What the hell is this song about? Do the members of R.E.M. even know what this song is about? Who knows? All I know is that it’s one of the first (if not the first) song from Athens’ favorite sons that can accurately be called “fun”. It’s also one of the first R.E.M. songs that you can understand most of the words to, as first evidenced by me when I witnessed everyone in Madison Square Garden screaming along at the top of their lungs when Michael Stipe and company closed their show with this song during the Monster tour in 1994.
“Birthday party/Cheesecake/Jellybeans/boom!”
Aw, screw it. Here’s the video. It’s one of the best of the decade, as well.
It would be up to me to add some Michael Jackson to The Best You’ve Never Heard week, since Money Mike didn’t do it.
(Don’t worry, he probably would’ve, but I called first dibs. He’s still the biggest MJ fan on the planet.)
In 2001, Michael Jackson released Invincible, his first album in six years since the HIStory double album. After a few listens, there were some definite conclusions. Firstly, Jackson could still sing as shown on some of the ballads like Break Of Dawn, Heaven Can Wait, and Butterflies. Secondly, he was still capable of making terrible song choices. The Lost Children and Cry were terrible songs. But the thing that many people walked away thinking was that Whatever Happens, featuring Carlos Santana on guitar, was the best song (or Butterflies based on your taste) and was a surefire hit single. But what happened is that Sony didn’t support the album and pushed nothing except the initial single and no one outside of the die hard MJ fans got to hear Whatever Happens.
He gives another smile, tries to understand her side
To show that he cares, she can’t stay in the room
She’s consumed with everything that’s been goin’ on
She says …
Whatever happens, don’t let go of my hand
Viewers of American Idol will be familiar with the song because Mario Vasquez performed it in his audition that was shown before the season. He also sang back up vocals on the original track.
The song starts with an old fashioned instrumental that you’d hear in Westerns as if to say that MJ and Santana were about to draw on each other and a musical explosion was ready to occur. Just walk ten paces.
It’s Latin flavored, but not too much. Santana plucks the strings ever so delicately which forces MJ to sing with more emotion than you’d think possible.
Don’t you let go baby! Don’t you let go!
Lyrically, the song tells a story about a mysterious relationship between a man and a woman. The woman is scared about what they’re doing. The man is trying to make things right. Perfect even. He doesn’t understand that all she wants is just him and that’s all. The conclusion is that whatever happens, don’t let go of my hand. Forever, forever, forever.
Even though the finale of the song seems a bit corny with two of the greatest artists of our time thanking each other, especially Michael’s, “Thank you Carlos”, which seems like it took 20 takes, but it’s the perfect finish. They go out guns a blazin’. Well, sort of.
Whatever Happens is the song that would’ve should’ve could’ve, but didn’t. But thankfully for you, you can now find it because I know it’s the best you’ve never heard.
One of our favorite pastimes (well, one of mine, anyway) is trying to figure out the exact moment that Janet Jackson’s career went into the toilet. Was it Nipplegate? Was it the relationship with gnome-like Jermaine Dupri? Was it the obsession with sex that was cute 13 years ago and is absolutely boring now? Was it the fact that she seems to have forgotten how to make good records?
At any rate, the cancellation of Janet’s Rock Witchu tour, following mediocre reviews, tepid ticket sales and a bizarre “illness”, comes as no surprise to most, particularly after opening act LL Cool J bailed out of the tour (dude, are you serious? You’re one of the few people whose career is in worse shape than Janet’s!). Hopefully, this latest career catastrophe sends Janet back to the lab (here’s a hint: bring Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis with you and leave JD at home), where she can make a creative, age-appropriate, non-desperate sounding album and return to the form that gave us classics like this.
