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Pop Rock Nation

Tag: Michael Jackson

  • Not Necessarily The News – Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and Kanye West

    Is Whitney Houston Undefeated?
    US vs. Them had this possible album cover for Whitney Houston’s next album. I’m not sure it’s legit, but if it is, she has absolutely no idea what sexy is. I’m Your Baby, Tonight Whitney had a little appeal to her. Undefeated Whitney must look up to Calista Flockhart. And I just insulted Harrison Ford.

    Michael Hasn’t Made An Album In 7 Years And Dude Is Still In The News
    Neverland is no more. The Sheikh of Bahrain sues him. And a mystery illness keeps him from traveling. If Mike put out an album every 2 years, he wouldn’t have all this free time to screw up so much. I just hope he doesn’t tell the Sheikh, “You ain’t bad, you ain’t nothin!”

    Kanye West Says There Are Limitations To Rapping
    Maybe limitations to his rapping? Well, the man who is going to make auto tune go out of style says the reason he sings is because …

    I can get a rise out of you by spitting a really good punch line and stuff, but what if I tried to … what if I tried to teach you your ABCs like this: ‘A… B… C… D…’ — as soon as you think ABCs, you think of the melody. You were taught with it. I’m trying to deliver a message and melody throughout the entire [album]. I still come from a hip-hop vibe though, yeah.”

    I’m not sure that really made sense, but basically he’s saying that he’s trying to reach us through his singing. He wants his music to be as memorable as the melody to the ABCs. Well, what he should understand is that we get that melody from the great production of his rap songs and he hasn’t had to sing a lick. I’m very scared about 808s & Heartbreak.

    Until next time …

  • Whoooooooooo!: MHW Live Blogs The TRL Finale

    So it’s not an awards show per se, but tonight is the night MTV says goodbye to Total Request Live (or TRL as it’s more popularly known). While the right way to send it off would be to play 1/4 of a video, have some obnoxious kid screaming over it, and feature lots of “whooooooooo!”s, they are sending the show off with a 2 1/2 hour special that’s sure to feature some serious star power. I have selflessly decided to sit through this event with my trusty bag of sour cream and onion Ruffles (Frito-Lay, y’all need to pay up). Worst comes to worse, it should be interesting. I will suspend my Jackson alert for this particular event (ironically, just as some video footage of Michael standing on top of a car (relax, it’s from 2001) pops up on the screen).

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  • Best You’ve Never Heard: Whatever Happens – Michael Jackson

    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.

    Photo shared via creative commons

    More on “The Best You’ve Never Heard” week
    The Best You’ve Never Heard..or Have You?: “Shiver” by Coldplay
    The Best You’ve Never Heard: “Hesitate” by The Mysteries of Life
    The Best You’ve Never Heard: “Must Have Been Crazy” by Chicago
    The Best You’ve Never Heard: “Wheel” by John Mayer
    The Best You’ve Never Heard: Introduction