Which Demo Do You Wish Michael Finished?

SmoothCriminal1995

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Okay firstly you can only choose one and it must be either vocally or lyrically incomplete, like Free or Beautiful Girl, it can't be like Slave To The Rhythm or A Place With No Name.

I'm going to say In The Back, because as a song it interests me so much and we know so little about it.
I love it as a demo, the melody is strong and as sonic soundscape it's rich and complex.
Sonically it's more in the vein of Earth Song and Stranger In Moscow, than something like This Time Around or 2Bad, which I think is what I find interesting, like it meant more to him or it was a greater glimpse into his thought process.

I would have loved to be more complete lyrically because the lyrics I can make out are so intense and head on, it's jarring.
Opening line, "You've got two hands on the Bible, and they still think you're a liar"
That hits the allegations and the media circus he's faced for the last 2 years head on and nails the feeling straight away.
I can only dream if he'd have continued in this vein and continued to vent his frustration through the lyrics.

The vocal performance is another avenue that I find interesting, because it's his lower register "quick voice" style like Jam or Blood On The Dance Floor, but the lines aren't really that quick. It's like he's telling us a secret but he doesn't care who hears. I think it's intriguing how as the song starts he's singing in a cool, almost laid back approach but as the song progresses and the production opens up, his vocal opens up and it's almost like he's pleading with the listener.

A finished version of this song would have worked on HIStory instead of Come Together, just slot in straight after Money.
Or possibly as a 6th song on Blood On The Dance Floor, as it is a song that offers a look into a darker edge of Michael's art.

Anyways what demo would you have wanted Mike to complete most and why?
Also how do you think the public would have received it had it been completed and released?
 
In the back, because it’s an amazing production and I like the way he used his vocals the way I like. This song is very complex and has a beautiful arrangement.

Awesome piece. One of his best productions after ‘Who Is It’.
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

Fall Again and Scared Of The Moon. I wanted to try to personally finish these demos but I don't have the multitracks/stems so I had to end my journey. :(
But those demos would be so amazingly beautiful if they were updated to a newer sound but not made to the 2016-2018 sound if that makes sense.
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

People of the World - great melody, could have great lyrics.
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

Beautiful Girl, Fall Again, POTW, Days In Gloustershire........
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

Beautiful Girl and Days in Gloucestershire. It's a crime they weren't finished.
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

Do You Know Where Your Children Are,Cheater and People Of The World comes first to my mind.
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

Beautiful Girl and Days in Gloucestershire. It's a crime they weren't finished.

Yep totally agree. They're the two unfinished demos I go back to most, the melodies in both are great. I think had he completed Days In Gloucestershire, it would have been like a retrospective song similar to The Beatles In My Life kind of thing. The soundscape with the birds chirping at the start is so vivid it's amazing to see in a demo
With Beautiful Girl, I just love the layers and textures, I always get Liberian Girl vibes. The fade out adlibs (I'm in love) are amazing. A really sincere sentiment
These two would have been his most joyous songs since Speechless
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

People of the World - great melody, could have great lyrics.

Yep I'm with you on this. The melody is so timeless, you can really feel the world vibe through it.
The lyrics that are there are pure and full of promise as well. You can feel the humanity in them

"Life should be harmony, In this world of self destruction, Nations lift your voices and sing"

I think that's brilliant, that feeling of hope it gives you is so warm. It's a sentiment we need now more than ever
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

Fall Again and Scared Of The Moon. I wanted to try to personally finish these demos but I don't have the multitracks/stems so I had to end my journey. :(
But those demos would be so amazingly beautiful if they were updated to a newer sound but not made to the 2016-2018 sound if that makes sense.

Sadly the last I heard, nobody knows where the multitracks are for Scared Of The Moon, they were given to Mike (huge mistake :rofl:) and never to be found again. I do like Scared Of The Moon, the haunting vocal delivery is amazing and those mooooooonnn parts are brilliant.
Honestly I've never been a huge fan of Fall Again, I like but not as much as everyone else but I do appreciate why it's loved.
Never give up on the dream of stems for that one, they're definitely somewhere and I would love to hear you interpretation of the songs :D

Sorry to triple post, I know it's despised. My bad, continue this awesome discussion
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

Get Your Weight Off Me OH NO IT'S UNLEAKED
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

Jeez there are so many but some that come to mind..

Slave to the rhythm
Fall again
Cant get your weight off of me
I was a loser
It's just a family thing
Blue gangster
Man in black
Loving you
Chicago
Love never felt so good
Do you know where your children are





Now there are songs I think had great potential but needed to be reworked, not just finished.. she's got it, Work that body, I cant take it another day just to name a a few.
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

Fall Again - I really wish he had finished it and put it on Invincible.

I totally agree.

Fall Again and Scared Of The Moon.

Those demos would be so amazingly beautiful if they were updated to a newer sound but not made to the 2016-2018 sound if that makes sense.

SO much YES!

With Beautiful Girl, I just love the layers and textures, I always get Liberian Girl vibes. The fade out adlibs (I'm in love) are amazing. A really sincere sentiment.

I would suggest Beautiful Girl, too, for the same reasons. I don't like "Days of Gloucestershire" at all....one of the reasons being the way Michael pronounces Gloucestershire - it's jarring to my ears. Lol.
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

Sadly the last I heard, nobody knows where the multitracks are for Scared Of The Moon, they were given to Mike (huge mistake :rofl:) and never to be found again. I do like Scared Of The Moon, the haunting vocal delivery is amazing and those mooooooonnn parts are brilliant.
Honestly I've never been a huge fan of Fall Again, I like but not as much as everyone else but I do appreciate why it's loved.
Never give up on the dream of stems for that one, they're definitely somewhere and I would love to hear you interpretation of the songs :D

Sorry to triple post, I know it's despised. My bad, continue this awesome discussion

My interpretation of both songs would be as follows:
Fall Again would still keep the same Spanish flamenco guitar and other instruments,but other instrumentation would be added in such as strings and a dance breakdown before the key change. So I would say it'd be like a mix of Maria,Maria and similar 90s Santana songs.
Scared Of The Moon would be kept the same just about,but with more added orchestra and a children's choir singing the final chorus along with Michael. I'm not sure how I'd gather a children's choir or reproduce that in some way,but I think it'd be amazingly beautiful to have some kind of choral element to the song,whether a regular or children's choir.
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

I like Scared of the Moon, but there's a dark undercurrent in it that can be unsettling for some.
I think it's about neglect and/or abuse of a child, in much the same way that Little Susie is??
Topics such as anxiety, fear, paranoia, depression are hinted at and explored in the lyrics....
 
Re: Which demo do you wish Michael finished?

My interpretation of both songs would be as follows:
Fall Again would still keep the same Spanish flamenco guitar and other instruments,but other instrumentation would be added in such as strings and a dance breakdown before the key change. So I would say it'd be like a mix of Maria,Maria and similar 90s Santana songs.
Scared Of The Moon would be kept the same just about,but with more added orchestra and a children's choir singing the final chorus along with Michael. I'm not sure how I'd gather a children's choir or reproduce that in some way,but I think it'd be amazingly beautiful to have some kind of choral element to the song,whether a regular or children's choir.

I love your idea for Fall Again, that would definitely peak my interest in the song. I would go with Spanish theme guitar and percussion because it was very popular at the time. I dig the Santana vibe, especially Maria Maria that is a superb song and my ringtone
 
'Buffalo Bill' - the one he mentioned in the unauthorised interview. I wonder how far he got with that?

I like the sunny, easy listening feel of 'Days In Gloucester', and the story behind it. Could have been the 'Human Nature' of the new generation..
 
Great thread! Ok here comes my two (three) cents

1. She Got It
This track is so funky and infectious and i feel like full studio production would elevate this song to great heights! It was really a groove.

2. In The Back.
This might be one of his best work in progress songs. The composition is so ethereal and mystic and I love the build up to the chorus. I think this track is better than some tracks that ended up on HIStory.

3. Days In Glouchestershire
What a wonderful and sublime song. It has an innoncence about it and I really believe this could end up a greater song than it already is with full production and complete lyrics.

Honorable Mentions

Beautiful Girl
Don't Be Messing Round
 
Am I the only one who dislikes days in Gloucestershire? 😀 It‘s about a city I have nothing to do with so I just can‘t relate to that song... the melody is also not that special
 
Slave To The Rhythm;4219104 said:
Am I the only one who dislikes days in Gloucestershire? �� It‘s about a city I have nothing to do with so I just can‘t relate to that song... the melody is also not that special

Think of Gloucestershire as a metaphor. He sings about a time when he was in his youth and it everybody was laughing and smiling and just being happy. Gloucestershire is the representation of that escape that Michael so often sang about. Gloucestershire becomes his safe place
 
Think of Gloucestershire as a metaphor. He sings about a time when he was in his youth and it everybody was laughing and smiling and just being happy. Gloucestershire is the representation of that escape that Michael so often sang about. Gloucestershire becomes his safe place

appreciated....... i can feel the blessing in that song
 
Slave To The Rhythm;4219104 said:
Am I the only one who dislikes days in Gloucestershire? �� It‘s about a city I have nothing to do with so I just can‘t relate to that song... the melody is also not that special

I understand how you feel even though I don't agree. I'm the same with Fall Again and Don't Walk Away *runs for cover
 
Great thread! Ok here comes my two (three) cents

1. She Got It
This track is so funky and infectious and i feel like full studio production would elevate this song to great heights! It was really a groove.

2. In The Back.
This might be one of his best work in progress songs. The composition is so ethereal and mystic and I love the build up to the chorus. I think this track is better than some tracks that ended up on HIStory.

3. Days In Glouchestershire
What a wonderful and sublime song. It has an innoncence about it and I really believe this could end up a greater song than it already is with full production and complete lyrics.

Honorable Mentions

Beautiful Girl
Don't Be Messing Round

Thanks man I just wanted a good chat about demos

Man She Got It, I totally forgot about that when I was thinking of this. What a funky groove, you're right. This song had so much potential in the New Jack era. Love his aggressive Dangerous era vocals on this

I really think DIG could have been a really nice reflective song, I love the feeling I get when I listen to it. It's nice hearing Mike sing about happy times

I was debating whether to say Don't Be Messin' Round too, I love that demo, I really grew on me, the funky bassline, the groove and that verse that starts
"Now she started finger popping to the beat" is so cool. I really hope there is a more lyrically complete version in the Dangerous and HIStory era because this song has just got something about it
 
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