Michael's best album musically. I love it- although it took me a few years to get into it when I was younger before I understood the sound and the background.

May not be my favourite album, but workin day and night, shes out of my life, rock with you, get on the floor, dstyge.... I often have OTW days when i just bang the album on at work. Actually, thanks Zakk, I'm gonna have that day today- its been a while!
 
Why Get On The Floor was never released as a single is beyond me. Would have been a much better choice than Girlfriend
 
My fave song of the album has to be Get On The Floor. It can still rock any dance floor at any club. But I love all songs on the album. I think the weakest are It's The Falling In Love, Burn This Disco Out and Girlfriend - but they are still strong tracks. Just an overall very strong album.

Oh, and just an excuse to post my fave Soundcloud remix of GOTF: https://soundcloud.com/kon/mj-get-k...b_collection_id=10151187543611799&ref=profile

I love the extra parts. I hope those outtakes will be released officially one day.
 
analogue said:
Why Get On The Floor was never released as a single is beyond me. Would have been a much better choice than Girlfriend
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Had to have been the fact it was a previously known McCartney song, and they could run with the story that a Beatle wrote a song especially for Michael. Because Get on the floor would have been a killer single and I can picture it Live in 81 now
 
In case OTW gets re-released they could still release GOTF as a single. :p
 
respect77 said:
But I love all songs on the album. I think the weakest are It's The Falling In Love, Burn This Disco Out
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I think these two song's are great, i respect your opinion but i just love getting up to dance when BTDO come's on. It's a classic IMO!
 
respect77 said:
In case OTW gets re-released they could still release GOTF as a single. :p
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If that does happen then I don't want any producers like Timblerand coming in and ''updating'' the song. The song is fine as it is. I don't want any fake duets either
 
Amazing album from first track an all the way through till the very end.

Girlfriend may be the weakest song - but that's only because it's an overall amazing album - on many other albums Girlfriend would have been one of the better tracks.

A question - Was Girlfriend written for MJ? - I know Poul McCartney recorded the song himself - but I believe I once heard it was because MJ turned the song down at first, and the came back to it with OTW?

What is the story about Girlfriend? - if there is any..
 
I think That the title track is the best song that Rod Temperton ever wrote for Michael
 
Hess said:
Amazing album from first track an all the way through till the very end.

Girlfriend may be the weakest song - but that's only because it's an overall amazing album - on many other albums Girlfriend would have been one of the better tracks.

A question - Was Girlfriend written for MJ? - I know Poul McCartney recorded the song himself - but I believe I once heard it was because MJ turned the song down at first, and the came back to it with OTW?

What is the story about Girlfriend? - if there is any..
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Long story short- Maca wrote the song with Michael in mind, but things didnt work out, he never got to run into him or something, so Maca recorded it himself.

Then Quincy came to Michael with the song saying "Ah this Iis great we gotta do this for the record" and Michael love dit, then when they went for permission, Maca said "I wrote it for you!!!"

I think thats in Moonwalk, its definitely somewhere. Maybe someone can expand?@
 
analogue said:
If that does happen then I don't want any producers like Timblerand coming in and ''updating'' the song. The song is fine as it is. I don't want any fake duets either
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No "updating" - I agree, but I'd love it if they released the longer version, with the extra verse.
 
Two pages of OTW appreciation and not one mention of I Can't Help It? Y'all suck.
 
^^^^^^

Zakk said:
Michael's first solo album after leaving Motown, his coming of age as an all round entertainer. 10 fantastic recording's, my favorite being 'I Can't Help It' a mid tempo ballad, captivating the listener. I adore 'Get On The Floor' and 'Burn This Disco Out' just as much, plus although i wasn't born at the time.. i feel so caught up in the aura that surrounded Michael's talents within this particular 'era'. He certainly changed the music industry for the better.
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The very first post.
 
'I Can't Help It' is divine, one of my most played tracks.. love seeing what people have to say about it!
 
MattyJam said:
Ah, okay Zakk can be let off the hook. What's your excuse? ;)
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I said:

I love all songs on the album. I think the weakest are It's The Falling In Love, Burn This Disco Out and Girlfriend - but they are still strong tracks. Just an overall very strong album.
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So that means I count ICHI among the strongest tracks. ;)
 
I love I Can't Help It. To me, OTW is all about DSTYGE, Get On The Floor and I Can't Help It. Don't get me wrong, I love the other tracks, but these three are the heart of the album for me and remarkably still sound fresh today 35 years on.


I do feel that It's The Falling In Love is a bit of a filler, but the rest of the album is pretty much flawless and has aged better than both Thriller and Bad.
 
MattyJam said:
I do feel that It's The Falling In Love is a bit of a filler, but the rest of the album is pretty much flawless and has aged better than both Thriller and Bad.
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I think that's just because that disco-funk sound is "in" currently.
 
respect77 said:
I think that's just because that disco-funk sound is "in" currently.
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I don't think that's it. OTW is the MJ album which uses the most amount of real instruments and hasn't got the dated 80s synths which were fairly prominent on Thriller and especially Bad.

OTW is the only MJ solo album which truly sounds like a band affair which is what helps the record sound so fresh. Instruments don't age, but technology does. From Louis Johnson's incredible bass playing to David Williams funky little guitar fills, not to mention the incredible horn and string arrangements. You can't beat real musicianship and OTW has this in abundance.
 
analogue said:
That's true. If the synth sound was ''in'' currently then BAD would sound fresh today
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Indeed, 'Uptown Funk' feels partially inspired by TWYMMF! back on topic :) if we don't get a concert release, i'd like a full performance of SOOML from 1981!
 
innuendo141 said:
Long story short- Maca wrote the song with Michael in mind, but things didnt work out, he never got to run into him or something, so Maca recorded it himself.

Then Quincy came to Michael with the song saying "Ah this Iis great we gotta do this for the record" and Michael love dit, then when they went for permission, Maca said "I wrote it for you!!!"

I think thats in Moonwalk, its definitely somewhere. Maybe someone can expand?@
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Ahh - maybe that's where I read it.
 
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