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Is Threatened a good song to end MJs entire discography on?

Mister_Jay_Tee

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Yes another Invincible thread.

As the last song on his last record, officially it ends his canon. TUC, T25, and all the posthumous releases don't quite count, and neither does One More Chance or What More Can I Give.

So with that said, does it fit? If you knew the last song MJ would sing was a Thriller Redux, with a surprisingly meta commentary on his life and career, what would you feel?

I'm sure many of you don't enjoy it, and I can see it now, but I think it works, for who MJ is, and how he's seen. It's a pretty fascinating message in that sort of way, though it's pretty evident that's not what it's intended to be.

I've just been thinking on the subject these few minutes. Childish Gambino's last album, 3.15.20, and his last song, 53.49, is an excellent tune, and what a way to close out what might be his last record under that banner. It makes you wonder how every artist wants their swan song to be.
 
Hmm I don’t know how to answer on this one…maybe no..? Because it’s his LAST song and (personally) it’d be neat if if it was like number one hit so then people would remember it very well. Or it’s a song that even some fans forget about it !
 
Mister_Jay_Tee said:
What did I just say?
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You don’t make the rules.
Maybe FOR YOU Threatened „closed his canon“ as you say..

What Fuzball postet is fact.
‚For All Time’ is the last finished and released song by MJ. And it wasn’t released with no small project either, as T25 was pretty big, sold extremely well & charted high!

That said: I love ‚Threatened‘, it’s one of the best songs on Invincible!
Adding to that ‚Threatened’ ends with: „This could be the the end…, it isn’t! It’s the beginning (beginning, beginning, beginning..)!“
 
Fuzball said:
For All Time is the last song MJ has finished and released😉
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was MJ actively working on it in 2008? afaik he just let it finish by the original producer. vocals are also not from 2008.
 
Mister_Jay_Tee said:
Yes another Invincible thread.

As the last song on his last record, officially it ends his canon. TUC, T25, and all the posthumous releases don't quite count, and neither does One More Chance or What More Can I Give.

So with that said, does it fit? If you knew the last song MJ would sing was a Thriller Redux, with a surprisingly meta commentary on his life and career, what would you feel?

I'm sure many of you don't enjoy it, and I can see it now, but I think it works, for who MJ is, and how he's seen. It's a pretty fascinating message in that sort of way, though it's pretty evident that's not what it's intended to be.

I've just been thinking on the subject these few minutes. Childish Gambino's last album, 3.15.20, and his last song, 53.49, is an excellent tune, and what a way to close out what might be his last record under that banner. It makes you wonder how every artist wants their swan song to be.
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That's not true. Michael's last song is One More Chance. It was released officially as a single. Threatened is just his last song on Invincible album
 
We're talking about the last song from the last Michael Jackson studio album. Not an outtake from Invincible or a bonus track released as a single, or a guest feature. Just pretend everything after doesn't exist for the sake of this argument. It's just not the same.
MJJuniorSinceMW said:
Maybe FOR YOU Threatened „closed his canon“ as you say..

What Fuzball postet is fact.
‚For All Time’ is the last finished and released song by MJ. And it wasn’t released with no small project either, as T25 was pretty big, sold extremely well & charted high!
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It's still largely an outtake from 1990. Though he did finish it. It wasnt made for a new album, it just was brought out of the vault. It could've easily have been Don't Be Messin' Round or Dream Away.
 
You officially end your entire discography when you decide to release a certain song as your last one.

So, neither of all the aforementioned songs officially ends Michael Jackson's entire discography.

For example, 'I Can't Give Everything Away' is considered to be David Bowie's last song that officially ends his entire discography (from his 'Blackstar' final album), which is a farewell song.
 
I don't think Mike gave it any thought honestly. Something like Whatever Happens or Escape would have been more tantalising or poignant but I doubt it'd have any significance.

Interestingly, compare this with George Michael, the last proper song (I think there's a reprise after that) on his last album was called Through, the hook for the song is "hey God you know what I'm Through" also his last "new single" was White Light, which is about his near death experience and the last line is "I thank you, I'm alive"
Both have probably more intrigue and poignancy given that George stated he wasn't going to release any more albums, perhaps his final message was I'm done, I'm Through.

I enjoy Threatened, but I prefer to remember the joy I felt towards the end of Thriller 25 hearing For All Time and being astounded by how gorgeous that song was and how it probably moved me more than anything on Invincible honestly.
A fitting reminder of Michael's one of a kind voice
 
DanGerouS- said:
was MJ actively working on it in 2008? afaik he just let it finish by the original producer. vocals are also not from 2008.
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Michael Sherwood interviewed by Brice Najar

Can you tell us more about the creation of the track For All Time that was supposed to feature on the Dangerous album?

Michael had called and he wanted a follow-up, something that was in the vibe of Human Nature and obviously something from Steve. We wrote several songs and one of them was For All Time. He was going to put it on the Dangerous album indeed and it was supposed to be the ballad. Michael recorded it and it was coming out really well so we were really excited. But then there was this kid, Ryan White, who died of a blood transfusion contracting AIDS, and it was very sad. Michael had this beautiful song called Gone Too Soon and it had to go on the record. So it kind of knocked our song off the Dangerous record. We were hoping that maybe it would be on the next record, then we hoped it would be on the next record and then we finally just gave up on it and continued writing. At some point Lionel Richie was approached and he was interested to perform it. Steve told me that they did a track for him with Nathan East and some other people but I never heard it and it never surfaced.

It was eventually released in 2008 on the Thriller 25 record. Do you know why it was actually chosen for that project? How did it feel when you heard the news?

Well, in 2005, maybe early 2006, we got a call from Michael saying that he was releasing the Thriller 25th anniversary record and that he would like to put For All Time on it. We were very surprised but we dusted it off and finished it up. It was 20 years later but you must never give up because you never know! It was a very pleasant surprise when Steve called me and said : « Are you sitting down? » I said : « No. » He said : « Sit down! » (laughs) Then I talked to Michael because I wanted to rewrite the verses. You know, 20 years later, I was a better writer so I said : « Can I please rewrite the verses? I love the chorus and the bridge, but I think the verses need a little more work. » But Michael said : « Oh, no, I want to keep it just like it is! » I said : « All right. » thinking to myself « You’re the King of Pop!… » (laughs)

Any anecdotes or memories of these studio sessions with Steve Porcaro and Michael Jackson?

I remember the sessions at Record One and Michael coming in and just being really professional and helpful and friendly but quiet. The thing is we had done most of the work 20 years before and all we did was brush it off and update some of it. Then Michael sang some of his things and finally sang the bridge which he hadn’t done before. So I didn’t really get close to him beside maybe a day of working with him. Otherwise it was Steve and I doing our things.​
 
SmoothCriminal1995 said:
I don't think Mike gave it any thought honestly. Something like Whatever Happens or Escape would have been more tantalising or poignant but I doubt it'd have any significance.

Interestingly, compare this with George Michael, the last proper song (I think there's a reprise after that) on his last album was called Through, the hook for the song is "hey God you know what I'm Through" also his last "new single" was White Light, which is about his near death experience and the last line is "I thank you, I'm alive"
Both have probably more intrigue and poignancy given that George stated he wasn't going to release any more albums, perhaps his final message was I'm done, I'm Through.

I enjoy Threatened, but I prefer to remember the joy I felt towards the end of Thriller 25 hearing For All Time and being astounded by how gorgeous that song was and how it probably moved me more than anything on Invincible honestly.
A fitting reminder of Michael's one of a kind voice
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I know he didn't, he also didn't intend it to be his last album. He was moving towards more happy faire if Hold My Hand and Best of Joy are any indicators.

That's very fascinating about George Michael though. I'm very interested in these types of things. Like, I wonder what Whitney Houstons last studio album song is.
 
It's a very nice song, and it is poignant. I was just talking About studio albums though.
 
Mister_Jay_Tee said:
It's a very nice song, and it is poignant. I was just talking About studio albums though.
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Talking strictly about studio albums, I actually don’t think it was a fitting song. MJ had every reason in the world to feel that way and to express that in his songs but it makes me sad that the same guy who came on to the scene with songs such as I Want You Back and ABC had gone through so much that he had to make a song like threatened. That’s why, to me, For All Time will always be the song that bookended is discography. It’s a song that makes me believe in the magic and wonderment that he provides for me, and the whole world with his artistry. I hope this makes sense.
 
Themidwestcowboy said:
Talking strictly about studio albums, I actually don’t think it was a fitting song. MJ had every reason in the world to feel that way and to express that in his songs but it makes me sad that the same guy who came on to the scene with songs such as I Want You Back and ABC had gone through so much that he had to make a song like threatened. That’s why, to me, For All Time will always be the song that bookended is discography. It’s a song that makes me believe in the magic and wonderment that he provides for me, and the whole world with his artistry. I hope this makes sense.
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Well that's all I wanted, I appreciate your response on the prompt. It is pretty bittersweet. Because it is a bad place to be at, and yet I like his confidence. It's a challenge and it's still necessary because somehow he is still being challenged. He was that kid, who entertained us, and there was a lot to enjoy about him, and he became the man who entertained us, and wanted to make some difference in people's lives. Yet he's been demonized so frequently. So it is sad.

For All Time, like I said, I see it as a great epilogue. Most of the ballads that came out post Invincible have that hopeful, reassuring nature that feels nice to hear, one last time.
 
Threatened is ok. The last spoken line is definitely interesting.

Richard76 said:
That's not true. Michael's last song is One More Chance. It was released officially as a single. Threatened is just his last song on Invincible album
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Correct. One More Chance is the last song released during MJ's lifetime.
 
R1chard said:
Threatened is ok. The last spoken line is definitely interesting.


Correct. One More Chance is the last song released during MJ's lifetime.
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One More Chance is more like a bonus track. Literally, it's just a bonus. But it's not the last "song". Not even the last "single"; that's Cheater.

But you see where there's obviously no line drawn if it's up to y'all. So again, just Studio albums. No extras, not even Blood on the Dance Floor.
 
Mister_Jay_Tee said:
Yes another Invincible thread.

As the last song on his last record, officially it ends his canon.
Click to expand...
What makes Threatened even more disappointing to me is hearing Rodney Jerkins brag about it in a YouTube video (well before Invincible's release). I wish I could find that video now.
 
Mister_Jay_Tee said:
[...] No extras, not even Blood on the Dance Floor.
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:(

Mister_Jay_Tee said:
Yes another Invincible thread. [...]

So with that said, does it fit? If you knew the last song MJ would sing was a Thriller Redux, with a surprisingly meta commentary on his life and career, what would you feel?
Click to expand...
Wouldn't bother me. Seems like a lot of people get a bit bored or frustrated when Michael does songs that cover ground he's already covered. An argument could be made, I suppose, for the formulaic nature of his albums - let's have a ballad, let's have a rock song, let's have something gospel-ly etc. Otoh, if the complaint is about him revisiting certain themes (media intrusion being an obvious example) then I don't have a problem with that. Writers often revisit the same themes over and over. I don't think Taylor Swift is going to give up writing break-up songs any time soon.

Actually, I don't think I'm qualified to answer the question bc I don't think of Invincible or any of the songs in the context of it being his last album bc no-one knew that it would be. I have always taken it as it stands - I love it, loads of people don't, I don't care, lol - and I don't take it any further than that.

But Threatened as a Thriller Redux? I suppose the intriguing thing there is he didn't write either song. Tbh, the Thriller lyrics don't interest me, they are just the peg for the short film, imo. With the Threatened lyrics there's a lot there for me to think about. They fit very well into Michael's 'story' and work well on their own without the music. I really like Threatened and listen to it quite a lot whereas I never listen to Thriller despite it being one of his most iconic songs.

Threatened as Thriller Redux? I'm thinking about this now. I'm not sure I agree that it is. The only real connection it has with Thriller is the voiceover. 🤔

<wanders off, lost in thought>
 
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