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♪ dramatic, atmospheric music ♪
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♪ "Billie Jean"
by Michael Jackson ♪
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♪ Mama se, mama sa,
ma-ma coo sa ♪
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♪ "Beat It" by Michael Jackson ♪
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There are two
things in the music business:
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before Thriller
and after Thriller.
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♪ But you wanna be bad ♪
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- ♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
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♪ No one wants to be defeated ♪
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♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
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♪ It doesn't matter... ♪
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Mark.
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The first time I heard
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Michael Jackson's Thriller,
he was pop,
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he was R and B, he was gospel,
he was rock.
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It was everything that I loved.
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And bring all of
these elements together--
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dance and choreography
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and theatrical moments
and the feeling,
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you know,
like a musical, damn near.
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The magic of it-- each track
was better than the next.
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It was in your brain,
and everybody knew it.
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For the 14th consecutive week,
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the best-selling album
in the country
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is Michael Jackson's Thriller.
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If Thriller came out today,
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it would still be
the greatest album ever made.
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It's the ultimate blueprint
to modern pop music.
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I love the way
that record is sequenced, right?
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"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'."
The title says it.
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He wanted to be starting some
shit right now. He wanted...
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He's like, "I'm about
to start some shit
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in the industry right now.
I'm about to blow everybody up."
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This was literally
the pinnacle of everything
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that began with him.
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"Thriller," "Beat It"
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and "Billie Jean."
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To this day, when "Thriller"
comes on, I mean,
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there's not a Halloween
that doesn't happen
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where you don't hear that song.
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But then you have
"Human Nature," "P.Y.T.,"
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and then you have
"Lady in My Life."
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It became
the biggest-selling album ever.
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Michael Jackson.
Always keep one in the cab.
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This is history.
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I want to say
it's Black culture,
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but it's-it's for everyone.
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Thriller is the biggest-selling
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album of all time.
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Thriller is
a cultural phenomenon
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that's lasted four decades
and seems determined
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to continue going forward.
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What takes your breath away is
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he had the ambition to become
the biggest star in the world.
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And he did it.
The fact that he had
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that dream,
I mean, that-that goal,
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that's what's
the remarkable story.
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♪ soft, curious music ♪
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Ever since we were kids,
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we've always wanted to dance
or keep the time to the music.
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And that's part of us.
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It's like, uh,
something we have to have.
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And it's in us,
because I don't know
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what I would do if there
was, uh... wasn't music.
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Joe Jackson's role
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in his children's careers would
give people a lot to talk about.
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The former steelworker
had somehow gotten his family
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out of Indiana,
groomed for stardom.
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♪ "I Want You Back"
by The Jackson 5 ♪
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Now, here are five brothers
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from Gary, Indiana,
ranging in age from ten to 18:
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The Jackson 5.
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♪ Oh, baby, give me
one more chance ♪
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♪ To show you that I love you ♪
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♪ Won't you please let me ♪
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♪ Back in your heart ♪
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♪ Oh, darlin', I was blind
to let you go ♪
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♪ Let you go, baby ♪
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♪ But now since I see you... ♪
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This poor man's life has been
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dissected completely.
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Is there anything anybody
hasn't asked you by now?
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Um...
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♪ Enjoy yourself ♪
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♪ Enjoy yourself,
enjoy yourself with me ♪
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♪ Enjoy yourself,
enjoy yourself ♪
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♪ Enjoy yourself with me ♪
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♪ You better enjoy yourself... ♪
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Now, tell me,
what do you think is the success
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of the Jacksons,
yourself and the Jacksons?
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I would say probably,
um, togetherness.
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I can't think about
Michael without thinking about
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The Jackson 5 and Motown
and all of that,
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so it takes me
a little further back.
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Takes me to Off the Wall,
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which is one of
my favorite records.
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Welcome to WBLS
once again, Michael Jackson.
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Thank you very much.
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The name of the album is...
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- Off the Wall.
- Are you?
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We'll be back
with Michael right after this.
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♪ Lovely ♪
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♪ Is the feeling now ♪
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♪ Fever... ♪
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I was not the biggest
Jackson 5 fan.
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I was a serious
pop music critic.
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And I said, "Well, it's cute
what they're doing."
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- ♪ Baby, baby ♪
- ♪ Ow, ow... ♪
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You know, James Brown,
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Jackie Wilson,
that's really nice.
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You know, it wasn't
what I was interested in.
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And then Off the Wall
comes out,
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and I was caught up
in the excitement
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of learning more
about Michael and his world,
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so I interview him separately.
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You interview the brothers
all together, him separately.
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You know, he's nervous.
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He doesn't like
to do interviews.
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He's sad, he's lonely, he says.
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He starts talking
about his life.
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♪ soft, melancholy music ♪
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He was so hurt
around 14 and 15 and 16,
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when his face changed.
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He got bigger.
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I mean, his face had broken out.
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He was so sad.
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People didn't care
about him anymore.
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You know, adults would come
into a party at some house,
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and they would be looking
all around. "Where's Michael?"
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And they'd be walking
right past him, you know?
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And he got the feeling that,
"We don't care about you.
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We want that little kid."
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He was dead set on his focus
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to be, you know,
Michael Jackson, solo artist.
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And he had to.
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He knew that it was time.
He knew that...
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He was excited to have it all
be on his own terms.
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You know, not with...
not attached to anybody.
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And he knew that-that...
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that he was even
gonna soar from that.
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Well, Off the Wall was
an enormous success.
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It-it put Michael on the map
as a solo artist.
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People forget that,
before Off the Wall,
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there was a period between
Motown and the Destiny album
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where people thought maybe
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the career of The Jackson 5
was over,
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that they were yesterday's news,
forgotten boy band, really.
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So Off the Wall reestablished
Michael as someone to watch.
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Off the Wall was just
this incredible record,
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and we knew that Mike
was coming back
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with something special because
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he didn't win everything that
he wanted during the Grammys,
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and he only won one award,
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which was
the R and B award at that.
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He thought he was gonna sweep.
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He thought for sure,
"I got a pop smash here."
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So, when that didn't happen,
he left there with a vengeance,
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just determined
to do better next time.
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He was determined
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to change the way
he was perceived.
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Uh, there were a lot of writings
he did to himself, affirmations.
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I look in the mirror,
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and I would say over and over
to myself...
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I'd take a deep breath,
put my feet together,
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raise myself erect,
strong like a...
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a hero warrior, and I'd say,
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"Biggest-selling album
of all time, greatest seller,"
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over and over to my mind,
and look in my eyes.
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And I'd mean it.
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I'd say, "Biggest-selling album
of all times."
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And I wouldn't accept anything
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unless this was
exactly what I wanted.
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My attitude was:
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I want the biggest-selling album
of all times,
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to break records,
to do phenomenal work.
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I came in angry.
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Michael was writing.
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He was writing. He was fuming.
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He was still upset about
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this idea that
he would be denied,
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you know, major awards
for Off the Wall.
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I just remember
all of the, uh...
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the process of
when they were doing it.
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And the, uh... the excitement
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while they're recording,
just, you know...
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just hearing tales, you know,
as they're coming
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in and out of the studio
with it.
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♪ I said you wanna be
startin' somethin' ♪
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♪ You got to be
startin' somethin' ♪
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♪ I said you wanna be
startin' somethin' ♪
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♪ You got to be
startin' somethin' ♪
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- ♪ It's too high to get over ♪
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
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♪ You're too low to get under ♪
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♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ You're stuck in the middle ♪
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- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ And the pain is thunder ♪
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♪ Yeah, yeah... ♪
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Westlake was
a really great studio
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because y-you felt
the facility had this warmth
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and this friendliness and this
casual put-you-at-ease feeling.
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There was just
the most incredible vibe.
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Where you could just be
creatively free to-to take...
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take the music
wherever you wanted.
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This is hallowed ground.
I was... I was in here a lot
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'cause Quincy made
a lot of records in here.
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Off the Wall was made in here.
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Certainly Thriller.
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Quincy worked in here a lot.
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Quincy influenced everything
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- we've ever done in our lives.
- Yes.
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- Whether you can hear it or not.
- Exactly.
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Depth of understanding of music.
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That's what makes Quincy Quincy.
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He's done big band.
He's done small bands.
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He's done pop. He's done rock.
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He's done everything.
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So, just understanding
all those different genres
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and-and how
to fuse them all together
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is what gives you all these
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wonderful applications that you
get on a Michael Jackson record.
220
00:09:37,130 --> 00:09:38,340
And that sound was ma...
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00:09:38,340 --> 00:09:40,720
You know, Bruce Swedien
had a lot to do with
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how that overall sound was--
the echo
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and the reverbs and the...
the way he would place things.
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And they were excited.
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As we were making the record,
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you could feel the excitement
in the room.
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Knowing that we were
doing something
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that was gonna be special.
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Wow, I don't even know
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where to begin.
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I just remember
coming here to this studio,
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which was like a second home,
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00:10:10,250 --> 00:10:12,840
and coming in, listening to, uh,
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the demos that Rod Temperton
would provide.
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And we would just start
to carve musically
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and-and work our way
into the details of the demos.
237
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Rod Temperton.
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This guy was brilliant.
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I mean, he was deep.
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I love Rod Temperton.
He wrote incredible songs,
241
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and he was a part of Quincy's,
you know, tight team.
242
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We did a lot of funky sounds
243
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on "Baby Be Mine."
244
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Quincy was just looking for...
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He's always looking
for something different.
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So we were brought in
because it was...
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I think Quincy knew about MTV,
248
00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:03,760
and he was looking
for a cinematic thing
249
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'cause Quincy came from film.
250
00:11:05,850 --> 00:11:08,270
When Michael would want...
he-he knew things
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that he would want for sounds.
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00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,520
And, uh, he would put it
on a record player and play it.
253
00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:14,860
And then I'd say, "Well, let me
go get that other synth."
254
00:11:14,860 --> 00:11:16,400
So it would be in the truck,
255
00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:18,360
parked in the parking lot
of Westlake,
256
00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:19,740
or it would be in the hallway.
257
00:11:19,740 --> 00:11:21,360
We had Anvil Cases
lined up the hall,
258
00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:23,490
and we just basically
took over the place.
259
00:11:23,490 --> 00:11:26,410
And we were creating sounds
and using synthesizers
260
00:11:26,410 --> 00:11:28,660
in-in kind of a big way
and replacing orchestra.
261
00:11:36,670 --> 00:11:38,590
So, one of the things that
262
00:11:38,590 --> 00:11:40,090
I noticed about
Michael's development
263
00:11:40,090 --> 00:11:41,840
as a songwriter--
I-I saw him getting
264
00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:43,550
more rhythmically
and harmonically advanced,
265
00:11:43,550 --> 00:11:45,640
taking steps forward
and forward and forward.
266
00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:48,850
His talent was not only
developing as a singer.
267
00:11:48,850 --> 00:11:50,560
- Mm-hmm.
- He developed as a...
268
00:11:50,560 --> 00:11:52,440
- as an entertainer.
- Yes.
269
00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:54,150
It's funny you guys
should have picked this room,
270
00:11:54,150 --> 00:11:57,770
'cause I'm walking through here,
you know, and I-I just...
271
00:11:57,770 --> 00:11:59,690
you know, I'm just seeing.
I can...
272
00:11:59,690 --> 00:12:01,360
I almost, um, channel him,
273
00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:03,450
- his spirit into this room.
- Yeah.
274
00:12:03,450 --> 00:12:04,780
He had us prepared.
275
00:12:04,780 --> 00:12:06,660
- We were prepared.
- No question.
276
00:12:06,660 --> 00:12:08,330
And he would come in
ready to go.
277
00:12:08,330 --> 00:12:10,620
He was the kind of individual
that, uh,
278
00:12:10,620 --> 00:12:12,960
had a awesome work ethic.
279
00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:15,080
The process was
280
00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:16,630
quite a, uh, adventure
281
00:12:16,630 --> 00:12:19,050
'cause most people forget
that the first single
282
00:12:19,050 --> 00:12:20,840
from the album was
"The Girl Is Mine."
283
00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,720
♪ "The Girl Is Mine" by Michael
Jackson & Paul McCartney ♪
284
00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,720
Obviously, you had
no bigger star in the world
285
00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:28,050
than Paul McCartney.
286
00:12:28,050 --> 00:12:29,930
And, you know, the pairing
of Michael and Paul,
287
00:12:29,930 --> 00:12:33,060
what better flag waver
to get a project started?
288
00:12:33,060 --> 00:12:35,690
♪ Every night,
she walks right in my dreams ♪
289
00:12:35,690 --> 00:12:39,190
♪ Since I met her
from the start ♪
290
00:12:39,190 --> 00:12:41,940
♪ I'm so proud
I am the only one ♪
291
00:12:41,940 --> 00:12:44,400
♪ Who is special in her heart ♪
292
00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:46,700
♪ The girl is mine ♪
293
00:12:46,700 --> 00:12:49,280
Yeah,
hit it, John. Hit it, John.
294
00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:53,000
♪ The doggone girl is mine... ♪
295
00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:54,620
So we get the call.
296
00:12:54,620 --> 00:12:56,290
It's, like, Paul McCartney
and Michael Jackson.
297
00:12:56,290 --> 00:12:58,670
I mean, it just didn't get
any bigger than that,
298
00:12:58,670 --> 00:13:00,710
so we were kind of like,
299
00:13:00,710 --> 00:13:02,760
"Oh, holy shit.
What are we gonna do?
300
00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:04,420
What's this gonna be all about?"
301
00:13:04,420 --> 00:13:06,970
When Paul McCartney
walked in the room,
302
00:13:06,970 --> 00:13:09,100
there was a palpable
change of energy of:
303
00:13:09,100 --> 00:13:11,260
"Oh, my God,
that's Paul McCartney."
304
00:13:11,260 --> 00:13:14,520
♪ Saying that
she's yours, not mine ♪
305
00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:17,480
♪ Sending roses
and your silly dreams ♪
306
00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:19,480
♪ Really just a waste of time ♪
307
00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:21,860
♪ Because she's mine ♪
308
00:13:21,860 --> 00:13:24,690
- Beautiful. Whew!
- Yeah.
309
00:13:24,690 --> 00:13:26,200
♪ The doggone girl is mine ♪
310
00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,620
Do that one more time, man,
from the second verse.
311
00:13:28,620 --> 00:13:30,240
Uh, that was a wonderful day.
312
00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:32,490
For me, it was
a day that changed my life.
313
00:13:32,490 --> 00:13:35,460
I was in the presence
of the greatest,
314
00:13:35,460 --> 00:13:37,210
most successful people
315
00:13:37,210 --> 00:13:38,540
in the music business.
316
00:13:38,540 --> 00:13:41,590
Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson,
Quincy Jones.
317
00:13:41,590 --> 00:13:43,630
George Martin was there.
318
00:13:43,630 --> 00:13:45,800
Because of its catchy melody,
319
00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:48,680
many think "The Girl Is Mine"
was written by Paul McCartney,
320
00:13:48,680 --> 00:13:51,890
when, in fact, it was composed
by Michael Jackson.
321
00:13:51,890 --> 00:13:54,520
♪ Really just a waste of time ♪
322
00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:56,640
♪ Because she's mine... ♪
323
00:13:56,640 --> 00:13:58,560
Once the music started flowing,
324
00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:00,690
it was like
here's two old friends.
325
00:14:01,900 --> 00:14:05,110
- ♪
326
00:14:07,150 --> 00:14:08,660
♪ The girl is mine ♪
327
00:14:08,660 --> 00:14:10,200
♪ Mine, mine ♪
328
00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:12,240
♪ Yes, she's mine ♪
329
00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:14,410
- ♪ Mine, mine ♪
- ♪ Don't waste ♪
330
00:14:15,540 --> 00:14:17,460
♪ But we both cannot have her ♪
331
00:14:17,460 --> 00:14:20,500
♪ So it's one or the other ♪
332
00:14:20,500 --> 00:14:23,000
♪ And one day you'll discover ♪
333
00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,300
♪ That she's my girl
forever and ever ♪
334
00:14:26,300 --> 00:14:29,220
♪ Don't build
your hopes to be let down... ♪
335
00:14:29,220 --> 00:14:31,600
Coming out of Off the Wall,
336
00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:32,850
the challenge was:
337
00:14:32,850 --> 00:14:34,510
Is Michael Jackson
really a pop star,
338
00:14:34,510 --> 00:14:36,060
or is he just
a big R and B artist?
339
00:14:36,060 --> 00:14:38,140
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, whoo ♪
340
00:14:38,140 --> 00:14:39,900
The way it worked was that
341
00:14:39,900 --> 00:14:41,980
you were a Black artist
until you weren't,
342
00:14:41,980 --> 00:14:45,230
and you weren't
when you got on the pop charts.
343
00:14:45,230 --> 00:14:46,280
Michael told me
344
00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:48,820
"The Girl Is Mine"
was his sneak attack.
345
00:14:48,820 --> 00:14:51,910
He knew he wanted to cross over,
and what better way to do it
346
00:14:51,910 --> 00:14:53,780
than to have Paul McCartney?
347
00:14:53,780 --> 00:14:55,330
I've heard it
all before, Michael.
348
00:14:55,330 --> 00:14:57,450
She told me that I'm
her forever lover, you know?
349
00:14:57,450 --> 00:14:58,620
Don't you remember?
350
00:14:58,620 --> 00:15:00,040
Well, after loving me,
351
00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:01,960
she said she couldn't
love another.
352
00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:03,080
Is that what she said?
353
00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:05,000
Yeah, she said it.
You keep dreaming.
354
00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:07,510
- ♪ I don't believe it, no ♪
- ♪ Mine, mine ♪
355
00:15:07,510 --> 00:15:10,760
- ♪ The girl is mine ♪
- ♪ Mine, mine, mine ♪
356
00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:12,390
- ♪ No, mine ♪
- ♪ No, mine ♪
357
00:15:12,390 --> 00:15:14,800
♪ She's mine, mine,
mine, mine, mine ♪
358
00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:16,640
♪ Mine, mine, mine... ♪
359
00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:18,180
So, that initial session
360
00:15:18,180 --> 00:15:21,020
with Michael and Paul
happens in April.
361
00:15:21,020 --> 00:15:24,060
The actual formal sessions
for Thriller
362
00:15:24,060 --> 00:15:25,730
didn't start
for a couple months later.
363
00:15:25,730 --> 00:15:30,150
Yeah, Michael, uh, did the demos
at-at his home studio.
364
00:15:31,070 --> 00:15:34,570
Quincy invited me
to go to Michael's house
365
00:15:34,570 --> 00:15:36,410
to listen to some demos.
366
00:15:36,410 --> 00:15:38,160
What I didn't realize was that
367
00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:40,870
we would be given
our own private world premiere
368
00:15:40,870 --> 00:15:43,250
of "Billie Jean," "Beat It,"
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'."
369
00:15:43,250 --> 00:15:45,670
♪ "Beat It"
by Michael Jackson ♪
370
00:15:45,670 --> 00:15:46,880
♪ Beat it ♪
371
00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:48,510
♪ But you're driving me mad ♪
372
00:15:48,510 --> 00:15:51,970
- ♪ So beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
373
00:15:51,970 --> 00:15:54,800
♪ No one wants to be defeated ♪
374
00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:58,810
♪ Showing how funky,
strong is your fight ♪
375
00:15:58,810 --> 00:16:01,890
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
376
00:16:01,890 --> 00:16:05,770
- ♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
377
00:16:05,770 --> 00:16:08,110
♪ No one wants
to be defeated... ♪
378
00:16:08,110 --> 00:16:10,110
Well, the songwriting process
379
00:16:10,110 --> 00:16:12,820
is something that's
very difficult to explain
380
00:16:12,820 --> 00:16:14,410
because it's very spiritual.
381
00:16:14,410 --> 00:16:16,910
♪ Who's wrong or right,
just beat it... ♪
382
00:16:16,910 --> 00:16:20,700
It's, uh... it really is
in the hands of God,
383
00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:23,370
and it's as if
it's been written already.
384
00:16:23,370 --> 00:16:24,960
That's the real truth.
385
00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:28,130
As if it's been written in its
entirety before you were born
386
00:16:28,130 --> 00:16:30,630
and you're just
really the source
387
00:16:30,630 --> 00:16:32,630
through which the songs come.
388
00:16:32,630 --> 00:16:34,510
Really, because they're...
389
00:16:34,510 --> 00:16:37,180
they just fall right
into your lap in its entirety.
390
00:16:37,180 --> 00:16:41,810
You don't have to do much,
uh, thinking about it.
391
00:16:41,810 --> 00:16:45,980
And I feel guilty having to put
my name sometimes on the songs,
392
00:16:45,980 --> 00:16:47,900
but I-I do write them.
393
00:16:47,900 --> 00:16:51,110
I compose them. I write them.
I-I do the scoring.
394
00:16:51,110 --> 00:16:53,190
I do the lyrics.
I do the melody.
395
00:16:53,190 --> 00:16:56,870
But still it's, uh...
it's the work of God.
396
00:16:56,870 --> 00:16:58,200
"Startin' Somethin'" was wild.
You know,
397
00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:00,120
he had all this...
398
00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,450
♪ "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
by Michael Jackson ♪
399
00:17:02,450 --> 00:17:04,790
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
400
00:17:04,790 --> 00:17:08,460
has the frenetic percussion
of Off the Wall,
401
00:17:08,460 --> 00:17:09,840
which is amazing because
402
00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:12,050
it's like, you have these
incredibly tight drum grooves
403
00:17:12,050 --> 00:17:14,050
and these programmed beats now.
404
00:17:14,050 --> 00:17:16,010
I think that's why, for-for me,
405
00:17:16,010 --> 00:17:18,430
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
is still my favorite.
406
00:17:18,430 --> 00:17:22,680
I remember just, uh, uh, being
able to go out and do the demo
407
00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:24,140
- at Hayvenhurst, yeah.
- Mm-hmm.
408
00:17:24,140 --> 00:17:25,940
He had it before we got there,
409
00:17:25,940 --> 00:17:27,350
and then h-he just, you know,
410
00:17:27,350 --> 00:17:29,020
shared it with us
and we worked out the parts.
411
00:17:29,020 --> 00:17:30,400
And we just had to perfect it,
412
00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:32,320
because it's so rhythmic
and all that.
413
00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:34,400
And so he knew the sound,
he knew the...
414
00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:38,200
the rhythm that he wanted
to hear and everything,
415
00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,240
so like I said, we were quick.
416
00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:42,870
- ♪ Too low to get under ♪
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
417
00:17:42,870 --> 00:17:44,410
♪ Stuck in the middle ♪
418
00:17:44,410 --> 00:17:46,210
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ And the pain is thunder ♪
419
00:17:46,210 --> 00:17:48,120
- ♪ Yeah ♪
- ♪ Hard to get over ♪
420
00:17:57,470 --> 00:18:00,640
There's a certain approach,
you know, you want to take to...
421
00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:02,680
you know,
to emphasize the feeling.
422
00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:08,100
I would say that Quincy helped
glue those elements together
423
00:18:08,100 --> 00:18:09,940
and make an arc
out of the progression
424
00:18:09,940 --> 00:18:14,280
of how the song started to...
to the vamp at the end,
425
00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:16,490
and made it seamless,
you know, including horns,
426
00:18:16,490 --> 00:18:18,610
which, of course,
at-at first thought,
427
00:18:18,610 --> 00:18:20,070
would be considered too jazzy,
428
00:18:20,070 --> 00:18:22,240
but they blended perfectly well
in the song later on.
429
00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:24,450
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ Too high to get over ♪
430
00:18:24,450 --> 00:18:26,410
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ You're too low to get under ♪
431
00:18:26,410 --> 00:18:28,620
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ You're stuck in the middle ♪
432
00:18:28,620 --> 00:18:31,420
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ And the pain is thunder... ♪
433
00:18:31,420 --> 00:18:35,590
But there's still that...
434
00:18:41,090 --> 00:18:42,930
And then at the end,
435
00:18:42,930 --> 00:18:44,390
when it goes a cappella to...
436
00:18:44,390 --> 00:18:46,350
♪ Mama se, mama sa,
ma-ma coo sa ♪
437
00:18:46,350 --> 00:18:48,520
That, as a DJ...
that is your best friend
438
00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:52,940
because then you start
to mix in your next record
439
00:18:52,940 --> 00:18:54,900
and blending in whatever
the biggest songs you have.
440
00:18:54,900 --> 00:18:56,610
♪ Mama se, mama sa,
ma-ma coo sa ♪
441
00:18:58,900 --> 00:19:00,530
♪ Mama se, mama sa,
ma-ma coo sa ♪
442
00:19:00,530 --> 00:19:02,410
- ♪ Hee, hee, hee ♪
- ♪ Mama se, mama sa ♪
443
00:19:02,410 --> 00:19:04,240
- ♪ Ma-ma coo sa ♪
- ♪ Help me sing it ♪
444
00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:05,990
♪ Mama se, mama sa,
ma-ma coo sa ♪
445
00:19:05,990 --> 00:19:07,620
- ♪ Hoo, hoo ♪
- ♪ Mama se, mama sa ♪
446
00:19:07,620 --> 00:19:09,290
- ♪ Ma-ma coo sa ♪
- ♪ Hee, hee ♪
447
00:19:09,290 --> 00:19:11,000
♪ Mama se, mama sa,
ma-ma coo sa ♪
448
00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:12,630
♪ Mama se,
mama sa, ma-ma coo sa ♪
449
00:19:12,630 --> 00:19:14,290
- ♪ Sing it to the world ♪
- ♪ Mama se, mama sa... ♪
450
00:19:14,290 --> 00:19:15,880
As a matter of fact, I asked him
451
00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:17,340
what "mama se, mama sa,
ma-ma coo sa" meant,
452
00:19:17,340 --> 00:19:19,300
you know,
while it was going down.
453
00:19:19,300 --> 00:19:20,970
He...
"Well, it don't mean nothing.
454
00:19:20,970 --> 00:19:22,300
Just sing it, you know," and...
455
00:19:22,300 --> 00:19:23,930
- Yeah, and there it is,
456
00:19:23,930 --> 00:19:25,970
because that was difficult
to do, I'm telling you.
457
00:19:25,970 --> 00:19:28,310
He said,
"I like singing with you all
458
00:19:28,310 --> 00:19:30,390
because you sound like me."
459
00:19:30,390 --> 00:19:33,020
He always thought our voices
blended so well
460
00:19:33,020 --> 00:19:35,150
- with-with his.
- Mm-hmm.
461
00:19:35,150 --> 00:19:36,480
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
462
00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:38,320
was like... it was like
an opportunity
463
00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:40,110
to kind of get into his mind.
464
00:19:40,110 --> 00:19:44,200
And this idea of, like,
"Billie Jean"
465
00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:47,120
and the fact that he was
living kind of in this...
466
00:19:47,120 --> 00:19:48,330
this world where
467
00:19:48,330 --> 00:19:50,210
you didn't really know
what was real or wasn't.
468
00:19:50,210 --> 00:19:51,960
♪ "Billie Jean"
by Michael Jackson ♪
469
00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,130
♪ She told me I was
a lonely man ♪
470
00:19:54,130 --> 00:19:55,540
♪ And I felt sad ♪
471
00:19:55,540 --> 00:19:58,250
♪ She called my name,
then she said hello ♪
472
00:19:58,250 --> 00:20:00,880
♪ All them who died ♪
473
00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:04,930
♪ And I sit in a cup in a ride ♪
474
00:20:07,430 --> 00:20:09,600
♪ It seems that you ♪
475
00:20:15,900 --> 00:20:17,400
My mom had just bought
476
00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:19,940
a stereo system,
and it had lights.
477
00:20:19,940 --> 00:20:21,150
The drums kicked in.
478
00:20:24,910 --> 00:20:26,700
And then... [imitates bass line]
479
00:20:26,700 --> 00:20:28,410
I mean... [chuckles] What?
480
00:20:28,410 --> 00:20:31,700
And I ran down the hallway
just to hear closely
481
00:20:31,700 --> 00:20:34,870
what was... what was playing,
what this record was.
482
00:20:34,870 --> 00:20:36,830
And it was "Billie Jean,"
and it was on
483
00:20:36,830 --> 00:20:38,250
and poppin' from there.
484
00:20:38,250 --> 00:20:41,760
It's actually kind of nasty,
and you can hear the room mics
485
00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:43,170
and it's dirtier than you think.
486
00:20:43,170 --> 00:20:44,590
You know, you always have
that moment where
487
00:20:44,590 --> 00:20:46,510
you fall in love with an artist
for the first time.
488
00:20:46,510 --> 00:20:49,560
Really truly great,
legendary artists,
489
00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:53,100
you have that same feeling
over and over and over again.
490
00:20:53,100 --> 00:20:54,730
"Billie Jean" was that moment
491
00:20:54,730 --> 00:20:57,770
where I fell in love
with Michael all over again.
492
00:21:03,110 --> 00:21:04,530
When Michael sings it,
493
00:21:04,530 --> 00:21:09,240
he puts the funk into it
the way he does all the...
494
00:21:11,450 --> 00:21:13,960
...and all the little stuff
that he puts in.
495
00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:15,420
That gives it the syncopation.
496
00:21:15,420 --> 00:21:18,040
And if I just go...
497
00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:21,630
...he's gonna go...
498
00:21:22,460 --> 00:21:25,130
♪ She was more like
a beauty queen ♪
499
00:21:25,130 --> 00:21:26,680
- ♪ From a movie scene ♪
500
00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:28,430
♪ I said, "Don't mind ♪
501
00:21:28,430 --> 00:21:31,310
♪ But what do you mean
I am the one ♪
502
00:21:31,310 --> 00:21:36,350
♪ Who will dance on the floor
in the round?" ♪
503
00:21:37,230 --> 00:21:39,810
♪ She said I am the one ♪
504
00:21:39,810 --> 00:21:43,360
♪ Who will dance on the floor
in the round ♪
505
00:21:46,700 --> 00:21:49,530
♪ She told me her name
was Billie Jean ♪
506
00:21:49,530 --> 00:21:51,030
♪ As she caused a scene ♪
507
00:21:51,030 --> 00:21:52,450
♪ Then every head turned ♪
508
00:21:52,450 --> 00:21:54,160
♪ With eyes that dreamed... ♪
509
00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,830
Everybody loves toxic R and B.
510
00:21:56,830 --> 00:22:00,000
"Billie Jean is not my lover.
She's just a girl
511
00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:01,340
who claims that I am the one"?
512
00:22:01,340 --> 00:22:03,210
Yeah, that's like,
was it his side chick?
513
00:22:03,210 --> 00:22:05,470
You know what I'm saying?
Was it some chick who,
514
00:22:05,470 --> 00:22:07,550
you know, he had an encounter
with and got pregnant?
515
00:22:07,550 --> 00:22:09,970
Is this real, or is this
some delusional fan
516
00:22:09,970 --> 00:22:12,560
who is saying that, you know,
517
00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:14,970
they had an encounter
that they did or didn't?
518
00:22:14,970 --> 00:22:16,390
All of those things just led you
519
00:22:16,390 --> 00:22:20,150
to be more intrigued
about an artist, right?
520
00:22:20,150 --> 00:22:23,480
But it was, like,
urgent and R and B.
521
00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:25,150
It was... it was crazy.
It was a...
522
00:22:25,150 --> 00:22:27,200
an amazing R and B record,
and his lyrics--
523
00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:29,570
you know, "The kid is not
my son," I mean...
524
00:22:29,570 --> 00:22:32,620
♪ The kid is not my son... ♪
525
00:22:32,620 --> 00:22:34,410
"The kid is not my son."
526
00:22:34,410 --> 00:22:37,580
That first... well,
that... we-we like bad boys,
527
00:22:37,580 --> 00:22:39,210
so that made us love him
some more.
528
00:22:39,210 --> 00:22:42,130
And then when I saw the video,
I was losing my mind.
529
00:22:42,130 --> 00:22:43,960
I lost my voice, screaming.
530
00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:46,170
You know,
it was about "Billie Jean."
531
00:22:46,170 --> 00:22:48,800
You know, him stepping on,
you know, the-the pavement,
532
00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:52,550
it glowing and, you know,
making you feel the magic.
533
00:22:52,550 --> 00:22:55,600
I'd storyboarded that, uh,
he would walk down the, uh...
534
00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:57,640
the street and the paving stones
would light up.
535
00:22:57,640 --> 00:22:59,520
And I showed him
which 11 paving stones
536
00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:01,150
we could afford to have light up
537
00:23:01,150 --> 00:23:03,190
and therefore
which ones couldn't.
538
00:23:03,190 --> 00:23:04,440
And he looked carefully at them,
539
00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:06,400
and-and I said,
"Well, should we rehearse it?"
540
00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:08,690
And he said,
"No, let-let's just do it."
541
00:23:08,690 --> 00:23:11,320
And we ran the playback,
the music,
542
00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:14,030
and the chorus kicked in
for "Billie Jean,"
543
00:23:14,030 --> 00:23:16,540
and he began his dance movement
544
00:23:16,540 --> 00:23:18,410
down that street,
and I'll never forget it.
545
00:23:18,410 --> 00:23:20,250
The-the camera
actually steamed up.
546
00:23:20,250 --> 00:23:22,920
I could hardly even see him
through the-the eyepiece
547
00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:24,130
because it was
548
00:23:24,130 --> 00:23:26,050
so exciting to watch.
549
00:23:26,050 --> 00:23:28,420
Michael is doing so much moving
550
00:23:28,420 --> 00:23:31,630
that Steve isn't even getting.
551
00:23:31,630 --> 00:23:33,430
There are several shots
in "Billie Jean"
552
00:23:33,430 --> 00:23:36,930
where he's just being shot
from the waist up
553
00:23:36,930 --> 00:23:39,930
and you can just see him doing
all kinds of stuff.
554
00:23:39,930 --> 00:23:41,020
And it's like,
555
00:23:41,020 --> 00:23:42,400
"Why aren't you getting that?"
556
00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:44,440
But that's just how new
557
00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:48,480
the medium was
to capturing dancers.
558
00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:50,400
Michael opened
the door for that.
559
00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:51,950
♪ I am the one... ♪
560
00:23:51,950 --> 00:23:54,240
And every time they just kept
freezing him in those brackets,
561
00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:56,410
and every time he'd walk,
they froze him.
562
00:23:56,410 --> 00:23:57,870
And every time
he said something,
563
00:23:57,870 --> 00:24:01,000
I just was losing my mind
'cause I loved him so much.
564
00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:02,330
But on "Billie Jean,"
565
00:24:02,330 --> 00:24:05,500
we was like, "Oh, he is
super-duper-duper sexy."
566
00:24:05,500 --> 00:24:08,170
♪ Not my lover ♪
- ♪ Don't call me, Billie Jean ♪
567
00:24:08,170 --> 00:24:10,380
♪ Billie Jean is not
my lover... ♪
568
00:24:10,380 --> 00:24:13,630
MTV refused
to play "Billie Jean."
569
00:24:13,630 --> 00:24:16,220
They said,
"Well, our network appeals to,
570
00:24:16,220 --> 00:24:17,640
you know, white teenagers,
571
00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:20,640
and this just really doesn't
fit our format."
572
00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:22,140
♪ hard rock guitar riff ♪
573
00:24:22,140 --> 00:24:23,940
This is it.
574
00:24:23,940 --> 00:24:26,190
Welcome to MTV Music Television.
575
00:24:26,190 --> 00:24:27,400
I'm Mark Goodman.
576
00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:29,070
- I'm Martha Quinn.
- I'm Alan Hunter.
577
00:24:29,070 --> 00:24:31,190
You'll never look
at music the same way again.
578
00:24:31,190 --> 00:24:32,820
Turn it on! Leave it on!
579
00:24:32,820 --> 00:24:36,280
America, see the music
you want to see.
580
00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:37,870
I want my MTV.
581
00:24:37,870 --> 00:24:40,240
Some prominent Black musicians
are complaining
582
00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:42,410
that they are being left out
of the video market,
583
00:24:42,410 --> 00:24:45,210
specifically the Music
Television cable operation.
584
00:24:45,210 --> 00:24:47,960
It-it occurred to me,
having watched MTV
585
00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:50,630
over the last few months, um,
that it's-it's got a...
586
00:24:50,630 --> 00:24:53,970
it's a solid enterprise
and it's got a lot going for it.
587
00:24:53,970 --> 00:24:56,680
I'm just floored by the fact
that there's so many Bl...
588
00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:58,970
so few Black artists
featured on it.
589
00:24:58,970 --> 00:25:00,310
Why is that?
590
00:25:00,310 --> 00:25:03,640
The fact is, quite frankly,
we're a rock and roll station.
591
00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:07,360
MTV will deny this
till the world ends,
592
00:25:07,360 --> 00:25:10,690
that they had nothing
against Black artists.
593
00:25:10,690 --> 00:25:14,740
But they refused
to, uh, play Michael.
594
00:25:14,740 --> 00:25:17,240
In 1975, I was named
595
00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:19,530
president of
the CBS Records Group
596
00:25:19,530 --> 00:25:22,450
and a vice president
of CBS, Inc.
597
00:25:22,450 --> 00:25:26,330
No single record changed
the business and my life
598
00:25:26,330 --> 00:25:30,170
as powerfully as
Michael Jackson's Thriller.
599
00:25:30,170 --> 00:25:32,130
I screamed bloody murder
600
00:25:32,130 --> 00:25:34,760
when MTV refused
to air his videos.
601
00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:37,510
They argued that their format,
white rock,
602
00:25:37,510 --> 00:25:39,390
excluded Michael's music.
603
00:25:39,390 --> 00:25:41,640
I argued they were
racist assholes.
604
00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:43,890
So Walter Yetnikoff said,
605
00:25:43,890 --> 00:25:45,100
"Really? Okay.
606
00:25:45,100 --> 00:25:46,520
If you don't play
Michael Jackson,
607
00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:50,020
I'm pulling Billy Joel
and everybody else that I have,
608
00:25:50,020 --> 00:25:51,270
uh, off of MTV."
609
00:25:51,270 --> 00:25:53,360
I've never been more forceful
610
00:25:53,360 --> 00:25:54,780
or obnoxious.
611
00:25:54,780 --> 00:25:56,700
I've also never been
as effective.
612
00:25:56,700 --> 00:25:59,870
With added pressure from
Quincy Jones, they caved in,
613
00:25:59,870 --> 00:26:04,370
and in doing so, the MTV
color line came crashing down.
614
00:26:04,370 --> 00:26:06,080
One of the most important
615
00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:08,960
things about Thriller
was the doors that it opened
616
00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:12,550
for other artists
to have the opportunity
617
00:26:12,550 --> 00:26:14,210
to get on the pop charts.
618
00:26:14,210 --> 00:26:17,260
Tina Turner.
My God, Private Dancer.
619
00:26:17,260 --> 00:26:18,550
That's who it was.
620
00:26:18,550 --> 00:26:21,050
It was Tina, it was Lionel,
it was Whitney,
621
00:26:21,050 --> 00:26:23,430
it was Michael and Prince.
622
00:26:23,430 --> 00:26:25,430
Revenues could just be crazy.
623
00:26:25,430 --> 00:26:27,850
♪ quiet, hypnotic music ♪
624
00:26:27,850 --> 00:26:30,270
Thriller changes the dynamic
625
00:26:30,270 --> 00:26:31,860
and the culture.
626
00:26:31,860 --> 00:26:34,650
Michael shows the way
that this is possible.
627
00:26:34,650 --> 00:26:36,650
Yeah, I-I grew up, uh,
628
00:26:36,650 --> 00:26:40,450
during the time that Thriller
was released,
629
00:26:40,450 --> 00:26:44,620
and MTV was just becoming
a really big thing.
630
00:26:44,620 --> 00:26:47,710
I remember almost more vividly
631
00:26:47,710 --> 00:26:51,540
the amazing storytelling
through the videos,
632
00:26:51,540 --> 00:26:54,050
which is pretty interesting
'cause I think here we are
633
00:26:54,050 --> 00:26:57,720
40 years later,
and the music and the video
634
00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:01,220
is coming to life again
for the next generation
635
00:27:01,220 --> 00:27:02,390
on TikTok.
636
00:27:02,390 --> 00:27:05,140
Michael Jackson's music
has been available
637
00:27:05,140 --> 00:27:08,140
on TikTok since August 2020.
638
00:27:08,140 --> 00:27:10,600
I think there's a real rebirth
639
00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:14,820
of the music and the video
from these songs on the album.
640
00:27:14,820 --> 00:27:18,150
And it is this new generation
that's being exposed
641
00:27:18,150 --> 00:27:20,700
or engaging with the music.
642
00:27:20,700 --> 00:27:23,660
There are about ten million
643
00:27:23,660 --> 00:27:26,580
video creations
on TikTok right now
644
00:27:26,580 --> 00:27:29,160
that include music
from Thriller.
645
00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:32,420
There are 17 billion views
646
00:27:32,420 --> 00:27:35,800
of those ten million videos
that exist.
647
00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:40,590
There are about two billion
likes on those videos,
648
00:27:40,590 --> 00:27:42,680
so people putting
a little thumbs-up
649
00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:46,510
or sharing or doing something
to say, "I'm excited about this.
650
00:27:46,510 --> 00:27:49,100
I'm engaging
with this-this music."
651
00:27:49,100 --> 00:27:50,520
Pretty massive numbers.
652
00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:52,270
They're hearing it
for the first time.
653
00:27:52,270 --> 00:27:53,400
They're-they're like...
654
00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:54,690
You know, it's-it's
the same feeling
655
00:27:54,690 --> 00:27:56,820
we maybe had
when we watched the MTV video
656
00:27:56,820 --> 00:27:59,070
for "Thriller" or "Beat It."
657
00:27:59,570 --> 00:28:02,660
They're having that same
experience 40 years later,
658
00:28:02,660 --> 00:28:04,530
but rather than just watch,
they're actually
659
00:28:04,530 --> 00:28:08,910
then making something
to engage with that music.
660
00:28:10,830 --> 00:28:12,540
I was kind of upset about
661
00:28:12,540 --> 00:28:16,710
the news I heard about MTV and
how they weren't showing Blacks,
662
00:28:16,710 --> 00:28:18,210
and that kind of hurt me.
663
00:28:18,210 --> 00:28:21,470
So I wanted to do something
that was so powerful,
664
00:28:21,470 --> 00:28:26,050
so strong that everybody
would have to show it.
665
00:28:26,050 --> 00:28:28,680
But I wanted to tell
a strong story.
666
00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:30,600
The story had to sell itself.
667
00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:33,560
And what... these so-called
videos weren't doing that.
668
00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,900
They were terrible.
They were just a lot of nothing
669
00:28:35,900 --> 00:28:37,860
put together
just to sell a song.
670
00:28:37,860 --> 00:28:39,610
I wanted my things
to be powerful.
671
00:28:39,610 --> 00:28:41,530
I wanted to stand out
from everything else
672
00:28:41,530 --> 00:28:43,570
that when you see it,
you run to the set
673
00:28:43,570 --> 00:28:45,450
and you're glued to it,
watching it.
674
00:28:45,450 --> 00:28:46,990
I wanted quality.
I wanted excellence.
675
00:28:46,990 --> 00:28:50,330
I wanted the best.
I wanted to perfect perfection.
676
00:28:50,330 --> 00:28:52,120
One thing that I can
677
00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:53,210
always say about Michael
678
00:28:53,210 --> 00:28:55,750
is that you felt like
there was a sense of culture.
679
00:28:55,750 --> 00:28:57,960
And the culture
would span all the way
680
00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:02,720
from kind of like this Broadway,
you know, more theatrical world,
681
00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:05,760
and then there was this other
element that was cultural,
682
00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:07,600
that was almost like gangsters.
683
00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:09,760
♪ "Beat It" by Michael Jackson ♪
684
00:29:19,860 --> 00:29:21,780
You know,
when you look at "Beat It"
685
00:29:21,780 --> 00:29:24,780
and the idea that the people
of that era felt like,
686
00:29:24,780 --> 00:29:26,990
"Oh, he's speaking to us
and with us.
687
00:29:26,990 --> 00:29:29,910
He's rocking with us.
He's making music for us.
688
00:29:29,910 --> 00:29:32,290
We can dance to his music."
689
00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:47,970
It was an incredible move
to decide,
690
00:29:47,970 --> 00:29:50,680
"We're gonna have
a rock and roll record
691
00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:51,890
on this thing."
692
00:29:51,890 --> 00:29:54,520
"Beat It" was straight up
rock and roll.
693
00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:56,060
Michael's idea with "Beat It"
694
00:29:56,060 --> 00:29:58,400
was to distance himself
from Off the Wall,
695
00:29:58,400 --> 00:29:59,940
from the dance, disco.
696
00:29:59,940 --> 00:30:01,400
And Michael wanted to stretch.
697
00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:02,940
Creatively,
he wanted to stretch.
698
00:30:02,940 --> 00:30:05,400
They wanted a
crossover hit across the board.
699
00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:07,530
Rock, R and B, pop.
700
00:30:07,530 --> 00:30:10,830
They called me to come in
with Michael and Quincy
701
00:30:10,830 --> 00:30:14,290
to do the...
702
00:30:14,830 --> 00:30:16,710
They want to go rock and roll,
let's do it.
703
00:30:16,710 --> 00:30:20,000
You know, so I did it with
all... you know, all-all that,
704
00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:21,710
doubled it
and made it sound huge.
705
00:30:21,710 --> 00:30:23,800
And then I played
the bass on it as well.
706
00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:25,800
I did play bass
on that record as well.
707
00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,590
So I sat with them
and made that swing,
708
00:30:28,590 --> 00:30:30,470
and when Michael
was dancing in the room,
709
00:30:30,470 --> 00:30:31,720
I knew I was in the pocket.
710
00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:33,100
When he wrote "Beat It,"
711
00:30:33,100 --> 00:30:35,930
he said, "I want a kind
of guitar player on here
712
00:30:35,930 --> 00:30:41,110
that will attract young,
white, teenage males."
713
00:30:41,110 --> 00:30:42,270
Eddie Van Halen.
714
00:30:42,770 --> 00:30:44,940
He said, "Well,
what do you want me to do?"
715
00:30:44,940 --> 00:30:46,240
And Quincy said, "Well,
716
00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:47,530
I want you to be you.
717
00:30:47,530 --> 00:30:48,900
That's you right there."
And he pointed
718
00:30:48,900 --> 00:30:50,870
to the famous, you know,
Strat that he had.
719
00:30:50,870 --> 00:30:53,580
And he said, "I'm not gonna
tell you what to play.
720
00:30:53,580 --> 00:30:54,740
You go be you."
721
00:30:54,740 --> 00:30:56,040
I mean, Eddie ripped
722
00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:57,830
these solos off
one after the other.
723
00:31:12,140 --> 00:31:13,890
I remember, like, hearing
724
00:31:13,890 --> 00:31:15,560
the sound coming from Studio A,
725
00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:17,390
where he was doing the-the solo.
726
00:31:17,390 --> 00:31:18,640
It was so loud.
727
00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:19,940
I could... I just...
728
00:31:19,940 --> 00:31:20,980
It was just so loud.
729
00:31:20,980 --> 00:31:23,980
Bruce Swedien and Quincy brilliantly
730
00:31:23,980 --> 00:31:25,860
edited that solo together.
731
00:31:25,860 --> 00:31:27,820
I mean, I think
I probably just loved it
732
00:31:27,820 --> 00:31:29,700
'cause, at that moment,
it was probably everything
733
00:31:29,700 --> 00:31:31,990
that I ever loved
in one song, you know?
734
00:31:31,990 --> 00:31:34,160
I've done way more time googling
735
00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:38,750
Lukather's tone on "Beat It"
than, um, Eddie Van Halen's,
736
00:31:38,750 --> 00:31:40,960
because it's the tone
that drives
737
00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:42,420
the whole record--
that's the riff.
738
00:31:42,420 --> 00:31:46,500
It's the perfect way that, like,
a rock guitar could ever sit
739
00:31:46,500 --> 00:31:48,920
over programmed drums
in a... in a...
740
00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:50,510
like, a funky groove.
741
00:31:50,510 --> 00:31:52,050
I thought his videos
were incredible.
742
00:31:52,050 --> 00:31:53,930
I mean, first off,
the guy could dance.
743
00:31:53,930 --> 00:31:55,260
I mean, just being in the room,
744
00:31:55,260 --> 00:31:57,720
watching him groove
while we're playing.
745
00:31:57,720 --> 00:31:58,890
That short film--
746
00:31:58,890 --> 00:32:00,230
you see, this whole movie,
747
00:32:00,230 --> 00:32:02,480
it's about a big fight
that's about to happen, right,
748
00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:03,940
between two rival gangs, right?
749
00:32:03,940 --> 00:32:06,610
♪ "Beat It" by Michael Jackson ♪
750
00:32:16,580 --> 00:32:17,950
♪ Beat it... ♪
751
00:32:17,950 --> 00:32:20,750
He saw value in street culture.
752
00:32:20,750 --> 00:32:22,580
He wanted to try
to figure out a way
753
00:32:22,580 --> 00:32:24,250
on how to incorporate it, and...
754
00:32:24,250 --> 00:32:26,670
and the beginning of it
was "Beat It."
755
00:32:26,670 --> 00:32:28,300
The people that you see
756
00:32:28,300 --> 00:32:33,010
in that film are a mixture
of dancers and street cats.
757
00:32:33,010 --> 00:32:34,720
And not only that
758
00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:37,810
is that you actually had
real gangsters on set.
759
00:32:37,810 --> 00:32:39,600
Like, real Bloods and Crips
760
00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:41,980
and Vatos and all that,
like, for real.
761
00:32:41,980 --> 00:32:43,770
There was such a magic
762
00:32:43,770 --> 00:32:45,190
in Michael and his movement.
763
00:32:45,190 --> 00:32:48,360
♪ No one wants to be
defeated, oh, Lord ♪
764
00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:51,820
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
765
00:32:51,820 --> 00:32:54,950
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
766
00:32:54,950 --> 00:32:56,620
♪ Just beat it... ♪
767
00:32:56,620 --> 00:32:57,780
You had B-boying
768
00:32:57,780 --> 00:32:59,450
that was going on in New York.
769
00:32:59,450 --> 00:33:00,740
You had popping and locking
770
00:33:00,740 --> 00:33:02,370
that was going down
over here in California,
771
00:33:02,370 --> 00:33:05,870
and strutting
and-and robotting, all them.
772
00:33:05,870 --> 00:33:07,380
So the guy that's vibrating
773
00:33:07,380 --> 00:33:10,420
in the "Beat It" short film
with the... with the glasses on,
774
00:33:10,420 --> 00:33:11,760
his name is Robot Dane.
775
00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:13,220
This is the first ever
776
00:33:13,220 --> 00:33:16,220
street dance wave of
the United States of America.
777
00:33:16,220 --> 00:33:19,470
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
778
00:33:19,470 --> 00:33:20,760
♪ It doesn't matter... ♪
779
00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:22,390
The most relevant scene
780
00:33:22,390 --> 00:33:27,230
at the time, which either was
breakdancing, locking,
781
00:33:27,230 --> 00:33:30,020
popping, waving,
whatever it might have been,
782
00:33:30,020 --> 00:33:31,980
he's pushing
the envelope forward,
783
00:33:31,980 --> 00:33:34,860
he's teaching us some things,
he's informing us as artists,
784
00:33:34,860 --> 00:33:37,070
but also, too, as performers,
785
00:33:37,070 --> 00:33:40,780
he's letting us know that,
"Yo, I want to be the baddest."
786
00:33:40,780 --> 00:33:42,910
As a fan or a critic,
787
00:33:42,910 --> 00:33:45,910
you're always looking
for breathtaking moments,
788
00:33:45,910 --> 00:33:47,080
the time when you say,
789
00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:48,500
"I've never seen
anything like that.
790
00:33:48,500 --> 00:33:51,840
I'm probably not gonna see
anything like that again."
791
00:33:51,840 --> 00:33:53,460
The Motown show,
792
00:33:53,460 --> 00:33:56,010
that's what I think was
the most important step
793
00:33:56,010 --> 00:34:00,550
in the whole Thriller process
of making him the superstar.
794
00:34:00,550 --> 00:34:03,850
♪ And I'll be there ♪
795
00:34:03,850 --> 00:34:06,770
- ♪ Whoo! ♪
796
00:34:08,690 --> 00:34:10,270
Bob Jones was, uh,
797
00:34:10,270 --> 00:34:13,320
vice president of publicity
at Motown.
798
00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:14,490
He says,
799
00:34:14,490 --> 00:34:16,780
"We're doing a Motown show."
800
00:34:16,780 --> 00:34:21,990
I rented a tuxedo,
and, uh, I went to the show.
801
00:34:21,990 --> 00:34:23,290
People just went crazy.
802
00:34:23,290 --> 00:34:25,370
I was home in front of the TV.
803
00:34:25,370 --> 00:34:28,460
Waiting for him
to take us there.
804
00:34:28,460 --> 00:34:30,040
First, we didn't know
what he was gonna do,
805
00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:31,880
because he was up there
with his brothers.
806
00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:34,050
The Jacksons leave,
807
00:34:34,050 --> 00:34:36,880
the brothers leave,
and Mike stays out there.
808
00:34:37,970 --> 00:34:39,260
And in the audience,
809
00:34:39,260 --> 00:34:41,510
you could hear
just kind of like:
810
00:34:41,510 --> 00:34:44,680
"What's-what's getting ready
to happen now?"
811
00:34:50,270 --> 00:34:53,270
And, you know,
Mike goes through the whole...
812
00:34:53,270 --> 00:34:55,650
"Those were some great times.
I love the-the old songs."
813
00:34:55,650 --> 00:34:57,240
You know,
th-those were good songs.
814
00:34:57,240 --> 00:34:59,200
I-I like those songs a lot,
815
00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:02,990
but, especially, I like...
816
00:35:02,990 --> 00:35:04,990
- "Billie Jean"!
817
00:35:04,990 --> 00:35:06,700
- ...the new songs.
818
00:35:06,700 --> 00:35:08,870
And then here comes
819
00:35:08,870 --> 00:35:10,170
"Billie Jean."
820
00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:21,800
The tape that you can see
821
00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:23,260
of "Billie Jean"
822
00:35:23,260 --> 00:35:28,020
and the stuff you see
going on in the audience,
823
00:35:28,020 --> 00:35:32,560
it does not capture what was
happening in that crowd.
824
00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:35,020
These people were going
825
00:35:35,020 --> 00:35:37,150
absolutely berserk.
826
00:35:37,650 --> 00:35:40,900
♪ Who will dance on the floor
in the round? ♪
827
00:35:40,900 --> 00:35:43,570
Mike just turned it
the fuck out.
828
00:35:43,570 --> 00:35:47,580
♪ People always told me,
"Be careful of what you do ♪
829
00:35:47,580 --> 00:35:50,870
♪ Don't go around breakin'
young girls' hearts" ♪
830
00:35:50,870 --> 00:35:52,170
♪ Hee-hee ♪
831
00:35:52,170 --> 00:35:54,880
♪ And Mother always told me... ♪
832
00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:58,050
I mean, he just laid a bomb
on that room.
833
00:35:58,050 --> 00:36:00,760
♪ "'Cause the lie becomes
the truth," hey, hey ♪
834
00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:03,220
♪ Billie Jean is not my... ♪
835
00:36:03,220 --> 00:36:04,890
I was at that show
836
00:36:04,890 --> 00:36:06,310
at the Pasadena
Civic Auditorium.
837
00:36:06,310 --> 00:36:08,930
And he's moving different.
He's got his own moves now.
838
00:36:08,930 --> 00:36:12,140
He's not so much doing
what-what he learned growing up,
839
00:36:12,140 --> 00:36:13,770
and he was excited about it.
840
00:36:13,770 --> 00:36:15,060
♪ Hee-hee-hee ♪
841
00:36:16,150 --> 00:36:18,280
We just was happy to see
842
00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:20,320
Michael Jackson perform, period.
843
00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:22,570
Nobody seen the moonwalk coming.
844
00:36:27,740 --> 00:36:28,910
♪ She says I am... ♪
845
00:36:28,910 --> 00:36:30,330
He does the moonwalk.
846
00:36:30,330 --> 00:36:32,250
That's the breathtaking
moment, okay?
847
00:36:32,250 --> 00:36:34,210
And after the show,
I couldn't believe it.
848
00:36:34,210 --> 00:36:36,340
I had to go backstage
and to ask somebody,
849
00:36:36,340 --> 00:36:39,380
"Was there
a special trick floor?
850
00:36:39,380 --> 00:36:41,260
How did he do that?"
851
00:36:41,260 --> 00:36:44,180
You know,
this was the performance
852
00:36:44,180 --> 00:36:46,510
that really changed
space and time.
853
00:36:47,010 --> 00:36:49,640
A few of his dances,
we call 'em timekeepers.
854
00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:52,350
And he created a whole
vocabulary of timekeepers,
855
00:36:52,350 --> 00:36:53,980
whether it's with his hip...
856
00:36:56,270 --> 00:36:58,190
...or with his...
you know, his side,
857
00:36:58,190 --> 00:37:00,780
- stomping with the ankle.
- That's right.
858
00:37:02,110 --> 00:37:04,780
Or he'll stomp with the foot.
859
00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:09,620
With that, you can sing.
860
00:37:09,620 --> 00:37:10,910
You see what I'm saying?
861
00:37:10,910 --> 00:37:12,200
And it looks like
you're dancing.
862
00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:13,500
- But you're really not.
- It's an illu...
863
00:37:13,500 --> 00:37:15,170
It's-it's a bit
of a trick, right?
864
00:37:15,170 --> 00:37:17,330
And you go...
you walk over here.
865
00:37:19,750 --> 00:37:20,920
And switch the mic,
866
00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:23,170
flip the coat,
put the hand in the pocket.
867
00:37:23,170 --> 00:37:25,340
You could do a few things
here and there that only...
868
00:37:25,340 --> 00:37:28,260
only you can do if you know
your song and your music.
869
00:37:30,140 --> 00:37:31,350
You know, when you see
870
00:37:31,350 --> 00:37:34,060
him glide across the floor
or pop,
871
00:37:34,060 --> 00:37:35,730
it's a special effect.
872
00:37:35,730 --> 00:37:37,940
He saw magic in that dance.
873
00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:40,690
Look at that--
if you pause each moment,
874
00:37:40,690 --> 00:37:42,230
it's an iconic silhouette.
875
00:37:42,230 --> 00:37:45,360
It's the hat,
it's the arms, it's the...
876
00:37:45,360 --> 00:37:47,240
it's the tapping of the leg.
877
00:37:47,240 --> 00:37:49,070
Right? The kick.
878
00:37:52,370 --> 00:37:56,040
To see a Black man
standing on his toes,
879
00:37:56,040 --> 00:37:59,420
seeing that
and not being conscious of it
880
00:37:59,420 --> 00:38:02,300
has made generations
of Black, brown,
881
00:38:02,300 --> 00:38:06,050
white, whatever color kids
feel like anything was possible.
882
00:38:06,050 --> 00:38:10,180
It's bigger than I think
we, uh, think and acknowledge.
883
00:38:11,890 --> 00:38:13,680
After Mike finished,
884
00:38:13,680 --> 00:38:16,230
the producer had to get
on the microphone and say,
885
00:38:16,230 --> 00:38:19,350
"Ladies and gentlemen,
please, please,
886
00:38:19,350 --> 00:38:22,230
gather yourselves
and take your seats.
887
00:38:22,230 --> 00:38:24,280
We have more show to tape.
888
00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:26,190
There's much more show coming."
889
00:38:26,190 --> 00:38:29,570
And it took a minute for people
to get their ties back together
890
00:38:29,570 --> 00:38:32,030
and the women to put
their wigs back on.
891
00:38:32,030 --> 00:38:33,990
Okay, I have
one question for you.
892
00:38:33,990 --> 00:38:36,040
Who was the unfortunate artist
893
00:38:36,040 --> 00:38:38,710
- who had to come on--
894
00:38:41,170 --> 00:38:43,710
I don't remember.
895
00:38:47,510 --> 00:38:49,380
I think that was
the moment that he had
896
00:38:49,380 --> 00:38:52,390
his breakout moment
from the... from the group.
897
00:38:52,390 --> 00:38:55,060
That song, "Billie Jean,"
898
00:38:55,060 --> 00:38:58,190
and the way he performed it
on that night
899
00:38:58,190 --> 00:39:00,690
set the standard of what it was
to be a megastar.
900
00:39:00,690 --> 00:39:03,320
The next day after the show,
Fred Astaire called my house.
901
00:39:03,320 --> 00:39:05,030
He said,
"I saw the show last night.
902
00:39:05,030 --> 00:39:07,280
I taped it. I watched it
twice this morning."
903
00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:08,700
And he said,
"You were incredible.
904
00:39:08,700 --> 00:39:10,950
You're a hell of a mover,
and you really put them
905
00:39:10,950 --> 00:39:12,950
on their A-S-S," he said.
906
00:39:12,950 --> 00:39:14,120
And I said, "God, thank you.
907
00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:15,830
It's so wonderful
for you to say that,
908
00:39:15,830 --> 00:39:17,160
'cause I think you're the best."
909
00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:20,250
And that was my r-reward,
'cause I think he's brilliant.
910
00:39:20,250 --> 00:39:22,330
♪ tense, hypnotic music ♪
911
00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:25,500
To a classical dancer,
912
00:39:25,500 --> 00:39:27,510
it's about your line,
it's about the shapes
913
00:39:27,510 --> 00:39:29,050
that you're-you're making.
914
00:39:29,050 --> 00:39:30,800
And Michael does that.
915
00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:33,850
That, to me, is very similar
to a trained dancer,
916
00:39:33,850 --> 00:39:35,470
even though he wasn't trained.
917
00:39:35,470 --> 00:39:38,850
He would've been
the ideal ballet dancer.
918
00:39:38,850 --> 00:39:40,600
The proportions of his body.
919
00:39:40,600 --> 00:39:45,150
He was lean, uh, and long, um,
and just had, like,
920
00:39:45,150 --> 00:39:47,440
a natural instinct
when he moved.
921
00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:50,990
But there... but there was
such precision and clarity.
922
00:39:50,990 --> 00:39:52,530
He was a perfectionist,
923
00:39:52,530 --> 00:39:56,080
and that's what dancers are.
924
00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:59,120
Um, you know, you don't commit
that type of time
925
00:39:59,120 --> 00:40:00,870
and sacrifice your body,
926
00:40:00,870 --> 00:40:02,670
the injury, all of those things,
927
00:40:02,670 --> 00:40:06,130
if you don't have the passion
for it and the love for it.
928
00:40:06,130 --> 00:40:09,090
And all of that sums up Michael
929
00:40:09,090 --> 00:40:11,760
as a dancer, as a performer,
as an artist.
930
00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:15,140
Michael Jackson
didn't invent dancing on film,
931
00:40:15,140 --> 00:40:16,350
but his particular synthesis
932
00:40:16,350 --> 00:40:19,100
of the Nicholas Brothers
on one hand
933
00:40:19,100 --> 00:40:23,190
and Bob Fosse, Astaire,
popping, locking,
934
00:40:23,190 --> 00:40:25,310
moonwalking-- no one had ever
935
00:40:25,310 --> 00:40:27,360
put those elements together
before like that.
936
00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:29,480
You can see it
all the way through from
937
00:40:29,480 --> 00:40:31,360
"Billie Jean"
and "Beat It" and "Thriller,"
938
00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:33,530
all the way through
to all of these other artists.
939
00:40:33,530 --> 00:40:37,160
Look at MC Hammer,
"U Can't Touch This."
940
00:40:37,780 --> 00:40:41,750
Then you go forward to, like,
Usher and Justin Timberlake.
941
00:40:42,330 --> 00:40:45,170
And then you go farther forward
to Justin Bieber,
942
00:40:45,170 --> 00:40:47,500
Doja Cat, Bruno Mars.
943
00:40:47,500 --> 00:40:49,130
Michael is emulated.
944
00:40:49,130 --> 00:40:52,260
If you look at BTS,
you can see it.
945
00:40:53,550 --> 00:40:55,840
I'm all in with BTS.
946
00:40:55,840 --> 00:40:57,140
I love those guys.
947
00:40:57,140 --> 00:41:00,140
Every move they do
is all Michael Jackson.
948
00:41:00,140 --> 00:41:02,180
Michael created that.
949
00:41:02,180 --> 00:41:04,600
The entire K-pop wave,
950
00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:06,610
they've all studied Michael
951
00:41:06,610 --> 00:41:11,650
in terms of stage clothes,
video clothes and stagecraft.
952
00:41:11,650 --> 00:41:14,490
There's a great video
if you watch BTS.
953
00:41:14,490 --> 00:41:16,490
There's a lot
of Michael Jackson.
954
00:41:16,490 --> 00:41:17,870
You see it in their dancing.
955
00:41:17,870 --> 00:41:21,120
♪ 'Cause I, I,
I'm in the stars tonight ♪
956
00:41:21,120 --> 00:41:25,830
♪ So watch me bring the fire
and set the night alight ♪
957
00:41:25,830 --> 00:41:30,550
♪ Shining through the city
with a little funk and soul ♪
958
00:41:30,550 --> 00:41:35,090
♪ So I'm-a light it up
like dynamite, whoa-oh-oh ♪
959
00:41:35,090 --> 00:41:39,140
♪ Dyn-na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na,
na-na-na, life is dynamite ♪
960
00:41:39,140 --> 00:41:40,310
♪ Dyn-na-na-na... ♪
961
00:41:40,310 --> 00:41:42,680
So, the entire K-pop movement,
962
00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:45,440
they're students of the game.
963
00:41:45,440 --> 00:41:48,650
You can look at a number
of millennial hip-hop artists--
964
00:41:48,650 --> 00:41:50,520
Polo G being one of them--
965
00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:53,780
23, 24 years old, from Chicago,
966
00:41:53,780 --> 00:41:56,240
yet he's very much in trance
with Michael Jackson
967
00:41:56,240 --> 00:41:58,110
and he uses
Michael Jackson music
968
00:41:58,110 --> 00:41:59,620
and imagery
in some of his music.
969
00:41:59,620 --> 00:42:01,700
♪ Ha, smooth criminal,
Mike Jack ♪
970
00:42:01,700 --> 00:42:04,370
♪ And I still like to tote
a four-five like Mike back ♪
971
00:42:04,370 --> 00:42:05,960
It was just a night
I was riding around,
972
00:42:05,960 --> 00:42:08,210
I was riding in my car,
and I was just listening
973
00:42:08,210 --> 00:42:10,040
to Michael Jackson interviews.
974
00:42:10,040 --> 00:42:11,290
I wasn't listening to music.
975
00:42:11,290 --> 00:42:12,710
I was just listening
to his interviews.
976
00:42:12,710 --> 00:42:14,460
And I just came up
with this idea, like,
977
00:42:14,460 --> 00:42:18,760
maybe I should do, uh, this song
and this instrumental
978
00:42:18,760 --> 00:42:21,050
and just really mess
everybody head up
979
00:42:21,050 --> 00:42:22,310
'cause I know they wouldn't
980
00:42:22,310 --> 00:42:23,930
be expecting that
from a young artist.
981
00:42:23,930 --> 00:42:26,270
♪ Tell me, Annie, are you okay?
Screaming out, "No way" ♪
982
00:42:26,270 --> 00:42:27,940
♪ Tell me, Annie,
are you okay? ♪
983
00:42:27,940 --> 00:42:32,190
'Cause I remember my grandma
had this same exact album.
984
00:42:32,190 --> 00:42:33,610
My auntie, who was her daughter,
985
00:42:33,610 --> 00:42:35,360
she was a big
Michael Jackson fan,
986
00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:37,280
so she always had us
listening to him.
987
00:42:37,280 --> 00:42:40,070
So I remember her
having this one exactly.
988
00:42:40,070 --> 00:42:41,490
It's pretty wild.
989
00:42:41,490 --> 00:42:45,500
It says how powerful the imagery
that Michael created was.
990
00:42:45,500 --> 00:42:47,960
♪ soft, atmospheric music ♪
991
00:42:49,620 --> 00:42:51,210
On Thriller,
992
00:42:51,210 --> 00:42:53,210
his life was evolving, you know,
993
00:42:53,210 --> 00:42:56,760
and his vocal approach
was different.
994
00:42:56,760 --> 00:42:59,300
There's vocalists,
and there's stylists.
995
00:42:59,300 --> 00:43:01,050
Style wins.
996
00:43:01,050 --> 00:43:03,310
When you can hear a person sing
997
00:43:03,310 --> 00:43:06,100
and recognize them
fr-from the first couple bars,
998
00:43:06,100 --> 00:43:07,980
you know you got
something special.
999
00:43:07,980 --> 00:43:09,190
They have a special tone,
1000
00:43:09,190 --> 00:43:11,230
a special voice,
a special delivery.
1001
00:43:11,230 --> 00:43:12,520
Now, Michael had all of that.
1002
00:43:12,520 --> 00:43:15,030
In just the way
he loved to dance
1003
00:43:15,030 --> 00:43:16,530
and-and he loved to perform,
1004
00:43:16,530 --> 00:43:20,700
he turned all of that melody
that he was so great with
1005
00:43:20,700 --> 00:43:22,370
into percussive melody.
1006
00:43:22,370 --> 00:43:24,620
Well, that's what he did.
He would sing drum parts.
1007
00:43:24,620 --> 00:43:26,330
He would sing bass lines.
1008
00:43:26,330 --> 00:43:28,870
He would, uh... all with
his rhythmic inflections.
1009
00:43:28,870 --> 00:43:30,420
We call it
"drums in your mouth."
1010
00:43:30,420 --> 00:43:32,540
He would beatbox.
He was an amazing beatboxer.
1011
00:43:32,540 --> 00:43:35,210
But beatbox with melody
and sing, you know,
1012
00:43:35,210 --> 00:43:36,460
not just beatboxing.
1013
00:43:36,460 --> 00:43:38,800
He would, you know,
integrate melody with it.
1014
00:43:38,800 --> 00:43:40,680
And you can hear it
on "Beat It," you know,
1015
00:43:40,680 --> 00:43:43,510
just the way he would attack
each syllable.
1016
00:43:43,510 --> 00:43:46,640
♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
1017
00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:48,730
♪ No one wants to be defeated ♪
1018
00:43:50,270 --> 00:43:53,650
♪ Showin' how
funky, strong is your fight ♪
1019
00:43:53,650 --> 00:43:57,360
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
1020
00:43:57,360 --> 00:44:00,070
♪ Just beat it ♪
1021
00:44:00,070 --> 00:44:01,360
♪ Beat it... ♪
1022
00:44:01,360 --> 00:44:03,700
I think of all of his melodies
and his songs,
1023
00:44:03,700 --> 00:44:05,370
and they're
completely percussive.
1024
00:44:05,370 --> 00:44:07,700
I mean, they're incredibly
rhythmically hooky,
1025
00:44:07,700 --> 00:44:10,660
and, you know, all those songs,
and the songs that he wrote
1026
00:44:10,660 --> 00:44:13,040
have these very aggressive
staccato rhythms.
1027
00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:16,340
I feel like "Billie Jean" and
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin',"
1028
00:44:16,340 --> 00:44:17,800
they're really short and stabby.
1029
00:44:17,800 --> 00:44:20,010
They're always, like...
there's a tiny bit of, like,
1030
00:44:20,010 --> 00:44:22,470
anger and, like, contempt
in the... in the...
1031
00:44:22,470 --> 00:44:24,180
in the way that
he's singing and writing.
1032
00:44:24,180 --> 00:44:26,430
♪ I know I am someone ♪
1033
00:44:26,430 --> 00:44:28,560
♪ And let the truth unfurl ♪
1034
00:44:28,560 --> 00:44:30,560
♪ No one can hurt you now ♪
1035
00:44:30,560 --> 00:44:32,520
♪ Because you know what's true ♪
1036
00:44:32,520 --> 00:44:34,400
♪ Yes, I believe in me ♪
1037
00:44:34,400 --> 00:44:36,440
♪ So you believe in you ♪
1038
00:44:36,440 --> 00:44:38,360
♪ Help me sing it ♪
1039
00:44:38,360 --> 00:44:39,730
♪ Hoo-hoo! ♪
1040
00:44:39,730 --> 00:44:43,660
The greatest soul singers are
not afraid to feel the music,
1041
00:44:43,660 --> 00:44:45,910
you know, just do
what the music tells them to do.
1042
00:44:45,910 --> 00:44:49,490
For all the new cats,
all the new-school cats
1043
00:44:49,490 --> 00:44:52,040
that are going on record
and ad-libbing,
1044
00:44:52,040 --> 00:44:53,370
and they say, like...
1045
00:44:56,630 --> 00:44:59,750
I'm sorry,
Michael did that first.
1046
00:44:59,750 --> 00:45:01,630
I'll prove it to you.
1047
00:45:01,630 --> 00:45:05,390
♪ So beat it, just beat it ♪
1048
00:45:07,430 --> 00:45:08,640
♪ Beat it ♪
1049
00:45:10,310 --> 00:45:11,520
♪ Beat it ♪
1050
00:45:11,520 --> 00:45:14,270
Why was he yawning
on a record, though?
1051
00:45:14,270 --> 00:45:15,560
It shows the freedom
1052
00:45:15,560 --> 00:45:17,810
and how comfortable
he felt in the studio
1053
00:45:17,810 --> 00:45:19,520
without worrying
about people's judgment
1054
00:45:19,520 --> 00:45:20,860
or, like, "Yo, what's that?"
1055
00:45:20,860 --> 00:45:23,030
Because you know he was
bringing the freaking skills.
1056
00:45:23,030 --> 00:45:26,700
You knew he was bringing
ultra talent and imagination,
1057
00:45:26,700 --> 00:45:28,530
for him to be like,
"You know what?
1058
00:45:28,530 --> 00:45:29,830
I feel like yawning right here."
1059
00:45:32,290 --> 00:45:34,210
♪ Beat it ♪
1060
00:45:35,710 --> 00:45:37,830
I-I don't know what that one is.
I don't know what...
1061
00:45:37,830 --> 00:45:39,880
I don't... but I love it.
1062
00:45:39,880 --> 00:45:42,130
And I'm listening
to his ad-libs.
1063
00:45:42,130 --> 00:45:43,590
He's doing all that...
1064
00:45:45,880 --> 00:45:48,470
He's doing all this
rhythmic stuff.
1065
00:45:48,470 --> 00:45:51,100
♪ "Human Nature"
by Michael Jackson ♪
1066
00:46:03,940 --> 00:46:05,780
Michael had such a clear vision
1067
00:46:05,780 --> 00:46:07,820
of what he wanted, and Quincy,
1068
00:46:07,820 --> 00:46:10,330
he knows who wanted to work
with each other.
1069
00:46:10,330 --> 00:46:11,620
There's a number of things
going on.
1070
00:46:11,620 --> 00:46:13,790
We have "Beat It,"
drums being done
1071
00:46:13,790 --> 00:46:15,960
by Jeff Porcaro at Sunset Sound;
1072
00:46:15,960 --> 00:46:19,290
Steve Lukather
in Studio B at Westlake;
1073
00:46:19,290 --> 00:46:21,880
Studio A, Quincy and Bruce.
1074
00:46:21,880 --> 00:46:24,380
Quincy's going back and forth
between A and B,
1075
00:46:24,380 --> 00:46:25,670
across the hallway.
1076
00:46:25,670 --> 00:46:28,510
Then you add
the E.T. storybook album,
1077
00:46:28,510 --> 00:46:31,680
and-and then...
then it's just a lot going on.
1078
00:46:31,680 --> 00:46:33,810
Quincy had become friends
with Steven Spielberg.
1079
00:46:33,810 --> 00:46:38,600
And I remember one day he...
Steven invited Quincy
1080
00:46:38,600 --> 00:46:41,560
down to the set
when he was working on E.T.
1081
00:46:41,560 --> 00:46:42,980
And, uh, E.T. was there,
1082
00:46:42,980 --> 00:46:45,570
and the guys who were operating
it at the time were there.
1083
00:46:45,570 --> 00:46:47,070
And I think somewhere
in the course of it,
1084
00:46:47,070 --> 00:46:48,820
Steven had said to Quincy,
said, "You know,
1085
00:46:48,820 --> 00:46:50,910
"I want to do a rec...
we should do
1086
00:46:50,910 --> 00:46:52,580
a record of some sort."
1087
00:46:53,080 --> 00:46:54,660
So Quincy, I think,
1088
00:46:54,660 --> 00:46:56,250
came to Michael and-and said,
1089
00:46:56,250 --> 00:47:00,000
"Steven wants us to do
the E.T. storybook album,"
1090
00:47:00,000 --> 00:47:02,290
where Michael would narrate
the story of E.T.
1091
00:47:02,290 --> 00:47:05,550
and Michael would write
and sing a song for the album.
1092
00:47:06,050 --> 00:47:07,800
And Michael was a big fan, too,
1093
00:47:07,800 --> 00:47:09,180
so, "Quincy, let's do this."
1094
00:47:09,180 --> 00:47:12,640
So they started doing it
in the midst of doing Thriller.
1095
00:47:12,640 --> 00:47:16,640
I've always loved film, and, uh,
1096
00:47:16,640 --> 00:47:18,890
we're talking,
in the stage of doing, uh,
1097
00:47:18,890 --> 00:47:22,610
Quincy Jones and myself
and Steven Spielberg,
1098
00:47:22,610 --> 00:47:24,650
uh, working on a project.
1099
00:47:24,650 --> 00:47:26,900
The problem is nobody bothered
1100
00:47:26,900 --> 00:47:28,700
to call Walter Yetnikoff
1101
00:47:28,700 --> 00:47:31,070
and clear the rights
because the album was
1102
00:47:31,070 --> 00:47:33,780
going out
on Universal MCA's label.
1103
00:47:34,370 --> 00:47:37,660
I'll never forget, uh, one day,
I was at a-a meeting
1104
00:47:37,660 --> 00:47:40,250
and I get a call,
so I get on the phone
1105
00:47:40,250 --> 00:47:43,670
and Walter says, "Tell Michael
to stop kissing the monster."
1106
00:47:43,670 --> 00:47:45,880
"Walter, what are you
talking about?"
1107
00:47:45,880 --> 00:47:47,260
"Stop kissing the monster!"
1108
00:47:47,260 --> 00:47:50,720
So, if you look at
the E.T. storybook album,
1109
00:47:50,720 --> 00:47:52,390
Michael's got his arm
around E.T.
1110
00:47:52,390 --> 00:47:54,800
They're like pals, and that's
what Walter was talking about.
1111
00:47:54,800 --> 00:47:56,060
It wasn't just an album.
1112
00:47:56,060 --> 00:47:57,770
It was a whole box set
with posters
1113
00:47:57,770 --> 00:48:00,560
and a picture
of Michael with E.T.
1114
00:48:01,980 --> 00:48:05,270
So Walter filed
an injunction against,
1115
00:48:05,270 --> 00:48:07,150
uh, MCA and Universal
1116
00:48:07,150 --> 00:48:09,820
and made them take the album
out of the stores.
1117
00:48:09,820 --> 00:48:12,530
It was already shipped.
It was already a huge hit.
1118
00:48:12,530 --> 00:48:14,120
They had to pull the album back.
1119
00:48:14,120 --> 00:48:16,830
Epic wasn't happy,
and they felt it was sort of
1120
00:48:16,830 --> 00:48:19,830
holding up their record,
the-the Thriller record.
1121
00:48:19,830 --> 00:48:21,120
Yeah, they sued, you know.
1122
00:48:21,120 --> 00:48:22,870
"No, you can't have our artist,
da-da-da-da-da."
1123
00:48:22,870 --> 00:48:25,500
You know, and Walter was
litigious anyway,
1124
00:48:25,500 --> 00:48:27,840
and so he-he went...
he went in hard.
1125
00:48:27,840 --> 00:48:29,630
And MCA responded hard,
1126
00:48:29,630 --> 00:48:31,220
and it was, you know,
all hell broke loose.
1127
00:48:31,220 --> 00:48:34,090
And he said,
"John, is he mad at me?"
1128
00:48:34,090 --> 00:48:36,850
I said, "What do you think,
Walter?" [laughs]
1129
00:48:36,850 --> 00:48:39,850
"You-you just sued him
and Steven Spielberg
1130
00:48:39,850 --> 00:48:42,100
and Quincy Jones,
and you wonder...
1131
00:48:42,100 --> 00:48:44,270
you're wondering
if he's mad at you?"
1132
00:48:44,270 --> 00:48:48,230
Uh, and he goes,
"What can I do to make it up?"
1133
00:48:48,230 --> 00:48:50,190
And I said,
"You give him the owner...
1134
00:48:50,190 --> 00:48:51,820
ownership of
his master recordings:
1135
00:48:51,820 --> 00:48:53,990
Off the Wall, Thriller
and everything to come."
1136
00:48:53,990 --> 00:48:55,200
And he said, "Done."
1137
00:48:55,200 --> 00:48:58,580
To get your masters back
in the middle of a contract,
1138
00:48:58,580 --> 00:49:01,370
I don't think had ever,
ever happened.
1139
00:49:01,370 --> 00:49:03,710
♪ "Carousel"
by Michael Jackson ♪
1140
00:49:03,710 --> 00:49:05,330
Rod came with his songs.
1141
00:49:05,330 --> 00:49:06,540
Michael had his songs.
1142
00:49:06,540 --> 00:49:08,040
And if those worked,
they worked.
1143
00:49:08,040 --> 00:49:10,420
If they didn't, they-they went
looking elsewhere.
1144
00:49:10,420 --> 00:49:12,760
♪ I lost my heart ♪
1145
00:49:12,760 --> 00:49:16,090
♪ On the carousel ♪
1146
00:49:16,090 --> 00:49:18,720
♪ To a circus girl ♪
1147
00:49:18,720 --> 00:49:22,600
♪ Who left my heart
in pieces... ♪
1148
00:49:22,600 --> 00:49:25,060
"Carousel" was a great song,
1149
00:49:25,060 --> 00:49:27,440
and fortunately
or unfortunately, you know,
1150
00:49:27,440 --> 00:49:28,940
there was only room on the album
1151
00:49:28,940 --> 00:49:33,490
for one mood like, uh,
"Carousel" or-or "Human Nature,"
1152
00:49:33,490 --> 00:49:37,370
and "Human Nature" was the
choice we had to make, you know.
1153
00:49:37,370 --> 00:49:38,910
Toto was big at that time.
1154
00:49:38,910 --> 00:49:41,290
Toto, who I just adored,
1155
00:49:41,290 --> 00:49:44,040
we worked together a lot,
and, um, they sent over
1156
00:49:44,040 --> 00:49:47,630
two demos that they thought
would be right for Michael,
1157
00:49:47,630 --> 00:49:49,420
and all of a sudden, there's...
1158
00:49:49,420 --> 00:49:51,550
at the end,
there was all this silence.
1159
00:49:51,550 --> 00:49:53,090
And then it said... it said...
1160
00:49:53,090 --> 00:49:54,840
♪ Why, why? ♪
1161
00:49:56,800 --> 00:49:58,050
♪ Why? ♪
1162
00:49:58,050 --> 00:49:59,430
And-and I tell you, I get...
1163
00:49:59,430 --> 00:50:01,180
I get goose bumps
just talking about it.
1164
00:50:01,180 --> 00:50:03,980
And I said, "What the hell
is that?" You know?
1165
00:50:03,980 --> 00:50:05,640
That's what took "Carousel" out.
1166
00:50:05,640 --> 00:50:07,190
I said, "This is where
we want to go,"
1167
00:50:07,190 --> 00:50:09,940
'cause it's got such a...
a-a wonderful flavor.
1168
00:50:09,940 --> 00:50:12,070
- I'll tell you what.
1169
00:50:12,070 --> 00:50:15,400
Tonight, I want to do...
1170
00:50:16,030 --> 00:50:18,910
...one of my favorite songs.
1171
00:50:18,910 --> 00:50:21,280
♪ I touched her shoulder ♪
1172
00:50:21,280 --> 00:50:25,040
♪ She likes the way I stare ♪
1173
00:50:25,040 --> 00:50:27,540
♪ And they say, "Why?" ♪
1174
00:50:27,540 --> 00:50:28,750
Everybody sing!
1175
00:50:28,750 --> 00:50:31,340
♪ Tell them that
it's human nature ♪
1176
00:50:31,340 --> 00:50:34,960
♪ Why, why does he
do me that way? ♪
1177
00:50:34,960 --> 00:50:38,260
The song that always haunts me
is "Human Nature."
1178
00:50:40,140 --> 00:50:41,850
- Um... Yeah.
- What a beautiful record.
1179
00:50:41,850 --> 00:50:43,310
That's-that's one of those
records that you just say,
1180
00:50:43,310 --> 00:50:45,680
"I wish I would've did
that record."
1181
00:50:45,680 --> 00:50:48,020
And that always,
for me, is the...
1182
00:50:48,020 --> 00:50:50,440
the test of if I love it or not.
1183
00:50:50,440 --> 00:50:54,730
I remember
one experience in the studio,
1184
00:50:54,730 --> 00:50:57,070
Rod Temperton,
one of the writers on the album,
1185
00:50:57,070 --> 00:50:59,780
and he said, "Michael,
if you only had three hits
1186
00:50:59,780 --> 00:51:02,580
off this album,
would you not be happy?"
1187
00:51:02,580 --> 00:51:04,240
I said, "I'd be very angry."
1188
00:51:04,240 --> 00:51:06,040
And they all started laughing.
1189
00:51:06,040 --> 00:51:09,830
I said, "I expect eight hits
off of this album.
1190
00:51:09,830 --> 00:51:11,290
Nine, all of 'em."
1191
00:51:13,920 --> 00:51:15,300
That is how I am. I'm sorry.
1192
00:51:15,300 --> 00:51:18,170
And my attitude was always
reaching out for more.
1193
00:51:18,170 --> 00:51:19,970
Never being satisfied.
1194
00:51:19,970 --> 00:51:24,390
And right at this very moment,
I'm on my fifth hit record.
1195
00:51:24,890 --> 00:51:27,310
Five. "Human Nature"
is number ten.
1196
00:51:27,310 --> 00:51:31,150
And I've broken a record that
has never been done before--
1197
00:51:31,150 --> 00:51:32,610
five hit songs for one album.
1198
00:51:32,610 --> 00:51:37,690
Always reaching out for more,
striving for excellence.
1199
00:51:40,660 --> 00:51:42,950
It's so engaging
1200
00:51:42,950 --> 00:51:44,910
because the idea
1201
00:51:44,910 --> 00:51:46,450
was to have something
for everyone.
1202
00:51:46,450 --> 00:51:49,080
There was a song that I didn't
really know too much about
1203
00:51:49,080 --> 00:51:50,330
that was called "Starlight,"
1204
00:51:50,330 --> 00:51:52,830
and it was a disco song
that Rod Temperton wrote.
1205
00:51:52,830 --> 00:51:56,840
You know,
so it really evolved from
1206
00:51:56,840 --> 00:52:00,420
this click here at 1:18.
1207
00:52:00,420 --> 00:52:03,340
And so, okay, we lay the click
down, and the idea was:
1208
00:52:03,340 --> 00:52:05,390
"Let's put it...
let's put a new version down.
1209
00:52:05,390 --> 00:52:07,770
Let's put some tracks down
and see where it goes."
1210
00:52:07,770 --> 00:52:09,980
So we-we started
with this drumbeat.
1211
00:52:11,270 --> 00:52:14,690
Four on the floor,
kind of dance song.
1212
00:52:15,150 --> 00:52:18,070
And then... backbeat.
1213
00:52:21,030 --> 00:52:22,820
Claps on the four.
1214
00:52:26,240 --> 00:52:29,700
And then the hi-hat part
was like this.
1215
00:52:30,580 --> 00:52:32,540
Five, six, seven, eight.
1216
00:52:36,250 --> 00:52:38,710
And then open hat.
1217
00:52:40,510 --> 00:52:42,220
There we go.
1218
00:52:42,220 --> 00:52:44,680
And then the cowbell.
1219
00:52:52,850 --> 00:52:54,100
Here we go.
1220
00:52:54,100 --> 00:52:56,520
So, another thing
about Michael and Quincy
1221
00:52:56,520 --> 00:52:57,480
is they like kind of like
1222
00:52:57,480 --> 00:52:59,730
a little bit of a feel
to the music.
1223
00:52:59,730 --> 00:53:01,400
So, this is straight time.
1224
00:53:01,400 --> 00:53:04,450
And then we add
a little bit of shuffle to it
1225
00:53:04,450 --> 00:53:08,530
so it just kind of pushes it
a little bit like that.
1226
00:53:08,530 --> 00:53:09,620
So it's in.
1227
00:53:09,620 --> 00:53:14,330
And then the bass line
ended up being kind of like a...
1228
00:53:14,330 --> 00:53:16,210
something I never
would have expected,
1229
00:53:16,210 --> 00:53:18,920
like a little bit
of a Latin rhythm, like...
1230
00:53:22,470 --> 00:53:25,180
Which sounded like
a conga line to me, but...
1231
00:53:28,350 --> 00:53:30,470
And there was the-the opening.
1232
00:53:34,270 --> 00:53:37,520
♪ "Thriller"
by Michael Jackson ♪
1233
00:53:41,820 --> 00:53:43,690
Just layering
all the parts to "Thriller"
1234
00:53:43,690 --> 00:53:47,620
was one of the most fun sessions
I've ever done in my life.
1235
00:53:48,160 --> 00:53:50,160
At 24, Michael had become more
1236
00:53:50,160 --> 00:53:53,160
than a master singer,
dancer, songwriter.
1237
00:53:53,160 --> 00:53:56,080
He was a super salesman
of his own mystique.
1238
00:53:56,080 --> 00:53:59,340
Michael's passion for
world conquest was singular.
1239
00:53:59,340 --> 00:54:03,460
He lived, breathed, slept,
dreamt and spoke
1240
00:54:03,460 --> 00:54:06,630
of nothing but
number one successes.
1241
00:54:07,720 --> 00:54:09,470
Thriller stayed number one
for months.
1242
00:54:09,470 --> 00:54:13,430
In the long period of its
unprecedented success, however,
1243
00:54:13,430 --> 00:54:17,020
when it occasionally fell to
second place for a week or two,
1244
00:54:17,020 --> 00:54:18,850
Michael panicked.
1245
00:54:18,850 --> 00:54:20,480
Hysterical, he'd berate me
1246
00:54:20,480 --> 00:54:23,030
for failing to pump up
the promotion.
1247
00:54:23,030 --> 00:54:24,820
"I'm pumping, Michael," I'd say.
1248
00:54:24,820 --> 00:54:26,610
"I promise you I'm pumping."
1249
00:54:26,610 --> 00:54:28,110
And I was.
1250
00:54:28,660 --> 00:54:30,450
After Thriller had sold
1251
00:54:30,450 --> 00:54:32,910
about three or four million copies,
1252
00:54:32,910 --> 00:54:34,660
I got a call about 12 noon.
1253
00:54:34,660 --> 00:54:37,120
On the phone was
the record company saying,
1254
00:54:37,120 --> 00:54:38,710
"Hey, listen,
if you're not busy,
1255
00:54:38,710 --> 00:54:41,500
we need you
to get over here right now."
1256
00:54:41,500 --> 00:54:45,210
Michael was going to be
presented a-a plaque
1257
00:54:45,210 --> 00:54:47,380
for the-the Thriller record.
1258
00:54:47,380 --> 00:54:50,680
And we were wondering,
why were we waiting?
1259
00:54:51,220 --> 00:54:53,640
In came Jane Fonda.
1260
00:54:53,640 --> 00:54:55,180
Jane?
1261
00:54:59,600 --> 00:55:01,650
I love Michael,
and I admire him.
1262
00:55:01,650 --> 00:55:04,070
He's the only person I know
that writes music
1263
00:55:04,070 --> 00:55:06,110
that you can dream to
and dance to
1264
00:55:06,110 --> 00:55:07,740
and love to and work out to.
1265
00:55:07,740 --> 00:55:09,110
And I do all of 'em to it.
1266
00:55:09,110 --> 00:55:11,370
- Come here, Michael.
1267
00:55:11,370 --> 00:55:12,950
In retrospect, I know
1268
00:55:12,950 --> 00:55:15,490
exactly what he was doing.
1269
00:55:16,080 --> 00:55:17,960
He understood
the importance of having
1270
00:55:17,960 --> 00:55:22,040
a big white star
giving him this plaque.
1271
00:55:22,040 --> 00:55:25,420
Uh, Michael has a number one
single on the pop charts,
1272
00:55:25,420 --> 00:55:27,630
number one album
on the pop charts,
1273
00:55:27,630 --> 00:55:31,010
number one single
on the R and B charts,
1274
00:55:31,010 --> 00:55:33,430
number one album on
the R and B charts.
1275
00:55:33,430 --> 00:55:35,060
And I think that starts...
1276
00:55:35,060 --> 00:55:37,060
that's sort of
an historic record.
1277
00:55:37,060 --> 00:55:38,980
But I don't think we understood
1278
00:55:38,980 --> 00:55:40,520
where it was gonna go until
1279
00:55:40,520 --> 00:55:42,860
the "Thriller" video came out.
1280
00:55:42,860 --> 00:55:44,820
♪ suspenseful orchestral music ♪
1281
00:55:47,030 --> 00:55:48,440
As far as the record company
1282
00:55:48,440 --> 00:55:50,780
was concerned,
the album cycle was done.
1283
00:55:50,780 --> 00:55:52,620
They were thrilled
with whatever it sold,
1284
00:55:52,620 --> 00:55:56,040
and Michael said, "No, no,
we're gonna... we got more."
1285
00:55:56,040 --> 00:55:58,250
"Thriller,"
of all the songs on the album,
1286
00:55:58,250 --> 00:56:02,460
uh, seems like you can do
much more video-wise--
1287
00:56:02,460 --> 00:56:05,250
no, movie-wise--
than any of the songs
1288
00:56:05,250 --> 00:56:07,460
'cause of the story
and all the visuals
1289
00:56:07,460 --> 00:56:09,840
and monsters and stuff.
1290
00:56:09,840 --> 00:56:11,470
And so I came up with an idea
1291
00:56:11,470 --> 00:56:14,220
of thinking that
I really want to change,
1292
00:56:14,220 --> 00:56:17,770
metamorphosis
into some other creature.
1293
00:56:17,770 --> 00:56:21,100
I... and I-I saw
American Werewolf In London.
1294
00:56:21,100 --> 00:56:23,150
I really liked it.
1295
00:56:23,150 --> 00:56:25,820
And-and I said,
"Who's the director who did it?"
1296
00:56:25,820 --> 00:56:27,400
And they said,
"John Landis, John Landis."
1297
00:56:27,400 --> 00:56:29,400
I said, "Great.
That's who we got to get."
1298
00:56:29,400 --> 00:56:31,610
So I said,
"Get in touch with him."
1299
00:56:32,150 --> 00:56:34,120
So I get this call, and he says,
1300
00:56:34,120 --> 00:56:36,660
"Michael Jackson,"
and I really thought...
1301
00:56:37,160 --> 00:56:39,250
"Little Michael Jackson
of The Jackson 5?"
1302
00:56:39,250 --> 00:56:41,210
I mean, I thought,
"He's a kid," you know?
1303
00:56:41,210 --> 00:56:43,460
And he told me
he had a song, "Thriller,"
1304
00:56:43,460 --> 00:56:45,460
and he wanted me
to make a video.
1305
00:56:45,460 --> 00:56:46,670
And I said, "Why?"
1306
00:56:46,670 --> 00:56:48,750
His brother showed him
on the bus
1307
00:56:48,750 --> 00:56:51,760
the tape of American Werewolf,
I think to scare him,
1308
00:56:51,760 --> 00:56:53,630
but he loved
American Werewolf in London.
1309
00:56:53,630 --> 00:56:57,970
And he was obviously fascinated
with Rick Baker's work.
1310
00:57:01,140 --> 00:57:03,100
And so he called me and said,
1311
00:57:03,100 --> 00:57:05,100
"I want to turn into a monster.
Will you do it?"
1312
00:57:05,100 --> 00:57:07,650
And the record label
wouldn't pay for it.
1313
00:57:07,650 --> 00:57:09,690
And, uh... and we talked,
and I said,
1314
00:57:09,690 --> 00:57:11,740
"Michael, you know,
you shouldn't pay for this.
1315
00:57:11,740 --> 00:57:14,410
You shouldn't
pay for it yourself."
1316
00:57:14,410 --> 00:57:16,410
And he said,
"Branca, figure it out."
1317
00:57:16,410 --> 00:57:18,410
Nobody wanted him to do this.
1318
00:57:18,410 --> 00:57:20,740
This was entirely his own thing.
1319
00:57:20,740 --> 00:57:24,620
And everybody else-- his people
and the record company--
1320
00:57:24,620 --> 00:57:28,590
said, "Next album. Let's...
We've already... Michael, hello.
1321
00:57:28,590 --> 00:57:32,130
It's the most successful album
of all time. We want..."
1322
00:57:32,130 --> 00:57:35,260
So they thought
"Thriller" was outrageous.
1323
00:57:35,260 --> 00:57:37,680
Its budget was
$1.2 million dollars.
1324
00:57:37,680 --> 00:57:40,260
That's at a time when
the average music video budget
1325
00:57:40,260 --> 00:57:41,810
was only $50,000 dollars.
1326
00:57:41,810 --> 00:57:45,100
So I went... I went back to
the office and thought about it.
1327
00:57:45,100 --> 00:57:47,940
And I thought up this idea
of a making-of.
1328
00:57:47,940 --> 00:57:49,400
Went to MTV and Showtime,
1329
00:57:49,400 --> 00:57:51,900
and-and Michael was
the biggest thing on the planet.
1330
00:57:51,900 --> 00:57:53,070
And I said, "We'll give you
1331
00:57:53,070 --> 00:57:54,860
a making of
Michael's next video.
1332
00:57:54,860 --> 00:57:56,200
We need a million two."
1333
00:57:56,200 --> 00:57:59,120
And they came back,
and they said yes.
1334
00:57:59,120 --> 00:58:00,450
We're trying to bring back
1335
00:58:00,450 --> 00:58:01,870
the motion picture shorts,
1336
00:58:01,870 --> 00:58:05,000
which we will do with, uh...
with "Thriller."
1337
00:58:05,000 --> 00:58:07,000
A lot of the videos--
I hate to use the word "video"
1338
00:58:07,000 --> 00:58:09,630
'cause I like to think of it
as a film, which it is--
1339
00:58:09,630 --> 00:58:13,630
we're doing a short film--
a lot of 'em are so terrible.
1340
00:58:13,630 --> 00:58:16,260
And I wanted "Thriller"
and "Beat It" to be a stimulant
1341
00:58:16,260 --> 00:58:19,760
for people to make
better videos or short films.
1342
00:58:19,760 --> 00:58:24,310
I really did, 'cause, I mean,
I love MTV, watching it.
1343
00:58:24,310 --> 00:58:25,730
You know, I think it's great,
1344
00:58:25,730 --> 00:58:28,600
but a lot of stuff I see,
I'm not so crazy about.
1345
00:58:28,600 --> 00:58:30,610
He wanted to turn into a...
1346
00:58:30,610 --> 00:58:31,820
at first, a-a wolf man,
1347
00:58:31,820 --> 00:58:36,450
like the werewolf
in American Werewolf.
1348
00:58:37,740 --> 00:58:41,740
His desire was
to turn into a monster
1349
00:58:41,740 --> 00:58:43,200
on camera.
1350
00:58:43,200 --> 00:58:45,540
We had the character turn into
1351
00:58:45,540 --> 00:58:48,960
a four-legged hound
from hell, a...
1352
00:58:48,960 --> 00:58:50,630
you know, a beast.
1353
00:58:50,630 --> 00:58:53,840
And Michael wanted to do that,
and I told him,
1354
00:58:53,840 --> 00:58:56,010
"Michael, it would be
so difficult
1355
00:58:56,010 --> 00:58:57,380
for you to dance with four legs,
1356
00:58:57,380 --> 00:58:59,930
you know,
and for the puppeteers.
1357
00:58:59,930 --> 00:59:00,640
No."
1358
00:59:00,640 --> 00:59:02,350
So then it was gonna be
1359
00:59:02,350 --> 00:59:04,890
more of a traditional
wolf man character.
1360
00:59:04,890 --> 00:59:09,270
And Rick Baker did the first
design, and it was great
1361
00:59:09,270 --> 00:59:12,270
but truly terrifying.
1362
00:59:12,270 --> 00:59:14,440
And I said,
"Aah! Whatever we have him
1363
00:59:14,440 --> 00:59:17,030
turn into,
he's got to be attractive."
1364
00:59:17,030 --> 00:59:19,660
Scary but...
1365
00:59:19,660 --> 00:59:22,370
kind of cool and elegant,
you know?
1366
00:59:22,370 --> 00:59:26,750
So his second design,
he made him that "were-cat,"
1367
00:59:26,750 --> 00:59:29,920
and it's a much more graceful design.
1368
00:59:29,920 --> 00:59:31,540
Are you all right?
1369
00:59:31,540 --> 00:59:34,130
- Go away!
1370
00:59:35,710 --> 00:59:38,420
♪ "Thriller"
by Michael Jackson ♪
1371
00:59:39,970 --> 00:59:42,050
Michael Jackson was
1372
00:59:42,050 --> 00:59:43,470
a very slight person.
1373
00:59:43,470 --> 00:59:46,470
99 pounds soaking wet.
1374
00:59:46,470 --> 00:59:50,480
So, how do you develop
a presence on screen?
1375
00:59:50,480 --> 00:59:51,690
For "Thriller,"
1376
00:59:51,690 --> 00:59:53,440
you know, it was supposed to be
1377
00:59:53,440 --> 00:59:56,030
a satire of
a teenage horror film,
1378
00:59:56,030 --> 00:59:57,440
so he's in a letterman's jacket.
1379
00:59:57,440 --> 01:00:01,410
And then, with his red jacket
for that theater,
1380
01:00:01,410 --> 01:00:05,200
I was trying to create
a silhouette that was
1381
01:00:05,200 --> 01:00:09,870
sexy, masculine, impressive,
1382
01:00:09,870 --> 01:00:15,670
and... and gave him
weight on screen.
1383
01:00:16,420 --> 01:00:19,210
So, with Michael's fascination
1384
01:00:19,210 --> 01:00:23,220
with monsters, I said, "Well,
you'll become two monsters.
1385
01:00:23,220 --> 01:00:24,680
You'll become a werewolf,"
1386
01:00:24,680 --> 01:00:28,890
and then when we decided
on dancing zombies, a zombie.
1387
01:00:28,890 --> 01:00:30,560
Doesn't make sense,
but who cares?
1388
01:00:30,560 --> 01:00:32,730
You know, it's a fantasy.
1389
01:00:33,520 --> 01:00:36,690
And he really enjoyed
the process of the makeup,
1390
01:00:36,690 --> 01:00:39,690
and he really enjoyed
wearing the makeup.
1391
01:00:39,690 --> 01:00:42,610
Most actors hate it,
and he loved it.
1392
01:00:42,610 --> 01:00:44,620
He's so dynamic, Mike,
1393
01:00:44,620 --> 01:00:46,780
and he has such power
and such charm.
1394
01:00:46,780 --> 01:00:50,580
As I had seen it,
just looking at, you know,
1395
01:00:50,580 --> 01:00:53,290
"Can You Feel It"
and everything I saw,
1396
01:00:53,290 --> 01:00:57,340
it's like,
"Why isn't he being sexual?"
1397
01:00:57,340 --> 01:00:59,670
I mean, he's a rock star.
1398
01:00:59,670 --> 01:01:03,180
So one of the first things
for me was
1399
01:01:03,180 --> 01:01:07,470
I wanted a girl to make him sexy
1400
01:01:07,470 --> 01:01:09,350
and to also...
1401
01:01:09,350 --> 01:01:13,390
to be gaga in love with him.
1402
01:01:13,390 --> 01:01:15,850
The big eyes, you know.
1403
01:01:15,850 --> 01:01:19,690
And I saw
over a hundred actresses
1404
01:01:19,690 --> 01:01:21,740
and dancers
and all kinds of people.
1405
01:01:21,740 --> 01:01:23,320
And when Ola came in,
1406
01:01:23,320 --> 01:01:26,200
one, she was desperate, desperate
1407
01:01:26,200 --> 01:01:29,660
to be with Michael Jackson,
and she was adorable.
1408
01:01:29,660 --> 01:01:32,540
Michael Jackson
isn't Michael Jackson
1409
01:01:32,540 --> 01:01:34,420
as a werewolf.
1410
01:01:34,420 --> 01:01:37,000
Michael Jackson is
1411
01:01:37,000 --> 01:01:40,000
another person totally
with the mask.
1412
01:01:40,000 --> 01:01:42,920
And I like, you know,
when he's so shy.
1413
01:01:42,920 --> 01:01:44,840
I have something
I want to tell you.
1414
01:01:44,840 --> 01:01:46,640
The only time I really
1415
01:01:46,640 --> 01:01:49,100
explained something to him,
I said, "You know, Michael,
1416
01:01:49,100 --> 01:01:53,270
I want you to know when you say,
'I'm not like other guys'..."
1417
01:01:53,270 --> 01:01:55,390
I'm not like other guys.
1418
01:01:55,390 --> 01:01:57,350
"...it will get a laugh."
1419
01:01:57,940 --> 01:02:00,650
And he was clueless. He said,
"Why would this get a laugh?"
1420
01:02:00,650 --> 01:02:02,860
I said, "Because you're not
like other guys."
1421
01:02:02,860 --> 01:02:05,820
But at least he was prepared,
'cause it got a huge laugh
1422
01:02:05,820 --> 01:02:09,120
and, uh...
and so he was in on it.
1423
01:02:09,120 --> 01:02:12,330
You know, I think he would have
been terribly upset otherwise.
1424
01:02:12,330 --> 01:02:14,620
From the beginning of the film,
1425
01:02:14,620 --> 01:02:17,120
going to the theater,
1426
01:02:17,120 --> 01:02:19,210
then you're walking out,
and then Michael has
1427
01:02:19,210 --> 01:02:20,420
that cat-and-mouse sort of, uh,
1428
01:02:20,420 --> 01:02:22,300
walk that he's doing
with Ola Ray.
1429
01:02:22,300 --> 01:02:26,630
That's like an ode back to, uh,
classic, uh, musicals, right?
1430
01:02:26,630 --> 01:02:27,930
The cat-and-mouse chase.
1431
01:02:27,930 --> 01:02:29,800
Right?
Th-Then, you know, the-the man
1432
01:02:29,800 --> 01:02:31,600
playing up
to the woman and all that.
1433
01:02:31,600 --> 01:02:33,140
And it's a dolly shot.
1434
01:02:33,140 --> 01:02:37,060
And I said, "Mike,
here's what we're gonna do.
1435
01:02:37,060 --> 01:02:40,190
As long as Ola
could keep the beat,
1436
01:02:40,190 --> 01:02:41,860
you do those lyrics,
1437
01:02:41,860 --> 01:02:45,110
you can never be more than
this many feet away from her."
1438
01:02:45,110 --> 01:02:47,450
The big difference between
1439
01:02:47,450 --> 01:02:50,700
a costume designer
and a fashion designer is,
1440
01:02:50,700 --> 01:02:53,910
for us, it's all about
dramatic context.
1441
01:02:53,910 --> 01:02:55,580
So, where are they gonna be?
1442
01:02:55,580 --> 01:02:58,710
They're gonna be in an alley
and a movie theater.
1443
01:02:58,710 --> 01:03:00,000
And what are they doing?
1444
01:03:00,000 --> 01:03:02,800
They're on a date,
and Michael is gonna
1445
01:03:02,800 --> 01:03:05,880
be playful and be seductive.
1446
01:03:05,880 --> 01:03:07,670
She's dressed in blue.
1447
01:03:07,670 --> 01:03:08,930
She's cool.
1448
01:03:08,930 --> 01:03:11,890
She's relaxed. She's in jeans.
1449
01:03:11,890 --> 01:03:14,810
They did have
a leopard print on them,
1450
01:03:14,810 --> 01:03:17,940
but, you know, tight jeans,
little jacket.
1451
01:03:17,940 --> 01:03:19,600
She couldn't have been cuter.
1452
01:03:19,600 --> 01:03:21,520
I think, to the audience,
1453
01:03:21,520 --> 01:03:24,320
with what she's wearing
and her attitude,
1454
01:03:24,320 --> 01:03:26,940
she's sending off
every good vibe.
1455
01:03:26,940 --> 01:03:29,660
And I'll say,
"Okay, well, that was fine.
1456
01:03:29,660 --> 01:03:31,410
I don't want fine.
1457
01:03:31,410 --> 01:03:33,830
You're Michael Jackson,
1458
01:03:33,830 --> 01:03:36,790
so it has to be great.
1459
01:03:36,790 --> 01:03:38,660
Because if you can't be great,
1460
01:03:38,660 --> 01:03:40,830
why the fuck do I have
Michael Jackson here?"
1461
01:03:40,830 --> 01:03:43,540
So he goes, "Okay, John."
1462
01:03:43,540 --> 01:03:44,920
And he did the next take.
1463
01:03:44,920 --> 01:03:47,050
He was great!
You know?
1464
01:03:47,050 --> 01:03:52,430
♪ For you and I to cuddle
close together, yeah ♪
1465
01:03:52,430 --> 01:03:54,720
♪ All through the night ♪
1466
01:03:54,720 --> 01:03:57,810
♪ I'll save you from
the terror on the screen ♪
1467
01:03:57,810 --> 01:03:59,350
♪ I'll make you see... ♪
1468
01:03:59,350 --> 01:04:02,020
Michael Peters
and Michael Jackson
1469
01:04:02,020 --> 01:04:03,860
came up with the choreography,
1470
01:04:03,860 --> 01:04:05,820
and it's fascinating choreography
1471
01:04:05,820 --> 01:04:08,780
because the dancers were allowed
1472
01:04:08,780 --> 01:04:11,740
more rehearsal than usual.
1473
01:04:11,740 --> 01:04:13,490
At that point already,
1474
01:04:13,490 --> 01:04:16,830
Michael had established
certain moves,
1475
01:04:16,830 --> 01:04:21,290
so my first instruction
to Michael Peters was spooky,
1476
01:04:21,290 --> 01:04:23,630
and the second one was:
1477
01:04:23,630 --> 01:04:25,880
"I don't want any Michael move."
1478
01:04:25,880 --> 01:04:28,960
♪ suspenseful orchestral music ♪
1479
01:04:28,960 --> 01:04:31,380
♪ "Thriller"
by Michael Jackson ♪
1480
01:04:43,480 --> 01:04:45,440
And they go into this
1481
01:04:45,440 --> 01:04:46,770
popping routine, right?
1482
01:04:46,770 --> 01:04:49,820
This goes back to the whole
thing of where Michael Jackson
1483
01:04:49,820 --> 01:04:52,910
crosses the technique
and the street world, right?
1484
01:04:55,370 --> 01:04:59,830
And he was so inspired by
popping and waving and all that
1485
01:04:59,830 --> 01:05:02,790
so that he had to put them
in the film.
1486
01:05:02,790 --> 01:05:04,880
How would a zombie dance?
1487
01:05:04,880 --> 01:05:07,170
And then looking at it,
and it was...
1488
01:05:07,170 --> 01:05:08,960
it just made
a lot of sense to me
1489
01:05:08,960 --> 01:05:12,670
that they weren't just locking
or they just weren't popping
1490
01:05:12,670 --> 01:05:15,680
or they just weren't
doing jazz dance.
1491
01:05:15,680 --> 01:05:19,810
The angles,
the lines were all...
1492
01:05:19,810 --> 01:05:22,310
demented and crooked, and it...
1493
01:05:22,310 --> 01:05:24,980
I'd just never seen
anything like that before.
1494
01:05:24,980 --> 01:05:27,810
♪ 'Cause this is thriller ♪
1495
01:05:27,810 --> 01:05:29,360
♪ Thriller night... ♪
1496
01:05:29,360 --> 01:05:31,280
On those zombies,
1497
01:05:31,280 --> 01:05:33,030
those costumes
were just made of rags.
1498
01:05:33,030 --> 01:05:38,120
We call it aging,
distressing and dying.
1499
01:05:38,120 --> 01:05:40,540
Then, of course,
Rick Baker's work
1500
01:05:40,540 --> 01:05:43,960
was just masterful on everybody.
1501
01:05:43,960 --> 01:05:45,920
♪ Thriller night ♪
1502
01:05:45,920 --> 01:05:47,380
♪ 'Cause I can thrill you more ♪
1503
01:05:47,380 --> 01:05:51,170
♪ Than any ghoul
would ever dare try ♪
1504
01:05:58,680 --> 01:06:01,850
This is a song about
watching a movie.
1505
01:06:01,850 --> 01:06:04,140
Yo. A Blockbuster night.
1506
01:06:04,140 --> 01:06:05,810
He made a whole movie.
1507
01:06:05,810 --> 01:06:07,190
He entertained us.
1508
01:06:07,190 --> 01:06:09,190
He gave us R and B,
he gave us horror,
1509
01:06:09,190 --> 01:06:12,480
he gave us sci-fi, but
he gave it all to us in music.
1510
01:06:12,480 --> 01:06:14,030
He-he was just a-amazing.
1511
01:06:14,030 --> 01:06:16,030
After the video came out,
1512
01:06:16,030 --> 01:06:17,860
it tripled its sales.
1513
01:06:17,860 --> 01:06:19,740
They sold six million of these.
1514
01:06:19,740 --> 01:06:21,910
This made MTV a powerhouse
1515
01:06:21,910 --> 01:06:25,410
and then created this whole
rock video business.
1516
01:06:25,410 --> 01:06:26,830
It was extraordinary.
1517
01:06:26,830 --> 01:06:28,710
And it's that moment when
1518
01:06:28,710 --> 01:06:30,920
the audience falls
madly in love,
1519
01:06:30,920 --> 01:06:33,800
that the audience
creates the icons.
1520
01:06:33,800 --> 01:06:35,550
He could write the songs.
1521
01:06:35,550 --> 01:06:36,930
He could produce them.
1522
01:06:36,930 --> 01:06:38,430
He could sing them.
1523
01:06:38,430 --> 01:06:39,800
He could perform like no other.
1524
01:06:39,800 --> 01:06:41,810
And he also was a fashion icon.
1525
01:06:41,810 --> 01:06:44,310
I've seen little tiny kids
in red jackets.
1526
01:06:44,310 --> 01:06:46,730
I've seen old grandpas
in red jackets.
1527
01:06:46,730 --> 01:06:48,350
I've seen girls in red jackets.
1528
01:06:48,350 --> 01:06:51,060
I've seen everybody
wearing that jacket.
1529
01:06:51,060 --> 01:06:52,860
It was huge worldwide.
1530
01:06:52,860 --> 01:06:55,530
They were buying the leather
jackets that Michael...
1531
01:06:55,530 --> 01:06:56,950
They were buying everything.
1532
01:06:56,950 --> 01:06:59,530
They were buying Michael Jackson
posters, calendars.
1533
01:06:59,530 --> 01:07:02,280
♪ Looks so much like Michael
from head to toe ♪
1534
01:07:02,280 --> 01:07:04,790
♪ Put the mic in his hand
and he'll steal the show ♪
1535
01:07:04,790 --> 01:07:06,710
I love you, Michael Jackson.
1536
01:07:06,710 --> 01:07:08,460
Michael Jackson!
1537
01:07:08,460 --> 01:07:10,630
Anything with
Michael Jackson on it
1538
01:07:10,630 --> 01:07:12,000
does continue to sell.
1539
01:07:12,000 --> 01:07:13,800
I work in a record store,
and it still
1540
01:07:13,800 --> 01:07:15,800
just flies out of the store
every week.
1541
01:07:15,800 --> 01:07:17,220
And we're talking about a record
1542
01:07:17,220 --> 01:07:19,890
that's a year and a half,
almost two years old,
1543
01:07:19,890 --> 01:07:22,010
and people are still
freaking out about it.
1544
01:07:22,010 --> 01:07:23,810
There have
always been fan clubs,
1545
01:07:23,810 --> 01:07:25,430
Michael's fans
more passionate than most.
1546
01:07:25,430 --> 01:07:28,690
This club calls itself
the P.Y.T.'s.
1547
01:07:28,690 --> 01:07:31,770
We love you!
We love you, Michael!
1548
01:07:31,770 --> 01:07:33,860
And if nothing else,
"Thriller" was always
1549
01:07:33,860 --> 01:07:35,820
gonna be played
in the month of October.
1550
01:07:35,820 --> 01:07:38,360
Like, there's this big thing
in Mexico that happens
1551
01:07:38,360 --> 01:07:41,820
where, I'll tell you, the-the...
every... people fly in for it.
1552
01:07:41,820 --> 01:07:44,790
They're all in their costumes,
and they do
1553
01:07:44,790 --> 01:07:47,250
the "Thriller" dance,
thousands of people.
1554
01:07:47,250 --> 01:07:49,290
And people are still,
you-you know,
1555
01:07:49,290 --> 01:07:51,120
dancing to this song
like it's...
1556
01:07:51,120 --> 01:07:52,920
like it was just done,
like the...
1557
01:07:52,920 --> 01:07:54,960
like the short film
just came out yesterday.
1558
01:07:54,960 --> 01:07:57,710
"Thriller," a long time coming.
1559
01:07:57,710 --> 01:07:59,260
Michael Jackson's "Thriller."
1560
01:07:59,260 --> 01:08:01,640
Probably
the single biggest video
1561
01:08:01,640 --> 01:08:03,050
for MTV ever.
1562
01:08:03,050 --> 01:08:05,100
After their initial reluctance,
1563
01:08:05,100 --> 01:08:09,480
MTV became a huge supporter
of Michael Jackson,
1564
01:08:09,480 --> 01:08:12,810
especially the "Thriller"
short film.
1565
01:08:12,810 --> 01:08:15,360
They heavily promoted
the premiere.
1566
01:08:15,360 --> 01:08:19,190
At some point, it felt like
the "M" in MTV
1567
01:08:19,190 --> 01:08:21,820
stood for "Michael."
1568
01:08:23,070 --> 01:08:26,120
And everybody was talking about
how they were gonna cut school
1569
01:08:26,120 --> 01:08:28,200
to go home to watch
the "Thriller" video
1570
01:08:28,200 --> 01:08:32,790
because it was a twelve o'clock
world premiere on MTV.
1571
01:08:32,790 --> 01:08:35,170
And he was acting,
he was eating popcorn,
1572
01:08:35,170 --> 01:08:36,880
and then he turned
into a monster.
1573
01:08:36,880 --> 01:08:39,260
There's something about music,
I think, that has...
1574
01:08:39,260 --> 01:08:42,630
that triggers so many different
emotions in people,
1575
01:08:42,630 --> 01:08:45,260
so you're tapping
into all of that
1576
01:08:45,260 --> 01:08:48,310
to a larger and larger
and larger audience,
1577
01:08:48,310 --> 01:08:51,390
and it just exponentially grew.
1578
01:08:52,940 --> 01:08:55,610
So, the spring of '84,
1579
01:08:55,610 --> 01:08:57,070
the record's already out,
1580
01:08:57,070 --> 01:08:59,780
it's already selling
because Michael's now gone
1581
01:08:59,780 --> 01:09:02,070
from being a pop star
to a phenomenon.
1582
01:09:02,070 --> 01:09:04,240
The Guinness Book of
World Records is giving him
1583
01:09:04,240 --> 01:09:06,410
an award as the biggest-selling
album of all time.
1584
01:09:06,410 --> 01:09:08,080
It's a thriller
of a party tonight
1585
01:09:08,080 --> 01:09:10,000
for Michael Jackson at
the Museum of Natural History.
1586
01:09:10,000 --> 01:09:12,040
That's where Jackson's
being honored
1587
01:09:12,040 --> 01:09:14,330
for his album that's broken
all the records.
1588
01:09:14,330 --> 01:09:16,380
This was the payoff
for the fans tonight,
1589
01:09:16,380 --> 01:09:19,420
that momentary glimpse
of superstar Michael Jackson
1590
01:09:19,420 --> 01:09:22,130
with his date for the evening,
Brooke Shields.
1591
01:09:22,130 --> 01:09:25,140
Thriller,
with 25 million copies sold,
1592
01:09:25,140 --> 01:09:27,050
was the best-selling album ever.
1593
01:09:27,550 --> 01:09:31,930
Today, we surpassed 25 million
copies for Thriller.
1594
01:09:31,930 --> 01:09:36,190
Michael Jackson, the number one
artist in the world!
1595
01:09:36,190 --> 01:09:38,270
- Thriller eclipsed them all.
1596
01:09:38,270 --> 01:09:40,570
At one point,
the damn thing was selling
1597
01:09:40,570 --> 01:09:41,650
a million copies a week.
1598
01:09:41,650 --> 01:09:45,030
Michael had become
a global obsession.
1599
01:09:45,030 --> 01:09:47,660
And just think,
you all came to see me.
1600
01:09:49,080 --> 01:09:53,040
No, I know why you're here,
and with good reason.
1601
01:09:53,040 --> 01:09:55,290
To see one of the most talented,
most popular
1602
01:09:55,290 --> 01:09:59,040
and most exciting superstars
in the music world today,
1603
01:09:59,040 --> 01:10:01,130
Michael Jackson.
1604
01:10:01,130 --> 01:10:03,170
Michael,
welcome to the White House.
1605
01:10:03,170 --> 01:10:04,970
But being with Michael
1606
01:10:04,970 --> 01:10:06,300
at that moment in time,
1607
01:10:06,300 --> 01:10:10,470
this is... "Thriller" is now
out on television.
1608
01:10:10,470 --> 01:10:13,770
And there was Michael mania,
you know.
1609
01:10:13,770 --> 01:10:15,140
He called me, and he said,
1610
01:10:15,140 --> 01:10:16,730
"Have you ever been
to Disney World?"
1611
01:10:16,730 --> 01:10:19,520
So the park was open, and there
were people walking around.
1612
01:10:19,520 --> 01:10:22,230
Here's Michael,
here's Mickey and me.
1613
01:10:22,230 --> 01:10:26,780
Suddenly, we look around,
1614
01:10:26,780 --> 01:10:29,570
and there are people
1615
01:10:29,570 --> 01:10:34,410
as far as you can see
in every direction--
1616
01:10:34,410 --> 01:10:38,080
behind us,
in front of us, around us--
1617
01:10:38,080 --> 01:10:41,250
and they're getting
more and more hysterical.
1618
01:10:41,250 --> 01:10:43,340
"Michael! Michael!"
1619
01:10:43,340 --> 01:10:47,840
And you see Mickey Mouse
is going like...
1620
01:10:47,840 --> 01:10:48,970
"Holy shit!
1621
01:10:48,970 --> 01:10:51,850
We're never getting out
of this alive!" You know?
1622
01:10:54,310 --> 01:10:55,810
You know, Thriller was
1623
01:10:55,810 --> 01:10:58,350
the biggest album in the world,
Michael was the biggest star,
1624
01:10:58,350 --> 01:11:01,480
and he wanted to go out
and tour Thriller.
1625
01:11:01,480 --> 01:11:04,900
But Joseph--
you know, uh, Mr. Jackson--
1626
01:11:04,900 --> 01:11:07,030
had other ideas.
1627
01:11:07,650 --> 01:11:10,820
He wanted to bring
all the family back together.
1628
01:11:10,820 --> 01:11:12,160
He brought in Don King
1629
01:11:12,160 --> 01:11:13,740
as the recommended promoter
of the tour.
1630
01:11:13,740 --> 01:11:17,080
And he got the brothers
and Mrs. Jackson, Katherine.
1631
01:11:17,080 --> 01:11:19,750
Everybody was all for it.
1632
01:11:20,380 --> 01:11:23,340
Michael was hesitant,
to be honest.
1633
01:11:23,340 --> 01:11:26,050
He felt like he had done
Thriller on his own,
1634
01:11:26,050 --> 01:11:29,300
and he wanted to tour
as a solo artist.
1635
01:11:29,300 --> 01:11:32,350
But he was persuaded
to go along with it.
1636
01:11:34,100 --> 01:11:37,980
This tour is
a bonanza of marketing,
1637
01:11:37,980 --> 01:11:40,310
so everybody wants
to get in on this.
1638
01:11:40,310 --> 01:11:44,150
And Quaker Oats, you know,
they had made a deal.
1639
01:11:44,150 --> 01:11:46,650
They had a tentative deal
with the Jacksons
1640
01:11:46,650 --> 01:11:49,030
to be the sponsors
of this thing.
1641
01:11:49,030 --> 01:11:53,240
And then Don King says, "Listen,
I've already made a deal.
1642
01:11:53,240 --> 01:11:54,660
I made it with Pepsi."
1643
01:11:54,660 --> 01:11:58,200
♪ "Billie Jean"
by Michael Jackson ♪
1644
01:12:04,500 --> 01:12:06,590
Michael was not
into the sponsorship
1645
01:12:06,590 --> 01:12:08,510
'cause he-he said,
"This isn't my thing.
1646
01:12:08,510 --> 01:12:12,510
I don't drink Pepsi.
This is all for my family."
1647
01:12:12,510 --> 01:12:14,760
And Michael did not want
to do the Pepsi deal.
1648
01:12:14,760 --> 01:12:17,270
♪ You're a whole new
generation ♪
1649
01:12:17,270 --> 01:12:19,020
♪ You're loving what they do ♪
1650
01:12:19,020 --> 01:12:21,270
♪ Put a Pepsi into motion ♪
1651
01:12:21,270 --> 01:12:23,440
♪ And that choice is up to you,
hey, hey, hey ♪
1652
01:12:23,440 --> 01:12:25,610
♪ You're the
Pepsi Generation... ♪
1653
01:12:25,610 --> 01:12:28,740
'Cause he said to me,
"Okay, Branca, listen to me.
1654
01:12:28,740 --> 01:12:31,200
I got to do this
'cause my family wants it,
1655
01:12:31,200 --> 01:12:33,160
but you have to write two things
in the contract.
1656
01:12:33,160 --> 01:12:35,990
Number one: I'm never
holding a Pepsi can.
1657
01:12:35,990 --> 01:12:37,370
And number two: I can't be
1658
01:12:37,370 --> 01:12:39,540
on the screen
for more than three seconds."
1659
01:12:39,540 --> 01:12:41,410
So it's in the Pepsi contract,
1660
01:12:41,410 --> 01:12:44,540
no more than three seconds
and never holding a Pepsi can.
1661
01:12:44,540 --> 01:12:46,750
So if you ever watch
that commercial again,
1662
01:12:46,750 --> 01:12:47,960
you'll-you'll see.
1663
01:12:47,960 --> 01:12:49,420
It's interesting because
1664
01:12:49,420 --> 01:12:53,220
if Don King had not made
the deal with Pepsi,
1665
01:12:53,220 --> 01:12:55,010
Michael's hair wouldn't
have gotten burned.
1666
01:12:55,010 --> 01:12:57,850
I was actually
at the Pepsi commercial,
1667
01:12:57,850 --> 01:13:00,600
and I had an all-access pass.
1668
01:13:00,600 --> 01:13:03,730
When I arrived at
the Shrine Auditorium Downtown,
1669
01:13:03,730 --> 01:13:06,060
Michael and the Jacksons
were onstage
1670
01:13:06,060 --> 01:13:08,820
performing "Billie Jean."
1671
01:13:10,240 --> 01:13:11,530
The audience had been invited,
1672
01:13:11,530 --> 01:13:13,780
you know,
and they were told to scream
1673
01:13:13,780 --> 01:13:14,780
and the whole thing.
1674
01:13:14,780 --> 01:13:16,870
They didn't have to be
instructed to do that.
1675
01:13:16,870 --> 01:13:18,450
They were crazy about, you know,
1676
01:13:18,450 --> 01:13:20,790
seeing the Jacksons
and Michael there and...
1677
01:13:20,790 --> 01:13:25,880
They did a run-through,
and after they came offstage,
1678
01:13:25,880 --> 01:13:27,750
Michael was just in a great mood
1679
01:13:27,750 --> 01:13:30,710
and he was having fun,
fooling around.
1680
01:13:30,710 --> 01:13:32,510
And then they called them
back out
1681
01:13:32,510 --> 01:13:35,090
and said,
"We're gonna do this again."
1682
01:13:35,090 --> 01:13:37,760
And it went horribly wrong.
1683
01:13:37,760 --> 01:13:41,140
Filming the Pepsi commercial,
there was a big explosion.
1684
01:13:41,140 --> 01:13:45,560
♪ You're the Pepsi Generation ♪
1685
01:13:45,560 --> 01:13:47,060
♪ Guzzle down... ♪
1686
01:13:47,060 --> 01:13:49,110
And it burned Michael's scalp
1687
01:13:49,110 --> 01:13:50,940
very severely.
1688
01:13:50,940 --> 01:13:53,820
The audience
didn't know what was going on.
1689
01:13:53,820 --> 01:13:55,990
And when they took
Michael offstage,
1690
01:13:55,990 --> 01:13:57,450
I went backstage,
1691
01:13:57,450 --> 01:14:00,490
and it was just absolute chaos.
1692
01:14:00,490 --> 01:14:03,200
They put him in a stretcher--
1693
01:14:03,200 --> 01:14:04,960
you know,
an ambulance stretcher--
1694
01:14:04,960 --> 01:14:10,210
and they took him offstage
to a paramedic truck.
1695
01:14:10,210 --> 01:14:14,800
And Michael Jackson
was smart enough...
1696
01:14:14,800 --> 01:14:17,590
- ...to be covered up,
1697
01:14:17,590 --> 01:14:19,760
but he had his glove out.
1698
01:14:19,760 --> 01:14:23,310
That was the photograph
that went around the world
1699
01:14:23,310 --> 01:14:26,770
of him with the glitter glove.
1700
01:14:26,770 --> 01:14:30,320
People were crying,
you know, in the audience.
1701
01:14:30,320 --> 01:14:32,280
And people were running
with the ambulance
1702
01:14:32,280 --> 01:14:33,990
as it was taking him away.
1703
01:14:33,990 --> 01:14:36,400
It was just an incredible thing.
1704
01:14:36,400 --> 01:14:38,490
When I got home,
it was all over the news.
1705
01:14:38,490 --> 01:14:40,580
Jackson was rushed
to a hospital last night
1706
01:14:40,580 --> 01:14:42,660
after suffering second-
and third-degree burns.
1707
01:14:42,660 --> 01:14:44,290
But his doctor said
1708
01:14:44,290 --> 01:14:45,750
the famous patient
was doing well.
1709
01:14:45,750 --> 01:14:47,790
He slept several hours
last night.
1710
01:14:47,790 --> 01:14:50,790
He was up watching TV
at approximately one o'clock.
1711
01:14:50,790 --> 01:14:53,170
He's comfortable this morning,
although he is continuing
1712
01:14:53,170 --> 01:14:55,090
to have discomfort
in the scalp area.
1713
01:14:55,090 --> 01:14:56,590
People don't realize
1714
01:14:56,590 --> 01:14:59,840
he had to go to emergency
treatment in a burn center,
1715
01:14:59,840 --> 01:15:02,350
and he was troubled by the pain
from that burn
1716
01:15:02,350 --> 01:15:03,810
for the rest of his life,
1717
01:15:03,810 --> 01:15:08,560
which led to pain pills
and whatnot to-to ease the pain.
1718
01:15:09,400 --> 01:15:11,520
Because he needed painkillers,
1719
01:15:11,520 --> 01:15:14,610
he was in pain,
life couldn't stop.
1720
01:15:14,610 --> 01:15:17,820
He had a book full of things
that he had to do.
1721
01:15:17,820 --> 01:15:21,530
You know, a schedule
that just could not stop.
1722
01:15:21,530 --> 01:15:22,660
The opening of the Victory Tour
1723
01:15:22,660 --> 01:15:24,240
in Kansas City
was a massive event.
1724
01:15:35,090 --> 01:15:36,340
It's at Arrowhead Stadium.
1725
01:15:36,340 --> 01:15:38,590
It's a giant football stadium.
1726
01:15:49,640 --> 01:15:51,560
- I love you, Michael.
- I love you, Michael.
1727
01:15:51,560 --> 01:15:52,730
I love you so much.
1728
01:15:52,730 --> 01:15:55,570
This is gonna be
the best concert of the century.
1729
01:15:55,570 --> 01:15:56,990
- Don't you think?
- Definitely.
1730
01:15:56,990 --> 01:15:59,490
I have to ask Michael Jackson
to marry me today.
1731
01:15:59,490 --> 01:16:02,200
We would do about anything
to see Michael Jackson.
1732
01:16:17,880 --> 01:16:19,800
You're looking
at a sneak preview
1733
01:16:19,800 --> 01:16:21,880
of what is perhaps
the most controversial
1734
01:16:21,880 --> 01:16:26,390
rock concert tour in history,
the Jacksons' Victory Tour,
1735
01:16:26,390 --> 01:16:28,560
opening tonight in Kansas City.
1736
01:16:58,550 --> 01:17:00,670
♪ I said you wanna be
startin' somethin' ♪
1737
01:17:00,670 --> 01:17:03,010
♪ You got to be
startin' somethin' ♪
1738
01:17:03,010 --> 01:17:04,840
♪ I said you wanna be
startin' somethin' ♪
1739
01:17:04,840 --> 01:17:06,640
♪ You got to be
startin' somethin' ♪
1740
01:17:06,640 --> 01:17:08,470
- ♪ Too high to get over ♪
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
1741
01:17:08,470 --> 01:17:09,970
♪ Too low to get under ♪
1742
01:17:09,970 --> 01:17:11,850
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ You're stuck in the middle ♪
1743
01:17:11,850 --> 01:17:13,850
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ And the pain is thunder ♪
1744
01:17:13,850 --> 01:17:16,270
- ♪ Too high to get over ♪
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
1745
01:17:16,270 --> 01:17:17,770
♪ Too low to get under ♪
1746
01:17:17,770 --> 01:17:19,650
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ You're stuck in the middle ♪
1747
01:17:19,650 --> 01:17:21,820
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ And the pain is thunder ♪
1748
01:17:21,820 --> 01:17:23,400
♪ I took my baby to the doctor ♪
1749
01:17:23,400 --> 01:17:25,620
♪ With a fever,
but nothin' he found ♪
1750
01:17:25,620 --> 01:17:27,530
♪ By the time
this hit the street ♪
1751
01:17:27,530 --> 01:17:29,370
♪ They said
she had a breakdown ♪
1752
01:17:29,370 --> 01:17:31,330
♪ Someone's always tryin' ♪
1753
01:17:31,330 --> 01:17:32,910
♪ To start my baby cryin' ♪
1754
01:17:32,910 --> 01:17:34,790
♪ Talkin', squealin', lyin' ♪
1755
01:17:34,790 --> 01:17:36,830
♪ Sayin' you just want to be
startin' somethin' ♪
1756
01:17:36,830 --> 01:17:39,050
♪ I said you wanna be
startin' somethin' ♪
1757
01:17:39,050 --> 01:17:40,880
♪ You got to be
startin' somethin' ♪
1758
01:17:40,880 --> 01:17:42,760
♪ I said you wanna
be startin' somethin' ♪
1759
01:17:42,760 --> 01:17:45,680
♪ tense synthesizer tones
fading into drumbeat ♪
1760
01:17:45,680 --> 01:17:48,680
♪ "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"
by Michael Jackson ♪
1761
01:17:48,680 --> 01:17:50,640
♪ Where did you come from,
lady? ♪
1762
01:17:50,640 --> 01:17:52,730
The Victory Tour
sold out in Kansas City.
1763
01:17:52,730 --> 01:17:55,520
Then it was on to Dallas, Jacksonville,
1764
01:17:55,520 --> 01:17:58,520
New Jersey, New York
and Knoxville.
1765
01:17:58,520 --> 01:18:00,820
It's currently scheduled
in some 13 cities
1766
01:18:00,820 --> 01:18:02,740
with more sites
yet to be announced.
1767
01:18:02,740 --> 01:18:04,700
Preparations are
well underway tonight
1768
01:18:04,700 --> 01:18:06,570
for the Jacksons'
Victory Tour concert.
1769
01:18:06,570 --> 01:18:08,620
The Jacksons'
massive stage was beginning
1770
01:18:08,620 --> 01:18:10,620
to take shape
as early as Thursday.
1771
01:18:10,620 --> 01:18:12,160
There's not too many places
1772
01:18:12,160 --> 01:18:14,040
that you can stick
a monstrous stage like this.
1773
01:18:14,040 --> 01:18:16,460
Most of the performances,
more than 50 in all,
1774
01:18:16,460 --> 01:18:19,710
will be in stadiums
like the Silverdome.
1775
01:18:19,710 --> 01:18:21,170
♪ Pretty young thing ♪
1776
01:18:21,170 --> 01:18:23,880
- ♪ You need some loving ♪
- ♪ TLC ♪
1777
01:18:23,880 --> 01:18:25,630
♪ Tender lovin' care ♪
1778
01:18:25,630 --> 01:18:28,930
♪ And I'll take you there,
girl ♪
1779
01:18:28,930 --> 01:18:31,720
♪ Ooh-ooh,
I want to love you... ♪
1780
01:18:31,720 --> 01:18:33,560
The shows of the Victory Tour
1781
01:18:33,560 --> 01:18:35,180
were much more
mainstream America,
1782
01:18:35,180 --> 01:18:39,110
and that was a testament
to how big Michael had become
1783
01:18:39,110 --> 01:18:42,320
and to the penetration
of the album.
1784
01:18:42,320 --> 01:18:43,530
♪ Ow! ♪
1785
01:18:45,820 --> 01:18:47,410
The irony of Thriller is that
1786
01:18:47,410 --> 01:18:48,780
there was never a tour
solely dedicated
1787
01:18:48,780 --> 01:18:50,870
to the biggest LP of all time.
1788
01:18:50,870 --> 01:18:52,540
The Victory Tour was a mix
1789
01:18:52,540 --> 01:18:55,790
of vintage Jackson family music
and hits from Thriller.
1790
01:18:55,790 --> 01:18:57,500
But it was
the Thriller material
1791
01:18:57,500 --> 01:19:00,040
that turned the crowd out
every night.
1792
01:19:03,840 --> 01:19:06,130
♪ Hee! Hoo! ♪
1793
01:19:15,350 --> 01:19:17,690
♪ She says I am the one ♪
1794
01:19:17,690 --> 01:19:20,730
♪ But the kid is not my son ♪
1795
01:19:20,730 --> 01:19:24,030
♪ No, no, no ♪
1796
01:19:24,530 --> 01:19:27,700
♪ Billie Jean is not my lover ♪
1797
01:19:27,700 --> 01:19:32,370
♪ She's just a girl who claims
that I am the one ♪
1798
01:19:32,370 --> 01:19:36,000
♪ But the kid is not my son ♪
1799
01:19:37,370 --> 01:19:39,460
♪ She says I am the one ♪
1800
01:19:52,220 --> 01:19:53,300
♪ Whoo! ♪
1801
01:19:53,300 --> 01:19:55,350
♪ You know you ain't ♪
1802
01:19:55,350 --> 01:19:56,970
♪ Not my lover ♪
1803
01:19:56,970 --> 01:20:00,560
- ♪ You know you can't ♪
- ♪ Not my lover ♪
1804
01:20:00,560 --> 01:20:02,480
♪ Because you are ♪
1805
01:20:02,480 --> 01:20:04,070
♪ Not my lover ♪
1806
01:20:04,070 --> 01:20:06,320
♪ 'Cause you're a silly girl ♪
1807
01:20:06,320 --> 01:20:07,990
♪ Not my lover ♪
1808
01:20:07,990 --> 01:20:11,570
♪ Billie Jean is not my lover ♪
1809
01:20:11,570 --> 01:20:14,990
♪ Billie Jean
is not my lover ♪
1810
01:20:14,990 --> 01:20:18,540
♪ Billie Jean is not my lover ♪
1811
01:20:18,540 --> 01:20:22,290
♪ Billie Jean
is not my lover ♪
1812
01:20:38,600 --> 01:20:41,890
♪ Billie Jean is not my lover ♪
1813
01:20:43,060 --> 01:20:46,650
♪ Billie Jean is not my lover ♪
1814
01:20:46,650 --> 01:20:49,780
Michael has been
nominated for 12...
1815
01:20:49,780 --> 01:20:53,660
- 12 1983 Grammy Awards.
1816
01:20:53,660 --> 01:20:55,450
The highest number in history.
1817
01:20:55,450 --> 01:20:58,910
♪ "Don't Stop 'Til You Get
Enough" by Michael Jackson ♪
1818
01:20:58,910 --> 01:21:02,290
So we went to the 1984 Grammys
1819
01:21:02,290 --> 01:21:05,210
at the Shrine Auditorium.
1820
01:21:05,210 --> 01:21:07,300
I didn't get the feeling
he was nervous.
1821
01:21:07,300 --> 01:21:08,750
I actually got the feeling that
1822
01:21:08,750 --> 01:21:10,590
he was excited.
1823
01:21:11,550 --> 01:21:14,930
And I don't think I had any idea
1824
01:21:14,930 --> 01:21:16,640
even the magnitude of it.
1825
01:21:16,640 --> 01:21:19,060
♪ Keep on with the force,
don't stop ♪
1826
01:21:19,060 --> 01:21:21,560
♪ Don't stop till you
get enough, keep on... ♪
1827
01:21:21,560 --> 01:21:23,640
Michael Jackson was nominated
1828
01:21:23,640 --> 01:21:25,270
for 12 Grammys overall,
1829
01:21:25,270 --> 01:21:29,030
including Album of the Year
and Record of the Year.
1830
01:21:29,030 --> 01:21:32,450
♪ And I feel on fire ♪
1831
01:21:33,490 --> 01:21:36,320
♪ Ain't nothin'... ♪
1832
01:21:36,320 --> 01:21:38,740
The Record of the Year is...
1833
01:21:38,740 --> 01:21:40,040
"Beat It," Michael Jackson.
1834
01:21:40,040 --> 01:21:41,750
For Album of the Year...
1835
01:21:41,750 --> 01:21:43,210
The winner is...
1836
01:21:43,210 --> 01:21:45,370
- Thriller!
1837
01:21:49,550 --> 01:21:51,590
♪ Sensation ♪
1838
01:21:51,590 --> 01:21:53,130
♪ Oh, sensation ♪
1839
01:21:53,130 --> 01:21:54,720
♪ Lovely where we're at... ♪
1840
01:21:54,720 --> 01:21:58,800
Best Pop Vocal Performance,
Michael Jackson.
1841
01:22:01,930 --> 01:22:03,730
I made a deal with myself,
if I win more...
1842
01:22:03,730 --> 01:22:05,730
one more award,
which is this award,
1843
01:22:05,730 --> 01:22:07,730
which is seven,
which is a record,
1844
01:22:07,730 --> 01:22:10,190
I would take off my glasses.
1845
01:22:12,400 --> 01:22:15,320
♪ Ooh, keep on with the force,
don't stop ♪
1846
01:22:15,320 --> 01:22:17,740
♪ Don't stop
till you get enough ♪
1847
01:22:17,740 --> 01:22:20,160
♪ Keep on with the force,
don't stop ♪
1848
01:22:20,160 --> 01:22:21,870
♪ Don't stop
till you get enough ♪
1849
01:22:21,870 --> 01:22:23,960
♪ Keep on with the force,
don't stop... ♪
1850
01:22:23,960 --> 01:22:25,580
He deserved it.
1851
01:22:25,580 --> 01:22:28,210
You know, it was... it was due.
1852
01:22:28,210 --> 01:22:30,670
♪ Don't stop
till you get enough ♪
1853
01:22:37,180 --> 01:22:38,890
In February 1984,
1854
01:22:38,890 --> 01:22:42,520
between Michael and Quincy,
Thriller won a dozen Grammys.
1855
01:22:46,230 --> 01:22:47,980
Well, as we know, Thriller is
1856
01:22:47,980 --> 01:22:50,270
a huge, huge success--
the album--
1857
01:22:50,270 --> 01:22:52,230
but, uh...
1858
01:22:52,230 --> 01:22:53,990
the joy of doing
something phenomenal
1859
01:22:53,990 --> 01:22:56,780
'cause everybody waiting
to see the next big,
1860
01:22:56,780 --> 01:22:58,700
you know, Michael Jackson short.
1861
01:22:58,700 --> 01:23:00,830
And I thought "Thriller"
was the perfect vehicle.
1862
01:23:00,830 --> 01:23:02,160
- We're gonna come out.
- No.
1863
01:23:02,160 --> 01:23:04,000
- No one's gonna like it.
- No, no, no, no, no.
1864
01:23:04,000 --> 01:23:05,790
But 40 years from now, Michael--
1865
01:23:05,790 --> 01:23:06,910
My part will be.
1866
01:23:06,910 --> 01:23:09,040
I don't know about you.
1867
01:23:09,040 --> 01:23:10,670
All right, and stop.
1868
01:23:10,670 --> 01:23:12,460
- Cut.
1869
01:23:12,460 --> 01:23:14,420
Who's your biggest inspiration?
1870
01:23:14,420 --> 01:23:16,470
Who inspired you the most?
1871
01:23:16,470 --> 01:23:17,590
Michael Jackson.
1872
01:23:17,590 --> 01:23:19,720
Michael saw that he could
1873
01:23:19,720 --> 01:23:21,390
touch greatness
with Off the Wall,
1874
01:23:21,390 --> 01:23:24,350
knew he was still going
against racist radio
1875
01:23:24,350 --> 01:23:27,230
and people that wanted
to put him in a box.
1876
01:23:27,230 --> 01:23:31,060
But you have to be
so in the rarefied air,
1877
01:23:31,060 --> 01:23:36,030
...0001%, to even be able to,
like, project yourself to that.
1878
01:23:36,030 --> 01:23:38,950
That idea that I can take
1879
01:23:38,950 --> 01:23:41,820
dance music and visuals
1880
01:23:41,820 --> 01:23:43,580
and turn the world on its ear,
1881
01:23:43,580 --> 01:23:47,910
that idea that he crystallized
in "Thriller"-- not going away,
1882
01:23:47,910 --> 01:23:50,540
and I don't think
it's ever gonna go away.
1883
01:23:51,040 --> 01:23:52,420
So, whether it was
1884
01:23:52,420 --> 01:23:55,090
"Human Nature"
and his amazing voice,
1885
01:23:55,090 --> 01:23:57,090
you know, "Beat It"
and looking at
1886
01:23:57,090 --> 01:23:59,720
the references that were there,
because every time
1887
01:23:59,720 --> 01:24:02,720
you saw a video,
you got a new idea of, like,
1888
01:24:02,720 --> 01:24:04,810
who he was as an artist
and what he was selling.
1889
01:24:04,810 --> 01:24:08,140
Right? There was his hair
and his clothing, his wardrobe.
1890
01:24:08,140 --> 01:24:10,980
All of those things
were informing the culture.
1891
01:24:10,980 --> 01:24:13,560
He was establishing
the standard.
1892
01:24:13,560 --> 01:24:15,020
Thriller.
1893
01:24:15,020 --> 01:24:19,570
Man, there has never been
anything like that.
1894
01:24:19,570 --> 01:24:21,780
Michael Jackson's Thriller.
1895
01:24:21,780 --> 01:24:23,780
♪ suspenseful orchestral music ♪
1896
01:24:25,620 --> 01:24:27,620
What's the problem?
1897
01:24:28,700 --> 01:24:31,290
Come on, I'll take you home.
1898
01:24:42,840 --> 01:24:45,510
♪ "Beat It" by Michael Jackson ♪
1899
01:24:57,690 --> 01:25:00,950
♪ They told him, "Don't you
ever come around here ♪
1900
01:25:00,950 --> 01:25:04,160
♪ Don't wanna see your face,
you better disappear" ♪
1901
01:25:04,160 --> 01:25:07,660
♪ The fire's in their eyes and
their words are really clear ♪
1902
01:25:07,660 --> 01:25:11,540
♪ So beat it, just beat it ♪
1903
01:25:11,540 --> 01:25:14,540
♪ You better run,
you better do what you can ♪
1904
01:25:14,540 --> 01:25:18,130
♪ Don't wanna see no blood,
don't be a macho man ♪
1905
01:25:18,130 --> 01:25:21,720
♪ You wanna be tough,
better do what you can ♪
1906
01:25:21,720 --> 01:25:23,260
♪ So beat it ♪
1907
01:25:23,260 --> 01:25:25,050
♪ But you wanna be bad ♪
1908
01:25:25,050 --> 01:25:28,810
- ♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
1909
01:25:28,810 --> 01:25:31,680
♪ No one wants to be defeated ♪
1910
01:25:31,680 --> 01:25:35,190
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
1911
01:25:35,190 --> 01:25:38,610
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
1912
01:25:38,610 --> 01:25:42,150
- ♪ Just beat it, just beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
1913
01:25:42,150 --> 01:25:43,570
♪ Just beat it ♪
1914
01:25:43,570 --> 01:25:46,120
- ♪ Beat it, beat it, uh! ♪
- ♪ Just beat it ♪
1915
01:25:46,120 --> 01:25:49,290
♪ They're out to get you,
better leave while you can ♪
1916
01:25:49,290 --> 01:25:52,960
♪ Don't wanna be a boy,
you wanna be a man ♪
1917
01:25:52,960 --> 01:25:55,920
♪ You wanna stay alive,
better do what you can ♪
1918
01:25:55,920 --> 01:25:59,670
♪ So beat it, just beat it ♪
1919
01:25:59,670 --> 01:26:03,130
♪ You have to show them
that you're really not scared ♪
1920
01:26:03,130 --> 01:26:06,180
♪ You're playin' with your life,
this ain't no truth or dare ♪
1921
01:26:06,180 --> 01:26:08,180
♪ They'll kick you,
then they'll beat you ♪
1922
01:26:08,180 --> 01:26:11,810
♪ Then they'll tell you
it's fair, so beat it ♪
1923
01:26:11,810 --> 01:26:13,480
♪ But you wanna be bad ♪
1924
01:26:13,480 --> 01:26:17,190
- ♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
1925
01:26:17,190 --> 01:26:20,230
♪ No one wants to be defeated ♪
1926
01:26:20,230 --> 01:26:23,530
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
1927
01:26:23,530 --> 01:26:26,490
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
1928
01:26:26,490 --> 01:26:31,040
- ♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
1929
01:26:31,040 --> 01:26:34,120
♪ No one wants to be defeated ♪
1930
01:26:34,120 --> 01:26:37,540
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
1931
01:26:37,540 --> 01:26:40,670
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
1932
01:26:40,670 --> 01:26:43,800
♪ Just beat it, beat it,
beat it, beat it ♪
1933
01:26:43,800 --> 01:26:46,300
♪ Beat it, beat it, beat it ♪
1934
01:26:50,850 --> 01:26:53,310
♪ Beat it, beat it, beat it ♪
1935
01:26:53,890 --> 01:26:56,060
♪ Beat it, beat it, beat it ♪
1936
01:27:00,480 --> 01:27:03,280
♪ Beat it, beat it, beat it ♪
1937
01:27:36,560 --> 01:27:40,230
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
1938
01:27:40,230 --> 01:27:43,190
♪ No one wants to be defeated ♪
1939
01:27:43,190 --> 01:27:46,610
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
1940
01:27:46,610 --> 01:27:49,740
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
1941
01:27:49,740 --> 01:27:53,450
- ♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
1942
01:27:53,450 --> 01:27:56,790
♪ No one wants to be
defeated, oh, Lord ♪
1943
01:27:56,790 --> 01:28:00,460
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
1944
01:28:00,460 --> 01:28:03,750
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
1945
01:28:03,750 --> 01:28:07,510
- ♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
1946
01:28:07,510 --> 01:28:10,510
♪ No one wants to be defeated,
oh, no ♪
1947
01:28:10,510 --> 01:28:14,600
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
1948
01:28:14,600 --> 01:28:17,100
♪ It doesn't matter ♪
159523
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