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Downloaded from
YTS.MX
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♪ dramatic, atmospheric music ♪
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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
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♪
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[crowd cheering]
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♪ "Billie Jean"
by Michael Jackson ♪
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♪
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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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[Steven Ivory] There are two
things in the music business:
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before Thriller
and after Thriller.
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[crowd cheering]
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♪
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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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[crew member]
Mark.
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[Mary J. Blige]
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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[Usher] 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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[reporter]
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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[Raphael Saadiq] 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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[Maxwell] 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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[announcer] It became
the biggest-selling album ever.
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Michael Jackson.
Always keep one in the cab.
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[Misty Copeland]
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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[Nelson George]
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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[crowd cheering]
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[Robert Hilburn]
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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[Michael Jackson]
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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[reporter]
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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♪
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[The Jackson 5's
"I Want You Back" continues]
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♪
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[Ed Sullivan]
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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[Dick Clark]
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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[interviewer] 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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[Saadiq] 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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[Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop
'Til You Get Enough" playing]
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[radio DJ] Welcome to WBLS
once again, Michael Jackson.
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[Michael]
Thank you very much.
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[radio DJ]
The name of the album is...
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- [Michael] Off the Wall.
- [radio DJ] Are you?
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[both laughing]
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[radio DJ] 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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[Hilburn]
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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[George]
He was dead set on his focus
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to be, you know,
Michael Jackson, solo artist.
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[Brooke Shields]
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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[John Branca]
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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[Michael]
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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[Ivory]
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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["Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
playing, muffled]
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♪ I said you wanna be
startin' somethin' ♪
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[fading in] ♪ 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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[Matt Forger] 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.
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And that sound was ma...
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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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[playing elegant melody]
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[Greg Phillinganes]
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,
247
00:10:07,481 --> 00:10:10,234
which was like a second home,
248
00:10:10,234 --> 00:10:12,820
and coming in, listening to, uh,
249
00:10:12,820 --> 00:10:16,282
the demos that Rod Temperton
would provide.
250
00:10:16,282 --> 00:10:19,493
And we would just start
to carve musically
251
00:10:19,493 --> 00:10:24,165
and-and work our way
into the details of the demos.
252
00:10:24,165 --> 00:10:26,375
[Steve Lukather]
Rod Temperton.
253
00:10:26,375 --> 00:10:28,085
This guy was brilliant.
254
00:10:28,085 --> 00:10:29,795
I mean, he was deep.
255
00:10:29,795 --> 00:10:32,006
I love Rod Temperton.
He wrote incredible songs,
256
00:10:32,006 --> 00:10:36,719
and he was a part of Quincy's,
you know, tight team.
257
00:10:37,970 --> 00:10:40,348
[Anthony Marinelli]
We did a lot of funky sounds
258
00:10:40,348 --> 00:10:41,849
on "Baby Be Mine."
259
00:10:41,849 --> 00:10:44,644
[Michael Jackson's
"Baby Be Mine" playing]
260
00:10:44,644 --> 00:10:47,188
♪
261
00:10:54,570 --> 00:10:55,905
Quincy was just looking for...
262
00:10:55,905 --> 00:10:57,615
He's always looking
for something different.
263
00:10:57,615 --> 00:10:59,617
So we were brought in
because it was...
264
00:10:59,617 --> 00:11:01,786
I think Quincy knew about MTV,
265
00:11:01,786 --> 00:11:03,746
and he was looking
for a cinematic thing
266
00:11:03,746 --> 00:11:05,831
'cause Quincy came from film.
267
00:11:05,831 --> 00:11:08,250
When Michael would want...
he-he knew things
268
00:11:08,250 --> 00:11:09,627
that he would want for sounds.
269
00:11:09,627 --> 00:11:12,505
And, uh, he would put it
on a record player and play it.
270
00:11:12,505 --> 00:11:14,840
And then I'd say, "Well, let me
go get that other synth."
271
00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:16,384
So it would be in the truck,
272
00:11:16,384 --> 00:11:18,344
parked in the parking lot
of Westlake,
273
00:11:18,344 --> 00:11:19,720
or it would be in the hallway.
274
00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:21,347
We had Anvil Cases
lined up the hall,
275
00:11:21,347 --> 00:11:23,474
and we just basically
took over the place.
276
00:11:23,474 --> 00:11:26,394
And we were creating sounds
and using synthesizers
277
00:11:26,394 --> 00:11:28,646
in-in kind of a big way
and replacing orchestra.
278
00:11:28,646 --> 00:11:32,233
[playing Michael Jackson's
"P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"]
279
00:11:32,233 --> 00:11:34,735
♪
280
00:11:36,654 --> 00:11:38,572
[Paul Jackson, Jr.]
So, one of the things that
281
00:11:38,572 --> 00:11:40,074
I noticed about
Michael's development
282
00:11:40,074 --> 00:11:41,826
as a songwriter--
I-I saw him getting
283
00:11:41,826 --> 00:11:43,536
more rhythmically
and harmonically advanced,
284
00:11:43,536 --> 00:11:45,621
taking steps forward
and forward and forward.
285
00:11:45,621 --> 00:11:48,833
His talent was not only
developing as a singer.
286
00:11:48,833 --> 00:11:50,543
- Mm-hmm.
- He developed as a...
287
00:11:50,543 --> 00:11:52,420
- as an entertainer.
- Yes.
288
00:11:52,420 --> 00:11:54,130
It's funny you guys
should have picked this room,
289
00:11:54,130 --> 00:11:57,758
'cause I'm walking through here,
you know, and I-I just...
290
00:11:57,758 --> 00:11:59,677
you know, I'm just seeing.
I can...
291
00:11:59,677 --> 00:12:01,345
I almost, um, channel him,
292
00:12:01,345 --> 00:12:03,431
- his spirit into this room.
- Yeah.
293
00:12:03,431 --> 00:12:04,765
He had us prepared.
294
00:12:04,765 --> 00:12:06,642
- We were prepared.
- [Oren Waters] No question.
295
00:12:06,642 --> 00:12:08,310
And he would come in
ready to go.
296
00:12:08,310 --> 00:12:10,604
He was the kind of individual
that, uh,
297
00:12:10,604 --> 00:12:12,940
had a awesome work ethic.
298
00:12:12,940 --> 00:12:15,067
[Ed Eckstine]
The process was
299
00:12:15,067 --> 00:12:16,610
quite a, uh, adventure
300
00:12:16,610 --> 00:12:19,029
'cause most people forget
that the first single
301
00:12:19,029 --> 00:12:20,823
from the album was
"The Girl Is Mine."
302
00:12:20,823 --> 00:12:23,701
♪ "The Girl Is Mine" by Michael
Jackson & Paul McCartney ♪
303
00:12:23,701 --> 00:12:26,704
Obviously, you had
no bigger star in the world
304
00:12:26,704 --> 00:12:28,038
than Paul McCartney.
305
00:12:28,038 --> 00:12:29,915
And, you know, the pairing
of Michael and Paul,
306
00:12:29,915 --> 00:12:33,043
what better flag waver
to get a project started?
307
00:12:33,043 --> 00:12:35,671
[Michael] ♪ Every night,
she walks right in my dreams ♪
308
00:12:35,671 --> 00:12:39,175
♪ Since I met her
from the start ♪
309
00:12:39,175 --> 00:12:41,927
♪ I'm so proud
I am the only one ♪
310
00:12:41,927 --> 00:12:44,388
♪ Who is special in her heart ♪
311
00:12:44,388 --> 00:12:46,682
♪ The girl is mine ♪
312
00:12:46,682 --> 00:12:49,268
[Bruce Swedien] Yeah,
hit it, John. Hit it, John.
313
00:12:49,268 --> 00:12:52,980
♪ The doggone girl is mine... ♪
314
00:12:52,980 --> 00:12:54,607
[Lukather]
So we get the call.
315
00:12:54,607 --> 00:12:56,275
It's, like, Paul McCartney
and Michael Jackson.
316
00:12:56,275 --> 00:12:58,652
I mean, it just didn't get
any bigger than that,
317
00:12:58,652 --> 00:13:00,696
so we were kind of like,
318
00:13:00,696 --> 00:13:02,740
"Oh, holy shit.
What are we gonna do?
319
00:13:02,740 --> 00:13:04,408
What's this gonna be all about?"
320
00:13:04,408 --> 00:13:06,952
When Paul McCartney
walked in the room,
321
00:13:06,952 --> 00:13:09,079
there was a palpable
change of energy of:
322
00:13:09,079 --> 00:13:11,248
"Oh, my God,
that's Paul McCartney."
323
00:13:11,248 --> 00:13:14,502
[Michael] ♪ Saying that
she's yours, not mine ♪
324
00:13:14,502 --> 00:13:17,463
♪ Sending roses
and your silly dreams ♪
325
00:13:17,463 --> 00:13:19,465
♪ Really just a waste of time ♪
326
00:13:19,465 --> 00:13:21,842
♪ Because she's mine ♪
327
00:13:21,842 --> 00:13:24,678
- [Quincy Jones] Beautiful. Whew!
- Yeah.
328
00:13:24,678 --> 00:13:26,180
♪ The doggone girl is mine ♪
329
00:13:26,180 --> 00:13:28,599
Do that one more time, man,
from the second verse.
330
00:13:28,599 --> 00:13:30,226
[Forger]
Uh, that was a wonderful day.
331
00:13:30,226 --> 00:13:32,478
For me, it was
a day that changed my life.
332
00:13:32,478 --> 00:13:35,439
I was in the presence
of the greatest,
333
00:13:35,439 --> 00:13:37,191
most successful people
334
00:13:37,191 --> 00:13:38,526
in the music business.
335
00:13:38,526 --> 00:13:41,570
Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson,
Quincy Jones.
336
00:13:41,570 --> 00:13:43,614
George Martin was there.
337
00:13:43,614 --> 00:13:45,783
[Nelson George]
Because of its catchy melody,
338
00:13:45,783 --> 00:13:48,661
many think "The Girl Is Mine"
was written by Paul McCartney,
339
00:13:48,661 --> 00:13:51,872
when, in fact, it was composed
by Michael Jackson.
340
00:13:51,872 --> 00:13:54,500
♪ Really just a waste of time ♪
341
00:13:54,500 --> 00:13:56,627
♪ Because she's mine... ♪
342
00:13:56,627 --> 00:13:58,546
Once the music started flowing,
343
00:13:58,546 --> 00:14:00,673
it was like
here's two old friends.
344
00:14:00,673 --> 00:14:01,882
[beeping]
345
00:14:01,882 --> 00:14:05,094
- ♪
- [dialogue inaudible]
346
00:14:06,303 --> 00:14:07,137
[beep]
347
00:14:07,137 --> 00:14:08,639
[McCartney]
♪ The girl is mine ♪
348
00:14:08,639 --> 00:14:10,182
[backup singers]
♪ Mine, mine ♪
349
00:14:10,182 --> 00:14:12,226
[McCartney, singing deeply]
♪ Yes, she's mine ♪
350
00:14:12,226 --> 00:14:14,395
- [backup singers] ♪ Mine, mine ♪
- [laughing] ♪ Don't waste ♪
351
00:14:14,395 --> 00:14:15,521
[beeping]
352
00:14:15,521 --> 00:14:17,439
[Michael]
♪ But we both cannot have her ♪
353
00:14:17,439 --> 00:14:20,484
♪ So it's one or the other ♪
354
00:14:20,484 --> 00:14:22,987
♪ And one day you'll discover ♪
355
00:14:22,987 --> 00:14:26,282
♪ That she's my girl
forever and ever ♪
356
00:14:26,282 --> 00:14:29,201
[McCartney] ♪ Don't build
your hopes to be let down... ♪
357
00:14:29,201 --> 00:14:31,579
[George]
Coming out of Off the Wall,
358
00:14:31,579 --> 00:14:32,830
the challenge was:
359
00:14:32,830 --> 00:14:34,498
Is Michael Jackson
really a pop star,
360
00:14:34,498 --> 00:14:36,041
or is he just
a big R and B artist?
361
00:14:36,041 --> 00:14:38,127
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, whoo ♪
362
00:14:38,127 --> 00:14:39,879
[Ivory]
The way it worked was that
363
00:14:39,879 --> 00:14:41,964
you were a Black artist
until you weren't,
364
00:14:41,964 --> 00:14:45,217
and you weren't
when you got on the pop charts.
365
00:14:45,217 --> 00:14:46,260
Michael told me
366
00:14:46,260 --> 00:14:48,804
"The Girl Is Mine"
was his sneak attack.
367
00:14:48,804 --> 00:14:51,891
He knew he wanted to cross over,
and what better way to do it
368
00:14:51,891 --> 00:14:53,767
than to have Paul McCartney?
369
00:14:53,767 --> 00:14:55,311
[McCartney] I've heard it
all before, Michael.
370
00:14:55,311 --> 00:14:57,438
She told me that I'm
her forever lover, you know?
371
00:14:57,438 --> 00:14:58,606
Don't you remember?
372
00:14:58,606 --> 00:15:00,024
[Michael]
Well, after loving me,
373
00:15:00,024 --> 00:15:01,942
she said she couldn't
love another.
374
00:15:01,942 --> 00:15:03,068
Is that what she said?
375
00:15:03,068 --> 00:15:04,987
Yeah, she said it.
You keep dreaming.
376
00:15:04,987 --> 00:15:07,489
- ♪ I don't believe it, no ♪
- [backup singers] ♪ Mine, mine ♪
377
00:15:07,489 --> 00:15:10,743
- ♪ The girl is mine ♪
- ♪ Mine, mine, mine ♪
378
00:15:10,743 --> 00:15:12,369
- ♪ No, mine ♪
- [Michael] ♪ No, mine ♪
379
00:15:12,369 --> 00:15:14,788
♪ She's mine, mine,
mine, mine, mine ♪
380
00:15:14,788 --> 00:15:16,624
[backup singers]
♪ Mine, mine, mine... ♪
381
00:15:16,624 --> 00:15:18,167
[George]
So, that initial session
382
00:15:18,167 --> 00:15:21,003
with Michael and Paul
happens in April.
383
00:15:21,003 --> 00:15:24,048
The actual formal sessions
for Thriller
384
00:15:24,048 --> 00:15:25,716
didn't start
for a couple months later.
385
00:15:25,716 --> 00:15:30,137
Yeah, Michael, uh, did the demos
at-at his home studio.
386
00:15:31,055 --> 00:15:34,558
Quincy invited me
to go to Michael's house
387
00:15:34,558 --> 00:15:36,393
to listen to some demos.
388
00:15:36,393 --> 00:15:38,145
What I didn't realize was that
389
00:15:38,145 --> 00:15:40,856
we would be given
our own private world premiere
390
00:15:40,856 --> 00:15:43,233
of "Billie Jean," "Beat It,"
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'."
391
00:15:43,233 --> 00:15:45,653
♪ "Beat It" (demo)
by Michael Jackson ♪
392
00:15:45,653 --> 00:15:46,862
♪ Beat it ♪
393
00:15:46,862 --> 00:15:48,489
♪ But you're driving me mad ♪
394
00:15:48,489 --> 00:15:51,951
- ♪ So beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
395
00:15:51,951 --> 00:15:54,787
♪ No one wants to be defeated ♪
396
00:15:54,787 --> 00:15:58,791
♪ Showing how funky,
strong is your fight ♪
397
00:15:58,791 --> 00:16:01,877
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
398
00:16:01,877 --> 00:16:05,756
- ♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
399
00:16:05,756 --> 00:16:08,092
♪ No one wants
to be defeated... ♪
400
00:16:08,092 --> 00:16:10,094
[Michael]
Well, the songwriting process
401
00:16:10,094 --> 00:16:12,805
is something that's
very difficult to explain
402
00:16:12,805 --> 00:16:14,390
because it's very spiritual.
403
00:16:14,390 --> 00:16:16,892
♪ Who's wrong or right,
just beat it... ♪
404
00:16:16,892 --> 00:16:20,688
It's, uh... it really is
in the hands of God,
405
00:16:20,688 --> 00:16:23,357
and it's as if
it's been written already.
406
00:16:23,357 --> 00:16:24,942
That's the real truth.
407
00:16:24,942 --> 00:16:28,112
As if it's been written in its
entirety before you were born
408
00:16:28,112 --> 00:16:30,614
and you're just
really the source
409
00:16:30,614 --> 00:16:32,616
through which the songs come.
410
00:16:32,616 --> 00:16:34,493
Really, because they're...
411
00:16:34,493 --> 00:16:37,162
they just fall right
into your lap in its entirety.
412
00:16:37,162 --> 00:16:41,792
You don't have to do much,
uh, thinking about it.
413
00:16:41,792 --> 00:16:45,963
And I feel guilty having to put
my name sometimes on the songs,
414
00:16:45,963 --> 00:16:47,881
but I-I do write them.
415
00:16:47,881 --> 00:16:51,093
I compose them. I write them.
I-I do the scoring.
416
00:16:51,093 --> 00:16:53,178
I do the lyrics.
I do the melody.
417
00:16:53,178 --> 00:16:56,849
But still it's, uh...
it's the work of God.
418
00:16:56,849 --> 00:16:58,183
"Startin' Somethin'" was wild.
You know,
419
00:16:58,183 --> 00:17:00,102
he had all this...
[imitates drumbeat]
420
00:17:00,102 --> 00:17:02,438
♪ "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
by Michael Jackson ♪
421
00:17:02,438 --> 00:17:04,773
[Mark Ronson]
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
422
00:17:04,773 --> 00:17:08,444
has the frenetic percussion
of Off the Wall,
423
00:17:08,444 --> 00:17:09,820
which is amazing because
424
00:17:09,820 --> 00:17:12,031
it's like, you have these
incredibly tight drum grooves
425
00:17:12,031 --> 00:17:14,033
and these programmed beats now.
426
00:17:14,033 --> 00:17:15,993
I think that's why, for-for me,
427
00:17:15,993 --> 00:17:18,412
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
is still my favorite.
428
00:17:18,412 --> 00:17:22,666
I remember just, uh, uh, being
able to go out and do the demo
429
00:17:22,666 --> 00:17:24,126
- at Hayvenhurst, yeah.
- [Maxine Waters] Mm-hmm.
430
00:17:24,126 --> 00:17:25,919
[Julia Waters]
He had it before we got there,
431
00:17:25,919 --> 00:17:27,337
and then h-he just, you know,
432
00:17:27,337 --> 00:17:29,006
shared it with us
and we worked out the parts.
433
00:17:29,006 --> 00:17:30,382
[Maxine]
And we just had to perfect it,
434
00:17:30,382 --> 00:17:32,301
because it's so rhythmic
and all that.
435
00:17:32,301 --> 00:17:34,386
And so he knew the sound,
he knew the...
436
00:17:34,386 --> 00:17:38,182
the rhythm that he wanted
to hear and everything,
437
00:17:38,182 --> 00:17:40,225
so like I said, we were quick.
438
00:17:40,225 --> 00:17:42,853
- ♪ Too low to get under ♪
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
439
00:17:42,853 --> 00:17:44,396
♪ Stuck in the middle ♪
440
00:17:44,396 --> 00:17:46,190
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ And the pain is thunder ♪
441
00:17:46,190 --> 00:17:48,108
- ♪ Yeah ♪
- ♪ Hard to get over ♪
442
00:17:48,108 --> 00:17:51,904
[playing "Wanna Be Startin'
Somethin'" accompaniment]
443
00:17:51,904 --> 00:17:54,406
♪
444
00:17:57,451 --> 00:18:00,621
There's a certain approach,
you know, you want to take to...
445
00:18:00,621 --> 00:18:02,664
you know,
to emphasize the feeling.
446
00:18:02,664 --> 00:18:08,087
I would say that Quincy helped
glue those elements together
447
00:18:08,087 --> 00:18:09,922
and make an arc
out of the progression
448
00:18:09,922 --> 00:18:14,259
of how the song started to...
to the vamp at the end,
449
00:18:14,259 --> 00:18:16,470
and made it seamless,
you know, including horns,
450
00:18:16,470 --> 00:18:18,597
which, of course,
at-at first thought,
451
00:18:18,597 --> 00:18:20,057
would be considered too jazzy,
452
00:18:20,057 --> 00:18:22,226
but they blended perfectly well
in the song later on.
453
00:18:22,226 --> 00:18:24,436
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ Too high to get over ♪
454
00:18:24,436 --> 00:18:26,396
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ You're too low to get under ♪
455
00:18:26,396 --> 00:18:28,607
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ You're stuck in the middle ♪
456
00:18:28,607 --> 00:18:31,401
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ And the pain is thunder... ♪
457
00:18:31,401 --> 00:18:35,572
But there's still that...
[imitating percussive beat]
458
00:18:35,572 --> 00:18:38,700
[percussive beat playing]
459
00:18:41,078 --> 00:18:42,913
And then at the end,
460
00:18:42,913 --> 00:18:44,373
when it goes a cappella to...
461
00:18:44,373 --> 00:18:46,333
♪ Mama se, mama sa,
ma-ma coo sa ♪
462
00:18:46,333 --> 00:18:48,502
That, as a DJ...
that is your best friend
463
00:18:48,502 --> 00:18:52,923
because then you start
to mix in your next record
464
00:18:52,923 --> 00:18:54,883
and blending in whatever
the biggest songs you have.
465
00:18:54,883 --> 00:18:56,593
♪ Mama se, mama sa,
ma-ma coo sa ♪
466
00:18:56,593 --> 00:18:58,887
[scatting over
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"]
467
00:18:58,887 --> 00:19:00,514
♪ Mama se, mama sa,
ma-ma coo sa ♪
468
00:19:00,514 --> 00:19:02,391
- ♪ Hee, hee, hee ♪
- ♪ Mama se, mama sa ♪
469
00:19:02,391 --> 00:19:04,226
- ♪ Ma-ma coo sa ♪
- ♪ Help me sing it ♪
470
00:19:04,226 --> 00:19:05,978
♪ Mama se, mama sa,
ma-ma coo sa ♪
471
00:19:05,978 --> 00:19:07,604
- ♪ Hoo, hoo ♪
- ♪ Mama se, mama sa ♪
472
00:19:07,604 --> 00:19:09,273
- ♪ Ma-ma coo sa ♪
- ♪ Hee, hee ♪
473
00:19:09,273 --> 00:19:10,983
♪ Mama se, mama sa,
ma-ma coo sa ♪
474
00:19:10,983 --> 00:19:12,609
♪ Mama se,
mama sa, ma-ma coo sa ♪
475
00:19:12,609 --> 00:19:14,278
- ♪ Sing it to the world ♪
- ♪ Mama se, mama sa... ♪
476
00:19:14,278 --> 00:19:15,863
[Oren]
As a matter of fact, I asked him
477
00:19:15,863 --> 00:19:17,322
what "mama se, mama sa,
ma-ma coo sa" meant,
478
00:19:17,322 --> 00:19:19,283
you know,
while it was going down.
479
00:19:19,283 --> 00:19:20,951
He...
"Well, it don't mean nothing.
480
00:19:20,951 --> 00:19:22,286
Just sing it, you know," and...
481
00:19:22,286 --> 00:19:23,912
- [laughter]
- Yeah, and there it is,
482
00:19:23,912 --> 00:19:25,956
because that was difficult
to do, I'm telling you.
483
00:19:25,956 --> 00:19:28,292
He said,
"I like singing with you all
484
00:19:28,292 --> 00:19:30,377
because you sound like me."
485
00:19:30,377 --> 00:19:33,005
He always thought our voices
blended so well
486
00:19:33,005 --> 00:19:35,132
- with-with his.
- [Maxine and Oren] Mm-hmm.
487
00:19:35,132 --> 00:19:36,466
[Usher]
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
488
00:19:36,466 --> 00:19:38,302
was like... it was like
an opportunity
489
00:19:38,302 --> 00:19:40,095
to kind of get into his mind.
490
00:19:40,095 --> 00:19:44,183
And this idea of, like,
"Billie Jean"
491
00:19:44,183 --> 00:19:47,102
and the fact that he was
living kind of in this...
492
00:19:47,102 --> 00:19:48,312
this world where
493
00:19:48,312 --> 00:19:50,189
you didn't really know
what was real or wasn't.
494
00:19:50,189 --> 00:19:51,940
♪ "Billie Jean" (demo)
by Michael Jackson ♪
495
00:19:51,940 --> 00:19:54,109
♪ She told me I was
a lonely man ♪
496
00:19:54,109 --> 00:19:55,527
♪ And I felt sad ♪
497
00:19:55,527 --> 00:19:58,238
♪ She called my name,
then she said hello ♪
498
00:19:58,238 --> 00:20:00,866
♪ All them who died ♪
499
00:20:00,866 --> 00:20:04,912
♪ And I sit in a cup in a ride ♪
500
00:20:07,414 --> 00:20:09,583
♪ It seems that you ♪
501
00:20:09,583 --> 00:20:11,919
[scatting melody]
502
00:20:15,881 --> 00:20:17,382
[Blige]
My mom had just bought
503
00:20:17,382 --> 00:20:19,927
a stereo system,
and it had lights.
504
00:20:19,927 --> 00:20:21,136
The drums kicked in.
505
00:20:21,136 --> 00:20:23,639
[imitating drumbeat]
506
00:20:24,890 --> 00:20:26,683
And then... [imitates bass line]
507
00:20:26,683 --> 00:20:28,393
I mean... [chuckles] What?
508
00:20:28,393 --> 00:20:31,688
And I ran down the hallway
just to hear closely
509
00:20:31,688 --> 00:20:34,858
what was... what was playing,
what this record was.
510
00:20:34,858 --> 00:20:36,818
And it was "Billie Jean,"
and it was on
511
00:20:36,818 --> 00:20:38,237
and poppin' from there. [laughs]
512
00:20:38,237 --> 00:20:41,740
It's actually kind of nasty,
and you can hear the room mics
513
00:20:41,740 --> 00:20:43,158
and it's dirtier than you think.
514
00:20:43,158 --> 00:20:44,576
You know, you always have
that moment where
515
00:20:44,576 --> 00:20:46,495
you fall in love with an artist
for the first time.
516
00:20:46,495 --> 00:20:49,539
Really truly great,
legendary artists,
517
00:20:49,539 --> 00:20:53,085
you have that same feeling
over and over and over again.
518
00:20:53,085 --> 00:20:54,711
"Billie Jean" was that moment
519
00:20:54,711 --> 00:20:57,756
where I fell in love
with Michael all over again.
520
00:20:57,756 --> 00:21:00,634
♪
521
00:21:03,095 --> 00:21:04,513
When Michael sings it,
522
00:21:04,513 --> 00:21:09,226
he puts the funk into it
the way he does all the...
523
00:21:09,226 --> 00:21:11,436
[imitating Michael's
vocalizations]
524
00:21:11,436 --> 00:21:13,939
...and all the little stuff
that he puts in.
525
00:21:13,939 --> 00:21:15,399
That gives it the syncopation.
526
00:21:15,399 --> 00:21:18,026
And if I just go...
[imitates beat]
527
00:21:18,026 --> 00:21:21,613
...he's gonna go...
[imitating vocalizations]
528
00:21:22,447 --> 00:21:25,117
♪ She was more like
a beauty queen ♪
529
00:21:25,117 --> 00:21:26,660
- ♪ From a movie scene ♪
- [accompaniment fades]
530
00:21:26,660 --> 00:21:28,412
[a cappella]
♪ I said, "Don't mind ♪
531
00:21:28,412 --> 00:21:31,290
♪ But what do you mean
I am the one ♪
532
00:21:31,290 --> 00:21:36,336
♪ Who will dance on the floor
in the round?" ♪
533
00:21:37,212 --> 00:21:39,798
♪ She said I am the one ♪
534
00:21:39,798 --> 00:21:43,343
♪ Who will dance on the floor
in the round ♪
535
00:21:43,343 --> 00:21:45,846
[accompaniment returns]
536
00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:49,516
♪ She told me her name
was Billie Jean ♪
537
00:21:49,516 --> 00:21:51,018
♪ As she caused a scene ♪
538
00:21:51,018 --> 00:21:52,436
♪ Then every head turned ♪
539
00:21:52,436 --> 00:21:54,146
♪ With eyes that dreamed... ♪
540
00:21:54,146 --> 00:21:56,815
[Usher]
Everybody loves toxic R and B.
541
00:21:56,815 --> 00:21:59,985
"Billie Jean is not my lover.
She's just a girl
542
00:21:59,985 --> 00:22:01,320
who claims that I am the one"?
543
00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:03,196
Yeah, that's like,
was it his side chick?
544
00:22:03,196 --> 00:22:05,449
You know what I'm saying?
Was it some chick who,
545
00:22:05,449 --> 00:22:07,534
you know, he had an encounter
with and got pregnant?
546
00:22:07,534 --> 00:22:09,953
Is this real, or is this
some delusional fan
547
00:22:09,953 --> 00:22:12,539
who is saying that, you know,
548
00:22:12,539 --> 00:22:14,958
they had an encounter
that they did or didn't?
549
00:22:14,958 --> 00:22:16,376
All of those things just led you
550
00:22:16,376 --> 00:22:20,130
to be more intrigued
about an artist, right?
551
00:22:20,130 --> 00:22:23,467
But it was, like,
urgent and R and B.
552
00:22:23,467 --> 00:22:25,135
It was... it was crazy.
It was a...
553
00:22:25,135 --> 00:22:27,179
an amazing R and B record,
and his lyrics--
554
00:22:27,179 --> 00:22:29,556
you know, "The kid is not
my son," I mean...
555
00:22:29,556 --> 00:22:32,601
♪ The kid is not my son... ♪
556
00:22:32,601 --> 00:22:34,394
[Blige]
"The kid is not my son."
557
00:22:34,394 --> 00:22:37,564
[laughs] That first... well,
that... we-we like bad boys,
558
00:22:37,564 --> 00:22:39,191
so that made us love him
some more.
559
00:22:39,191 --> 00:22:42,110
And then when I saw the video,
I was losing my mind.
560
00:22:42,110 --> 00:22:43,945
I lost my voice, screaming.
561
00:22:43,945 --> 00:22:46,156
You know,
it was about "Billie Jean."
562
00:22:46,156 --> 00:22:48,784
You know, him stepping on,
you know, the-the pavement,
563
00:22:48,784 --> 00:22:52,537
it glowing and, you know,
making you feel the magic.
564
00:22:52,537 --> 00:22:55,582
I'd storyboarded that, uh,
he would walk down the, uh...
565
00:22:55,582 --> 00:22:57,626
the street and the paving stones
would light up.
566
00:22:57,626 --> 00:22:59,503
And I showed him
which 11 paving stones
567
00:22:59,503 --> 00:23:01,129
we could afford to have light up
568
00:23:01,129 --> 00:23:03,173
and therefore
which ones couldn't.
569
00:23:03,173 --> 00:23:04,424
And he looked carefully at them,
570
00:23:04,424 --> 00:23:06,385
and-and I said,
"Well, should we rehearse it?"
571
00:23:06,385 --> 00:23:08,678
And he said,
"No, let-let's just do it."
572
00:23:08,678 --> 00:23:11,306
And we ran the playback,
the music,
573
00:23:11,306 --> 00:23:14,017
and the chorus kicked in
for "Billie Jean,"
574
00:23:14,017 --> 00:23:16,520
and he began his dance movement
575
00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:18,397
down that street,
and I'll never forget it.
576
00:23:18,397 --> 00:23:20,232
The-the camera
actually steamed up.
577
00:23:20,232 --> 00:23:22,901
I could hardly even see him
through the-the eyepiece
578
00:23:22,901 --> 00:23:24,111
because it was
579
00:23:24,111 --> 00:23:26,029
so exciting to watch.
580
00:23:26,029 --> 00:23:28,407
[Ivory]
Michael is doing so much moving
581
00:23:28,407 --> 00:23:31,618
that Steve isn't even getting.
582
00:23:31,618 --> 00:23:33,412
There are several shots
in "Billie Jean"
583
00:23:33,412 --> 00:23:36,915
where he's just being shot
from the waist up
584
00:23:36,915 --> 00:23:39,918
and you can just see him doing
all kinds of stuff.
585
00:23:39,918 --> 00:23:41,002
And it's like,
586
00:23:41,002 --> 00:23:42,379
"Why aren't you getting that?"
587
00:23:42,379 --> 00:23:44,423
But that's just how new
588
00:23:44,423 --> 00:23:48,468
the medium was
to capturing dancers.
589
00:23:48,468 --> 00:23:50,387
Michael opened
the door for that.
590
00:23:50,387 --> 00:23:51,930
♪ I am the one... ♪
591
00:23:51,930 --> 00:23:54,224
And every time they just kept
freezing him in those brackets,
592
00:23:54,224 --> 00:23:56,393
and every time he'd walk,
they froze him.
593
00:23:56,393 --> 00:23:57,853
And every time
he said something,
594
00:23:57,853 --> 00:24:00,981
I just was losing my mind
'cause I loved him so much.
595
00:24:00,981 --> 00:24:02,315
But on "Billie Jean,"
596
00:24:02,315 --> 00:24:05,485
we was like, "Oh, he is
super-duper-duper sexy."
597
00:24:05,485 --> 00:24:08,155
♪ Not my lover ♪
- ♪ Don't call me, Billie Jean ♪
598
00:24:08,155 --> 00:24:10,365
♪ Billie Jean is not
my lover... ♪
599
00:24:10,365 --> 00:24:13,618
[Branca] MTV refused
to play "Billie Jean."
600
00:24:13,618 --> 00:24:16,204
They said,
"Well, our network appeals to,
601
00:24:16,204 --> 00:24:17,622
you know, white teenagers,
602
00:24:17,622 --> 00:24:20,625
and this just really doesn't
fit our format."
603
00:24:20,625 --> 00:24:22,127
♪ hard rock guitar riff ♪
604
00:24:22,127 --> 00:24:23,920
[Mark Goodman]
This is it.
605
00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:26,173
Welcome to MTV Music Television.
606
00:24:26,173 --> 00:24:27,382
I'm Mark Goodman.
607
00:24:27,382 --> 00:24:29,050
- I'm Martha Quinn.
- I'm Alan Hunter.
608
00:24:29,050 --> 00:24:31,178
[Goodman] You'll never look
at music the same way again.
609
00:24:31,178 --> 00:24:32,804
Turn it on! Leave it on!
610
00:24:32,804 --> 00:24:36,266
America, see the music
you want to see.
611
00:24:36,266 --> 00:24:37,851
I want my MTV.
612
00:24:37,851 --> 00:24:40,228
Some prominent Black musicians
are complaining
613
00:24:40,228 --> 00:24:42,397
that they are being left out
of the video market,
614
00:24:42,397 --> 00:24:45,192
specifically the Music
Television cable operation.
615
00:24:45,192 --> 00:24:47,944
It-it occurred to me,
having watched MTV
616
00:24:47,944 --> 00:24:50,614
over the last few months, um,
that it's-it's got a...
617
00:24:50,614 --> 00:24:53,950
it's a solid enterprise
and it's got a lot going for it.
618
00:24:53,950 --> 00:24:56,661
I'm just floored by the fact
that there's so many Bl...
619
00:24:56,661 --> 00:24:58,955
so few Black artists
featured on it.
620
00:24:58,955 --> 00:25:00,290
Why is that?
621
00:25:00,290 --> 00:25:03,627
The fact is, quite frankly,
we're a rock and roll station.
622
00:25:03,627 --> 00:25:07,339
MTV will deny this
till the world ends,
623
00:25:07,339 --> 00:25:10,675
that they had nothing
against Black artists.
624
00:25:10,675 --> 00:25:14,721
But they refused
to, uh, play Michael.
625
00:25:14,721 --> 00:25:17,224
[Walter Yetnikoff]
In 1975, I was named
626
00:25:17,224 --> 00:25:19,518
president of
the CBS Records Group
627
00:25:19,518 --> 00:25:22,437
and a vice president
of CBS, Inc.
628
00:25:22,437 --> 00:25:26,316
No single record changed
the business and my life
629
00:25:26,316 --> 00:25:30,153
as powerfully as
Michael Jackson's Thriller.
630
00:25:30,153 --> 00:25:32,113
I screamed bloody murder
631
00:25:32,113 --> 00:25:34,741
when MTV refused
to air his videos.
632
00:25:34,741 --> 00:25:37,494
They argued that their format,
white rock,
633
00:25:37,494 --> 00:25:39,371
excluded Michael's music.
634
00:25:39,371 --> 00:25:41,623
I argued they were
racist assholes.
635
00:25:41,623 --> 00:25:43,875
[Branca]
So Walter Yetnikoff said,
636
00:25:43,875 --> 00:25:45,085
"Really? Okay.
637
00:25:45,085 --> 00:25:46,503
If you don't play
Michael Jackson,
638
00:25:46,503 --> 00:25:50,006
I'm pulling Billy Joel
and everybody else that I have,
639
00:25:50,006 --> 00:25:51,258
uh, off of MTV."
640
00:25:51,258 --> 00:25:53,343
[Yetnikoff]
I've never been more forceful
641
00:25:53,343 --> 00:25:54,761
or obnoxious.
642
00:25:54,761 --> 00:25:56,680
I've also never been
as effective.
643
00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:59,849
With added pressure from
Quincy Jones, they caved in,
644
00:25:59,849 --> 00:26:04,354
and in doing so, the MTV
color line came crashing down.
645
00:26:04,354 --> 00:26:06,064
[Ivory]
One of the most important
646
00:26:06,064 --> 00:26:08,942
things about Thriller
was the doors that it opened
647
00:26:08,942 --> 00:26:12,529
for other artists
to have the opportunity
648
00:26:12,529 --> 00:26:14,197
to get on the pop charts.
649
00:26:14,197 --> 00:26:17,242
Tina Turner.
My God, Private Dancer.
650
00:26:17,242 --> 00:26:18,535
That's who it was.
651
00:26:18,535 --> 00:26:21,037
It was Tina, it was Lionel,
it was Whitney,
652
00:26:21,037 --> 00:26:23,415
it was Michael and Prince.
653
00:26:23,415 --> 00:26:25,417
Revenues could just be crazy.
654
00:26:25,417 --> 00:26:27,836
♪ quiet, hypnotic music ♪
655
00:26:27,836 --> 00:26:30,255
[George]
Thriller changes the dynamic
656
00:26:30,255 --> 00:26:31,840
and the culture.
657
00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,634
Michael shows the way
that this is possible.
658
00:26:34,634 --> 00:26:36,636
Yeah, I-I grew up, uh,
659
00:26:36,636 --> 00:26:40,432
during the time that Thriller
was released,
660
00:26:40,432 --> 00:26:44,603
and MTV was just becoming
a really big thing.
661
00:26:44,603 --> 00:26:47,689
I remember almost more vividly
662
00:26:47,689 --> 00:26:51,526
the amazing storytelling
through the videos,
663
00:26:51,526 --> 00:26:54,029
which is pretty interesting
'cause I think here we are
664
00:26:54,029 --> 00:26:57,699
40 years later,
and the music and the video
665
00:26:57,699 --> 00:27:01,202
is coming to life again
for the next generation
666
00:27:01,202 --> 00:27:02,370
on TikTok.
667
00:27:02,370 --> 00:27:05,123
Michael Jackson's music
has been available
668
00:27:05,123 --> 00:27:08,126
on TikTok since August 2020.
669
00:27:08,126 --> 00:27:10,587
I think there's a real rebirth
670
00:27:10,587 --> 00:27:14,799
of the music and the video
from these songs on the album.
671
00:27:14,799 --> 00:27:18,136
And it is this new generation
that's being exposed
672
00:27:18,136 --> 00:27:20,680
or engaging with the music.
673
00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:23,642
There are about ten million
674
00:27:23,642 --> 00:27:26,561
video creations
on TikTok right now
675
00:27:26,561 --> 00:27:29,147
that include music
from Thriller.
676
00:27:29,147 --> 00:27:32,400
There are 17 billion views
677
00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,779
of those ten million videos
that exist.
678
00:27:35,779 --> 00:27:40,575
There are about two billion
likes on those videos,
679
00:27:40,575 --> 00:27:42,661
so people putting
a little thumbs-up
680
00:27:42,661 --> 00:27:46,498
or sharing or doing something
to say, "I'm excited about this.
681
00:27:46,498 --> 00:27:49,084
I'm engaging
with this-this music."
682
00:27:49,084 --> 00:27:50,502
Pretty massive numbers.
683
00:27:50,502 --> 00:27:52,253
They're hearing it
for the first time.
684
00:27:52,253 --> 00:27:53,380
They're-they're like...
685
00:27:53,380 --> 00:27:54,673
You know, it's-it's
the same feeling
686
00:27:54,673 --> 00:27:56,800
we maybe had
when we watched the MTV video
687
00:27:56,800 --> 00:27:59,052
for "Thriller" or "Beat It."
688
00:27:59,552 --> 00:28:02,639
They're having that same
experience 40 years later,
689
00:28:02,639 --> 00:28:04,516
but rather than just watch,
they're actually
690
00:28:04,516 --> 00:28:08,895
then making something
to engage with that music.
691
00:28:10,814 --> 00:28:12,524
[Michael]
I was kind of upset about
692
00:28:12,524 --> 00:28:16,695
the news I heard about MTV and
how they weren't showing Blacks,
693
00:28:16,695 --> 00:28:18,196
and that kind of hurt me.
694
00:28:18,196 --> 00:28:21,449
So I wanted to do something
that was so powerful,
695
00:28:21,449 --> 00:28:26,037
so strong that everybody
would have to show it.
696
00:28:26,037 --> 00:28:28,665
But I wanted to tell
a strong story.
697
00:28:28,665 --> 00:28:30,583
The story had to sell itself.
698
00:28:30,583 --> 00:28:33,545
And what... these so-called
videos weren't doing that.
699
00:28:33,545 --> 00:28:35,880
They were terrible.
They were just a lot of nothing
700
00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:37,841
put together
just to sell a song.
701
00:28:37,841 --> 00:28:39,592
I wanted my things
to be powerful.
702
00:28:39,592 --> 00:28:41,511
I wanted to stand out
from everything else
703
00:28:41,511 --> 00:28:43,555
that when you see it,
you run to the set
704
00:28:43,555 --> 00:28:45,432
and you're glued to it,
watching it.
705
00:28:45,432 --> 00:28:46,975
I wanted quality.
I wanted excellence.
706
00:28:46,975 --> 00:28:50,311
I wanted the best.
I wanted to perfect perfection.
707
00:28:50,311 --> 00:28:52,105
[Usher]
One thing that I can
708
00:28:52,105 --> 00:28:53,189
always say about Michael
709
00:28:53,189 --> 00:28:55,734
is that you felt like
there was a sense of culture.
710
00:28:55,734 --> 00:28:57,944
And the culture
would span all the way
711
00:28:57,944 --> 00:29:02,699
from kind of like this Broadway,
you know, more theatrical world,
712
00:29:02,699 --> 00:29:05,744
and then there was this other
element that was cultural,
713
00:29:05,744 --> 00:29:07,579
that was almost like gangsters.
714
00:29:07,579 --> 00:29:09,748
♪ "Beat It" by Michael Jackson ♪
715
00:29:09,748 --> 00:29:12,292
♪
716
00:29:19,841 --> 00:29:21,760
You know,
when you look at "Beat It"
717
00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:24,763
and the idea that the people
of that era felt like,
718
00:29:24,763 --> 00:29:26,973
"Oh, he's speaking to us
and with us.
719
00:29:26,973 --> 00:29:29,893
He's rocking with us.
He's making music for us.
720
00:29:29,893 --> 00:29:32,270
We can dance to his music."
721
00:29:32,270 --> 00:29:34,814
♪
722
00:29:45,784 --> 00:29:47,952
It was an incredible move
to decide,
723
00:29:47,952 --> 00:29:50,663
"We're gonna have
a rock and roll record
724
00:29:50,663 --> 00:29:51,873
on this thing."
725
00:29:51,873 --> 00:29:54,501
"Beat It" was straight up
rock and roll.
726
00:29:54,501 --> 00:29:56,044
[Steven Ray]
Michael's idea with "Beat It"
727
00:29:56,044 --> 00:29:58,379
was to distance himself
from Off the Wall,
728
00:29:58,379 --> 00:29:59,923
from the dance, disco.
729
00:29:59,923 --> 00:30:01,382
And Michael wanted to stretch.
730
00:30:01,382 --> 00:30:02,926
Creatively,
he wanted to stretch.
731
00:30:02,926 --> 00:30:05,386
[Lukather] They wanted a
crossover hit across the board.
732
00:30:05,386 --> 00:30:07,514
Rock, R and B, pop.
733
00:30:07,514 --> 00:30:10,809
They called me to come in
with Michael and Quincy
734
00:30:10,809 --> 00:30:14,270
to do the...
[imitates "Beat It" guitar riff]
735
00:30:14,813 --> 00:30:16,689
They want to go rock and roll,
let's do it.
736
00:30:16,689 --> 00:30:19,984
You know, so I did it with
all... you know, all-all that,
737
00:30:19,984 --> 00:30:21,694
doubled it
and made it sound huge.
738
00:30:21,694 --> 00:30:23,780
And then I played
the bass on it as well.
739
00:30:23,780 --> 00:30:25,782
I did play bass
on that record as well.
740
00:30:25,782 --> 00:30:28,576
So I sat with them
and made that swing,
741
00:30:28,576 --> 00:30:30,453
and when Michael
was dancing in the room,
742
00:30:30,453 --> 00:30:31,704
I knew I was in the pocket.
743
00:30:31,704 --> 00:30:33,081
[Branca]
When he wrote "Beat It,"
744
00:30:33,081 --> 00:30:35,917
he said, "I want a kind
of guitar player on here
745
00:30:35,917 --> 00:30:41,089
that will attract young,
white, teenage males."
746
00:30:41,089 --> 00:30:42,257
Eddie Van Halen.
747
00:30:42,757 --> 00:30:44,926
[Ray] He said, "Well,
what do you want me to do?"
748
00:30:44,926 --> 00:30:46,219
And Quincy said, "Well,
749
00:30:46,219 --> 00:30:47,512
I want you to be you.
750
00:30:47,512 --> 00:30:48,888
That's you right there."
And he pointed
751
00:30:48,888 --> 00:30:50,849
to the famous, you know,
Strat that he had.
752
00:30:50,849 --> 00:30:53,560
And he said, "I'm not gonna
tell you what to play.
753
00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:54,727
You go be you."
754
00:30:54,727 --> 00:30:56,020
[Branca]
I mean, Eddie ripped
755
00:30:56,020 --> 00:30:57,814
these solos off
one after the other.
756
00:30:57,814 --> 00:31:00,108
[rhythmic thumping]
757
00:31:01,568 --> 00:31:03,653
[playing "Beat It" guitar solo]
758
00:31:03,653 --> 00:31:06,114
♪
759
00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:13,872
[Marinelli]
I remember, like, hearing
760
00:31:13,872 --> 00:31:15,540
the sound coming from Studio A,
761
00:31:15,540 --> 00:31:17,375
where he was doing the-the solo.
762
00:31:17,375 --> 00:31:18,626
It was so loud.
763
00:31:18,626 --> 00:31:19,919
I could... I just...
764
00:31:19,919 --> 00:31:20,962
It was just so loud.
765
00:31:20,962 --> 00:31:23,965
Bruce Swedien and Quincy brilliantly
766
00:31:23,965 --> 00:31:25,842
edited that solo together.
767
00:31:25,842 --> 00:31:27,802
I mean, I think
I probably just loved it
768
00:31:27,802 --> 00:31:29,679
'cause, at that moment,
it was probably everything
769
00:31:29,679 --> 00:31:31,973
that I ever loved
in one song, you know?
770
00:31:31,973 --> 00:31:34,142
I've done way more time googling
771
00:31:34,142 --> 00:31:38,730
Lukather's tone on "Beat It"
than, um, Eddie Van Halen's,
772
00:31:38,730 --> 00:31:40,940
because it's the tone
that drives
773
00:31:40,940 --> 00:31:42,400
the whole record--
that's the riff.
774
00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:46,487
It's the perfect way that, like,
a rock guitar could ever sit
775
00:31:46,487 --> 00:31:48,907
over programmed drums
in a... in a...
776
00:31:48,907 --> 00:31:50,491
like, a funky groove.
777
00:31:50,491 --> 00:31:52,035
I thought his videos
were incredible.
778
00:31:52,035 --> 00:31:53,912
I mean, first off,
the guy could dance.
779
00:31:53,912 --> 00:31:55,246
I mean, just being in the room,
780
00:31:55,246 --> 00:31:57,707
watching him groove
while we're playing.
781
00:31:57,707 --> 00:31:58,875
[Rich Talauega]
That short film--
782
00:31:58,875 --> 00:32:00,209
you see, this whole movie,
783
00:32:00,209 --> 00:32:02,462
it's about a big fight
that's about to happen, right,
784
00:32:02,462 --> 00:32:03,922
between two rival gangs, right?
785
00:32:03,922 --> 00:32:06,591
♪ "Beat It" by Michael Jackson ♪
786
00:32:06,591 --> 00:32:09,135
♪
787
00:32:16,559 --> 00:32:17,936
♪ Beat it... ♪
788
00:32:17,936 --> 00:32:20,730
[Tone Talauega]
He saw value in street culture.
789
00:32:20,730 --> 00:32:22,565
He wanted to try
to figure out a way
790
00:32:22,565 --> 00:32:24,233
on how to incorporate it, and...
791
00:32:24,233 --> 00:32:26,653
and the beginning of it
was "Beat It."
792
00:32:26,653 --> 00:32:28,279
[Rich]
The people that you see
793
00:32:28,279 --> 00:32:32,992
in that film are a mixture
of dancers and street cats.
794
00:32:32,992 --> 00:32:34,702
And not only that
795
00:32:34,702 --> 00:32:37,789
is that you actually had
real gangsters on set.
796
00:32:37,789 --> 00:32:39,582
Like, real Bloods and Crips
797
00:32:39,582 --> 00:32:41,960
and Vatos and all that,
like, for real.
798
00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:43,753
[Terry Lewis]
There was such a magic
799
00:32:43,753 --> 00:32:45,171
in Michael and his movement.
800
00:32:45,171 --> 00:32:48,341
♪ No one wants to be
defeated, oh, Lord ♪
801
00:32:48,341 --> 00:32:51,803
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
802
00:32:51,803 --> 00:32:54,931
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
803
00:32:54,931 --> 00:32:56,599
♪ Just beat it... ♪
804
00:32:56,599 --> 00:32:57,767
[Rich]
You had B-boying
805
00:32:57,767 --> 00:32:59,435
that was going on in New York.
806
00:32:59,435 --> 00:33:00,728
You had popping and locking
807
00:33:00,728 --> 00:33:02,355
that was going down
over here in California,
808
00:33:02,355 --> 00:33:05,858
and strutting
and-and robotting, all them.
809
00:33:05,858 --> 00:33:07,360
So the guy that's vibrating
810
00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:10,405
in the "Beat It" short film
with the... with the glasses on,
811
00:33:10,405 --> 00:33:11,739
his name is Robot Dane.
812
00:33:11,739 --> 00:33:13,199
This is the first ever
813
00:33:13,199 --> 00:33:16,202
street dance wave of
the United States of America.
814
00:33:16,202 --> 00:33:19,455
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
815
00:33:19,455 --> 00:33:20,748
♪ It doesn't matter... ♪
816
00:33:20,748 --> 00:33:22,375
[Usher]
The most relevant scene
817
00:33:22,375 --> 00:33:27,213
at the time, which either was
breakdancing, locking,
818
00:33:27,213 --> 00:33:30,008
popping, waving,
whatever it might have been,
819
00:33:30,008 --> 00:33:31,968
he's pushing
the envelope forward,
820
00:33:31,968 --> 00:33:34,846
he's teaching us some things,
he's informing us as artists,
821
00:33:34,846 --> 00:33:37,056
but also, too, as performers,
822
00:33:37,056 --> 00:33:40,768
he's letting us know that,
"Yo, I want to be the baddest."
823
00:33:40,768 --> 00:33:42,895
As a fan or a critic,
824
00:33:42,895 --> 00:33:45,898
you're always looking
for breathtaking moments,
825
00:33:45,898 --> 00:33:47,066
the time when you say,
826
00:33:47,066 --> 00:33:48,484
"I've never seen
anything like that.
827
00:33:48,484 --> 00:33:51,821
I'm probably not gonna see
anything like that again."
828
00:33:51,821 --> 00:33:53,448
The Motown show,
829
00:33:53,448 --> 00:33:55,992
that's what I think was
the most important step
830
00:33:55,992 --> 00:34:00,538
in the whole Thriller process
of making him the superstar.
831
00:34:00,538 --> 00:34:03,833
♪ And I'll be there ♪
832
00:34:03,833 --> 00:34:06,753
- ♪ Whoo! ♪
- [crowd cheering]
833
00:34:08,671 --> 00:34:10,256
[Ivory]
Bob Jones was, uh,
834
00:34:10,256 --> 00:34:13,301
vice president of publicity
at Motown.
835
00:34:13,301 --> 00:34:14,469
He says,
836
00:34:14,469 --> 00:34:16,763
"We're doing a Motown show."
837
00:34:16,763 --> 00:34:21,976
I rented a tuxedo,
and, uh, I went to the show.
838
00:34:21,976 --> 00:34:23,269
People just went crazy.
839
00:34:23,269 --> 00:34:25,354
[Blige]
I was home in front of the TV.
840
00:34:25,354 --> 00:34:28,441
[chuckles] Waiting for him
to take us there.
841
00:34:28,441 --> 00:34:30,026
First, we didn't know
what he was gonna do,
842
00:34:30,026 --> 00:34:31,861
because he was up there
with his brothers.
843
00:34:31,861 --> 00:34:34,030
[Ivory]
The Jacksons leave,
844
00:34:34,030 --> 00:34:36,866
the brothers leave,
and Mike stays out there.
845
00:34:36,866 --> 00:34:37,950
[crowd cheering]
846
00:34:37,950 --> 00:34:39,243
And in the audience,
847
00:34:39,243 --> 00:34:41,496
you could hear
just kind of like:
848
00:34:41,496 --> 00:34:44,665
"What's-what's getting ready
to happen now?"
849
00:34:50,254 --> 00:34:53,257
And, you know,
Mike goes through the whole...
850
00:34:53,257 --> 00:34:55,635
"Those were some great times.
I love the-the old songs."
851
00:34:55,635 --> 00:34:57,220
You know,
th-those were good songs.
852
00:34:57,220 --> 00:34:59,180
I-I like those songs a lot,
853
00:34:59,180 --> 00:35:02,975
but, especially, I like...
854
00:35:02,975 --> 00:35:04,977
- [spectator] "Billie Jean"!
- [crowd shouting]
855
00:35:04,977 --> 00:35:06,687
- ...the new songs.
- [crowd cheering]
856
00:35:06,687 --> 00:35:08,856
[Ivory]
And then here comes
857
00:35:08,856 --> 00:35:10,149
"Billie Jean."
858
00:35:10,149 --> 00:35:13,444
- ["Billie Jean" playing]
- [raucous cheering]
859
00:35:13,444 --> 00:35:15,822
♪
860
00:35:18,741 --> 00:35:21,786
The tape that you can see
861
00:35:21,786 --> 00:35:23,246
of "Billie Jean"
862
00:35:23,246 --> 00:35:28,000
and the stuff you see
going on in the audience,
863
00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:32,547
it does not capture what was
happening in that crowd.
864
00:35:32,547 --> 00:35:35,007
These people were going
865
00:35:35,007 --> 00:35:37,135
absolutely berserk.
866
00:35:37,635 --> 00:35:40,888
♪ Who will dance on the floor
in the round? ♪
867
00:35:40,888 --> 00:35:43,558
Mike just turned it
the fuck out.
868
00:35:43,558 --> 00:35:47,562
♪ People always told me,
"Be careful of what you do ♪
869
00:35:47,562 --> 00:35:50,857
♪ Don't go around breakin'
young girls' hearts" ♪
870
00:35:50,857 --> 00:35:52,150
♪ Hee-hee ♪
871
00:35:52,150 --> 00:35:54,861
♪ And Mother always told me... ♪
872
00:35:54,861 --> 00:35:58,030
I mean, he just laid a bomb
on that room.
873
00:35:58,030 --> 00:36:00,741
♪ "'Cause the lie becomes
the truth," hey, hey ♪
874
00:36:00,741 --> 00:36:03,202
♪ Billie Jean is not my... ♪
875
00:36:03,202 --> 00:36:04,871
[Hilburn]
I was at that show
876
00:36:04,871 --> 00:36:06,289
at the Pasadena
Civic Auditorium.
877
00:36:06,289 --> 00:36:08,916
And he's moving different.
He's got his own moves now.
878
00:36:08,916 --> 00:36:12,128
He's not so much doing
what-what he learned growing up,
879
00:36:12,128 --> 00:36:13,754
and he was excited about it.
880
00:36:13,754 --> 00:36:15,047
♪ Hee-hee-hee ♪
881
00:36:15,047 --> 00:36:16,132
♪
882
00:36:16,132 --> 00:36:18,259
[Blige]
We just was happy to see
883
00:36:18,259 --> 00:36:20,303
Michael Jackson perform, period.
884
00:36:20,303 --> 00:36:22,555
Nobody seen the moonwalk coming.
885
00:36:23,848 --> 00:36:26,225
[cheering]
886
00:36:27,727 --> 00:36:28,895
♪ She says I am... ♪
887
00:36:28,895 --> 00:36:30,313
[Hilburn]
He does the moonwalk.
888
00:36:30,313 --> 00:36:32,231
That's the breathtaking
moment, okay?
889
00:36:32,231 --> 00:36:34,192
And after the show,
I couldn't believe it.
890
00:36:34,192 --> 00:36:36,319
I had to go backstage
and to ask somebody,
891
00:36:36,319 --> 00:36:39,363
"Was there
a special trick floor?
892
00:36:39,363 --> 00:36:41,240
[laughs]
How did he do that?"
893
00:36:41,240 --> 00:36:44,160
[Rich] You know,
this was the performance
894
00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:46,495
that really changed
space and time.
895
00:36:46,996 --> 00:36:49,624
A few of his dances,
we call 'em timekeepers.
896
00:36:49,624 --> 00:36:52,335
And he created a whole
vocabulary of timekeepers,
897
00:36:52,335 --> 00:36:53,961
whether it's with his hip...
898
00:36:53,961 --> 00:36:56,255
[snapping rhythmically]
899
00:36:56,255 --> 00:36:58,174
...or with his...
you know, his side,
900
00:36:58,174 --> 00:37:00,760
- stomping with the ankle.
- That's right.
901
00:37:02,094 --> 00:37:04,764
Or he'll stomp with the foot.
902
00:37:07,308 --> 00:37:09,602
With that, you can sing.
903
00:37:09,602 --> 00:37:10,895
You see what I'm saying?
904
00:37:10,895 --> 00:37:12,188
And it looks like
you're dancing.
905
00:37:12,188 --> 00:37:13,481
- But you're really not.
- It's an illu...
906
00:37:13,481 --> 00:37:15,149
It's-it's a bit
of a trick, right?
907
00:37:15,149 --> 00:37:17,318
And you go...
you walk over here.
908
00:37:17,318 --> 00:37:19,737
[scatting rhythmically]
909
00:37:19,737 --> 00:37:20,905
And switch the mic,
910
00:37:20,905 --> 00:37:23,157
flip the coat,
put the hand in the pocket.
911
00:37:23,157 --> 00:37:25,326
You could do a few things
here and there that only...
912
00:37:25,326 --> 00:37:28,246
only you can do if you know
your song and your music.
913
00:37:28,246 --> 00:37:30,122
♪
914
00:37:30,122 --> 00:37:31,332
You know, when you see
915
00:37:31,332 --> 00:37:34,043
him glide across the floor
or pop,
916
00:37:34,043 --> 00:37:35,711
it's a special effect.
917
00:37:35,711 --> 00:37:37,922
He saw magic in that dance.
918
00:37:38,422 --> 00:37:40,675
Look at that--
if you pause each moment,
919
00:37:40,675 --> 00:37:42,218
it's an iconic silhouette.
920
00:37:42,218 --> 00:37:45,346
It's the hat,
it's the arms, it's the...
921
00:37:45,346 --> 00:37:47,223
it's the tapping of the leg.
922
00:37:47,223 --> 00:37:49,058
Right? The kick.
923
00:37:49,058 --> 00:37:51,519
♪
924
00:37:52,353 --> 00:37:56,023
To see a Black man
standing on his toes,
925
00:37:56,023 --> 00:37:59,402
seeing that
and not being conscious of it
926
00:37:59,402 --> 00:38:02,280
has made generations
of Black, brown,
927
00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:06,033
white, whatever color kids
feel like anything was possible.
928
00:38:06,033 --> 00:38:10,162
It's bigger than I think
we, uh, think and acknowledge.
929
00:38:10,162 --> 00:38:11,872
[cheering]
930
00:38:11,872 --> 00:38:13,666
[Ivory]
After Mike finished,
931
00:38:13,666 --> 00:38:16,210
the producer had to get
on the microphone and say,
932
00:38:16,210 --> 00:38:19,338
"Ladies and gentlemen,
please, please,
933
00:38:19,338 --> 00:38:22,216
gather yourselves
and take your seats.
934
00:38:22,216 --> 00:38:24,260
We have more show to tape.
935
00:38:24,260 --> 00:38:26,178
There's much more show coming."
936
00:38:26,178 --> 00:38:29,557
And it took a minute for people
to get their ties back together
937
00:38:29,557 --> 00:38:32,018
and the women to put
their wigs back on.
938
00:38:32,018 --> 00:38:33,978
[George] Okay, I have
one question for you.
939
00:38:33,978 --> 00:38:36,022
Who was the unfortunate artist
940
00:38:36,022 --> 00:38:38,691
- who had to come on--
- [laughing]
941
00:38:41,152 --> 00:38:43,696
I don't remember. [laughing]
942
00:38:43,696 --> 00:38:46,532
[cheering continues]
943
00:38:47,491 --> 00:38:49,368
[Usher] I think that was
the moment that he had
944
00:38:49,368 --> 00:38:52,371
his breakout moment
from the... from the group.
945
00:38:52,371 --> 00:38:55,041
That song, "Billie Jean,"
946
00:38:55,041 --> 00:38:58,169
and the way he performed it
on that night
947
00:38:58,169 --> 00:39:00,671
set the standard of what it was
to be a megastar.
948
00:39:00,671 --> 00:39:03,299
The next day after the show,
Fred Astaire called my house.
949
00:39:03,299 --> 00:39:05,009
He said,
"I saw the show last night.
950
00:39:05,009 --> 00:39:07,261
I taped it. I watched it
twice this morning."
951
00:39:07,261 --> 00:39:08,679
And he said,
"You were incredible.
952
00:39:08,679 --> 00:39:10,931
You're a hell of a mover,
and you really put them
953
00:39:10,931 --> 00:39:12,933
on their A-S-S," he said.
954
00:39:12,933 --> 00:39:14,101
And I said, "God, thank you.
955
00:39:14,101 --> 00:39:15,811
It's so wonderful
for you to say that,
956
00:39:15,811 --> 00:39:17,146
'cause I think you're the best."
957
00:39:17,146 --> 00:39:20,232
And that was my r-reward,
'cause I think he's brilliant.
958
00:39:20,232 --> 00:39:22,318
♪ tense, hypnotic music ♪
959
00:39:22,318 --> 00:39:23,986
♪
960
00:39:23,986 --> 00:39:25,488
[Copeland]
To a classical dancer,
961
00:39:25,488 --> 00:39:27,490
it's about your line,
it's about the shapes
962
00:39:27,490 --> 00:39:29,033
that you're-you're making.
963
00:39:29,033 --> 00:39:30,785
And Michael does that.
964
00:39:30,785 --> 00:39:33,829
That, to me, is very similar
to a trained dancer,
965
00:39:33,829 --> 00:39:35,456
even though he wasn't trained.
966
00:39:35,456 --> 00:39:38,834
He would've been
the ideal ballet dancer.
967
00:39:38,834 --> 00:39:40,586
The proportions of his body.
968
00:39:40,586 --> 00:39:45,132
He was lean, uh, and long, um,
and just had, like,
969
00:39:45,132 --> 00:39:47,426
a natural instinct
when he moved.
970
00:39:47,426 --> 00:39:50,971
But there... but there was
such precision and clarity.
971
00:39:50,971 --> 00:39:52,515
He was a perfectionist,
972
00:39:52,515 --> 00:39:56,060
and that's what dancers are.
973
00:39:56,060 --> 00:39:59,105
Um, you know, you don't commit
that type of time
974
00:39:59,105 --> 00:40:00,856
and sacrifice your body,
975
00:40:00,856 --> 00:40:02,650
the injury, all of those things,
976
00:40:02,650 --> 00:40:06,112
if you don't have the passion
for it and the love for it.
977
00:40:06,112 --> 00:40:09,073
And all of that sums up Michael
978
00:40:09,073 --> 00:40:11,742
as a dancer, as a performer,
as an artist.
979
00:40:11,742 --> 00:40:15,121
[George] Michael Jackson
didn't invent dancing on film,
980
00:40:15,121 --> 00:40:16,330
but his particular synthesis
981
00:40:16,330 --> 00:40:19,083
of the Nicholas Brothers
on one hand
982
00:40:19,083 --> 00:40:23,170
and Bob Fosse, Astaire,
popping, locking,
983
00:40:23,170 --> 00:40:25,297
moonwalking-- no one had ever
984
00:40:25,297 --> 00:40:27,341
put those elements together
before like that.
985
00:40:27,341 --> 00:40:29,468
You can see it
all the way through from
986
00:40:29,468 --> 00:40:31,345
"Billie Jean"
and "Beat It" and "Thriller,"
987
00:40:31,345 --> 00:40:33,514
all the way through
to all of these other artists.
988
00:40:33,514 --> 00:40:37,143
Look at MC Hammer,
"U Can't Touch This."
989
00:40:37,768 --> 00:40:41,730
Then you go forward to, like,
Usher and Justin Timberlake.
990
00:40:42,314 --> 00:40:45,151
And then you go farther forward
to Justin Bieber,
991
00:40:45,151 --> 00:40:47,486
Doja Cat, Bruno Mars.
992
00:40:47,486 --> 00:40:49,113
[Branca]
Michael is emulated.
993
00:40:49,113 --> 00:40:52,241
If you look at BTS,
you can see it.
994
00:40:52,241 --> 00:40:53,534
[BTS's "Dynamite" playing]
995
00:40:53,534 --> 00:40:55,828
[Ivory]
I'm all in with BTS.
996
00:40:55,828 --> 00:40:57,121
I love those guys.
997
00:40:57,121 --> 00:41:00,124
Every move they do
is all Michael Jackson.
998
00:41:00,124 --> 00:41:02,168
Michael created that.
999
00:41:02,168 --> 00:41:04,587
[George]
The entire K-pop wave,
1000
00:41:04,587 --> 00:41:06,589
they've all studied Michael
1001
00:41:06,589 --> 00:41:11,635
in terms of stage clothes,
video clothes and stagecraft.
1002
00:41:11,635 --> 00:41:14,472
There's a great video
if you watch BTS.
1003
00:41:14,472 --> 00:41:16,474
There's a lot
of Michael Jackson.
1004
00:41:16,474 --> 00:41:17,850
You see it in their dancing.
1005
00:41:17,850 --> 00:41:21,103
♪ 'Cause I, I,
I'm in the stars tonight ♪
1006
00:41:21,103 --> 00:41:25,816
♪ So watch me bring the fire
and set the night alight ♪
1007
00:41:25,816 --> 00:41:30,529
♪ Shining through the city
with a little funk and soul ♪
1008
00:41:30,529 --> 00:41:35,075
♪ So I'm-a light it up
like dynamite, whoa-oh-oh ♪
1009
00:41:35,075 --> 00:41:39,121
♪ Dyn-na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na,
na-na-na, life is dynamite ♪
1010
00:41:39,121 --> 00:41:40,289
♪ Dyn-na-na-na... ♪
1011
00:41:40,289 --> 00:41:42,666
[George]
So, the entire K-pop movement,
1012
00:41:42,666 --> 00:41:45,419
they're students of the game.
1013
00:41:45,419 --> 00:41:48,631
You can look at a number
of millennial hip-hop artists--
1014
00:41:48,631 --> 00:41:50,508
Polo G being one of them--
1015
00:41:50,508 --> 00:41:53,761
23, 24 years old, from Chicago,
1016
00:41:53,761 --> 00:41:56,222
yet he's very much in trance
with Michael Jackson
1017
00:41:56,222 --> 00:41:58,098
and he uses
Michael Jackson music
1018
00:41:58,098 --> 00:41:59,600
and imagery
in some of his music.
1019
00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:01,685
♪ Ha, smooth criminal,
Mike Jack ♪
1020
00:42:01,685 --> 00:42:04,355
♪ And I still like to tote
a four-five like Mike back ♪
1021
00:42:04,355 --> 00:42:05,940
[Polo G] It was just a night
I was riding around,
1022
00:42:05,940 --> 00:42:08,192
I was riding in my car,
and I was just listening
1023
00:42:08,192 --> 00:42:10,027
to Michael Jackson interviews.
1024
00:42:10,027 --> 00:42:11,278
I wasn't listening to music.
1025
00:42:11,278 --> 00:42:12,696
I was just listening
to his interviews.
1026
00:42:12,696 --> 00:42:14,448
And I just came up
with this idea, like,
1027
00:42:14,448 --> 00:42:18,744
maybe I should do, uh, this song
and this instrumental
1028
00:42:18,744 --> 00:42:21,038
and just really mess
everybody head up
1029
00:42:21,038 --> 00:42:22,289
'cause I know they wouldn't
1030
00:42:22,289 --> 00:42:23,916
be expecting that
from a young artist.
1031
00:42:23,916 --> 00:42:26,252
♪ Tell me, Annie, are you okay?
Screaming out, "No way" ♪
1032
00:42:26,252 --> 00:42:27,920
♪ Tell me, Annie,
are you okay? ♪
1033
00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:32,174
'Cause I remember my grandma
had this same exact album.
1034
00:42:32,174 --> 00:42:33,592
My auntie, who was her daughter,
1035
00:42:33,592 --> 00:42:35,344
she was a big
Michael Jackson fan,
1036
00:42:35,344 --> 00:42:37,263
so she always had us
listening to him.
1037
00:42:37,263 --> 00:42:40,057
So I remember her
having this one exactly.
1038
00:42:40,057 --> 00:42:41,475
[George]
It's pretty wild.
1039
00:42:41,475 --> 00:42:45,479
It says how powerful the imagery
that Michael created was.
1040
00:42:45,479 --> 00:42:47,940
♪ soft, atmospheric music ♪
1041
00:42:47,940 --> 00:42:49,608
♪
1042
00:42:49,608 --> 00:42:51,193
[Ray]
On Thriller,
1043
00:42:51,193 --> 00:42:53,195
his life was evolving, you know,
1044
00:42:53,195 --> 00:42:56,740
and his vocal approach
was different.
1045
00:42:56,740 --> 00:42:59,285
There's vocalists,
and there's stylists.
1046
00:42:59,285 --> 00:43:01,036
[chuckles] Style wins.
1047
00:43:01,036 --> 00:43:03,289
When you can hear a person sing
1048
00:43:03,289 --> 00:43:06,083
and recognize them
fr-from the first couple bars,
1049
00:43:06,083 --> 00:43:07,960
you know you got
something special.
1050
00:43:07,960 --> 00:43:09,169
They have a special tone,
1051
00:43:09,169 --> 00:43:11,213
a special voice,
a special delivery.
1052
00:43:11,213 --> 00:43:12,506
Now, Michael had all of that.
1053
00:43:12,506 --> 00:43:15,009
In just the way
he loved to dance
1054
00:43:15,009 --> 00:43:16,510
and-and he loved to perform,
1055
00:43:16,510 --> 00:43:20,681
he turned all of that melody
that he was so great with
1056
00:43:20,681 --> 00:43:22,349
into percussive melody.
1057
00:43:22,349 --> 00:43:24,602
Well, that's what he did.
He would sing drum parts.
1058
00:43:24,602 --> 00:43:26,312
He would sing bass lines.
1059
00:43:26,312 --> 00:43:28,856
He would, uh... all with
his rhythmic inflections.
1060
00:43:28,856 --> 00:43:30,399
We call it
"drums in your mouth."
1061
00:43:30,399 --> 00:43:32,526
He would beatbox.
He was an amazing beatboxer.
1062
00:43:32,526 --> 00:43:35,195
But beatbox with melody
and sing, you know,
1063
00:43:35,195 --> 00:43:36,447
not just beatboxing.
1064
00:43:36,447 --> 00:43:38,782
He would, you know,
integrate melody with it.
1065
00:43:38,782 --> 00:43:40,659
And you can hear it
on "Beat It," you know,
1066
00:43:40,659 --> 00:43:43,495
just the way he would attack
each syllable.
1067
00:43:43,495 --> 00:43:46,624
♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
1068
00:43:46,624 --> 00:43:48,709
♪ No one wants to be defeated ♪
1069
00:43:48,709 --> 00:43:50,252
[accompaniment fades]
1070
00:43:50,252 --> 00:43:53,631
[a cappella] ♪ Showin' how
funky, strong is your fight ♪
1071
00:43:53,631 --> 00:43:57,343
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
1072
00:43:57,343 --> 00:44:00,054
♪ Just beat it ♪
1073
00:44:00,054 --> 00:44:01,347
♪ Beat it... ♪
1074
00:44:01,347 --> 00:44:03,682
I think of all of his melodies
and his songs,
1075
00:44:03,682 --> 00:44:05,351
and they're
completely percussive.
1076
00:44:05,351 --> 00:44:07,686
I mean, they're incredibly
rhythmically hooky,
1077
00:44:07,686 --> 00:44:10,648
and, you know, all those songs,
and the songs that he wrote
1078
00:44:10,648 --> 00:44:13,025
have these very aggressive
staccato rhythms.
1079
00:44:13,025 --> 00:44:16,320
I feel like "Billie Jean" and
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin',"
1080
00:44:16,320 --> 00:44:17,780
they're really short and stabby.
1081
00:44:17,780 --> 00:44:19,990
They're always, like...
there's a tiny bit of, like,
1082
00:44:19,990 --> 00:44:22,451
anger and, like, contempt
in the... in the...
1083
00:44:22,451 --> 00:44:24,161
in the way that
he's singing and writing.
1084
00:44:24,161 --> 00:44:26,413
[Michael, a cappella]
♪ I know I am someone ♪
1085
00:44:26,413 --> 00:44:28,540
♪ And let the truth unfurl ♪
1086
00:44:28,540 --> 00:44:30,542
♪ No one can hurt you now ♪
1087
00:44:30,542 --> 00:44:32,503
♪ Because you know what's true ♪
1088
00:44:32,503 --> 00:44:34,380
♪ Yes, I believe in me ♪
1089
00:44:34,380 --> 00:44:36,423
♪ So you believe in you ♪
1090
00:44:36,423 --> 00:44:38,342
♪ Help me sing it ♪
1091
00:44:38,342 --> 00:44:39,718
♪ Hoo-hoo! ♪
1092
00:44:39,718 --> 00:44:43,639
The greatest soul singers are
not afraid to feel the music,
1093
00:44:43,639 --> 00:44:45,891
you know, just do
what the music tells them to do.
1094
00:44:45,891 --> 00:44:49,478
For all the new cats,
all the new-school cats
1095
00:44:49,478 --> 00:44:52,022
that are going on record
and ad-libbing,
1096
00:44:52,022 --> 00:44:53,357
and they say, like...
1097
00:44:53,357 --> 00:44:56,610
[aggressive staccato scatting]
1098
00:44:56,610 --> 00:44:59,738
I'm sorry,
Michael did that first.
1099
00:44:59,738 --> 00:45:01,615
I'll prove it to you.
1100
00:45:01,615 --> 00:45:05,369
[Michael, a cappella]
♪ So beat it, just beat it ♪
1101
00:45:05,369 --> 00:45:07,413
[brief staccato scatting]
1102
00:45:07,413 --> 00:45:08,622
♪ Beat it ♪
1103
00:45:08,622 --> 00:45:10,290
[Michael yawning
over beatboxing]
1104
00:45:10,290 --> 00:45:11,500
♪ Beat it ♪
1105
00:45:11,500 --> 00:45:14,253
Why was he yawning
on a record, though?
1106
00:45:14,253 --> 00:45:15,546
It shows the freedom
1107
00:45:15,546 --> 00:45:17,798
and how comfortable
he felt in the studio
1108
00:45:17,798 --> 00:45:19,508
without worrying
about people's judgment
1109
00:45:19,508 --> 00:45:20,843
or, like, "Yo, what's that?"
1110
00:45:20,843 --> 00:45:23,011
Because you know he was
bringing the freaking skills.
1111
00:45:23,011 --> 00:45:26,682
You knew he was bringing
ultra talent and imagination,
1112
00:45:26,682 --> 00:45:28,517
for him to be like,
"You know what?
1113
00:45:28,517 --> 00:45:29,810
I feel like yawning right here."
1114
00:45:29,810 --> 00:45:32,271
[Michael yawning
over beatboxing]
1115
00:45:32,271 --> 00:45:34,189
♪ Beat it ♪
1116
00:45:34,189 --> 00:45:35,691
[Michael grunts dramatically]
1117
00:45:35,691 --> 00:45:37,818
I-I don't know what that one is.
I don't know what...
1118
00:45:37,818 --> 00:45:39,862
[laughing]
I don't... but I love it.
1119
00:45:39,862 --> 00:45:42,114
And I'm listening
to his ad-libs.
1120
00:45:42,114 --> 00:45:43,574
He's doing all that...
1121
00:45:43,574 --> 00:45:45,868
[beatboxing]
1122
00:45:45,868 --> 00:45:48,454
He's doing all this
rhythmic stuff.
1123
00:45:48,454 --> 00:45:51,081
♪ "Human Nature"
by Michael Jackson ♪
1124
00:45:51,081 --> 00:45:55,002
[Michael beatboxing
as instrumental track fades]
1125
00:46:03,927 --> 00:46:05,763
[Ray]
Michael had such a clear vision
1126
00:46:05,763 --> 00:46:07,806
of what he wanted, and Quincy,
1127
00:46:07,806 --> 00:46:10,309
he knows who wanted to work
with each other.
1128
00:46:10,309 --> 00:46:11,602
There's a number of things
going on.
1129
00:46:11,602 --> 00:46:13,771
We have "Beat It,"
drums being done
1130
00:46:13,771 --> 00:46:15,939
by Jeff Porcaro at Sunset Sound;
1131
00:46:15,939 --> 00:46:19,276
Steve Lukather
in Studio B at Westlake;
1132
00:46:19,276 --> 00:46:21,862
Studio A, Quincy and Bruce.
1133
00:46:21,862 --> 00:46:24,364
Quincy's going back and forth
between A and B,
1134
00:46:24,364 --> 00:46:25,657
across the hallway.
1135
00:46:25,657 --> 00:46:28,494
Then you add
the E.T. storybook album,
1136
00:46:28,494 --> 00:46:31,663
and-and then...
then it's just a lot going on.
1137
00:46:31,663 --> 00:46:33,791
Quincy had become friends
with Steven Spielberg.
1138
00:46:33,791 --> 00:46:38,587
And I remember one day he...
Steven invited Quincy
1139
00:46:38,587 --> 00:46:41,548
down to the set
when he was working on E.T.
1140
00:46:41,548 --> 00:46:42,966
And, uh, E.T. was there,
1141
00:46:42,966 --> 00:46:45,552
and the guys who were operating
it at the time were there.
1142
00:46:45,552 --> 00:46:47,054
And I think somewhere
in the course of it,
1143
00:46:47,054 --> 00:46:48,806
Steven had said to Quincy,
said, "You know,
1144
00:46:48,806 --> 00:46:50,891
"I want to do a rec...
we should do
1145
00:46:50,891 --> 00:46:52,559
a record of some sort."
1146
00:46:53,060 --> 00:46:54,645
[Branca]
So Quincy, I think,
1147
00:46:54,645 --> 00:46:56,230
came to Michael and-and said,
1148
00:46:56,230 --> 00:46:59,983
"Steven wants us to do
the E.T. storybook album,"
1149
00:46:59,983 --> 00:47:02,277
where Michael would narrate
the story of E.T.
1150
00:47:02,277 --> 00:47:05,531
and Michael would write
and sing a song for the album.
1151
00:47:06,031 --> 00:47:07,783
[Eckstine]
And Michael was a big fan, too,
1152
00:47:07,783 --> 00:47:09,159
so, "Quincy, let's do this."
1153
00:47:09,159 --> 00:47:12,621
So they started doing it
in the midst of doing Thriller.
1154
00:47:12,621 --> 00:47:16,625
I've always loved film, and, uh,
1155
00:47:16,625 --> 00:47:18,877
we're talking,
in the stage of doing, uh,
1156
00:47:18,877 --> 00:47:22,589
Quincy Jones and myself
and Steven Spielberg,
1157
00:47:22,589 --> 00:47:24,633
uh, working on a project.
1158
00:47:24,633 --> 00:47:26,885
[Branca]
The problem is nobody bothered
1159
00:47:26,885 --> 00:47:28,679
to call Walter Yetnikoff
1160
00:47:28,679 --> 00:47:31,056
and clear the rights
because the album was
1161
00:47:31,056 --> 00:47:33,767
going out
on Universal MCA's label.
1162
00:47:34,351 --> 00:47:37,646
I'll never forget, uh, one day,
I was at a-a meeting
1163
00:47:37,646 --> 00:47:40,232
and I get a call,
so I get on the phone
1164
00:47:40,232 --> 00:47:43,652
and Walter says, "Tell Michael
to stop kissing the monster."
1165
00:47:43,652 --> 00:47:45,863
"Walter, what are you
talking about?"
1166
00:47:45,863 --> 00:47:47,239
"Stop kissing the monster!"
1167
00:47:47,239 --> 00:47:50,701
So, if you look at
the E.T. storybook album,
1168
00:47:50,701 --> 00:47:52,369
Michael's got his arm
around E.T.
1169
00:47:52,369 --> 00:47:54,788
They're like pals, and that's
what Walter was talking about.
1170
00:47:54,788 --> 00:47:56,039
It wasn't just an album.
1171
00:47:56,039 --> 00:47:57,749
It was a whole box set
with posters
1172
00:47:57,749 --> 00:48:00,544
and a picture
of Michael with E.T.
1173
00:48:01,962 --> 00:48:05,257
So Walter filed
an injunction against,
1174
00:48:05,257 --> 00:48:07,134
uh, MCA and Universal
1175
00:48:07,134 --> 00:48:09,803
and made them take the album
out of the stores.
1176
00:48:09,803 --> 00:48:12,514
It was already shipped.
It was already a huge hit.
1177
00:48:12,514 --> 00:48:14,099
They had to pull the album back.
1178
00:48:14,099 --> 00:48:16,810
Epic wasn't happy,
and they felt it was sort of
1179
00:48:16,810 --> 00:48:19,813
holding up their record,
the-the Thriller record.
1180
00:48:19,813 --> 00:48:21,106
Yeah, they sued, you know.
1181
00:48:21,106 --> 00:48:22,858
"No, you can't have our artist,
da-da-da-da-da."
1182
00:48:22,858 --> 00:48:25,485
You know, and Walter was
litigious anyway,
1183
00:48:25,485 --> 00:48:27,821
and so he-he went...
he went in hard.
1184
00:48:27,821 --> 00:48:29,615
And MCA responded hard,
1185
00:48:29,615 --> 00:48:31,199
and it was, you know,
all hell broke loose.
1186
00:48:31,199 --> 00:48:34,077
[Branca] And he said,
"John, is he mad at me?"
1187
00:48:34,077 --> 00:48:36,830
I said, "What do you think,
Walter?" [laughs]
1188
00:48:36,830 --> 00:48:39,833
"You-you just sued him
and Steven Spielberg
1189
00:48:39,833 --> 00:48:42,085
and Quincy Jones,
and you wonder...
1190
00:48:42,085 --> 00:48:44,254
you're wondering
if he's mad at you?"
1191
00:48:44,254 --> 00:48:48,216
Uh, and he goes,
"What can I do to make it up?"
1192
00:48:48,216 --> 00:48:50,177
And I said,
"You give him the owner...
1193
00:48:50,177 --> 00:48:51,803
ownership of
his master recordings:
1194
00:48:51,803 --> 00:48:53,972
Off the Wall, Thriller
and everything to come."
1195
00:48:53,972 --> 00:48:55,182
And he said, "Done."
1196
00:48:55,182 --> 00:48:58,560
To get your masters back
in the middle of a contract,
1197
00:48:58,560 --> 00:49:01,355
I don't think had ever,
ever happened.
1198
00:49:01,355 --> 00:49:03,690
♪ "Carousel"
by Michael Jackson ♪
1199
00:49:03,690 --> 00:49:05,317
[Ray]
Rod came with his songs.
1200
00:49:05,317 --> 00:49:06,526
Michael had his songs.
1201
00:49:06,526 --> 00:49:08,028
And if those worked,
they worked.
1202
00:49:08,028 --> 00:49:10,405
If they didn't, they-they went
looking elsewhere.
1203
00:49:10,405 --> 00:49:12,741
♪ I lost my heart ♪
1204
00:49:12,741 --> 00:49:16,078
♪ On the carousel ♪
1205
00:49:16,078 --> 00:49:18,705
♪ To a circus girl ♪
1206
00:49:18,705 --> 00:49:22,584
♪ Who left my heart
in pieces... ♪
1207
00:49:22,584 --> 00:49:25,045
[Jones]
"Carousel" was a great song,
1208
00:49:25,045 --> 00:49:27,422
and fortunately
or unfortunately, you know,
1209
00:49:27,422 --> 00:49:28,924
there was only room on the album
1210
00:49:28,924 --> 00:49:33,470
for one mood like, uh,
"Carousel" or-or "Human Nature,"
1211
00:49:33,470 --> 00:49:37,349
and "Human Nature" was the
choice we had to make, you know.
1212
00:49:37,349 --> 00:49:38,892
Toto was big at that time.
1213
00:49:38,892 --> 00:49:41,269
[Jones]
Toto, who I just adored,
1214
00:49:41,269 --> 00:49:44,022
we worked together a lot,
and, um, they sent over
1215
00:49:44,022 --> 00:49:47,609
two demos that they thought
would be right for Michael,
1216
00:49:47,609 --> 00:49:49,403
and all of a sudden, there's...
1217
00:49:49,403 --> 00:49:51,530
at the end,
there was all this silence.
1218
00:49:51,530 --> 00:49:53,073
And then it said... it said...
1219
00:49:53,073 --> 00:49:54,825
♪ Why, why? ♪
1220
00:49:54,825 --> 00:49:56,785
[scatting "Human Nature" melody]
1221
00:49:56,785 --> 00:49:58,036
♪ Why? ♪
1222
00:49:58,036 --> 00:49:59,413
And-and I tell you, I get...
1223
00:49:59,413 --> 00:50:01,164
I get goose bumps
just talking about it.
1224
00:50:01,164 --> 00:50:03,959
And I said, "What the hell
is that?" You know?
1225
00:50:03,959 --> 00:50:05,627
That's what took "Carousel" out.
1226
00:50:05,627 --> 00:50:07,170
I said, "This is where
we want to go,"
1227
00:50:07,170 --> 00:50:09,923
'cause it's got such a...
a-a wonderful flavor.
1228
00:50:09,923 --> 00:50:12,050
- [crowd cheering]
- [Michael] I'll tell you what.
1229
00:50:12,050 --> 00:50:15,387
Tonight, I want to do...
1230
00:50:16,013 --> 00:50:18,890
...one of my favorite songs.
1231
00:50:18,890 --> 00:50:21,268
♪ I touched her shoulder ♪
1232
00:50:21,268 --> 00:50:25,022
♪ She likes the way I stare ♪
1233
00:50:25,022 --> 00:50:27,524
♪ And they say, "Why?" ♪
1234
00:50:27,524 --> 00:50:28,734
Everybody sing!
1235
00:50:28,734 --> 00:50:31,319
♪ Tell them that
it's human nature ♪
1236
00:50:31,319 --> 00:50:34,948
♪ Why, why does he
do me that way? ♪
1237
00:50:34,948 --> 00:50:38,243
The song that always haunts me
is "Human Nature."
1238
00:50:38,243 --> 00:50:40,120
- [chuckles]
- [exhales sharply]
1239
00:50:40,120 --> 00:50:41,830
- Um... Yeah.
- What a beautiful record.
1240
00:50:41,830 --> 00:50:43,290
That's-that's one of those
records that you just say,
1241
00:50:43,290 --> 00:50:45,667
"I wish I would've did
that record." [laughs]
1242
00:50:45,667 --> 00:50:48,003
And that always,
for me, is the...
1243
00:50:48,003 --> 00:50:50,422
the test of if I love it or not.
1244
00:50:50,422 --> 00:50:54,718
[Michael] I remember
one experience in the studio,
1245
00:50:54,718 --> 00:50:57,054
Rod Temperton,
one of the writers on the album,
1246
00:50:57,054 --> 00:50:59,765
and he said, "Michael,
if you only had three hits
1247
00:50:59,765 --> 00:51:02,559
off this album,
would you not be happy?"
1248
00:51:02,559 --> 00:51:04,227
I said, "I'd be very angry."
1249
00:51:04,227 --> 00:51:06,021
And they all started laughing.
1250
00:51:06,021 --> 00:51:09,816
I said, "I expect eight hits
off of this album.
1251
00:51:09,816 --> 00:51:11,276
Nine, all of 'em."
1252
00:51:11,276 --> 00:51:13,904
[Michael Jackson's
"Human Nature" playing]
1253
00:51:13,904 --> 00:51:15,280
That is how I am. I'm sorry.
1254
00:51:15,280 --> 00:51:18,158
And my attitude was always
reaching out for more.
1255
00:51:18,158 --> 00:51:19,951
Never being satisfied.
1256
00:51:19,951 --> 00:51:24,372
And right at this very moment,
I'm on my fifth hit record.
1257
00:51:24,873 --> 00:51:27,292
Five. "Human Nature"
is number ten.
1258
00:51:27,292 --> 00:51:31,129
And I've broken a record that
has never been done before--
1259
00:51:31,129 --> 00:51:32,589
five hit songs for one album.
1260
00:51:32,589 --> 00:51:37,677
Always reaching out for more,
striving for excellence.
1261
00:51:40,639 --> 00:51:42,933
[Ray]
It's so engaging
1262
00:51:42,933 --> 00:51:44,893
because the idea
1263
00:51:44,893 --> 00:51:46,436
was to have something
for everyone.
1264
00:51:46,436 --> 00:51:49,064
There was a song that I didn't
really know too much about
1265
00:51:49,064 --> 00:51:50,315
that was called "Starlight,"
1266
00:51:50,315 --> 00:51:52,818
and it was a disco song
that Rod Temperton wrote.
1267
00:51:52,818 --> 00:51:56,822
You know,
so it really evolved from
1268
00:51:56,822 --> 00:52:00,408
this click here at 1:18.
1269
00:52:00,408 --> 00:52:03,328
And so, okay, we lay the click
down, and the idea was:
1270
00:52:03,328 --> 00:52:05,372
"Let's put it...
let's put a new version down.
1271
00:52:05,372 --> 00:52:07,749
Let's put some tracks down
and see where it goes."
1272
00:52:07,749 --> 00:52:09,960
So we-we started
with this drumbeat.
1273
00:52:09,960 --> 00:52:11,253
[synthesized drumbeat playing]
1274
00:52:11,253 --> 00:52:14,673
Four on the floor,
kind of dance song.
1275
00:52:15,132 --> 00:52:18,051
And then... backbeat.
1276
00:52:18,051 --> 00:52:21,012
[drumbeat continues]
1277
00:52:21,012 --> 00:52:22,806
Claps on the four.
1278
00:52:22,806 --> 00:52:26,226
[synthesized handclaps
add to the beat]
1279
00:52:26,226 --> 00:52:29,688
And then the hi-hat part
was like this.
1280
00:52:30,564 --> 00:52:32,524
Five, six, seven, eight.
1281
00:52:32,524 --> 00:52:34,860
[drumbeat continues]
1282
00:52:36,236 --> 00:52:38,697
And then open hat.
1283
00:52:40,490 --> 00:52:42,200
There we go.
1284
00:52:42,200 --> 00:52:44,661
And then the cowbell.
1285
00:52:52,836 --> 00:52:54,087
Here we go.
1286
00:52:54,087 --> 00:52:56,506
So, another thing
about Michael and Quincy
1287
00:52:56,506 --> 00:52:57,465
is they like kind of like
1288
00:52:57,465 --> 00:52:59,718
a little bit of a feel
to the music.
1289
00:52:59,718 --> 00:53:01,386
So, this is straight time.
1290
00:53:01,386 --> 00:53:04,431
And then we add
a little bit of shuffle to it
1291
00:53:04,431 --> 00:53:08,518
so it just kind of pushes it
a little bit like that.
1292
00:53:08,518 --> 00:53:09,603
So it's in.
1293
00:53:09,603 --> 00:53:14,316
And then the bass line
ended up being kind of like a...
1294
00:53:14,316 --> 00:53:16,193
something I never
would have expected,
1295
00:53:16,193 --> 00:53:18,904
like a little bit
of a Latin rhythm, like...
1296
00:53:18,904 --> 00:53:21,698
[imitating drum and bass beat]
1297
00:53:22,449 --> 00:53:25,160
Which sounded like
a conga line to me, but...
1298
00:53:25,160 --> 00:53:28,330
[playing synthesized bass line]
1299
00:53:28,330 --> 00:53:30,457
And there was the-the opening.
1300
00:53:30,457 --> 00:53:34,252
[playing "Thriller"
synthesizer melody]
1301
00:53:34,252 --> 00:53:37,505
♪ "Thriller"
by Michael Jackson ♪
1302
00:53:37,505 --> 00:53:40,217
♪
1303
00:53:40,217 --> 00:53:41,801
[wolf howling]
1304
00:53:41,801 --> 00:53:43,678
[Phillinganes] Just layering
all the parts to "Thriller"
1305
00:53:43,678 --> 00:53:47,599
was one of the most fun sessions
I've ever done in my life.
1306
00:53:48,141 --> 00:53:50,143
[Yetnikoff]
At 24, Michael had become more
1307
00:53:50,143 --> 00:53:53,146
than a master singer,
dancer, songwriter.
1308
00:53:53,146 --> 00:53:56,066
He was a super salesman
of his own mystique.
1309
00:53:56,066 --> 00:53:59,319
Michael's passion for
world conquest was singular.
1310
00:53:59,319 --> 00:54:03,448
He lived, breathed, slept,
dreamt and spoke
1311
00:54:03,448 --> 00:54:06,618
of nothing but
number one successes.
1312
00:54:07,702 --> 00:54:09,454
Thriller stayed number one
for months.
1313
00:54:09,454 --> 00:54:13,416
In the long period of its
unprecedented success, however,
1314
00:54:13,416 --> 00:54:17,003
when it occasionally fell to
second place for a week or two,
1315
00:54:17,003 --> 00:54:18,838
Michael panicked.
1316
00:54:18,838 --> 00:54:20,465
Hysterical, he'd berate me
1317
00:54:20,465 --> 00:54:23,009
for failing to pump up
the promotion.
1318
00:54:23,009 --> 00:54:24,803
"I'm pumping, Michael," I'd say.
1319
00:54:24,803 --> 00:54:26,596
"I promise you I'm pumping."
1320
00:54:26,596 --> 00:54:28,098
And I was.
1321
00:54:28,640 --> 00:54:30,433
[Ivory]
After Thriller had sold
1322
00:54:30,433 --> 00:54:32,894
about three or four million copies,
1323
00:54:32,894 --> 00:54:34,646
I got a call about 12 noon.
1324
00:54:34,646 --> 00:54:37,107
On the phone was
the record company saying,
1325
00:54:37,107 --> 00:54:38,692
"Hey, listen,
if you're not busy,
1326
00:54:38,692 --> 00:54:41,486
we need you
to get over here right now."
1327
00:54:41,486 --> 00:54:45,198
Michael was going to be
presented a-a plaque
1328
00:54:45,198 --> 00:54:47,367
for the-the Thriller record.
1329
00:54:47,367 --> 00:54:50,662
And we were wondering,
why were we waiting?
1330
00:54:51,204 --> 00:54:53,623
In came Jane Fonda.
1331
00:54:53,623 --> 00:54:55,166
Jane?
1332
00:54:55,166 --> 00:54:57,669
[applause]
1333
00:54:59,587 --> 00:55:01,631
I love Michael,
and I admire him.
1334
00:55:01,631 --> 00:55:04,050
He's the only person I know
that writes music
1335
00:55:04,050 --> 00:55:06,094
that you can dream to
and dance to
1336
00:55:06,094 --> 00:55:07,721
and love to and work out to.
1337
00:55:07,721 --> 00:55:09,097
And I do all of 'em to it.
1338
00:55:09,097 --> 00:55:11,349
- Come here, Michael.
- [applause]
1339
00:55:11,349 --> 00:55:12,934
[Ivory]
In retrospect, I know
1340
00:55:12,934 --> 00:55:15,478
exactly what he was doing.
1341
00:55:16,062 --> 00:55:17,939
He understood
the importance of having
1342
00:55:17,939 --> 00:55:22,027
a big white star
giving him this plaque.
1343
00:55:22,027 --> 00:55:25,405
Uh, Michael has a number one
single on the pop charts,
1344
00:55:25,405 --> 00:55:27,615
number one album
on the pop charts,
1345
00:55:27,615 --> 00:55:30,994
number one single
on the R and B charts,
1346
00:55:30,994 --> 00:55:33,413
number one album on
the R and B charts.
1347
00:55:33,413 --> 00:55:35,040
And I think that starts...
1348
00:55:35,040 --> 00:55:37,042
that's sort of
an historic record.
1349
00:55:37,042 --> 00:55:38,960
[Maxwell]
But I don't think we understood
1350
00:55:38,960 --> 00:55:40,503
where it was gonna go until
1351
00:55:40,503 --> 00:55:42,839
the "Thriller" video came out.
1352
00:55:42,839 --> 00:55:44,799
♪ suspenseful orchestral music ♪
1353
00:55:44,799 --> 00:55:46,509
♪
1354
00:55:47,010 --> 00:55:48,428
[Branca]
As far as the record company
1355
00:55:48,428 --> 00:55:50,764
was concerned,
the album cycle was done.
1356
00:55:50,764 --> 00:55:52,599
They were thrilled
with whatever it sold,
1357
00:55:52,599 --> 00:55:56,019
and Michael said, "No, no,
we're gonna... we got more."
1358
00:55:56,019 --> 00:55:58,229
"Thriller,"
of all the songs on the album,
1359
00:55:58,229 --> 00:56:02,442
uh, seems like you can do
much more video-wise--
1360
00:56:02,442 --> 00:56:05,236
no, movie-wise--
than any of the songs
1361
00:56:05,236 --> 00:56:07,447
'cause of the story
and all the visuals
1362
00:56:07,447 --> 00:56:09,824
and monsters and stuff.
1363
00:56:09,824 --> 00:56:11,451
And so I came up with an idea
1364
00:56:11,451 --> 00:56:14,204
of thinking that
I really want to change,
1365
00:56:14,204 --> 00:56:17,749
metamorphosis
into some other creature.
1366
00:56:17,749 --> 00:56:21,086
I... and I-I saw
American Werewolf In London.
1367
00:56:21,086 --> 00:56:23,129
I really liked it.
1368
00:56:23,129 --> 00:56:25,799
And-and I said,
"Who's the director who did it?"
1369
00:56:25,799 --> 00:56:27,384
And they said,
"John Landis, John Landis."
1370
00:56:27,384 --> 00:56:29,386
I said, "Great.
That's who we got to get."
1371
00:56:29,386 --> 00:56:31,596
So I said,
"Get in touch with him."
1372
00:56:32,138 --> 00:56:34,099
[John Landis]
So I get this call, and he says,
1373
00:56:34,099 --> 00:56:36,643
"Michael Jackson,"
and I really thought...
1374
00:56:37,143 --> 00:56:39,229
"Little Michael Jackson
of The Jackson 5?"
1375
00:56:39,229 --> 00:56:41,189
I mean, I thought,
"He's a kid," you know?
1376
00:56:41,189 --> 00:56:43,441
And he told me
he had a song, "Thriller,"
1377
00:56:43,441 --> 00:56:45,443
and he wanted me
to make a video.
1378
00:56:45,443 --> 00:56:46,653
And I said, "Why?"
1379
00:56:46,653 --> 00:56:48,738
His brother showed him
on the bus
1380
00:56:48,738 --> 00:56:51,741
the tape of American Werewolf,
I think to scare him,
1381
00:56:51,741 --> 00:56:53,618
but he loved
American Werewolf in London.
1382
00:56:53,618 --> 00:56:57,956
And he was obviously fascinated
with Rick Baker's work.
1383
00:56:57,956 --> 00:57:00,458
[roaring]
1384
00:57:01,126 --> 00:57:03,086
And so he called me and said,
1385
00:57:03,086 --> 00:57:05,088
"I want to turn into a monster.
Will you do it?"
1386
00:57:05,088 --> 00:57:07,632
And the record label
wouldn't pay for it.
1387
00:57:07,632 --> 00:57:09,676
And, uh... and we talked,
and I said,
1388
00:57:09,676 --> 00:57:11,719
"Michael, you know,
you shouldn't pay for this.
1389
00:57:11,719 --> 00:57:14,389
You shouldn't
pay for it yourself."
1390
00:57:14,389 --> 00:57:16,391
And he said,
"Branca, figure it out."
1391
00:57:16,391 --> 00:57:18,393
Nobody wanted him to do this.
1392
00:57:18,393 --> 00:57:20,728
This was entirely his own thing.
1393
00:57:20,728 --> 00:57:24,607
And everybody else-- his people
and the record company--
1394
00:57:24,607 --> 00:57:28,570
said, "Next album. Let's...
We've already... Michael, hello.
1395
00:57:28,570 --> 00:57:32,115
It's the most successful album
of all time. We want..."
1396
00:57:32,115 --> 00:57:35,243
So they thought
"Thriller" was outrageous.
1397
00:57:35,243 --> 00:57:37,662
[George] Its budget was
$1.2 million dollars.
1398
00:57:37,662 --> 00:57:40,248
That's at a time when
the average music video budget
1399
00:57:40,248 --> 00:57:41,791
was only $50,000 dollars.
1400
00:57:41,791 --> 00:57:45,086
So I went... I went back to
the office and thought about it.
1401
00:57:45,086 --> 00:57:47,922
And I thought up this idea
of a making-of.
1402
00:57:47,922 --> 00:57:49,382
Went to MTV and Showtime,
1403
00:57:49,382 --> 00:57:51,885
and-and Michael was
the biggest thing on the planet.
1404
00:57:51,885 --> 00:57:53,052
And I said, "We'll give you
1405
00:57:53,052 --> 00:57:54,846
a making of
Michael's next video.
1406
00:57:54,846 --> 00:57:56,181
We need a million two."
1407
00:57:56,181 --> 00:57:59,100
And they came back,
and they said yes.
1408
00:57:59,100 --> 00:58:00,435
[Michael]
We're trying to bring back
1409
00:58:00,435 --> 00:58:01,853
the motion picture shorts,
1410
00:58:01,853 --> 00:58:04,981
which we will do with, uh...
with "Thriller."
1411
00:58:04,981 --> 00:58:06,983
A lot of the videos--
I hate to use the word "video"
1412
00:58:06,983 --> 00:58:09,611
'cause I like to think of it
as a film, which it is--
1413
00:58:09,611 --> 00:58:13,615
we're doing a short film--
a lot of 'em are so terrible.
1414
00:58:13,615 --> 00:58:16,242
And I wanted "Thriller"
and "Beat It" to be a stimulant
1415
00:58:16,242 --> 00:58:19,746
for people to make
better videos or short films.
1416
00:58:19,746 --> 00:58:24,292
I really did, 'cause, I mean,
I love MTV, watching it.
1417
00:58:24,292 --> 00:58:25,710
You know, I think it's great,
1418
00:58:25,710 --> 00:58:28,588
but a lot of stuff I see,
I'm not so crazy about.
1419
00:58:28,588 --> 00:58:30,590
[Landis]
He wanted to turn into a...
1420
00:58:30,590 --> 00:58:31,799
at first, a-a wolf man,
1421
00:58:31,799 --> 00:58:36,429
like the werewolf
in American Werewolf.
1422
00:58:36,429 --> 00:58:37,722
[growling]
1423
00:58:37,722 --> 00:58:41,726
His desire was
to turn into a monster
1424
00:58:41,726 --> 00:58:43,186
on camera.
1425
00:58:43,186 --> 00:58:45,522
We had the character turn into
1426
00:58:45,522 --> 00:58:48,942
a four-legged hound
from hell, a...
1427
00:58:48,942 --> 00:58:50,610
you know, a beast.
1428
00:58:50,610 --> 00:58:53,821
And Michael wanted to do that,
and I told him,
1429
00:58:53,821 --> 00:58:55,990
"Michael, it would be
so difficult
1430
00:58:55,990 --> 00:58:57,367
for you to dance with four legs,
1431
00:58:57,367 --> 00:58:59,911
you know,
and for the puppeteers.
1432
00:58:59,911 --> 00:59:00,620
No."
1433
00:59:00,620 --> 00:59:02,330
So then it was gonna be
1434
00:59:02,330 --> 00:59:04,874
more of a traditional
wolf man character.
1435
00:59:04,874 --> 00:59:09,254
And Rick Baker did the first
design, and it was great
1436
00:59:09,254 --> 00:59:12,257
but truly terrifying.
1437
00:59:12,257 --> 00:59:14,425
And I said,
"Aah! Whatever we have him
1438
00:59:14,425 --> 00:59:17,011
turn into,
he's got to be attractive."
1439
00:59:17,011 --> 00:59:19,639
Scary but...
1440
00:59:19,639 --> 00:59:22,350
kind of cool and elegant,
you know?
1441
00:59:22,350 --> 00:59:26,729
So his second design,
he made him that "were-cat,"
1442
00:59:26,729 --> 00:59:29,899
and it's a much more graceful design.
1443
00:59:29,899 --> 00:59:31,526
Are you all right?
1444
00:59:31,526 --> 00:59:34,112
- Go away!
- [screams]
1445
00:59:34,112 --> 00:59:35,697
[roaring]
1446
00:59:35,697 --> 00:59:38,408
♪ "Thriller"
by Michael Jackson ♪
1447
00:59:38,408 --> 00:59:39,951
♪
1448
00:59:39,951 --> 00:59:42,036
[Deborah Nadoolman Landis]
Michael Jackson was
1449
00:59:42,036 --> 00:59:43,454
a very slight person.
1450
00:59:43,454 --> 00:59:46,457
99 pounds soaking wet.
1451
00:59:46,457 --> 00:59:50,461
So, how do you develop
a presence on screen?
1452
00:59:50,461 --> 00:59:51,671
For "Thriller,"
1453
00:59:51,671 --> 00:59:53,423
you know, it was supposed to be
1454
00:59:53,423 --> 00:59:56,009
a satire of
a teenage horror film,
1455
00:59:56,009 --> 00:59:57,427
so he's in a letterman's jacket.
1456
00:59:57,427 --> 01:00:01,389
And then, with his red jacket
for that theater,
1457
01:00:01,389 --> 01:00:05,184
I was trying to create
a silhouette that was
1458
01:00:05,184 --> 01:00:09,856
sexy, masculine, impressive,
1459
01:00:09,856 --> 01:00:15,653
and... and gave him
weight on screen.
1460
01:00:16,404 --> 01:00:19,198
[John Landis]
So, with Michael's fascination
1461
01:00:19,198 --> 01:00:23,202
with monsters, I said, "Well,
you'll become two monsters.
1462
01:00:23,202 --> 01:00:24,662
You'll become a werewolf,"
1463
01:00:24,662 --> 01:00:28,875
and then when we decided
on dancing zombies, a zombie.
1464
01:00:28,875 --> 01:00:30,543
Doesn't make sense,
but who cares?
1465
01:00:30,543 --> 01:00:32,712
You know, it's a fantasy.
1466
01:00:33,504 --> 01:00:36,674
And he really enjoyed
the process of the makeup,
1467
01:00:36,674 --> 01:00:39,677
and he really enjoyed
wearing the makeup.
1468
01:00:39,677 --> 01:00:42,597
Most actors hate it,
and he loved it.
1469
01:00:42,597 --> 01:00:44,599
He's so dynamic, Mike,
1470
01:00:44,599 --> 01:00:46,768
and he has such power
and such charm.
1471
01:00:46,768 --> 01:00:50,563
As I had seen it,
just looking at, you know,
1472
01:00:50,563 --> 01:00:53,274
"Can You Feel It"
and everything I saw,
1473
01:00:53,274 --> 01:00:57,320
it's like,
"Why isn't he being sexual?"
1474
01:00:57,320 --> 01:00:59,656
I mean, he's a rock star.
1475
01:00:59,656 --> 01:01:03,159
So one of the first things
for me was
1476
01:01:03,159 --> 01:01:07,455
I wanted a girl to make him sexy
1477
01:01:07,455 --> 01:01:09,332
and to also...
1478
01:01:09,332 --> 01:01:13,378
to be gaga in love with him.
1479
01:01:13,378 --> 01:01:15,838
The big eyes, you know.
1480
01:01:15,838 --> 01:01:19,676
And I saw
over a hundred actresses
1481
01:01:19,676 --> 01:01:21,719
and dancers
and all kinds of people.
1482
01:01:21,719 --> 01:01:23,304
And when Ola came in,
1483
01:01:23,304 --> 01:01:26,182
one, she was desperate, desperate
1484
01:01:26,182 --> 01:01:29,644
to be with Michael Jackson,
and she was adorable.
1485
01:01:29,644 --> 01:01:32,522
[Ola Ray] Michael Jackson
isn't Michael Jackson
1486
01:01:32,522 --> 01:01:34,399
as a werewolf.
1487
01:01:34,399 --> 01:01:36,984
Michael Jackson is
1488
01:01:36,984 --> 01:01:39,987
another person totally
with the mask.
1489
01:01:39,987 --> 01:01:42,907
And I like, you know,
when he's so shy.
1490
01:01:42,907 --> 01:01:44,826
I have something
I want to tell you.
1491
01:01:44,826 --> 01:01:46,619
[John Landis]
The only time I really
1492
01:01:46,619 --> 01:01:49,080
explained something to him,
I said, "You know, Michael,
1493
01:01:49,080 --> 01:01:53,251
I want you to know when you say,
'I'm not like other guys'..."
1494
01:01:53,251 --> 01:01:55,378
I'm not like other guys.
1495
01:01:55,378 --> 01:01:57,338
"...it will get a laugh."
1496
01:01:57,922 --> 01:02:00,633
And he was clueless. He said,
"Why would this get a laugh?"
1497
01:02:00,633 --> 01:02:02,844
I said, "Because you're not
like other guys."
1498
01:02:02,844 --> 01:02:05,805
But at least he was prepared,
'cause it got a huge laugh
1499
01:02:05,805 --> 01:02:09,100
and, uh...
and so he was in on it.
1500
01:02:09,100 --> 01:02:12,311
You know, I think he would have
been terribly upset otherwise.
1501
01:02:12,311 --> 01:02:14,605
[Rich]
From the beginning of the film,
1502
01:02:14,605 --> 01:02:17,108
going to the theater,
1503
01:02:17,108 --> 01:02:19,193
then you're walking out,
and then Michael has
1504
01:02:19,193 --> 01:02:20,403
that cat-and-mouse sort of, uh,
1505
01:02:20,403 --> 01:02:22,280
walk that he's doing
with Ola Ray.
1506
01:02:22,280 --> 01:02:26,617
That's like an ode back to, uh,
classic, uh, musicals, right?
1507
01:02:26,617 --> 01:02:27,910
The cat-and-mouse chase.
1508
01:02:27,910 --> 01:02:29,787
Right?
Th-Then, you know, the-the man
1509
01:02:29,787 --> 01:02:31,581
playing up
to the woman and all that.
1510
01:02:31,581 --> 01:02:33,124
[John Landis]
And it's a dolly shot.
1511
01:02:33,124 --> 01:02:37,044
And I said, "Mike,
here's what we're gonna do.
1512
01:02:37,044 --> 01:02:40,173
As long as Ola
could keep the beat,
1513
01:02:40,173 --> 01:02:41,841
you do those lyrics,
1514
01:02:41,841 --> 01:02:45,094
you can never be more than
this many feet away from her."
1515
01:02:45,094 --> 01:02:47,430
[Deborah Nadoolman Landis]
The big difference between
1516
01:02:47,430 --> 01:02:50,683
a costume designer
and a fashion designer is,
1517
01:02:50,683 --> 01:02:53,895
for us, it's all about
dramatic context.
1518
01:02:53,895 --> 01:02:55,563
So, where are they gonna be?
1519
01:02:55,563 --> 01:02:58,691
They're gonna be in an alley
and a movie theater.
1520
01:02:58,691 --> 01:02:59,984
And what are they doing?
1521
01:02:59,984 --> 01:03:02,779
They're on a date,
and Michael is gonna
1522
01:03:02,779 --> 01:03:05,865
be playful and be seductive.
1523
01:03:05,865 --> 01:03:07,658
She's dressed in blue.
1524
01:03:07,658 --> 01:03:08,910
She's cool.
1525
01:03:08,910 --> 01:03:11,871
She's relaxed. She's in jeans.
1526
01:03:11,871 --> 01:03:14,791
They did have
a leopard print on them,
1527
01:03:14,791 --> 01:03:17,919
but, you know, tight jeans,
little jacket.
1528
01:03:17,919 --> 01:03:19,587
She couldn't have been cuter.
1529
01:03:19,587 --> 01:03:21,506
I think, to the audience,
1530
01:03:21,506 --> 01:03:24,300
with what she's wearing
and her attitude,
1531
01:03:24,300 --> 01:03:26,928
she's sending off
every good vibe.
1532
01:03:26,928 --> 01:03:29,639
And I'll say,
"Okay, well, that was fine.
1533
01:03:29,639 --> 01:03:31,390
I don't want fine.
1534
01:03:31,390 --> 01:03:33,810
You're Michael Jackson,
1535
01:03:33,810 --> 01:03:36,771
so it has to be great.
1536
01:03:36,771 --> 01:03:38,648
Because if you can't be great,
1537
01:03:38,648 --> 01:03:40,817
why the fuck do I have
Michael Jackson here?"
1538
01:03:40,817 --> 01:03:43,528
So he goes, "Okay, John."
1539
01:03:43,528 --> 01:03:44,904
And he did the next take.
1540
01:03:44,904 --> 01:03:47,031
He was great!
[laughs] You know?
1541
01:03:47,031 --> 01:03:52,411
♪ For you and I to cuddle
close together, yeah ♪
1542
01:03:52,411 --> 01:03:54,705
♪ All through the night ♪
1543
01:03:54,705 --> 01:03:57,792
♪ I'll save you from
the terror on the screen ♪
1544
01:03:57,792 --> 01:03:59,335
♪ I'll make you see... ♪
1545
01:03:59,335 --> 01:04:02,004
[John Landis] Michael Peters
and Michael Jackson
1546
01:04:02,004 --> 01:04:03,840
came up with the choreography,
1547
01:04:03,840 --> 01:04:05,800
and it's fascinating choreography
1548
01:04:05,800 --> 01:04:08,761
because the dancers were allowed
1549
01:04:08,761 --> 01:04:11,722
more rehearsal than usual.
1550
01:04:11,722 --> 01:04:13,474
At that point already,
1551
01:04:13,474 --> 01:04:16,811
Michael had established
certain moves,
1552
01:04:16,811 --> 01:04:21,274
so my first instruction
to Michael Peters was spooky,
1553
01:04:21,274 --> 01:04:23,609
and the second one was:
1554
01:04:23,609 --> 01:04:25,862
"I don't want any Michael move."
1555
01:04:25,862 --> 01:04:28,948
♪ suspenseful orchestral music ♪
1556
01:04:28,948 --> 01:04:31,367
♪ "Thriller"
by Michael Jackson ♪
1557
01:04:31,367 --> 01:04:33,911
♪
1558
01:04:43,462 --> 01:04:45,423
[Rich]
And they go into this
1559
01:04:45,423 --> 01:04:46,757
popping routine, right?
1560
01:04:46,757 --> 01:04:49,802
This goes back to the whole
thing of where Michael Jackson
1561
01:04:49,802 --> 01:04:52,889
crosses the technique
and the street world, right?
1562
01:04:52,889 --> 01:04:55,349
♪
1563
01:04:55,349 --> 01:04:59,812
And he was so inspired by
popping and waving and all that
1564
01:04:59,812 --> 01:05:02,773
so that he had to put them
in the film.
1565
01:05:02,773 --> 01:05:04,859
How would a zombie dance?
1566
01:05:04,859 --> 01:05:07,153
And then looking at it,
and it was...
1567
01:05:07,153 --> 01:05:08,946
it just made
a lot of sense to me
1568
01:05:08,946 --> 01:05:12,658
that they weren't just locking
or they just weren't popping
1569
01:05:12,658 --> 01:05:15,661
or they just weren't
doing jazz dance.
1570
01:05:15,661 --> 01:05:19,790
The angles,
the lines were all...
1571
01:05:19,790 --> 01:05:22,293
demented and crooked, and it...
1572
01:05:22,293 --> 01:05:24,962
I'd just never seen
anything like that before.
1573
01:05:24,962 --> 01:05:27,798
♪ 'Cause this is thriller ♪
1574
01:05:27,798 --> 01:05:29,342
♪ Thriller night... ♪
1575
01:05:29,342 --> 01:05:31,260
[Deborah Nadoolman Landis]
On those zombies,
1576
01:05:31,260 --> 01:05:33,012
those costumes
were just made of rags.
1577
01:05:33,012 --> 01:05:38,100
We call it aging,
distressing and dying.
1578
01:05:38,100 --> 01:05:40,519
Then, of course,
Rick Baker's work
1579
01:05:40,519 --> 01:05:43,940
was just masterful on everybody.
1580
01:05:43,940 --> 01:05:45,900
♪ Thriller night ♪
1581
01:05:45,900 --> 01:05:47,360
♪ 'Cause I can thrill you more ♪
1582
01:05:47,360 --> 01:05:51,155
♪ Than any ghoul
would ever dare try ♪
1583
01:05:58,663 --> 01:06:01,832
This is a song about
watching a movie.
1584
01:06:01,832 --> 01:06:04,126
Yo. A Blockbuster night.
1585
01:06:04,126 --> 01:06:05,795
[laughs]
He made a whole movie.
1586
01:06:05,795 --> 01:06:07,171
He entertained us.
1587
01:06:07,171 --> 01:06:09,173
He gave us R and B,
he gave us horror,
1588
01:06:09,173 --> 01:06:12,468
he gave us sci-fi, but
he gave it all to us in music.
1589
01:06:12,468 --> 01:06:14,011
He-he was just a-amazing.
1590
01:06:14,011 --> 01:06:16,013
[John Landis]
After the video came out,
1591
01:06:16,013 --> 01:06:17,848
it tripled its sales.
1592
01:06:17,848 --> 01:06:19,725
They sold six million of these.
1593
01:06:19,725 --> 01:06:21,894
This made MTV a powerhouse
1594
01:06:21,894 --> 01:06:25,398
and then created this whole
rock video business.
1595
01:06:25,398 --> 01:06:26,816
It was extraordinary.
1596
01:06:26,816 --> 01:06:28,693
[Deborah Nadoolman Landis]
And it's that moment when
1597
01:06:28,693 --> 01:06:30,903
the audience falls
madly in love,
1598
01:06:30,903 --> 01:06:33,781
that the audience
creates the icons.
1599
01:06:33,781 --> 01:06:35,533
[Branca]
He could write the songs.
1600
01:06:35,533 --> 01:06:36,909
He could produce them.
1601
01:06:36,909 --> 01:06:38,411
He could sing them.
1602
01:06:38,411 --> 01:06:39,787
He could perform like no other.
1603
01:06:39,787 --> 01:06:41,789
And he also was a fashion icon.
1604
01:06:41,789 --> 01:06:44,291
I've seen little tiny kids
in red jackets.
1605
01:06:44,291 --> 01:06:46,711
I've seen old grandpas
in red jackets.
1606
01:06:46,711 --> 01:06:48,337
I've seen girls in red jackets.
1607
01:06:48,337 --> 01:06:51,048
I've seen everybody
wearing that jacket.
1608
01:06:51,048 --> 01:06:52,842
It was huge worldwide.
1609
01:06:52,842 --> 01:06:55,511
They were buying the leather
jackets that Michael...
1610
01:06:55,511 --> 01:06:56,929
They were buying everything.
1611
01:06:56,929 --> 01:06:59,515
They were buying Michael Jackson
posters, calendars.
1612
01:06:59,515 --> 01:07:02,268
♪ Looks so much like Michael
from head to toe ♪
1613
01:07:02,268 --> 01:07:04,770
♪ Put the mic in his hand
and he'll steal the show ♪
1614
01:07:04,770 --> 01:07:06,689
[all]
I love you, Michael Jackson.
1615
01:07:06,689 --> 01:07:08,441
[crowd chanting]
Michael Jackson!
1616
01:07:08,441 --> 01:07:10,609
[woman] Anything with
Michael Jackson on it
1617
01:07:10,609 --> 01:07:11,986
does continue to sell.
1618
01:07:11,986 --> 01:07:13,779
[man] I work in a record store,
and it still
1619
01:07:13,779 --> 01:07:15,781
just flies out of the store
every week.
1620
01:07:15,781 --> 01:07:17,199
And we're talking about a record
1621
01:07:17,199 --> 01:07:19,869
that's a year and a half,
almost two years old,
1622
01:07:19,869 --> 01:07:21,996
and people are still
freaking out about it.
1623
01:07:21,996 --> 01:07:23,789
[reporter] There have
always been fan clubs,
1624
01:07:23,789 --> 01:07:25,416
Michael's fans
more passionate than most.
1625
01:07:25,416 --> 01:07:28,669
This club calls itself
the P.Y.T.'s.
1626
01:07:28,669 --> 01:07:31,756
We love you!
We love you, Michael!
1627
01:07:31,756 --> 01:07:33,841
And if nothing else,
"Thriller" was always
1628
01:07:33,841 --> 01:07:35,801
gonna be played
in the month of October.
1629
01:07:35,801 --> 01:07:38,345
Like, there's this big thing
in Mexico that happens
1630
01:07:38,345 --> 01:07:41,807
where, I'll tell you, the-the...
every... people fly in for it.
1631
01:07:41,807 --> 01:07:44,769
They're all in their costumes,
and they do
1632
01:07:44,769 --> 01:07:47,229
the "Thriller" dance,
thousands of people.
1633
01:07:47,229 --> 01:07:49,273
And people are still,
you-you know,
1634
01:07:49,273 --> 01:07:51,108
dancing to this song
like it's...
1635
01:07:51,108 --> 01:07:52,902
like it was just done,
like the...
1636
01:07:52,902 --> 01:07:54,945
like the short film
just came out yesterday.
1637
01:07:54,945 --> 01:07:57,698
"Thriller," a long time coming.
1638
01:07:57,698 --> 01:07:59,241
Michael Jackson's "Thriller."
1639
01:07:59,241 --> 01:08:01,619
[George] Probably
the single biggest video
1640
01:08:01,619 --> 01:08:03,037
for MTV ever.
1641
01:08:03,037 --> 01:08:05,081
[Ivory]
After their initial reluctance,
1642
01:08:05,081 --> 01:08:09,460
MTV became a huge supporter
of Michael Jackson,
1643
01:08:09,460 --> 01:08:12,797
especially the "Thriller"
short film.
1644
01:08:12,797 --> 01:08:15,341
They heavily promoted
the premiere.
1645
01:08:15,341 --> 01:08:19,178
At some point, it felt like
the "M" in MTV
1646
01:08:19,178 --> 01:08:21,806
stood for "Michael."
1647
01:08:23,057 --> 01:08:26,102
And everybody was talking about
how they were gonna cut school
1648
01:08:26,102 --> 01:08:28,187
to go home to watch
the "Thriller" video
1649
01:08:28,187 --> 01:08:32,775
because it was a twelve o'clock
world premiere on MTV.
1650
01:08:32,775 --> 01:08:35,152
And he was acting,
he was eating popcorn,
1651
01:08:35,152 --> 01:08:36,862
and then he turned
into a monster.
1652
01:08:36,862 --> 01:08:39,240
There's something about music,
I think, that has...
1653
01:08:39,240 --> 01:08:42,618
that triggers so many different
emotions in people,
1654
01:08:42,618 --> 01:08:45,246
so you're tapping
into all of that
1655
01:08:45,246 --> 01:08:48,290
to a larger and larger
and larger audience,
1656
01:08:48,290 --> 01:08:51,377
and it just exponentially grew.
1657
01:08:52,920 --> 01:08:55,589
[George]
So, the spring of '84,
1658
01:08:55,589 --> 01:08:57,049
the record's already out,
1659
01:08:57,049 --> 01:08:59,760
it's already selling
because Michael's now gone
1660
01:08:59,760 --> 01:09:02,054
from being a pop star
to a phenomenon.
1661
01:09:02,054 --> 01:09:04,223
The Guinness Book of
World Records is giving him
1662
01:09:04,223 --> 01:09:06,392
an award as the biggest-selling
album of all time.
1663
01:09:06,392 --> 01:09:08,060
It's a thriller
of a party tonight
1664
01:09:08,060 --> 01:09:09,979
for Michael Jackson at
the Museum of Natural History.
1665
01:09:09,979 --> 01:09:12,022
That's where Jackson's
being honored
1666
01:09:12,022 --> 01:09:14,316
for his album that's broken
all the records.
1667
01:09:14,316 --> 01:09:16,360
[reporter 2] This was the payoff
for the fans tonight,
1668
01:09:16,360 --> 01:09:19,405
that momentary glimpse
of superstar Michael Jackson
1669
01:09:19,405 --> 01:09:22,116
with his date for the evening,
Brooke Shields.
1670
01:09:22,116 --> 01:09:25,119
[Yetnikoff] Thriller,
with 25 million copies sold,
1671
01:09:25,119 --> 01:09:27,037
was the best-selling album ever.
1672
01:09:27,538 --> 01:09:31,917
Today, we surpassed 25 million
copies for Thriller.
1673
01:09:31,917 --> 01:09:36,172
Michael Jackson, the number one
artist in the world!
1674
01:09:36,172 --> 01:09:38,257
- [crowd cheering]
- Thriller eclipsed them all.
1675
01:09:38,257 --> 01:09:40,551
At one point,
the damn thing was selling
1676
01:09:40,551 --> 01:09:41,635
a million copies a week.
1677
01:09:41,635 --> 01:09:45,014
[George] Michael had become
a global obsession.
1678
01:09:45,014 --> 01:09:47,641
And just think,
you all came to see me.
1679
01:09:47,641 --> 01:09:49,059
[sparse laughter]
1680
01:09:49,059 --> 01:09:53,022
No, I know why you're here,
and with good reason.
1681
01:09:53,022 --> 01:09:55,274
To see one of the most talented,
most popular
1682
01:09:55,274 --> 01:09:59,028
and most exciting superstars
in the music world today,
1683
01:09:59,028 --> 01:10:01,113
Michael Jackson.
1684
01:10:01,113 --> 01:10:03,157
Michael,
welcome to the White House.
1685
01:10:03,157 --> 01:10:04,950
[John Landis]
But being with Michael
1686
01:10:04,950 --> 01:10:06,285
at that moment in time,
1687
01:10:06,285 --> 01:10:10,456
this is... "Thriller" is now
out on television.
1688
01:10:10,456 --> 01:10:13,751
And there was Michael mania,
you know.
1689
01:10:13,751 --> 01:10:15,127
He called me, and he said,
1690
01:10:15,127 --> 01:10:16,712
"Have you ever been
to Disney World?"
1691
01:10:16,712 --> 01:10:19,506
So the park was open, and there
were people walking around.
1692
01:10:19,506 --> 01:10:22,218
Here's Michael,
here's Mickey and me.
1693
01:10:22,218 --> 01:10:26,764
Suddenly, we look around,
1694
01:10:26,764 --> 01:10:29,558
and there are people
1695
01:10:29,558 --> 01:10:34,396
as far as you can see
in every direction--
1696
01:10:34,396 --> 01:10:38,067
behind us,
in front of us, around us--
1697
01:10:38,067 --> 01:10:41,237
and they're getting
more and more hysterical.
1698
01:10:41,237 --> 01:10:43,322
"Michael! Michael!"
1699
01:10:43,322 --> 01:10:47,826
And you see Mickey Mouse
is going like...
1700
01:10:47,826 --> 01:10:48,953
"Holy shit!
1701
01:10:48,953 --> 01:10:51,830
We're never getting out
of this alive!" You know?
1702
01:10:54,291 --> 01:10:55,793
[Branca]
You know, Thriller was
1703
01:10:55,793 --> 01:10:58,337
the biggest album in the world,
Michael was the biggest star,
1704
01:10:58,337 --> 01:11:01,465
and he wanted to go out
and tour Thriller.
1705
01:11:01,465 --> 01:11:04,885
But Joseph--
you know, uh, Mr. Jackson--
1706
01:11:04,885 --> 01:11:07,012
had other ideas.
1707
01:11:07,638 --> 01:11:10,808
He wanted to bring
all the family back together.
1708
01:11:10,808 --> 01:11:12,142
He brought in Don King
1709
01:11:12,142 --> 01:11:13,727
as the recommended promoter
of the tour.
1710
01:11:13,727 --> 01:11:17,064
And he got the brothers
and Mrs. Jackson, Katherine.
1711
01:11:17,064 --> 01:11:19,733
Everybody was all for it.
1712
01:11:20,359 --> 01:11:23,320
Michael was hesitant,
to be honest.
1713
01:11:23,320 --> 01:11:26,031
He felt like he had done
Thriller on his own,
1714
01:11:26,031 --> 01:11:29,285
and he wanted to tour
as a solo artist.
1715
01:11:29,285 --> 01:11:32,329
But he was persuaded
to go along with it.
1716
01:11:34,081 --> 01:11:37,960
[Ivory] This tour is
a bonanza of marketing,
1717
01:11:37,960 --> 01:11:40,296
so everybody wants
to get in on this.
1718
01:11:40,296 --> 01:11:44,133
And Quaker Oats, you know,
they had made a deal.
1719
01:11:44,133 --> 01:11:46,635
They had a tentative deal
with the Jacksons
1720
01:11:46,635 --> 01:11:49,013
to be the sponsors
of this thing.
1721
01:11:49,013 --> 01:11:53,225
And then Don King says, "Listen,
I've already made a deal.
1722
01:11:53,225 --> 01:11:54,643
I made it with Pepsi."
1723
01:11:54,643 --> 01:11:58,188
♪ "Billie Jean" (Pepsi Version)
by Michael Jackson ♪
1724
01:11:58,188 --> 01:12:01,358
♪
1725
01:12:04,486 --> 01:12:06,572
[Branca] Michael was not
into the sponsorship
1726
01:12:06,572 --> 01:12:08,490
'cause he-he said,
"This isn't my thing.
1727
01:12:08,490 --> 01:12:12,494
I don't drink Pepsi.
This is all for my family."
1728
01:12:12,494 --> 01:12:14,747
And Michael did not want
to do the Pepsi deal.
1729
01:12:14,747 --> 01:12:17,249
♪ You're a whole new
generation ♪
1730
01:12:17,249 --> 01:12:19,001
♪ You're loving what they do ♪
1731
01:12:19,001 --> 01:12:21,253
♪ Put a Pepsi into motion ♪
1732
01:12:21,253 --> 01:12:23,422
♪ And that choice is up to you,
hey, hey, hey ♪
1733
01:12:23,422 --> 01:12:25,591
♪ You're the
Pepsi Generation... ♪
1734
01:12:25,591 --> 01:12:28,719
[Branca] 'Cause he said to me,
"Okay, Branca, listen to me.
1735
01:12:28,719 --> 01:12:31,180
I got to do this
'cause my family wants it,
1736
01:12:31,180 --> 01:12:33,140
but you have to write two things
in the contract.
1737
01:12:33,140 --> 01:12:35,976
Number one: I'm never
holding a Pepsi can.
1738
01:12:35,976 --> 01:12:37,353
And number two: I can't be
1739
01:12:37,353 --> 01:12:39,521
on the screen
for more than three seconds."
1740
01:12:39,521 --> 01:12:41,398
So it's in the Pepsi contract,
1741
01:12:41,398 --> 01:12:44,526
no more than three seconds
and never holding a Pepsi can.
1742
01:12:44,526 --> 01:12:46,737
So if you ever watch
that commercial again,
1743
01:12:46,737 --> 01:12:47,946
you'll-you'll see.
1744
01:12:47,946 --> 01:12:49,406
[Ivory]
It's interesting because
1745
01:12:49,406 --> 01:12:53,202
if Don King had not made
the deal with Pepsi,
1746
01:12:53,202 --> 01:12:54,995
Michael's hair wouldn't
have gotten burned.
1747
01:12:54,995 --> 01:12:57,831
I was actually
at the Pepsi commercial,
1748
01:12:57,831 --> 01:13:00,584
and I had an all-access pass.
1749
01:13:00,584 --> 01:13:03,712
When I arrived at
the Shrine Auditorium Downtown,
1750
01:13:03,712 --> 01:13:06,048
Michael and the Jacksons
were onstage
1751
01:13:06,048 --> 01:13:08,801
performing "Billie Jean."
1752
01:13:08,801 --> 01:13:10,219
[cheering]
1753
01:13:10,219 --> 01:13:11,512
The audience had been invited,
1754
01:13:11,512 --> 01:13:13,764
you know,
and they were told to scream
1755
01:13:13,764 --> 01:13:14,765
and the whole thing.
1756
01:13:14,765 --> 01:13:16,850
They didn't have to be
instructed to do that.
1757
01:13:16,850 --> 01:13:18,435
They were crazy about, you know,
1758
01:13:18,435 --> 01:13:20,771
seeing the Jacksons
and Michael there and...
1759
01:13:20,771 --> 01:13:25,859
They did a run-through,
and after they came offstage,
1760
01:13:25,859 --> 01:13:27,736
Michael was just in a great mood
1761
01:13:27,736 --> 01:13:30,697
and he was having fun,
fooling around.
1762
01:13:30,697 --> 01:13:32,491
And then they called them
back out
1763
01:13:32,491 --> 01:13:35,077
and said,
"We're gonna do this again."
1764
01:13:35,077 --> 01:13:37,746
And it went horribly wrong.
1765
01:13:37,746 --> 01:13:41,125
Filming the Pepsi commercial,
there was a big explosion.
1766
01:13:41,125 --> 01:13:45,546
♪ You're the Pepsi Generation ♪
1767
01:13:45,546 --> 01:13:47,047
♪ Guzzle down... ♪
1768
01:13:47,047 --> 01:13:49,091
[Branca]
And it burned Michael's scalp
1769
01:13:49,091 --> 01:13:50,926
very severely.
1770
01:13:50,926 --> 01:13:53,804
[Ivory] The audience
didn't know what was going on.
1771
01:13:53,804 --> 01:13:55,973
And when they took
Michael offstage,
1772
01:13:55,973 --> 01:13:57,433
I went backstage,
1773
01:13:57,433 --> 01:14:00,477
and it was just absolute chaos.
1774
01:14:00,477 --> 01:14:03,188
They put him in a stretcher--
1775
01:14:03,188 --> 01:14:04,940
you know,
an ambulance stretcher--
1776
01:14:04,940 --> 01:14:10,195
and they took him offstage
to a paramedic truck.
1777
01:14:10,195 --> 01:14:14,783
And Michael Jackson
was smart enough...
1778
01:14:14,783 --> 01:14:17,578
- [camera snaps]
- ...to be covered up,
1779
01:14:17,578 --> 01:14:19,746
but he had his glove out.
1780
01:14:19,746 --> 01:14:23,292
That was the photograph
that went around the world
1781
01:14:23,292 --> 01:14:26,753
of him with the glitter glove.
1782
01:14:26,753 --> 01:14:30,299
People were crying,
you know, in the audience.
1783
01:14:30,299 --> 01:14:32,259
And people were running
with the ambulance
1784
01:14:32,259 --> 01:14:33,969
as it was taking him away.
1785
01:14:33,969 --> 01:14:36,388
It was just an incredible thing.
1786
01:14:36,388 --> 01:14:38,474
When I got home,
it was all over the news.
1787
01:14:38,474 --> 01:14:40,559
[reporter] Jackson was rushed
to a hospital last night
1788
01:14:40,559 --> 01:14:42,644
after suffering second-
and third-degree burns.
1789
01:14:42,644 --> 01:14:44,271
[reporter 2]
But his doctor said
1790
01:14:44,271 --> 01:14:45,731
the famous patient
was doing well.
1791
01:14:45,731 --> 01:14:47,774
He slept several hours
last night.
1792
01:14:47,774 --> 01:14:50,777
He was up watching TV
at approximately one o'clock.
1793
01:14:50,777 --> 01:14:53,155
He's comfortable this morning,
although he is continuing
1794
01:14:53,155 --> 01:14:55,073
to have discomfort
in the scalp area.
1795
01:14:55,073 --> 01:14:56,575
[Branca]
People don't realize
1796
01:14:56,575 --> 01:14:59,828
he had to go to emergency
treatment in a burn center,
1797
01:14:59,828 --> 01:15:02,331
and he was troubled by the pain
from that burn
1798
01:15:02,331 --> 01:15:03,790
for the rest of his life,
1799
01:15:03,790 --> 01:15:08,545
which led to pain pills
and whatnot to-to ease the pain.
1800
01:15:09,379 --> 01:15:11,507
[Ivory]
Because he needed painkillers,
1801
01:15:11,507 --> 01:15:14,593
he was in pain,
life couldn't stop.
1802
01:15:14,593 --> 01:15:17,804
He had a book full of things
that he had to do.
1803
01:15:17,804 --> 01:15:21,517
You know, a schedule
that just could not stop.
1804
01:15:21,517 --> 01:15:22,643
The opening of the Victory Tour
1805
01:15:22,643 --> 01:15:24,228
in Kansas City
was a massive event.
1806
01:15:24,228 --> 01:15:27,022
[dramatic,
atmospheric music playing]
1807
01:15:27,022 --> 01:15:29,816
♪
1808
01:15:29,816 --> 01:15:32,903
[crowd cheering]
1809
01:15:35,072 --> 01:15:36,323
It's at Arrowhead Stadium.
1810
01:15:36,323 --> 01:15:38,575
It's a giant football stadium.
1811
01:15:39,451 --> 01:15:41,954
[raucous cheering]
1812
01:15:49,628 --> 01:15:51,547
- I love you, Michael.
- I love you, Michael.
1813
01:15:51,547 --> 01:15:52,714
I love you so much.
1814
01:15:52,714 --> 01:15:55,551
This is gonna be
the best concert of the century.
1815
01:15:55,551 --> 01:15:56,969
- Don't you think?
- Definitely.
1816
01:15:56,969 --> 01:15:59,471
I have to ask Michael Jackson
to marry me today.
1817
01:15:59,471 --> 01:16:02,182
We would do about anything
to see Michael Jackson.
1818
01:16:02,182 --> 01:16:05,519
[dramatic music continues]
1819
01:16:05,519 --> 01:16:07,437
♪
1820
01:16:07,437 --> 01:16:09,940
[cheering continues]
1821
01:16:17,864 --> 01:16:19,783
[reporter] You're looking
at a sneak preview
1822
01:16:19,783 --> 01:16:21,868
of what is perhaps
the most controversial
1823
01:16:21,868 --> 01:16:26,373
rock concert tour in history,
the Jacksons' Victory Tour,
1824
01:16:26,373 --> 01:16:28,542
opening tonight in Kansas City.
1825
01:16:28,542 --> 01:16:32,212
[Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be
Startin' Somethin'" playing]
1826
01:16:32,212 --> 01:16:34,673
♪
1827
01:16:58,530 --> 01:17:00,657
♪ I said you wanna be
startin' somethin' ♪
1828
01:17:00,657 --> 01:17:02,993
♪ You got to be
startin' somethin' ♪
1829
01:17:02,993 --> 01:17:04,828
♪ I said you wanna be
startin' somethin' ♪
1830
01:17:04,828 --> 01:17:06,622
♪ You got to be
startin' somethin' ♪
1831
01:17:06,622 --> 01:17:08,457
- ♪ Too high to get over ♪
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
1832
01:17:08,457 --> 01:17:09,958
♪ Too low to get under ♪
1833
01:17:09,958 --> 01:17:11,835
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ You're stuck in the middle ♪
1834
01:17:11,835 --> 01:17:13,837
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ And the pain is thunder ♪
1835
01:17:13,837 --> 01:17:16,256
- ♪ Too high to get over ♪
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
1836
01:17:16,256 --> 01:17:17,758
♪ Too low to get under ♪
1837
01:17:17,758 --> 01:17:19,635
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ You're stuck in the middle ♪
1838
01:17:19,635 --> 01:17:21,803
- ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
- ♪ And the pain is thunder ♪
1839
01:17:21,803 --> 01:17:23,388
♪ I took my baby to the doctor ♪
1840
01:17:23,388 --> 01:17:25,599
♪ With a fever,
but nothin' he found ♪
1841
01:17:25,599 --> 01:17:27,517
♪ By the time
this hit the street ♪
1842
01:17:27,517 --> 01:17:29,353
♪ They said
she had a breakdown ♪
1843
01:17:29,353 --> 01:17:31,313
♪ Someone's always tryin' ♪
1844
01:17:31,313 --> 01:17:32,898
♪ To start my baby cryin' ♪
1845
01:17:32,898 --> 01:17:34,775
♪ Talkin', squealin', lyin' ♪
1846
01:17:34,775 --> 01:17:36,818
♪ Sayin' you just want to be
startin' somethin' ♪
1847
01:17:36,818 --> 01:17:39,029
♪ I said you wanna be
startin' somethin' ♪
1848
01:17:39,029 --> 01:17:40,864
♪ You got to be
startin' somethin' ♪
1849
01:17:40,864 --> 01:17:42,741
[fading] ♪ I said you wanna
be startin' somethin' ♪
1850
01:17:42,741 --> 01:17:45,661
♪ tense synthesizer tones
fading into drumbeat ♪
1851
01:17:45,661 --> 01:17:48,664
♪ "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"
by Michael Jackson ♪
1852
01:17:48,664 --> 01:17:50,624
♪ Where did you come from,
lady? ♪
1853
01:17:50,624 --> 01:17:52,709
[reporter] The Victory Tour
sold out in Kansas City.
1854
01:17:52,709 --> 01:17:55,504
Then it was on to Dallas, Jacksonville,
1855
01:17:55,504 --> 01:17:58,507
New Jersey, New York
and Knoxville.
1856
01:17:58,507 --> 01:18:00,801
It's currently scheduled
in some 13 cities
1857
01:18:00,801 --> 01:18:02,719
with more sites
yet to be announced.
1858
01:18:02,719 --> 01:18:04,680
Preparations are
well underway tonight
1859
01:18:04,680 --> 01:18:06,556
for the Jacksons'
Victory Tour concert.
1860
01:18:06,556 --> 01:18:08,600
[reporter 2] The Jacksons'
massive stage was beginning
1861
01:18:08,600 --> 01:18:10,602
to take shape
as early as Thursday.
1862
01:18:10,602 --> 01:18:12,145
[reporter 1]
There's not too many places
1863
01:18:12,145 --> 01:18:14,022
that you can stick
a monstrous stage like this.
1864
01:18:14,022 --> 01:18:16,441
Most of the performances,
more than 50 in all,
1865
01:18:16,441 --> 01:18:19,695
will be in stadiums
like the Silverdome.
1866
01:18:19,695 --> 01:18:21,154
♪ Pretty young thing ♪
1867
01:18:21,154 --> 01:18:23,865
- ♪ You need some loving ♪
- ♪ TLC ♪
1868
01:18:23,865 --> 01:18:25,617
♪ Tender lovin' care ♪
1869
01:18:25,617 --> 01:18:28,912
♪ And I'll take you there,
girl ♪
1870
01:18:28,912 --> 01:18:31,707
♪ Ooh-ooh,
I want to love you... ♪
1871
01:18:31,707 --> 01:18:33,542
[George]
The shows of the Victory Tour
1872
01:18:33,542 --> 01:18:35,168
were much more
mainstream America,
1873
01:18:35,168 --> 01:18:39,089
and that was a testament
to how big Michael had become
1874
01:18:39,089 --> 01:18:42,300
and to the penetration
of the album.
1875
01:18:42,300 --> 01:18:43,510
♪ Ow! ♪
1876
01:18:43,510 --> 01:18:45,804
[Michael Jackson's "Beat It"
playing]
1877
01:18:45,804 --> 01:18:47,389
[George]
The irony of Thriller is that
1878
01:18:47,389 --> 01:18:48,765
there was never a tour
solely dedicated
1879
01:18:48,765 --> 01:18:50,851
to the biggest LP of all time.
1880
01:18:50,851 --> 01:18:52,519
The Victory Tour was a mix
1881
01:18:52,519 --> 01:18:55,772
of vintage Jackson family music
and hits from Thriller.
1882
01:18:55,772 --> 01:18:57,482
But it was
the Thriller material
1883
01:18:57,482 --> 01:19:00,026
that turned the crowd out
every night.
1884
01:19:00,026 --> 01:19:01,862
[crowd cheering]
1885
01:19:01,862 --> 01:19:03,822
[Michael Jackson's
"Billie Jean" playing]
1886
01:19:03,822 --> 01:19:06,116
♪ Hee! Hoo! ♪
1887
01:19:06,116 --> 01:19:09,411
♪
1888
01:19:15,333 --> 01:19:17,669
♪ She says I am the one ♪
1889
01:19:17,669 --> 01:19:20,714
♪ But the kid is not my son ♪
1890
01:19:20,714 --> 01:19:24,009
♪ No, no, no ♪
1891
01:19:24,509 --> 01:19:27,679
♪ Billie Jean is not my lover ♪
1892
01:19:27,679 --> 01:19:32,350
♪ She's just a girl who claims
that I am the one ♪
1893
01:19:32,350 --> 01:19:35,979
♪ But the kid is not my son ♪
1894
01:19:37,355 --> 01:19:39,441
♪ She says I am the one ♪
1895
01:19:39,441 --> 01:19:41,943
♪
1896
01:19:52,204 --> 01:19:53,288
♪ Whoo! ♪
1897
01:19:53,288 --> 01:19:55,332
♪ You know you ain't ♪
1898
01:19:55,332 --> 01:19:56,958
♪ Not my lover ♪
1899
01:19:56,958 --> 01:20:00,545
- ♪ You know you can't ♪
- ♪ Not my lover ♪
1900
01:20:00,545 --> 01:20:02,464
♪ Because you are ♪
1901
01:20:02,464 --> 01:20:04,049
♪ Not my lover ♪
1902
01:20:04,049 --> 01:20:06,301
♪ 'Cause you're a silly girl ♪
1903
01:20:06,301 --> 01:20:07,969
♪ Not my lover ♪
1904
01:20:07,969 --> 01:20:11,556
♪ Billie Jean is not my lover ♪
1905
01:20:11,556 --> 01:20:14,976
♪ Billie Jean
is not my lover ♪
1906
01:20:14,976 --> 01:20:18,522
♪ Billie Jean is not my lover ♪
1907
01:20:18,522 --> 01:20:22,275
♪ Billie Jean
is not my lover ♪
1908
01:20:22,275 --> 01:20:26,238
[steady drumbeat playing]
1909
01:20:26,238 --> 01:20:29,324
[crowd cheering]
1910
01:20:38,583 --> 01:20:41,878
♪ Billie Jean is not my lover ♪
1911
01:20:43,046 --> 01:20:46,633
♪ Billie Jean is not my lover ♪
1912
01:20:46,633 --> 01:20:49,761
Michael has been
nominated for 12...
1913
01:20:49,761 --> 01:20:53,640
- 12 1983 Grammy Awards.
- [applause]
1914
01:20:53,640 --> 01:20:55,433
The highest number in history.
1915
01:20:55,433 --> 01:20:58,895
♪ "Don't Stop 'Til You Get
Enough" by Michael Jackson ♪
1916
01:20:58,895 --> 01:21:02,274
[Shields]
So we went to the 1984 Grammys
1917
01:21:02,274 --> 01:21:05,193
at the Shrine Auditorium.
1918
01:21:05,193 --> 01:21:07,279
I didn't get the feeling
he was nervous.
1919
01:21:07,279 --> 01:21:08,738
I actually got the feeling that
1920
01:21:08,738 --> 01:21:10,574
he was excited.
1921
01:21:11,533 --> 01:21:14,911
And I don't think I had any idea
1922
01:21:14,911 --> 01:21:16,621
even the magnitude of it.
1923
01:21:16,621 --> 01:21:19,040
♪ Keep on with the force,
don't stop ♪
1924
01:21:19,040 --> 01:21:21,543
♪ Don't stop till you
get enough, keep on... ♪
1925
01:21:21,543 --> 01:21:23,628
[George]
Michael Jackson was nominated
1926
01:21:23,628 --> 01:21:25,255
for 12 Grammys overall,
1927
01:21:25,255 --> 01:21:29,009
including Album of the Year
and Record of the Year.
1928
01:21:29,009 --> 01:21:32,429
♪ And I feel on fire ♪
1929
01:21:33,471 --> 01:21:36,308
♪ Ain't nothin'... ♪
1930
01:21:36,308 --> 01:21:38,727
[Melissa Manchester]
The Record of the Year is...
1931
01:21:38,727 --> 01:21:40,020
"Beat It," Michael Jackson.
1932
01:21:40,020 --> 01:21:41,730
[Mike Love]
For Album of the Year...
1933
01:21:41,730 --> 01:21:43,189
[Brian Wilson]
The winner is...
1934
01:21:43,189 --> 01:21:45,358
- [laughing, exclaiming]
- Thriller!
1935
01:21:45,358 --> 01:21:47,944
[cheering and applause]
1936
01:21:49,529 --> 01:21:51,573
♪ Sensation ♪
1937
01:21:51,573 --> 01:21:53,116
♪ Oh, sensation ♪
1938
01:21:53,116 --> 01:21:54,701
♪ Lovely where we're at... ♪
1939
01:21:54,701 --> 01:21:58,788
Best Pop Vocal Performance,
Male: Michael Jackson.
1940
01:21:58,788 --> 01:22:01,917
[cheering and applause]
1941
01:22:01,917 --> 01:22:03,710
I made a deal with myself,
if I win more...
1942
01:22:03,710 --> 01:22:05,712
one more award,
which is this award,
1943
01:22:05,712 --> 01:22:07,714
which is seven,
which is a record,
1944
01:22:07,714 --> 01:22:10,175
I would take off my glasses.
1945
01:22:10,175 --> 01:22:11,843
[cheering]
1946
01:22:12,385 --> 01:22:15,305
♪ Ooh, keep on with the force,
don't stop ♪
1947
01:22:15,305 --> 01:22:17,724
♪ Don't stop
till you get enough ♪
1948
01:22:17,724 --> 01:22:20,143
♪ Keep on with the force,
don't stop ♪
1949
01:22:20,143 --> 01:22:21,853
♪ Don't stop
till you get enough ♪
1950
01:22:21,853 --> 01:22:23,939
♪ Keep on with the force,
don't stop... ♪
1951
01:22:23,939 --> 01:22:25,565
[Shields]
He deserved it.
1952
01:22:25,565 --> 01:22:28,193
You know, it was... it was due.
1953
01:22:28,193 --> 01:22:30,654
♪ Don't stop
till you get enough ♪
1954
01:22:30,654 --> 01:22:33,531
♪
1955
01:22:37,160 --> 01:22:38,870
[Yetnikoff]
In February 1984,
1956
01:22:38,870 --> 01:22:42,499
between Michael and Quincy,
Thriller won a dozen Grammys.
1957
01:22:46,211 --> 01:22:47,963
[Michael]
Well, as we know, Thriller is
1958
01:22:47,963 --> 01:22:50,256
a huge, huge success--
the album--
1959
01:22:50,256 --> 01:22:52,217
but, uh...
1960
01:22:52,217 --> 01:22:53,969
the joy of doing
something phenomenal
1961
01:22:53,969 --> 01:22:56,763
'cause everybody waiting
to see the next big,
1962
01:22:56,763 --> 01:22:58,682
you know, Michael Jackson short.
1963
01:22:58,682 --> 01:23:00,809
And I thought "Thriller"
was the perfect vehicle.
1964
01:23:00,809 --> 01:23:02,143
- We're gonna come out.
- No.
1965
01:23:02,143 --> 01:23:03,979
- No one's gonna like it.
- No, no, no, no, no.
1966
01:23:03,979 --> 01:23:05,772
But 40 years from now, Michael--
1967
01:23:05,772 --> 01:23:06,898
My part will be.
1968
01:23:06,898 --> 01:23:09,025
[laughing]
I don't know about you.
1969
01:23:09,025 --> 01:23:10,652
All right, and stop.
1970
01:23:10,652 --> 01:23:12,445
- [crew member] Cut.
- [beep]
1971
01:23:12,445 --> 01:23:14,406
Who's your biggest inspiration?
1972
01:23:14,406 --> 01:23:16,449
Who inspired you the most?
1973
01:23:16,449 --> 01:23:17,575
Michael Jackson.
1974
01:23:17,575 --> 01:23:19,703
[Ronson]
Michael saw that he could
1975
01:23:19,703 --> 01:23:21,371
touch greatness
with Off the Wall,
1976
01:23:21,371 --> 01:23:24,332
knew he was still going
against racist radio
1977
01:23:24,332 --> 01:23:27,210
and people that wanted
to put him in a box.
1978
01:23:27,210 --> 01:23:31,047
But you have to be
so in the rarefied air,
1979
01:23:31,047 --> 01:23:36,011
...0001%, to even be able to,
like, project yourself to that.
1980
01:23:36,011 --> 01:23:38,930
That idea that I can take
1981
01:23:38,930 --> 01:23:41,808
dance music and visuals
1982
01:23:41,808 --> 01:23:43,560
and turn the world on its ear,
1983
01:23:43,560 --> 01:23:47,897
that idea that he crystallized
in "Thriller"-- not going away,
1984
01:23:47,897 --> 01:23:50,525
and I don't think
it's ever gonna go away.
1985
01:23:51,026 --> 01:23:52,402
[Usher]
So, whether it was
1986
01:23:52,402 --> 01:23:55,071
"Human Nature"
and his amazing voice,
1987
01:23:55,071 --> 01:23:57,073
you know, "Beat It"
and looking at
1988
01:23:57,073 --> 01:23:59,701
the references that were there,
because every time
1989
01:23:59,701 --> 01:24:02,704
you saw a video,
you got a new idea of, like,
1990
01:24:02,704 --> 01:24:04,789
who he was as an artist
and what he was selling.
1991
01:24:04,789 --> 01:24:08,126
Right? There was his hair
and his clothing, his wardrobe.
1992
01:24:08,126 --> 01:24:10,962
All of those things
were informing the culture.
1993
01:24:10,962 --> 01:24:13,548
He was establishing
the standard.
1994
01:24:13,548 --> 01:24:15,008
Thriller.
1995
01:24:15,008 --> 01:24:19,554
Man, there has never been
anything like that.
1996
01:24:19,554 --> 01:24:21,765
Michael Jackson's Thriller.
1997
01:24:21,765 --> 01:24:23,767
♪ suspenseful orchestral music ♪
1998
01:24:23,767 --> 01:24:25,602
[screams]
1999
01:24:25,602 --> 01:24:27,604
What's the problem?
2000
01:24:28,688 --> 01:24:31,274
Come on, I'll take you home.
2001
01:24:36,112 --> 01:24:38,615
[evil laughter]
2002
01:24:42,827 --> 01:24:45,497
♪ "Beat It" by Michael Jackson ♪
2003
01:24:57,675 --> 01:25:00,929
♪ They told him, "Don't you
ever come around here ♪
2004
01:25:00,929 --> 01:25:04,140
♪ Don't wanna see your face,
you better disappear" ♪
2005
01:25:04,140 --> 01:25:07,644
♪ The fire's in their eyes and
their words are really clear ♪
2006
01:25:07,644 --> 01:25:11,523
♪ So beat it, just beat it ♪
2007
01:25:11,523 --> 01:25:14,526
♪ You better run,
you better do what you can ♪
2008
01:25:14,526 --> 01:25:18,113
♪ Don't wanna see no blood,
don't be a macho man ♪
2009
01:25:18,113 --> 01:25:21,699
♪ You wanna be tough,
better do what you can ♪
2010
01:25:21,699 --> 01:25:23,243
♪ So beat it ♪
2011
01:25:23,243 --> 01:25:25,036
♪ But you wanna be bad ♪
2012
01:25:25,036 --> 01:25:28,790
- ♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
2013
01:25:28,790 --> 01:25:31,668
♪ No one wants to be defeated ♪
2014
01:25:31,668 --> 01:25:35,171
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
2015
01:25:35,171 --> 01:25:38,591
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
2016
01:25:38,591 --> 01:25:42,137
- ♪ Just beat it, just beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
2017
01:25:42,137 --> 01:25:43,555
♪ Just beat it ♪
2018
01:25:43,555 --> 01:25:46,099
- ♪ Beat it, beat it, uh! ♪
- ♪ Just beat it ♪
2019
01:25:46,099 --> 01:25:49,269
♪ They're out to get you,
better leave while you can ♪
2020
01:25:49,269 --> 01:25:52,939
♪ Don't wanna be a boy,
you wanna be a man ♪
2021
01:25:52,939 --> 01:25:55,900
♪ You wanna stay alive,
better do what you can ♪
2022
01:25:55,900 --> 01:25:59,654
♪ So beat it, just beat it ♪
2023
01:25:59,654 --> 01:26:03,116
♪ You have to show them
that you're really not scared ♪
2024
01:26:03,116 --> 01:26:06,161
♪ You're playin' with your life,
this ain't no truth or dare ♪
2025
01:26:06,161 --> 01:26:08,163
♪ They'll kick you,
then they'll beat you ♪
2026
01:26:08,163 --> 01:26:11,791
♪ Then they'll tell you
it's fair, so beat it ♪
2027
01:26:11,791 --> 01:26:13,459
♪ But you wanna be bad ♪
2028
01:26:13,459 --> 01:26:17,172
- ♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
2029
01:26:17,172 --> 01:26:20,216
♪ No one wants to be defeated ♪
2030
01:26:20,216 --> 01:26:23,511
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
2031
01:26:23,511 --> 01:26:26,472
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
2032
01:26:26,472 --> 01:26:31,019
- ♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
2033
01:26:31,019 --> 01:26:34,105
♪ No one wants to be defeated ♪
2034
01:26:34,105 --> 01:26:37,525
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
2035
01:26:37,525 --> 01:26:40,653
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
2036
01:26:40,653 --> 01:26:43,781
♪ Just beat it, beat it,
beat it, beat it ♪
2037
01:26:43,781 --> 01:26:46,284
♪ Beat it, beat it, beat it ♪
2038
01:26:50,830 --> 01:26:53,291
♪ Beat it, beat it, beat it ♪
2039
01:26:53,875 --> 01:26:56,044
♪ Beat it, beat it, beat it ♪
2040
01:26:56,044 --> 01:26:58,546
♪
2041
01:27:00,465 --> 01:27:03,259
♪ Beat it, beat it, beat it ♪
2042
01:27:04,886 --> 01:27:06,804
[rhythmic thumping]
2043
01:27:08,431 --> 01:27:10,934
[electric guitar solo playing]
2044
01:27:28,117 --> 01:27:30,578
♪
2045
01:27:36,542 --> 01:27:40,213
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
2046
01:27:40,213 --> 01:27:43,174
♪ No one wants to be defeated ♪
2047
01:27:43,174 --> 01:27:46,594
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
2048
01:27:46,594 --> 01:27:49,722
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
2049
01:27:49,722 --> 01:27:53,434
- ♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
2050
01:27:53,434 --> 01:27:56,771
♪ No one wants to be
defeated, oh, Lord ♪
2051
01:27:56,771 --> 01:28:00,441
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
2052
01:28:00,441 --> 01:28:03,736
♪ It doesn't matter
who's wrong or right ♪
2053
01:28:03,736 --> 01:28:07,490
- ♪ Just beat it, beat it ♪
- ♪ Beat it, beat it ♪
2054
01:28:07,490 --> 01:28:10,493
♪ No one wants to be defeated,
oh, no ♪
2055
01:28:10,493 --> 01:28:14,580
♪ Showin' how funky
and strong is your fight ♪
2056
01:28:14,580 --> 01:28:17,083
[fading]
♪ It doesn't matter ♪
2057
01:28:17,083 --> 01:28:19,627
[crowd cheering]
2058
01:28:20,670 --> 01:28:22,880
[soft jingling]
2059
01:28:29,178 --> 01:28:31,556
[Michael chuckles]
2060
01:28:31,556 --> 01:28:33,725
[Michael whoops]