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Monkey Business = Potentially one of the greatest songs from the Dangerous Era?

Themidwestcowboy

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I’ve always wondered why MJ and many of his producers and engineers held this song in such a high regard. I’ve always been somewhat neutral towards the song. I didn’t think it was bad but I also didn’t think it was one of the greatest songs he wrote during the dangerous era, BUT.. That was until I saw the footage of them working on the song in the studio. The version we got on TUC just doesn’t do it any Justice, at all. The song, as it is heard in the studio, is probably one of the grooviest and funkiest songs MJ ever recorded for Dangerous. There were so many elements, and so many great ideas that wasn’t present in the mix on TUC. I’d even go so far as to say that, with all those added elements it deserved a spot on the album. I’m totally serious.

 
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'Monkey Business' sounded like a song from the 'BAD' album sessions (due to the song's funky sound).

This means that Michael Jackson apparently feared that this would have been seen as a step backward in his career if he included it on the 'Dangerous' album.
 
mj_frenzy said:
'Monkey Business' sounded like a song from the 'BAD' album sessions (due to the song's funky sound).
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It is indeed a song from the late Bad sessions.
mj_frenzy said:
This means that Michael Jackson apparently feared that this would have been seen as a step backward in his career if he included it on the 'Dangerous' album.
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🤦‍♂️
 
Michael never told me why “Monkey Business” didn’t make the record. It had been in the top four priorities as the album came together. It was an adventurously odd thing, sometimes Beatlesque, other times bluesy and dark, and Michael loved the Beatles, but there was an obscure story here. The music and production were quite far along when Michael finally came to me with his lyrics.

I got Greg Phillinganes in to Westlake studios to lay down a funky wurlitzer, and Jim Horn, the Beatles sax player, to layer some saxes. George Del Barrio’s string arrangement only entered a couple of times, but it evoked the sense of the story with an edgy riff. A lot of love and attention went into that recording. It never occurred to me that it might be left off the Dangerous album.
“Monkey Business” was eventually released without a final mix, on a rarities record, but without Michael to tell his back-story, it has gone unnoticed.​

- Bill Bottrell, July 2019
 
Fuzball said:
I got Greg Phillinganes in to Westlake studios to lay down a funky wurlitzer, and Jim Horn, the Beatles sax player, to layer some saxes. George Del Barrio’s string arrangement only entered a couple of times, but it evoked the sense of the story with an edgy riff. A lot of love and attention went into that recording. It never occurred to me that it might be left off the Dangerous album.
“Monkey Business” was eventually released without a final mix, on a rarities record, but without Michael to tell his back-story, it has gone unnoticed.​

- Bill Bottrell, July 2019
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Which is a damn shame.
 
That's wild I just watched that video again this morning. It's so groovy

I've never disliked the song either mate, but I've always wondered how it was considered so heavily for Dangerous, given the version we've heard on TUC. I'd love to know if that was the version considered for Dangerous

Then I saw that same video and damn if that ain't one of the funkiest grooves ever. Those "Lord have mercy" adlibs paired with those looped Down background harmonies is crazy.

@Fuzball is right it probably would have fit perfectly on BOTDF to be honest
 
SmoothCriminal1995 said:
That's wild I just watched that video again this morning. It's so groovy

I've never disliked the song either mate, but I've always wondered how it was considered so heavily for Dangerous, given the version we've heard on TUC. I'd love to know if that was the version considered for Dangerous

Then I saw that same video and damn if that ain't one of the funkiest grooves ever. Those "Lord have mercy" adlibs paired with those looped Down background harmonies is crazy.

@Fuzball is right it probably would have fit perfectly on BOTDF to be honest
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My man, I had almost the exact reaction! I was like goddamn this ish is JAMMING! Those Down, down, down made me feel some type of way. Just judging by that video, it had major potential. A dream come true would be if the full multitrack leaked. I’m sure some fans would be able to put together a killer version of that song.
 
Themidwestcowboy said:
My man, I had almost the exact reaction! I was like goddamn this ish is JAMMING! Those Down, down, down made me feel some type of way. Just judging by that video, it had major potential. A dream come true would be if the full multitrack leaked. I’m sure some fans would be able to put together a killer version of that song.
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That would be a dream my friend.
The only thing that video missed was to see Mike jamming to it, I imagine he'd be going wild over that. The funk is unmatched

Monkey Business, as it is in TUC, reminds me of the 88 mix of Streetwalker, a good song but I can't hear the potential of it being on the album
 
I've never been a fan of the song, I actually put it in my list of worst MJ songs in the other thread but that video above is very good.

Makes me wanna dance like the guys in the studio. Shame TUC version was watered down.
 
I like it, but it's not "great." Kind of weird...
I agree that the behind the scenes footage shows a much better song. A song that could have possibly been single worthy.
Completely bizarre that version wasn't released yet the demo watered down sounding one was.
 
I think both monkey business and superfly sister have a different edgy sound and both didn’t fit the sound of the dangerous album. I like both a lot and the song presented in the video of the first post is indeed very cool.

BOTDF could have easily been a full album with unreleased 90s tracks and minimal studio work for Michael.
Making it a remix album doesn’t make sense to me.

The 5 tracks + monkey business, serious effect, work that body, she got it, someone put your hand out and slave to the rhythm

You could even throw in some songs meant for other projects like mind is the magic and on the line
 
filmandmusic said:
Making it a remix album doesn’t make sense to me.
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House Music was popular, Michael didn't do house. Remix his songs for house and the clubs. Simple logic.
filmandmusic said:
someone put your hand out

You could even throw in some songs meant for other projects like mind is the magic and on the line
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All of these are released
 
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