It's been a year to the day the King of Pop passed away. I don't know the exact reasons for his demise, quite frankly I never bothered digging it up. He was hounded by people throughout his life for his talent, by people who wanted to be in the presence of something much larger than themselves, and I feel there is no use soiling his memory by speculating over his death. He should be remembered with grace and dignity and for the magic he created and the uniting force he was throughout the world. People who remember him in the vein of the scandals that dogged him in his latter life should really test their psyche checked. That's my opinion of it anyway, I found it very hard to concentrate on anything other than his music in the first place.
The album in discussion today is the most widely sold album of all time. with estimated sales somewhere between 75 million and 110 million albums worldwide, this single album has sold more than most artistes sell in a lifetime. It was path breaking, rejuvenating and still probably the most influential record till date. Recorded after the success of "Off the Wall", the team of producer Quincy Jones and Jackson struck gold with Jackson's sixth studio album. MTV made large profits off the album and especially with the video of the title track. It was the first instance of an African-American artist getting on MTV and it paved the way for all future superstars who have used MTV as a launch vehicle for their careers. The hip-hop that most youth swing to today wouldn't have been even nearly as popular if it weren't for "Thriller".
Onto the songs then, the album starts with "Wanna be Starting Something", a groove heavy drum and bass intro leads into a track which deals with the excessive media attention that dogged Jackson since he was a child. An often unnoticed aspect of his music is the fact that he is an exceptionally gifted singer. Unlike our present day pop-stars, Michael Jackson never followed the lip-sync routine on stage and managed to dance and sing with elan. Even when he was 50 years old a few weeks shy of his death. The documentary "This Is It" is ample proof of that fact. "Thriller" as an album was very dance oriented and when these songs were being performed live was the true testimonial to Jackson's genius.
There is not enough that can be said about the songs. "Thriller", with the fifteen minute theme video that changed the face of MTV and the music video forever. "Beat It", which showcased Jackson's leanings towards rock by having the mighty Eddie Van Halen and Steve Lukather play on the song, blitzkrieg solo and all. "Billie Jean"", which introduced the moonwalk to unsuspecting mortals and remained the signature dance song in his live set. The song was about a fan and how she alleged that Jackson was the father to her child. "The Girl is Mine", a collaboration with Sir Paul McCartney, this was before the relationship soured between the two of them. Sir Paul ha suggested that Jackson buy publishing rights to songs so that he could have more control of the way his songs were used. He said this because The Beatles had run into similar trouble and Sir Paul was trying his best to regain the publishing rights to the songs he and John Lennon wrote. Jackson took the advice to heart and went on to outbid Sir Paul for the publishing rights to the music of The Beatles, paying $750 million for the collection and souring his relationship with Sir Paul in the process. The song is about two friends fighting over a girl and showcases the mellow sides to Jackson's voice. "Human Nature" is probably the most introspective song on the track with lyrics that are very tender compared to the content in "Beat It" or "Thriller". A beautiful melody and lovely singing on top makes for one killer ballad. "P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing)" another classic track talking about, well pretty young things, very R&B in approach and continuing in the dance tradition that he set in all his albums.
The standout feature of the album from a producer's or mixer's point of view is the brilliant layering, the use of innovative instruments and the strong edginess to almost all songs in the record. Even if you were to hear "Thriller" now, you would be surprised at the number of small melodies playing in the background, unnoticed by the common ear but adding to the greater overall product that is so necessary when making a killer pop song, something I think the Bollywood music industry sorely lacks. Nonetheless, the album is one of the greatest of all time and is a must have for any music fan, irrespective of genre. Oh wait, it probably is already owned by every music fan in the world. If you don't have it, get it and be a part of history.
May your soul Rest in Peace
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