Lip Sync/Miming - the positive side :)

threatened2020

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I've just been watching some old History shows and am actually pretty impressed that when he does lip sync he does so very well.

This enables him to put on a show as though you were watching a live movie. I do believe though, that only a song/dance act could get away with it these days!
 
For the majority of his fans, there was no positive side to his lip-sync during the HIStory Tour.

With the exception of ‘Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'’, ‘The Jackson 5 Medley’, the brief ‘In The Closet’ spoken part and some live ad-libs here and there, he lip-synced all the other songs during that tour, which is inexcusable when you pay in order to attend and watch a live concert.

Also, his lip-sync on that tour was too obvious and annoying (especially in ballads/mid-tempo songs), and it even made him at times look embarrassed on stage when, for example, he was trying to cover his mouth with his hands, or with his long hair, or even with his body posture by leaning forward while lip-syncing.

If the HIStory Tour happened today with the same amount of lip-sync, it would have been a public/media disaster for him, in terms of unfavourable press headlines (such as, the ‘King Of Lip-Sync’ headline), audience demanding ticket refunds, etc.

The argument that he had to lip-sync during the HIStory Tour because he was also dancing a lot at the same time is not a valid one, because few years earlier he proved during the Dangerous Tour that he could dance a lot and sing live at the same time (more than half of the performed songs of the Dangerous Tour were sung live, and many of them were energetic songs).
 
I've just been watching some old History shows and am actually pretty impressed that when he does lip sync he does so very well.

This enables him to put on a show as though you were watching a live movie. I do believe though, that only a song/dance act could get away with it these days!

I agree. Michael's dancing was next level in some of the HIStory Tour concerts and most of the time, his lip-synching wasn't noticeable at all, in my opinion. Snapshots of the audiences showed that they didn't seem to care much.......lots of screaming was going on, of course. As you point out, he was quite good at it, most of the time.
 
mj_frenzy;4297157 said:
For the majority of his fans, there was no positive side to his lip-sync during the HIStory Tour.

With the exception of ‘Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'’, ‘The Jackson 5 Medley’, the brief ‘In The Closet’ spoken part and some live ad-libs here and there, he lip-synced all the other songs during that tour, which is inexcusable when you pay in order to attend and watch a live concert.

Also, his lip-sync on that tour was too obvious and annoying (especially in ballads/mid-tempo songs), and it even made him at times look embarrassed on stage when, for example, he was trying to cover his mouth with his hands, or with his long hair, or even with his body posture by leaning forward while lip-syncing.

If the HIStory Tour happened today with the same amount of lip-sync, it would have been a public/media disaster for him, in terms of unfavourable press headlines (such as, the ‘King Of Lip-Sync’ headline), audience demanding ticket refunds, etc.

The argument that he had to lip-sync during the HIStory Tour because he was also dancing a lot at the same time is not a valid one, because few years earlier he proved during the Dangerous Tour that he could dance a lot and sing live at the same time (more than half of the performed songs of the Dangerous Tour were sung live, and many of them were energetic songs).

Did you go to a HIStory concert?
 
The lip syncing on the BAD Tour was fine, because back then Michael's live vocals pretty much matched his album vocals. So the lip syncing wasn't obvious.

Dangerous Tours lip syncing was a little more obvious, but that tour still had enough live vocals to make up for that.

HIStory Tours lip syncing was just embarrassing and beyond obvious.
 
mj_frenzy;4297157 said:
If the HIStory Tour happened today with the same amount of lip-sync, it would have been a public/media disaster for him, in terms of unfavourable press headlines (such as, the ‘King Of Lip-Sync’ headline), audience demanding ticket refunds, etc.

It wouldn't have been. Today, people would feel fortunate that they get to see a legend in concert and not care about whether he is actually singing or not.

Lip-syncing is a common thing in pop music, even nowadays. The only difference is that artists re-record their vocals for tours so that they don't sound identical to the record and not everybody notices that they are indeed lip-syncing.

Plus, a lot of people who attended the HIStory Tour were aware of the fact that he was lip-syncing, but didn't care. So were a lot of the journalists who attended the shows.
 
People today flock to hologram shows, so they don’t even care that the artist isn’t there.
 
I agree. Michael's dancing was next level in some of the HIStory Tour concerts and most of the time, his lip-synching wasn't noticeable at all, in my opinion. Snapshots of the audiences showed that they didn't seem to care much............lots of screaming was going on, of course. As you point out, he was quite good at it, most of the time.

Maybe most of the audience didn't know he was lip-syncing.
 
The lip syncing on the BAD Tour was fine, because back then Michael's live vocals pretty much matched his album vocals. So the lip syncing wasn't obvious.

Dangerous Tours lip syncing was a little more obvious, but that tour still had enough live vocals to make up for that.

HIStory Tours lip syncing was just embarrassing and beyond obvious.

Agreed, pair that with Michael's general energy and enthusiasm just not being up there with his previous efforts and you have why I'm not really interested in watching HIStory concerts anymore.
 
I can't remember the last time I sat down and watched a HIStory show.
It's not that I dislike the tour, it just doesn't feel like a Michael show to me. The tour wasn't really grand like maybe the Dangerous Tour and it doesn't have the soul of the Bad tour, it just feels a bit lifeless to me

With that being said there are moments I love on the tour, Stranger In Moscow, the end dance of Billie Jean, WBBS especially the James Brown stuff and seeing In The Closet live was cool
 
Even though I do not hate lip synching, and am not one of those people who refuse to enjoy HIStory Tour shows because of that, I also do not think praising Michael for "doing it so good" is right. I mean, it cannot be that hard to lip sync a song, can it? I understand concerts like those on the HIStory mount up to nearly a whole two-hour show's worth of playback performances, but even then, it should be easier, especially on the vocal cords, to lip synch songs as opposed to actually singing them, so the bulk of the effort really lies in the dance sector. Additionally, those pedos and thots, and just regular normal users, on Tik Tok pretty much lip sync to songs all the time. Sure there is a contrast between a year-long tour comprising two-hour concerts and a few seconds or minutes, but the point is the whole lip synching fad and it not being that challenging when compared to actual singing. Oh my gosh I cannot believe I just compared Michael and Tik Tok. Big mistake.

I'll also say this: Judging by how MJ's voice sounded on the HIStory Tour, and in that private show in Brunei in July 1996, it is not that fair to face the tour with such disappointment on the main basis that most of the performances are lip synched, because by that point, it seemed necessary. I am by no means claiming that it is wrong to FEEL disappointment, but rather PROJECTING that disappointment to the extent where playback performances aren't enjoyable. Sure, MJ could have sung some more on the Bad or Dangerous Tours (even though his voice would strain much quicker as a result), but by the mid-90s, I shall say, was playback the most essential than ever before.

That's my take, contest if you'd like.
 
I like watching Smooth Criminal performances even though he is lip-syncing. That song might be hard to do live. The Wembley peformance is great.
 
I don’t mind it. The HIStory tour allows us to see MJ perform some of his best songs in front of massive audiences, and the dancing is on point. I personally would prefer dancing over singing if I had to pick one.

And I do love the live singing of the Bad and Dangerous tours, but honestly, watch almost any 1996 show after Amsterdam and then say you’d rather he sounded like that than used playback. His voice was obviously struggling and he maybe wasn’t sure if it’d ever recover again. So he could either cancel the tour, maybe indefinitely, or use playback in the majority of songs. That’s my theory anyway.
 
Michael had a few options for the HIStory Tour

1. Postpone the tour until his voice was in better shape
2. Just cancel the tour all together
3. Go ahead with the tour but record new studio vocals so the lip syncing wouldn't be so obvious. I'm looking at you Off The Wall Medley
 
Lip-syncing is a common thing in pop music, even nowadays. The only difference is that artists re-record their vocals for tours so that they don't sound identical to the record and not everybody notices that they are indeed lip-syncing.

Shania Twain does that, and on her recent tour of New Zealand the press labelled it "the most lip-synched gig ever held" in the country. The reviews were littered with comments like an artist past their best etc.

Re-recording vocals to further deceive an audience is something I hate. And I'm glad Michael never did it, really.

To me what Michael should have done is alter his show to give the audience an honest and genuine performance. Ie. hour of live singing and low energy numbers and then an hour of big performance numbers with the lip-syncing where the focus is on the stage presentation and dancing - and that means no unnecessary switched off microphone and no backing singers pretending to sing
 
Personally think it was embarrassing and I think it's low for any artist to put on gigs where they lip sync. It may explain why ticket prices for these shows were quite cheap in comparison to others at the time

The entire presentation, set up of that tour just doesn't feel like Michael Jackson to me.

The Off The Wall medley was beyond a joke and watching Jennifer Batten, waiting for D.S to start up, to start pretend playing was farcical. Not her fault at all but, if you're going out on tour and you want to make a statement, which he did at the time, you better put your best into it.

To me, this wasn't Michael Jackson and not what he represented as a live artist. I know the thread title says "the positive side" but, nothing positive from me to take from it. Found it half arsed.
 
Listening to the state of his voice during the HIStory tour I'm glad that he decided against live singing in that period of his life. He had to make a choice and thus a choice was made. I'm also very happy that he didn't postpone the history tour because i have very fond memories growing up watching the HIStory tour on TV1000 here in Sweden (my brother also attended the gothenburg gig and can be seen many times on the monitors). I love the evolution of his dance like in WBSS, Billie Jean and the magnificent performances of Stranger in Moscow. The band was so tight, especially in 96. The setlist was great because he didn't shy away from new songs like DS, HIstory, Stranger in Moscow, Come Together etc. I loved the stage costumes as well.

Do y'all remember how the press and fans were thrashing Whitney when she did her concerts during 2008-2010? They were so vicious to her. Imagine what they would have said about MJ had he tried to sing those songs live during the History Tour. Even in 2006 before they aired the MTV Awards they were saying Michael couldn't sing anymore, he lost his voice etc. They were waiting for him to make a wrong step. I don't fault him for not singing live at that period in his life.

I noticed that this became more of an appreciation post of the HIStory tour. Now, the history tour is far from my fav MJ solo tour for obvious reasons but there is a lot to like from that tour.
 
At all the concerts I was at, I wasn't aware that he was lip syncing and I couldn't care less. It doesn't bother me one bit, and HIStory tour is my favorite tour, and I watch it almost daily. Well, I watch a MJ concert every day and 5 out of 7 times it's a HIStory tour concert. I love this tour so much
 
At all the concerts I was at, I wasn't aware that he was lip syncing and I couldn't care less. It doesn't bother me one bit, and HIStory tour is my favorite tour, and I watch it almost daily. Well, I watch a MJ concert every day and 5 out of 7 times it's a HIStory tour concert. I love this tour so much

Well it's not that you have much choice for other tours to watch is it :p
 
I´m always wondering if those of you - who always insist they don´t like the lip sync - did attend any HIStory-concert? Or do you just watch them a million times on youtube etc.? Now - almost 25 years later.

I was lucky to experience 3 HIStory-concerts. And you know what?

For months you were looking forward to this day - when you will see the man live. And finally this day came, you fought for the very small space in the audience, maybe even near to the stage! And then the show startet - you couldn´t believe it: Michael Jackson stands live, in person in front of you! He is glittering in Gold and Silver, he dances like a god, Michael greets us, the crowd answers... - you know... The crowd is screaming - yes, but also listening and watching... Enjoying, also singing and dancing. I remember that I was just happy, nothing else. In such moments you don´t have any thought or question whether Michael sings live or not or what - you just enjoy Michaels incredibly powerful performance. You are a part of these unique moments.

I bet - though Michael recorded every of his moves - those concerts were not made for the purpose that 24 years later a handful of new young fans will criticize this and that...
 
FlyMeToTheMoon;4297246 said:
I´m always wondering if those of you - who always insist they don´t like the lip sync - did attend any HIStory-concert? Or do you just watch them a million times on youtube etc.? Now - almost 25 years later.

The fans who watch the HIStory Tour on Youtube and criticize it are the same fans who also watch the Bad and Dangerous Tour on Youtube, and they don't criticize those shows and give them extremely high praise (Aside from maybe a few nitpicks). You didn't need to be at the Bad and Dangerous tours to appreciate those. You can tell just by watching them that they were fantastically performed shows.

There's a reason why the HIStory Tour gets a lot of criticism. And it isn't because people didn't attend those shows.
 
Personally, I find the History Tour to be his best concert performances. I liked the setlist, the inclusion of more songs from his current setlist, and his dancing to be great.
The lip singing doesn't bother me that much, however, I find it problematic of how obvious it was. For each song that playback was used, the album vocals were used. As others point out, you have 38 year old Michael Jackson lip singing to Off the Wall, Thriller, Billie Jean, etc, and his vocal style had evolved so much from that time. Additionally, songs like Heal the World, portions of Stranger in Moscow, Earth Song, You are Not Alone, could have all been sung alive.
Watching amateur concert performances of his shows, it at times is hard to notice the lip syncing, mainly because the crowd and sound system. For example, during Earth Song, seemed as if the sound was coming from his mic as he performed on the cherry picker.
In my mind, these concert series should have had more live vocals for the ballads, but it is what it is.
 
Personally think it was embarrassing and I think it's low for any artist to put on gigs where they lip sync. It may explain why ticket prices for these shows were quite cheap in comparison to others at the time

The entire presentation, set up of that tour just doesn't feel like Michael Jackson to me.

The Off The Wall medley was beyond a joke and watching Jennifer Batten, waiting for D.S to start up, to start pretend playing was farcical. Not her fault at all but, if you're going out on tour and you want to make a statement, which he did at the time, you better put your best into it.

To me, this wasn't Michael Jackson and not what he represented as a live artist. I know the thread title says "the positive side" but, nothing positive from me to take from it. Found it half arsed.

WOW.

Considering he wasn't going to tour any more after BAD, we should count ourselves fortunate to have received what we did receive from him, in terms of the Dangerous and HIStory tours. When we consider that the man had vitiligo, discoid lupus, lung issues and arthritis in his lower back, together with long-term scalp issues from 2nd and 3rd degree burns, he was nothing short of a hero, in my eyes for continuing to perform at all, let alone on such a large scale. His concert tours for Dangerous and HIStory were for the fans and also primarily to fund his humanitarian efforts through the Heal the World Foundation, Make a Wish, Unicef and so many more. Embarrassing, low and half-arsed are not adjectives that come to mind when I think of Michael Jackson on tour....any tour.
 
I was about 14 years old when I watched two HIStory concerts. I went with my father twice, he is not particularly a fan but he loved it so much so that he bought tickets again a couple of months later in our neighbor country, I still catch him watching a billie jean performance on YouTube sometimes 20 plus years later. He has absolutely no clue it was not live though, neither did I to be fair back then it was all about the dancing for me.
He is in his 60s, I also remember him going crazy at a wedding when the DJ played you are not alone, he started dancing like crazy , totally drunk as if he didn't realize they were playing a ballad. what a sight it was :p

It's completely off topic but I just remembered this and wanted to share
 
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