Best of Joy - Original Version

[Stefano MJS]

I only take some parts of the 3rd verse just for asking you guys something:

“Remember the times you said your life was through?
That’s when I held and carried you
These arms that took hold of you”

So this part it's still unreleased and not in the other verses?

[AdeZ]

Has anyone said that they've heard a 2008 demo of the song with those lyrics in it? Could it be the case that it wasn't a third verse but just a discarded/changed one? I'm struggling to think of why it would be left out otherwise.

I highly doubt that as listen to the leaked acapella, around 1:06 there's just a splice in the vocals

[SmoothGangsta]

I only take some parts of the 3rd verse just for asking you guys something:



So this part it's still unreleased and not in the other verses?

That part is unreleased yes.

[AlwaysThere]

Has anyone said that they've heard a 2008 demo of the song with those lyrics in it? Could it be the case that it wasn't a third verse but just a discarded/changed one? I'm struggling to think of why it would be left out otherwise.

I spoke to three people who heard it at some sort of fan event/seminar a few years back (not a Sundberg one). Evidently the 2008 demo is pretty different from the version we have: a slightly different count-in intro, the third verse, a differently structured chorus, etc. But the general consensus is that Neff-U blew MJ’s version out of the water, and he did justice to the track.

Just speculating here: it’s to my understanding that BoJ was recorded over a two-day period, and on the second day (when the third verse was recorded), Michael’s vocals were a bit more energized and dynamic. Since the whole song is very laid back and sensual, maybe it was removed for consistency’s sake? It would be pretty odd if suddenly MJ went from basically a whisper for the whole song to an impassioned wail in the third verse. (Though, like I said, that’s just speculation.)

[Ekans]

Since we're talking mostly about the lyrics, I'm wondering if were there any major changes in the instrumentation of the song.

[MJJ Leaks]

Since we're talking mostly about the lyrics, I'm wondering if were there any major changes in the instrumentation of the song.

It was just a Drum machine loop and a Fender Rose guitar, according to Michael Prince on The MJ Cast.

[AlwaysThere]

It was just a Drum machine loop and a Fender Rose guitar, according to Michael Prince on The MJ Cast.

Small correction: a Fender Rhodes keyboard, played by Brad Buxer

[SmoothGangsta]

Ngl I will probably prefer MJ's version unless it's actually utterly awful, which is doubtful.

[SmoothGangsta]

I spoke to three people who heard it at some sort of fan event/seminar a few years back (not a Sundberg one). Evidently the 2008 demo is pretty different from the version we have: a slightly different count-in intro, the third verse, a differently structured chorus, etc. But the general consensus is that Neff-U blew MJ’s version out of the water, and he did justice to the track.

Just speculating here: it’s to my understanding that BoJ was recorded over a two-day period, and on the second day (when the third verse was recorded), Michael’s vocals were a bit more energized and dynamic. Since the whole song is very laid back and sensual, maybe it was removed for consistency’s sake? It would be pretty odd if suddenly MJ went from basically a whisper for the whole song to an impassioned wail in the third verse. (Though, like I said, that’s just speculation.)

That would make sense. I hope we get to hear it at some point. I wish they would have been able incorporate all his vocals. Also, I'm guessing that means that someone within the fanbase has it, if it's being brought to a fan event.

[AlwaysThere]

That would make sense. I hope we get to hear it at some point. I wish they would have been able incorporate all his vocals. Also, I'm guessing that means that someone within the fanbase has it, if it's being brought to a fan event.

One of the MJ Cast hosts has a version of it. I’m not sure which one, but he said something along the lines of, “There are certain parts where I had to rewind because of how beautiful his vocals were. It’s the one I listen to most often.” Maybe it came from him?

[summer]

I’m with you guys...I absolutely ADORE Best of Joy!!! It’s definitely one of my absolute FAVORITE MJ songs! ❤️ And it was so comforting after he died. 😢 I wasn’t aware that there were different versions of it? From my understanding that was the only song Michael had actually finished before he died? 🤔 Does anyone know when it was written? I sooo wish we could’ve gotten to hear the songs he had written 2006-2009. 😩 I bet they were all amazing!! I bet the ones he did with Will I Am were awesome too! I’m still so gutted that we lost him! 😢 But luckily TJ (Tito’s son) is making music and he’s awesome! 👍🏻❤️ He definitely has the songwriting gene in him. Taryll too! 👍🏻 Wish they could complete the songs if there are some without vocals! 🙏🏻 ❤️

[AlwaysThere]

Does anyone know when it was written?

It was originally written and recorded in 1982 as "The Toy" for the Richard Pryor film of the same name, but wasn't included because the Thriller sessions took priority. Michael turned it into "Best of Joy" between 1990-91; the only substantial change was the opening lyric (changed from "I am your toy, I am your boy" to "I am your joy, your best of joy"). The version we have was recorded in late October 2008, and is one of the last songs that Michael ever recorded a full, top-to-bottom vocal for.

[GGVVGGCC22331122]

It was originally written and recorded in 1982 as “The Toy” for the Richard Pryor film of the same name, but wasn’t included because the “Thriller” sessions took priority. Michael turned it into “Best of Joy” between 1990-91; the only substantial change was the opening lyric (changed from “I am your toy, I am your boy” to “I am your joy, your best of joy”). The version we have was recorded in late October 2008, and is one of the last songs that Michael ever recorded a full, top-to-bottom vocal for.

Hmm....I didn’t know about any of this, @AlwaysThere. But, the lyrics to “Best of Joy” were already written down by Michael, not long before he passed, were they not? They were photographed, and the pictures of them were posted online, too. I didn’t know that the song was originally written for some other project besides one of his albums, and then, eventually re-written and recorded years later. That’s interesting.

And, I thought he was the only writer/composer of this song. Were there other people involved in its writing/composition, who should have gotten credit for their work, as I’m reading other posters’ comments about this “third verse” by another songwriter, that was removed before “Best of Joy” was released on the “MICHAEL” posthumous album? I’d like to know.

Great, absolutely BEAUTIFUL vocals on “Best of Joy” as well. For them to have been recorded only months before his rehearsals for “This Is It” —— in spite of his having just turned 50 years of age, at the time he recorded them —— was just simply A-M-A-Z-I-N-G....PERIOD. He NEVER really “lost” any of his vocal abilities, which stayed with him throughout his life.

[mj_frenzy]

It was originally written and recorded in 1982 as "The Toy" for the Richard Pryor film of the same name, but wasn't included because the Thriller sessions took priority. Michael turned it into "Best of Joy" between 1990-91; the only substantial change was the opening lyric (changed from "I am your toy, I am your boy" to "I am your joy, your best of joy"). The version we have was recorded in late October 2008, and is one of the last songs that Michael ever recorded a full, top-to-bottom vocal for.

There is conflicting information about these things.

According to some sources, ‘The Toy’ was originally written and recorded in 1981, not in 1982.

Also, some sources state that ‘Best Of Joy’ was recorded in 2009 (during the ‘This Is It’ sessions), not in late October 2008.

Michael turned it into "Best of Joy" between 1990-91; the only substantial change was the opening lyric (changed from "I am your toy, I am your boy" to "I am your joy, your best of joy").

You refuted that in the past when you stated the following (not in MJJCommunity):

“I still don't find that "Dangerous" paper scan legitimate. the words Best of Joy look photoshopped”

So, although ‘The Toy’ is certainly an early version of ‘Best Of Joy’, it is unknown when Michael Jackson made that song’s title change and that substantial opening lyrical change.

[AlwaysThere]

Hmm....I didn’t know about any of this, AlwaysThere. But, the lyrics to “Best of Joy” were already written down by Michael, not long before he passed, were they not? They were photographed, and the pictures of them were posted online, too. I didn’t know that the song was originally written for some other project besides one of his albums, and then, eventually re-written and recorded years later. That’s interesting.

And, I thought he was the only writer/composer of this song. Were there other people involved in its writing/composition, who should have gotten credit for their work, as I’m reading other posters’ comments about this “third verse” by another songwriter, that was removed before “Best of Joy” was released on the “MICHAEL” posthumous album? I’d like to know.

Great, absolutely BEAUTIFUL vocals on “Best of Joy” as well. For them to have been recorded only months before his rehearsals for “This Is It” —— in spite of his having just turned 50 years of age, at the time he recorded them —— was just simply A-M-A-Z-I-N-G....PERIOD. He NEVER really “lost” any of his vocal abilities, which stayed with him throughout his life.

There were! The lyric sheets were written later in his life, but he did that commonly. There are notes for "Hollywood Tonight," including the bridge lyrics, spanning nine years.

Michael is the sole composer. There are persistent rumors that Rod Temperton wrote the unreleased third verse, but they're fictitious. Rod Temperton was working on an alternate chorus that never made it past the consideration phase.

There is conflicting information about these things.

According to some sources, ‘The Toy’ was originally written and recorded in 1981, not in 1982.

Also, some sources state that ‘Best Of Joy’ was recorded in 2009 (during the ‘This Is It’ sessions), not in late October 2008.

There were no This Is It sessions. Those sources were reliant on the Estate-provided fact that "Best of Joy" was among the final tracks Michael provided full vocals for, leaving them with the assumption that it was recorded in 2009. Michael Prince relayed to both Joseph Vogel and Mike Smallcombe that the released version was recorded in October 2008.

You refuted that in the past when you stated the following (not in MJJCommunity):

“I still don't find that "Dangerous" paper scan legitimate. the words Best of Joy look photoshopped”

So, although ‘The Toy’ is certainly an early version of ‘Best Of Joy’, it is unknown when Michael Jackson made that song’s title change and that substantial opening lyrical change.

That was my opinion based on the low-quality image scan. As it turns out, it is legit.