Latest on MJJC

Inclusion of 'Break Of Dawn' on 'Number Ones'

Tony R

Proud Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2011
Messages
2,604
Points
0
Location
UK
Does anyone know why this track got included? I remember reading at the time that it may have been released in a couple of smaller Eastern European countries but I don't think that's right.

So was it released anywhere & if so what it a 'Number One'?

Although it's probably the best selling MJ Greatest Hits, it's a pretty poor collection really and to finish off with two relatively weak tracks such as Break Of Dawn & One More Chance sticks with me a bit.

I know some may like them and they're not bad, but they don't sit well with his greatest work. Especially as Butterflies could have been on there which was an official release in many countries and if they wanted a 'new' track, we've seen from Xscape what they could have chosen, or even 'We've Had Enough'.
 
One More Chance was the token new track to get folk interested. You're right it doesn't fit, but I don't think it was ever meant to.

Break of Dawn was a strange inclusion though. The US tracklisting differed didn't it? Did it have the live version of Ben on one of the editions? Presumably an Epic/Motown issue.

I remember hearing Number Ones in a music store at the time and when it came to You Are Not Alone it was switched off lol.
 
They were still trying to squeeze out Invincible songs for people who maybe didn't listen to the album.
Should have put another hit. Like, maybe a song that was on the European release and not on the U.S. version.
 
I wouldn't call Break Of Dawn a weak track, IMO if it was promoted good enough with a decent video, I think it would have been a hit song. Butterflies definitely should have been on the Number Ones release though. That was the biggest hit from Invincible. Number 2 on the Billboard R & B charts with NO PROMOTION or music video. That's impressive.
 
MOST of the songs on Invincible could have been great singles, ESPECIALLY Unbreakable. MJ was dishing out IDGAF anthems like "Roar" and "Shake it Off" before it even became a thing. :p

MJ was totally robbed. I could only imagine how big Unbreakable would have been if it was given the TLC it deserved.

Anyway, its a bit off topic but yes, Break of Dawn would have been a great single and a number one hit.
 
Break of Dawn is great, but it was just an odd choice to stick on there.

I wonder if maybe the intention was to release One More Chance AND Break Of Dawn as singles.
But, obviously, things happened around the time of NUMBER ONES release.
 
^^The only problem that I got with songs like Unbreakable, Heartbreaker, Invicible (and maybe 2000 Watts too), is that i find that the beats are too harsh and too monotone. If you remove the drums, you can hear some great futurustic percussion sounds. And that annoys me, because people don't appreciate the details of the songs because the drums are drowning the sounds down.
 
Break of Dawn was one of the rumoured 7 singles MJ had planned to release as singles during the Invincible era.

Unbreakable was going to be the lead, YRMW the second single and Cry, Butterflies & Break of Dawn were going to follow at some point. My guess for the other two are Whatever Happens (obvious choice) and Speechless (it was already a promotional single at the time of Invincible's release.)

Apart from those MJ had told someone on the phone (I think it was Elizabeth) that he couldn't wait to do something for Threatened, most likely a video.
 
According to Damien Shields, MJ took undeserved co-writing credit on “Break of Dawn” and Dr. Freeze was pissed. Sony put it on Number Ones to both stave off a lawsuit and get Freeze additional royalties that he lost the first go-round on Invincible. Seemed to be the right move, given that Number Ones has sold longer and better in the long run.
 
Why it was on the album:

In every country there was a poll for the songs!
 
It has been said that was because 'Break Of Dawn' had already been planned as a single from the 'Invincible' album, and also because 'Break Of Dawn' had already got decent radio airplay.

So, 'Break Of Dawn' was meant to be the second single from the 'Number Ones' compilation album (with the first single being the 'One More Chance' song).

The logic behind this particular decision ('Break Of Dawn' released as a single from that compilation album) was that this would simultaneously serve 2 purposes, i.e., promotion of the 'Number Ones' compilation album and at the same time promotion also of the 'Invincible' album.
 
It is a great R&B song. If you listen to pop only go listen Madonna or something
 
  • Like
Reactions: MJ5
I love one more chance but it is a very bland choice for a single. It turned out to become a huge flop which then killed of the possible second single break of dawn.

If they had managed number ones better (picking better single choices), it would have had a lot more success. It is now a good catalogue seller because the passing of Michael but initially it got forgotten quickly.
 
mj_frenzy said:
It has been said that was because 'Break Of Dawn' had already been planned as a single from the 'Invincible' album, and also because 'Break Of Dawn' had already got decent radio airplay.

So, 'Break Of Dawn' was meant to be the second single from the 'Number Ones' compilation album (with the first single being the 'One More Chance' song).

The logic behind this particular decision ('Break Of Dawn' released as a single from that compilation album) was that this would simultaneously serve 2 purposes, i.e., promotion of the 'Number Ones' compilation album and at the same time promotion also of the 'Invincible' album.
Click to expand...
It doesn't make any sense to release an already released song as a single. If Michael wanted to release a second single of Number Ones, he could have included another previously unreleased song on Number Ones.

Invincible was barely promoted when it came out and a few months after its release. Not sure if Michael or Sony had any intention of promoting Invincible in late 2003, when it had already been out for two years and the general public had long forgotten about it.
 
Nite Line said:
It doesn't make any sense to release an already released song as a single. If Michael wanted to release a second single of Number Ones, he could have included another previously unreleased song on Number Ones.

Invincible was barely promoted when it came out and a few months after its release. Not sure if Michael or Sony had any intention of promoting Invincible in late 2003, when it had already been out for two years and the general public had long forgotten about it.
Click to expand...
Surprisingly One More Chance got as much promotion as You Rock My World would've, in addition to more than the other singles. Airplay and a music video.
 
Break of Dawn was one of the better songs on Invincible. Butterflies was a more obvious choice though. I don't see why he couldn't have released it as a second single on the Number Ones album but I am not sure if that was the intention. There have been better MJ compilations than the Number Ones album but it apparently sold a boatload, as you'd expect.
 
I think if Break of Dawn would have been handled properly, it would've been a huge hit, as I think would have many 'Invincible-Songs'
Unbreakable, Speechless, Threatened, Whatever Happens, privacy and Heaven Can Wait would have all had the opportunity to become singles in my opinion... But I'm driving off-
I think it could've been planned as a single maybe? Initially? If not, then I see no reason why they chose Break of Dawn over Butterflies, which was a single and critically pretty well received!
I think pretty much the same about One More Chance- wouldn't the allegations have happened and the production for the short-film wouldn't have been stopped, it could be a classic in my book.
 
ElectricEyes said:
Break of Dawn was one of the rumoured 7 singles MJ had planned to release as singles during the Invincible era.

Unbreakable was going to be the lead, YRMW the second single and Cry, Butterflies & Break of Dawn were going to follow at some point. My guess for the other two are Whatever Happens (obvious choice) and Speechless (it was already a promotional single at the time of Invincible's release.)

Apart from those MJ had told someone on the phone (I think it was Elizabeth) that he couldn't wait to do something for Threatened, most likely a video.
Click to expand...
Heaven Can Wait was planned to be a single too
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top