I've been to one. Think it was 2017 or 2018. It wasn't played as far as I remember.
Chicago 1945 was played once in 2014 when Steve Porcaro attended the L.A. seminar.
Unfortunately, I wasn't there.What does it sound like, can you describe it?
The song “Chicago 1945″, on the other hand, makes a number of significant Chicago-related citations. The World’s Fair (which visited Chicago), The Chicago Tribune (local newspaper), Al Capone (of ‘The Chicago Outfit’ fame), and so on. While making these citations it tells the story of a mysterious disappearance in the area. “Three girls disappeared on a cold windy night, never to be found again, never to be found again!” sings Jackson in the first verse. “Who solved the mystery late Chicago night? Ya can’t hide the truth so won’t ya turn on the light,” he continues in the choruses, before launching into a flurry of high-pitched “hoo-hoo” and “hee-hee” ad libs. The track finishes with Jackson chanting “Chicago! Chicago!” over and over in his trademark, gritty (slightly angry) vocal-style. The track was constantly on Jackson’s mind over the course of his career, and was worked on during the ‘Invincible’ sessions and again at Neverland in 2004.
After the Thriller album came out, during the Victory tour (or maybe right before it) Porcaro submitted a few grooves to Michael. Sometime later MJ called Steve and told him that he wanted to do something with one of them. Apparently, he had gone to the library and read on Chicago of the 1930s-40s, and that’s how he came up with an idea for the song. He and Porcaro met and recorded nine straight vocal takes for what would become “Chicago 1945.”
Of course, it’s impossible to describe music in text, but here are five things you need to know about “Chicago 1945”:
— The song is completed musically an vocally and perfectly releasable as is;
— It has no connection to “Al Capone” or “Smooth Criminal” (another myth) – a completely different and separate song;
— The lyrics tell a story about (three?) girls who went out at night and disappeared;
— It’s a catchy song. Not the level of greatness of “Billie Jean” or “Beat It,” but a solid groove. The hook (“Never to be found again… never to be found again”) was stuck in my head for 3 days after we had heard it;
— As the song was playing, I was trying to find another MJ song to compare it to. The closest I could come up with was “Behind the Mask” – the song is in the same tempo, and even the composition seemed somewhat similar to me. Although I think “Chicago 1945” is sung in a lower key – Michael’s voice is not as resonant as in “BTM.”
The sad thing is that everybody could have heard it by now if only the record label had been willing to do right by it. Porcaro was approached about the song for Xscape album, but he didn’t give his permission to use it. “It seems songs are going straight to remix these days,” he told us. It was obvious this approach didn’t sit well with him.
From morinen, a fan who attended the Brad Sundberg seminar where the song was played
I haven't heard this song, yet I can just imagine what it sounds like.
I can't imagine at all, the way it is described it sounds nothing like how his music sounded like around 1984. Could be just me though!
It has (supposedly) a constant rhythm played in the 16th note.
I can't imagine at all, the way it is described it sounds nothing like how his music sounded like around 1984. Could be just me though!
This and throwing your life away he only songs left that were completed :-(
Wait. What? Are you sure? I always thought that one is vocally 100% done and was considered for a releaseThrowing Your Life Away is not a 100% finished song. But It has a great potential, the song sounds "complete" under the instrumental points, but there are only scratch vocals on there.
Throwing Your Life Away is not a 100% finished song. But It has a great potential, the song sounds "complete" under the instrumental points, but there are only scratch vocals on there.
This is curious, because a number of seminar attendees (and Damien Shields) have said the song is finished.
Wait. What? Are you sure? I always thought that one is vocally 100% done and was considered for a release
This is curious, because a number of seminar attendees (and Damien Shields) have said the song is finished.
The song has full lyrics and instruments recorded on there. It's an amazing one compared to the other incomplete songs, but it has early - scratch vocals on there. Probably there are several different version, but the "recognized" one has early vocals on it.
But it's still a great song.
The version with scratch vocals comes from Brad Sundberg, right?
Yes. That one, and probably it's one of the "approved" version to me but i'm not sure, cause the instruments and few parts sounds amazing complete.
I can maybe understand the reason why they haven't released that in the Xscape project, But it would have been a great idea releasing that in the BAD 25th 2nd disc.
If you have to rank TYLA along with BAD25s 6 'new' demos in terms of vocal completeness, where would you put tyla?
Oh that’s so sad. I had high hopes for that song based on the short snippets available. It really seems that the vault is empty and only a handful songs are releasable (for example CGYWOOM).Stefano MJS;4293731 said:Tbh i'm listening rn the BAD25 demos and maybe i can recognize you the "similiar" vocal completeness in the Don't Be Messin' 'Round scratch vocals shared some time ago by Korgnex, because all the 6 demos in the disc are a waaay more complete than TLYA to me.
(for example CGYWOOM).
Chicago 1945 and TYLA sound like great songs, or demos.
The Bad outtakes really are something else.