My new appreciation for Invincible

[Piek]

My three favourite MJ albums used to be BAD (my very first pop record, so special memories!), Dangerous (the first album that got released while I was full-blown fan) and HIStory (a true masterpiece, or may be I should say magnum opus). When Invincible got released, I was really anticipating the album, but I never connected with it as much as the previous albums. I liked individual songs, especially Unbreakable, 2000 Watts and Break of Dawn. But as an album, it was too much of a mixed bag for me. Tracks with Rodney Jerkins, and then some with Teddy Riley, some pure MJ songs, and then Dr Freeze collaborations... where HIStory was still sort of cohesive even though there were several producers involveld, and where Dangerous was clearly two albums in one (first half new jack swing, second half more traditional MJ), I always felt Invincible was a collection of songs and not really an album like the previous MJ albums. Last week I decided to solve this for myself. I created a playlist with just the songs Michael did with Jerkins. 6 in total. Then I added two Jerkins tracks that didn't make the album, but got released later: We've Had Enough and Xscape. I kept the 6 Invincle songs in the same order as on the album, put We've Had Enough halfway the tracklist and Xscape at the end. And there it was: an 8 track Jackson / Jerkins playlist:

1. Unbreakable
2. Heartbreaker
3. Invincible
4. You Rock My World
5. We've Had Enough
6. Privacy
7. Threatened
8. Xscape

And ever since, I have been playing this list a lot... an my appreciation for these Invincible songs grew a lot. To be honest: the playlist has been on repeat for a long time! It's a perfect playlist like this, it feels very cohesive, and in my opinion the tracks make more sense like this. It all fits together.

Would be cool to know it you have any personal playlists that work really well for you!

(Don't get me wrong – I am not saying the other tracks should not have been released! But I would have loved Michael to release Invincible this way, and then release another album with the other songs soon after!)

 

[ChrisC]

8 songs on a first legit studio album (without greatest hits or remixes) since Dangerous, when nobody anywhere was releasing albums so short...would have been a disappointment.

I like that you focussed it more, but I'm still left with songs here that I believe to be poorly made and weak.

 

[Michaels Lover]

I wouldn't call this an "appreciation" for Invincible as a whole, as you only appreciate 6 songs from the album. So it's not really an appreciation for the album, but just a few songs from the album

 

[Piek]

I wouldn't call this an "appreciation" for Invincible as a whole, as you only appreciate 6 songs from the album. So it's not really an appreciation for the album, but just a few songs from the album

If you actually READ my post, instead of hunting for the negative, you would have noticed I mentioned other songs, like 200 Watts and Break of Dawn, to be among my favourites.

Posting on this forum is getting so hard if people even manage to find a negative approach for someone posting about being happy with a playlist he made for himself.

I appreciate those 6 songs more since I played them in this playlist – it was sort of rediscovery for me. Thanks for doubting my appreciation.

 

[JichaelMackson]

That's certainly an album I can dig. How many other songs did he work on with Jerkins? Privacy has grown on me the last couple of months, suddenly I really love the vocals on that song. If I take your tracklist I will personally add Butterflies and Don't Walk Away and my own version of Invincible is ready too.

Perhaps someone can provide a list of Invincible outtakes? I'm really not very well known with this era as I don't really like it much.

 

[Nite Line]

Perhaps someone can provide a list of Invincible outtakes? I'm really not very well known with this era as I don't really like it much.

One More Chance - Released on Number Ones
Fall Again - Released on Ultimate Collection
Beautiful Girl - Released on Ultimate Collection
The Way You Love Me - Released on Ultimate Collection & Michael
We've Had Enough - Released on Ultimate Collection
Hollywood Tonight - Released on Michael
I Can't Make It Another Day - Released on Michael
Chicago - Released on Xscape
A Place With No Name - Released on Xscape
Blue Gangsta - Released on Xscape
Xscape - Released on Xscape
Shout - Released as B side to Cry
Rampage - Unreleased
Jungle - Unreleased
Get Your Weight Off Me - Unreleased
What More Can I Give Solo - Unreleased

There are probably a few more unreleased songs from Invincible sessions that I am missing, as I am not the most knowledgeable in regards to unreleased songs.

 

[JichaelMackson]

Of that list of outtakes I love: one more chance, fall again, we've had enough, Hollywood tonight (top of the bunch imo), Chicago, blue gansta, shout.
These would definitely replace the likes of speechless, lost children, cry, whatever happens, threatened, you are my life, 2000 watts none of which I like.

1. Unbreakable
2. Chicago
3. Heartbreaker
4. Fall Again
5. Don't Walk Away
6. Shout
7. Invincible
8. Hollywood Tonight (the demo is amazing)
9. Privacy
10. Blue Gangsta
11. You Rock My World
12. Butterflies
13. One More Chance
14. We've Had Enough

But yeah this is a total make over

 

[DanGerouS-]

one more chance was recorded in 2003, right?

i think that some invincible outtakes are much stronger than some released album tracks.

Xscape, APWNN, Blue Gangsta and especially Hollywood Tonight. excellent single material.
Those 4 would have improved invincible alot.

(i still love the released tracks on the album )

 

[Serious Effect]

Am I the only one who actually likes Invincible or-

 

[Ontheline]

I'm not going to say that Invincible is underrated but that album is simply a delight! It's kinda the opposite of OTW, this one is funky, disco and then Invincible is emotional and contemplative. The only songs I don't appreciate that much are 2000 Watts and Threatened. My favorite tracks from this delightful album are :

You Rock My World
Don't Walk Away
Speechless
Heaven Can Wait
Break of Dawn
Butterflies
The Lost Children
You Are My Life
Whatever Happens
Cry
Privacy

if those were the only songs of the album, it would be fine with me. I wish On The Line was released here. Songs like Unbreakable, Heartbreaker and Invincible are growing on me even though I don't like Jerkins' work with them. They aren't crazy songs but are nice to listen to, they are just not so well produced and the 3 sound the same.


This would have been perfect :

1. You Rock My World
2. On The Line
3. Don't Walk Away
4. Speechless
5. Heaven Can Wait
6. Break of Dawn
7. Butterflies
8. The Lost Children
9. You Are My Life
10. Whatever Happens

 

[Michaels Lover]

Am I the only one who actually likes Invincible or-

No you're not. I love and appreciate Invincible the way it is

 

[Serious Effect]

No you're not. I love and appreciate Invincible the way it is

 

[Rocketeer]

Your playlist is well-arranged (has a lot of the songs I like on Invincible; the sessions with Jerkins are my most preferred), but some honorable mentions for me are Blue Gangsta, In The Back (even it's a demo, I still love it), We've Had Enough, 2000 Watts, and Another Day. Also, since we're on the topic of Invincible, I'll say that I don't really think the album can live up to its predecessors in terms of quality and success, but I do believe some of the songs on it (and other outtakes) to be great and pretty underrated, like Unbreakable the In The Back demo

 

[NatureCriminal7896]

I love Invincible but the more i listen to it i think my love for it is starting to fade

 

[NatureCriminal7896]

You have to careful what you post. not everyone gonna agree what you post and say.

 

[ScreenOrigami]

You have to careful what you post. not everyone gonna agree what you post and say.

It's the whole point of a discussion forum to discuss. That includes disagreeing with other people’s opinions.

 

[NatureCriminal7896]

yeah.... but lately it's been war on war and some rude disagreements lately.... but i don't wanna get into it.

 

[ScreenOrigami]

yeah.... but lately it's been war on war and some rude disagreements lately.... but i don't wanna get into it.

There were no such rude disagreements in this thread, so why bring it up then? That really doesn’t help.

 

[Piek]

Your playlist is well-arranged (has a lot of the songs I like on Invincible; the sessions with Jerkins are my most preferred), but some honorable mentions for me are Blue Gangsta, In The Back (even it's a demo, I still love it), We've Had Enough, 2000 Watts, and Another Day.

I love 2000 Watts.. it's a very experimental track. I was astonished when I heard it for the first time. It fits really well with Shout, I think. I sometimes think Michael limited himself by focussing so much on albums. It would have been nice if he had released singles or EP's with songs that didn't end up on an album. Just like The Beatles did. I heard someone close to Michael (I forgot who) tell in the MJcast that was actualy Michaels plan during the This Is It period: to just release singles, not specifically albums. That would have been so nice!

 

[mj_frenzy]

I sometimes think Michael limited himself by focussing so much on albums. It would have been nice if he had released singles or EP's with songs that didn't end up on an album. Just like The Beatles did.

He could not do that because his contract with Sony stipulated that he had to release full albums (during the contract’s period), rather than EP’s or stand-alone singles consisted of outtakes.

That was due to Sony’s insurance policy, and the only exception to that rule was the ‘Blood On The Dance Floor’ hybrid album which came out as a result of a compromise between Michael Jackson and Sony (Sony wanted from him ten new songs on that album, but Michael Jackson did not agree).

I heard someone close to Michael (I forgot who) tell in the MJcast that was actualy Michaels plan during the This Is It period: to just release singles, not specifically albums. That would have been so nice!

That is true, because at that time he had no such contract (that would demand from him to release only albums), so he could promote his new music in the way he wanted (one new single release every two or three months during the ‘This Is It’ era was the plan).

 

[astromainiac]

I'm very new here so bear with me! I personally do not enjoy the Invincible album especially songs like Cry and 2000 Watts, I feel that they are very bland and dated even for it's time, Invincible should've been made up mostly of the songs I enjoy like Xscape and Fall Again and released in 1999 like it was originally intended to be.

 

[Nite Line]

You have to careful what you post. not everyone gonna agree what you post and say.

And? Why does it matter if people don't agree with you? Everyone has their own opinions, especially when it comes to music. If you like a certain album or song, you should post about it and not worry if everyone else disagrees with your opinion.

 

[NatureCriminal7896]

And? Why does it matter if people don't agree with you? Everyone has their own opinions, especially when it comes to music. If you like a certain album or song, you should post about it and not worry if everyone else disagrees with your opinion.

I wasn't talking to you i was talking to the user.

 

[NatureCriminal7896]

There were no such rude disagreements in this thread, so why bring it up then? That really doesn’t help.

:doh:

 

[Nite Line]

I wasn't talking to you i was talking to the user.

That is a very mature response, right?

This is a forum and anyone can reply to anyone. You do that all the time by replying to everyone. So why are you taking offence at me replying to your comment?

 

[ScreenOrigami]

It’s Carlos Santana’s birthday today. A great opportunity to spam your social media with “Whatever Happens”.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-rn_pCKFeC8" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Totally underappreciated song, in my opinion, and it sounds like it was recorded yesterday.

 

[NatureCriminal7896]

That is a very mature response, right?

This is a forum and anyone can reply to anyone. You do that all the time by replying to everyone. So why are you taking offence at me replying to your comment?

Because i wasn't talking to you.