‘Decade’ - The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

mj_frenzy

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I am referring to MJ’s greatest hits album ‘Decade’ that was about to get a release in the early ‘90s.

There is no doubt that MJ recorded few new songs during that period with plans to include them in a new release (more likely on a compilation album, entitled ‘Decade’).

Those new songs were supposedly included on the so-called ‘Dangerous Flight Promo CD’. It seems that those new songs, among others, were essentially the demos/early versions of some tracks that later made the ‘Dangerous’ album (for example, ‘Who Is It’, ‘Black or White’, ‘Heal the World’).

The story behind the ‘Decade’ album seems to be still a bit vague, for example:

Is there any official track listing of those greatest hits (from his up to that point adult, solo career) that would have appeared on the ‘Decade’?

Is there any official information regarding its cover & art work?

Is there any connection between the greatest hits that were about to make the ‘Decade’ with the ones that eventually made the ‘HIStory’ album (disc one)?

Is there any connection between the ‘Decade’ release & the release of the 1.000 MJ’s numbered, authentic ‘Artist of the Decade Awards’ that ‘Platinum Limited Editions’ released at that time?

I am not complaining, of course, that ‘Decade’ never happened because thankfully MJ shelved it in favor of the ‘Dangerous’ album.
 
innuendo141;4116189 said:
I've heard rumours that Come Together was going to be set on the album. I've heard a good few things over the years but that's the only one I can think of at the minute.

Found a post by Dangerous Inc that gives an idea of the tracklist

http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-62783.html?

Apart from ‘Come Together’, there was another Beatles’ cover that was (probably) meant for the ‘Decade’ album. I am referring, of course, to the song called ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’.

It was reported also that MJ was interested in covering several other songs from the Beatles with a view to include them in an album that would have comprised only covers from that group. But, I suppose this is another discussion.

Also, I am aware of these possible, unofficial ‘Decade’ track listings that have been circulating here & there.

In any case, thanks for your response.
 
mj_frenzy;4116199 said:
Apart from ‘Come Together’, there was another Beatles’ cover that was (probably) meant for the ‘Decade’ album. I am referring, of course, to the song called ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’.

It was reported also that MJ was interested in covering several other songs from the Beatles with a view to include them in an album that would have comprised only covers from that group. But, I suppose this is another discussion.

Also, I am aware of these possible, unofficial ‘Decade’ track listings that have been circulating here & there.

In any case, thanks for your response.

Being my favourite Beatles song, I'd absolutely die to hear it, if it is true. Heard about it years ago but... Possibly another myth
 
mj_frenzy;4116199 said:
Apart from ‘Come Together’, there was another Beatles’ cover that was (probably) meant for the ‘Decade’ album. I am referring, of course, to the song called ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’.
.

That is NOT TRUE. This rumor was started as a hoax by the French editors of the old Black & White magazine. Who should have known better than than to make this "joke".
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

The album did happen.. Just later, it's called HIStory!! and yes, Come Together was on it!

They just recycled the idea... From my understanding many of the tracks that developed into Dangerous is what would have been the second disc of 'Decade'
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

That is NOT TRUE. This rumor was started as a hoax by the French editors of the old Black & White magazine. Who should have known better than than to make this "joke".

Source.
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

Wasn't there even some sort of test pressing of the Decade album?
It's only a vague memory, but i remember an image of it. Maybe it was part of the hoax by B&W...
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

Wasn't there even some sort of test pressing of the Decade album?
It's only a vague memory, but i remember an image of it. Maybe it was part of the hoax by B&W...

Apparently there are 10 copies in the world, with Men/Man in Black and the adult versions of I'll Be There (Pepsi version) and Never Can Say Goodbye. The page I posted above seemed convinced that those 2 different acetate/track lists are genuine
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

This is from Korgnex. There are 2 acetates (1989 & 1990):

1988

Come Together (1968) (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
Michael Jackson
Appeared in the movie Moonwalker (1988)

"Decade 1979-1989"
(Test Pressing, 1989)
"Decade 1980-1990"
(Test Pressing, 1990)




1989
Black Or White - Demo (1989) (Michael Jackson)
Michael Jackson

"Decade 1979-1989"
(Test Pressing, 1989)
"Decade 1980-1990"
(Test Pressing, 1990)


Heal The World - Demo (1989) (Michael Jackson)
Michael Jackson

"Decade 1979-1989"
(Test Pressing, 1989)
"Decade 1980-1990"
(Test Pressing, 1990)

I'll Be There - Adult Version (1970)
(Bob West, Harold Davies, Willie Hutch, Berry Gordy Jr.)
Michael Jackson
Parts of the newly recorded song were used 1993
in a Pepsi TV Commercial which has been released
on the VHS/DVD Dangerous - The Short Films (1993/2001)

"Decade 1979-1989"
(Test Pressing, 1989)
"Decade 1980-1990"
(Test Pressing, 1990)

Never Can Say Goodbye - Adult Version (1971) (Clifton Davis)
Michael Jackson

"Decade 1979-1989"
(Test Pressing, 1989)
"Decade 1980-1990"
(Test Pressing, 1990)

Who Is It - Demo (1989) (Michael Jackson)
Michael Jackson

"Decade 1979-1989"
(Test Pressing, 1989)

Gone Too Soon - Demo (1990) (Buz Kohan, Larry Grossman)
Michael Jackson

"Decade 1980-1990"
(Test Pressing, 1990)

Men In Black (1990) (Michael Jackson, Teddy Riley)
Michael Jackson

"Men In Black"
(Test Pressing, 1990)
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

Maybe it was part of the hoax by B&W...

What hoax are you talking about? Why do you think there was a hoax? Any evidence?
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

What hoax are you talking about? Why do you think there was a hoax? Any evidence?

I've seen a few tracklists, do you know which one's if any were real?

Quoted wrong post, meant to quote the acetate list
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

I'll Be There - Adult Version (1970)
(Bob West, Harold Davies, Willie Hutch, Berry Gordy Jr.)
Michael Jackson
Parts of the newly recorded song were used 1993
in a Pepsi TV Commercial which has been released
on the VHS/DVD Dangerous - The Short Films (1993/2001)

"Decade 1979-1989"
(Test Pressing, 1989)
"Decade 1980-1990"
(Test Pressing, 1990)

Never Can Say Goodbye - Adult Version (1971) (Clifton Davis)
Michael Jackson


I vaguely remember that one of MJ's collaborators was asked about this (as I remember the question was specifically about Never Can Say Goodbye) and he said that MJ never recorded it as an adult and never intended to re-release his childhood songs with an adult voice and that it was just a fan rumour.

ETA: Here it is:

I asked Brad Sundberg about those rerecorded J5 tracks for Decade (supposedly I'll Be There and Never Can Say Goodbye were rerecorded) at his seminar, but he said it never happened to his knowledge. I then brought up the I'll Be There Pepsi commercial, to which Brad said that he thought this was recorded at Hayvenhurst. He seemed to suggest this was done specifically for the commercial.

http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/threads/132575-What-songs-did-MJ-re-record
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

I vaguely remember that one of MJ's collaborators was asked about this (as I remember the question was specifically about Never Can Say Goodbye) and he said that MJ never recorded it as an adult and never intended to re-release his childhood songs with an adult voice and that it was just a fan rumour.

ETA: Here it is:



http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/threads/132575-What-songs-did-MJ-re-record

Yeah, but he wasn't with MJ 24/7. MJ, especially during that time period, worked with numerous producers, engineers and songwriters. And they probably didn't know about songs MJ was doing with others. Also let's not forget that on many songs MJ worked alone or just with Brad Buxer.
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

I've seen a few tracklists, do you know which one's if any were real?

Quoted wrong post, meant to quote the acetate list

I don't know. I just had that text saved. It was posted by Korgnex some time ago. I just copy-pasted the text and saved it because I thought it's interesting and that it might be useful someday.
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

What hoax are you talking about? Why do you think there was a hoax? Any evidence?

I was referring to what kreen wrote.
I actually don't remember this hoax, must have been in the last few issues of the mag, which i didn't buy.
 
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Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

I was referring to what kreen wrote.
I actually don't remember this hoax, must have been in the last few issues of the mag, which i didn't buy.

Yeah. I asked him also what hoax is he talking about, is there any evidence or source to back up his claim, but nothing. He probably just stated his opinion as a fact.
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

Yeah. I asked him also what hoax is he talking about, is there any evidence or source to back up his claim, but nothing. He probably just stated his opinion as a fact.

A lot of that lately unfortunately, IF thats what it is.
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened


When the French MJ fanzine Black & White went out of business, the owners made one last issue with a 4-page article meant as a joke: they claimed to have a copy of the Decade album. One of the songs was supposedly SFF. They later admitted it was a hoax.
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

When the French MJ fanzine Black & White went out of business, the owners made one last issue with a 4-page article meant as a joke: they claimed to have a copy of the Decade album. One of the songs was supposedly SFF. They later admitted it was a hoax.

Again with no source. I'm asking you to give me a quote of them "admitting it was a hoax" or a link where that can be verified.
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

I'll state this again because I don't know why people even debate this...

"The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened"

It DID happen... just a few years later in 1995.. History is vertully identical to the description of "decade" aside from track list... The idea, even to include 'Come Together' remained....

delayed with a itle change, end of story
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

I'll state this again because I don't know why people even debate this...

"The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened"

It DID happen... just a few years later in 1995.. History is vertully identical to the description of "decade" aside from track list... The idea, even to include 'Come Together' remained....

delayed with a itle change, end of story

Its not really debating, its trying to find out more information about a cancelled compilation that was actually given out to people "apparently". I think its an interesting idea that MJ went for a greatest hits in 89 and also interested in the fact that several people have said that Men In Black was supposedly on it.

Apparently this is out there so i dont know why you'd get so annoyed for people wanting to discuss it.
 
kreen;4116206 said:
That is NOT TRUE. This rumor was started as a hoax by the French editors of the old Black & White magazine. Who should have known better than than to make this "joke".

kreen;4116264 said:
When the French MJ fanzine Black & White went out of business, the owners made one last issue with a 4-page article meant as a joke: they claimed to have a copy of the Decade album. One of the songs was supposedly SFF. They later admitted it was a hoax.

Personally, I have never seen or heard any of them to come clean about that hoax/joke.

I think this hoax does not make sense at all, & to me, sounds a bit silly.

KOPV;4116209 said:
The album did happen.. Just later, it's called HIStory!! and yes, Come Together was on it!

They just recycled the idea... From my understanding many of the tracks that developed into Dangerous is what would have been the second disc of 'Decade'


KOPV;4116267 said:
I'll state this again because I don't know why people even debate this...

"The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened"

It DID happen... just a few years later in 1995.. History is vertully identical to the description of "decade" aside from track list... The idea, even to include 'Come Together' remained....

delayed with a itle change, end of story

I think these two project ‘(‘Decade’ & ‘HIStory’) are completely different in more ways than one (for example, album’s concept, new songs’ themes, overall track listing, amount of new songs, album’s cover, promotional campaign).

Electro;4116224 said:
Wasn't there even some sort of test pressing of the Decade album?

Some test pressing of the ‘Decade’ must have been made, & probably strictly circulated, considering that a planned release date for ‘Decade’ was even announced at that time.

MJ in conjunction with ‘LA Gear’ wanted that compilation album (‘Decade’) to get a simultaneous release with the launch of his new LA Gear venture. I am referring, of course, to the ‘Unstoppable High Top Shoes’, the MJ’s signature new line of shoes.

innuendo141;4116269 said:
I think its an interesting idea that MJ went for a greatest hits in 89 and also interested in the fact that several people have said that Men In Black was supposedly on it.

I am glad to hear this.

For me, cancelled projects interest me a lot, & sometimes even on the same degree with projects that eventually came to fruition.
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

So why was Decade cancelled? Did MJ decide he wanted to properly expand and work on some of the demos that were going to be on it (and thus Dangerous) or...?
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

So why was Decade cancelled? Did MJ decide he wanted to properly expand and work on some of the demos that were going to be on it (and thus Dangerous) or...?

Probably because once he got his creative juices flowing he couldn't stop. Think he ended up with like 70 songs so he said "oh I'll do a full album instead so"
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

I'm not sure how people can say 'Decade' and 'History' are completely different... The fact it has different track list says very little to me simply because 'Dangerous' came out which took many of the track list that would have been on 'Decade'.. Since it took the tracks 'History' of course would have to have a new track list. Also History was made post allegation which changed his musical style so it changed the music even more..

As far as songs that were supposed to be on 'Decade' like 'Men In Black' - it's my belief that it was cut out of Dangerous the same way it would have been cut out of 'Decade'.. I remember hearing somewhere that the music being made for release in 1989/1991 - they felt too strong about it to be put on a compilation album.. I think with that Michael was persuaded not to use the idea but went back to It... History..

And again, of course the track list would be different, 1) it was released years later 2) New music was created 3 ) tracks for 'Decade' was released on Dangerous 4) The allegations happened
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

If MJ released Decade in 1989-1990 it would have sold 30 million for sure. Too bad he didn't do that. Also, without the disc 1, HIStory would have sold more. MJ needed a greatest hits album in that period. Like end of an era, the best of the '80s. HIStory greatest hits came too late and in the wrong time in his career. In 1990 he was still at his peak, just after completing the second leg of the BAD Tour is US. And imagine with few new tracks like Come Together, Men In Black, Strawberry Fields Forever, I'll Be There, Never Can Say Goodbye, Black Or White, Heal The World, Who Is It & Gone Too Soon! But that may have been too much new tracks for greatest hits album. The Beatles and The Jackson 5 covers and maybe 1 new track and single - Men In Black would be perfect and saving all other tracks for Dangerous. Madonna did the same with The Immaculate Collection released during the same time period - at the peak of her career. November 9, 1990 and it is to this day her best selling album and one of the best selling albums ever with 28 MIL copies sold.
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

^ I agree, the concept of HIStory is very cool to me disc 1 is basically his hits (history) and the second disc is (HIS story) what he feels and what he's going through... The concept is freaking amazing to me BUT!! like you said an album like 'Decade' would have done amazing in 1990.. number 1 it's the start of a new decade, he KILLED the 80's and would be a good way to step into the 90's...
 
Re: The story behind the greatest hits album that never happened

If MJ released Decade in 1989-1990 it would have sold 30 million for sure. Too bad he didn't do that. Also, without the disc 1, HIStory would have sold more. MJ needed a greatest hits album in that period. Like end of an era, the best of the '80s. HIStory greatest hits came too late and in the wrong time in his career. In 1990 he was still at his peak, just after completing the second leg of the BAD Tour is US. And imagine with few new tracks like Come Together, Men In Black, Strawberry Fields Forever, I'll Be There, Never Can Say Goodbye, Black Or White, Heal The World, Who Is It & Gone Too Soon! But that may have been too much new tracks for greatest hits album. The Beatles and The Jackson 5 covers and maybe 1 new track and single - Men In Black would be perfect and saving all other tracks for Dangerous. Madonna did the same with The Immaculate Collection released during the same time period - at the peak of her career. November 9, 1990 and it is to this day her best selling album and one of the best selling albums ever with 28 MIL copies sold.

Never thought about that this way. Eye opening post :)
 
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