Michael Jackson’s new single “This Is It” — its existence was first reported here, exclusively.
Now it’s out this morning, and “This Is It” should be called “This WAS It.” The single sounds more or less like Michael’s never-released 2001 charity single, “What More Can I Do” and his 1985 hit, “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.”
The new single is a mess. It has no actual chorus, and — to make matters worse — it has background vocals added by some of Michael’s brothers. Jackson would never have wanted that.
“This Is It” was produced, or concocted, by John McClain, Jackson’s longtime friend and one of the executors to his estate. McClane tried unsuccessfully to get the Jackson 5 back together in 2002, after Michael’s solo concerts in 2001. At the time, he was assisting in Michael’s management with Trudy Green of HK Management.
Well, the song is not great. For a theme song, and a way to market the “This is It” movie, it’s fine. But there are better songs among the few Michael left behind in the vaults. There’s one, left off of “Bad,” called “Saturday Night Woman,” that’s supposed to be a real, er, thriller. Maybe it will turn up on a CD of unreleased material.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:33 am
John McClain did this, knowing well Michael Jackson wouldn’t really perform with his brothers? I don’t like the sound of that.
I don’t like the sound of the song much, either. It’s not up to par with Jackson’s big hits, so he wouldn’t have liked it as the last thing you hear on leaving the film (especially since he loved film). The orchestra music is just not him. No edge.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:40 am
well…at least mj won’t get the blame for this sucky song… mike had better demos than this…fall again, we’ve had enough, beautiful girl. thanks $ony…. i still got my tix for the movie. kenny ortega and crew better due him justice.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:46 am
and roger, it’s what more can i give, and i just can’t stop…was made in 1987. i guess mike was right about $ony. if mike thought the demos for thriller crappy, which it wasn’t ….hot street, sunset driver, trouble, carousel, he would be cringing in his grave.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:46 am
Not in-keeping with Jackson’s epic sound. He was a master of orchestration and this just doesn’t come close.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:53 am
This Song was already released in the early 90s by an female artist called “Safire”. The Song was titeled “I Never Heard”. I guess This version by Michael is just an Demo and That they took the song because of the “this is it” at the verses.
I think Michael was not planning to do this Song at the Concerts and also not to include this song in the originally scheduled Live-Concert-Movie.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:51 am
it was obviously an older demo reworked by McClain & co after his death
October 12th, 2009 at 5:05 am
I like the song but it isn’t as up beat as I was expecting.Michael didn’t want to reunite with his brothers so why on earth did they add their background vocals??? I am hoping they release the No Name song,from what little I heard of that song I am sure I am going to love that one!
October 12th, 2009 at 5:16 am
I think it is unfinished. He sounds like he’s straight out of the Destiny album really – souding so very young. Michael would not have released it in this form (even though I do like it), as he would have never agreed to have rehearsals put into a feature film. He did not like unfinished stuff, that’s why everything took so long. But he is not around to say no anymore, so now, all that rules is making money. This is NOT it!
October 12th, 2009 at 5:17 am
This song is from the beginning of the 80s, not 90s. The singer Safir recorded one version “I never heard” in the 90s. If all unreleased demos Sony or MJ have in the vaults are like this, there is little hope of something more sophisticated hitting the charts.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:56 am
Michael Jackson had a bunch of songs that he owned himself, maybe they are better.
I’ve listened to this one again. The orchestration is flat and bad. There are too few layers – MJ would never settle for this, and the snapping fingers become annoying pretty quickly. He usually started with the beat when he made a song.
October 12th, 2009 at 6:02 am
Like the song but agree there’s ’something’ missing. One thing needs to be missing…the background vocals. There are too many of them and overpower/drown out Michael. Oh what he’d be thinking right now. Wonder how Janet would have sounded? I think better
With all the technology out there, there should be a way to blend MJ’s voice back into his songs without using his brothers. (I’m NOT $upporting the brother$!)
Roger, you had talked about the “Dome Project” before–what more can you tell us on that?
October 12th, 2009 at 6:21 am
I like the song and most of the responses on other sites have been positive. We all know how you like to hate on the Jackson family so not surprised at your remarks.
October 12th, 2009 at 6:23 am
This sounds more like the song “Bless His Soul” by the Jacksons than anything Michael recorded in the 80s or 90s. I’d venture to guess this demo is THAT old, Roger. Listen to the bridge in “Bless His Soul”–it’s practically the same chords and key.
“This Is It” sounds absolutely NOTHING like “IJCSLY” or “What More Can I Give” which both do sound like each other.
I wish Sony would’ve beefed up the track some more. The vocals are clearly not recorded under studio conditions, but are merely a demo take.
October 12th, 2009 at 6:29 am
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men HATING will not change the fact that Michael Jackson was the BEST…He was King..He died and left an empty throne…sad to say..there are NO VIABLE HEIRS!!
RIP MJ……DAMN KING OF FREAKIN POP!!
October 12th, 2009 at 6:39 am
I never heard, written by Michael performed by Safire!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCV1h40oS0o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCV1h40oS0o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCV1h40oS0o
Sony is desperate for dollars! THis is PATHETIC!!!!
Michael must be furious!!
October 12th, 2009 at 7:27 am
I agree with Ingrid. The song sounds good. You could also tell it was older because Michael’s voice was stronger than it was later in his life. And who else should have done the background vocals? Michael would normally have done them himself, but the closest vocals to his own would be his brothers or a soundalike. The brothers have more sentimental value so I guess they went with that. They also probably tried different background vocals and orchestration. This song sounds like something that will grow on us, especially when it is played at the end of the movie.
October 12th, 2009 at 7:39 am
Larry King’s page had a question, and this is my response to it:
RE: Do you think this new release has come too soon?
I think it sounds too forced, not up to Michael’s standards and definitely the background vocals (ahem, his brothers) drown him out in parts. It would have been nicer to try and use technology to put his voice back into the song rather than slap together a mix that doesn’t meet Michael’s standards.
I love the song, because it’s Michael’s music. I already pre-ordered the collectors’ edition but have since found it a bit disappointing that the soundtrack to the movie is just re-releases of music I already have (and I have them ALL). Ok, I will get the new song, the orchestral version, a booklet and poster and his poem.
I’m happy with that– but McClain had better put some more effort in future ventures of Michael’s music before releasing something that is half-baked. Michael was a perfectionist and I don’t think This is It came anywhere near his level of uniqueness.
And for heaven’s sake– please don’t put the brothers on any more songs! Janet, yes! Brothers/La Toya, no!
As a fan, I am willing to purchase almost anything that comes out about Michael from the Estate. But now that the movie and CD (and future DVD of the movie) will generate some money to repay his debts, how about the Estate making sure the quality of the things that are being approved come up a few notches. Personally, I’ve spent a few thousand — re-ordered ALL his music for gifts. Purchased $400 bucks worth of stuff from Bravado, pre-ordered Moonwalker and MJ’s Opus.
I feel rather duped on the CD soundtrack. I will wait in the future to pre-order until the tracks are released rather than running to pre-order as soon as it hits the web. Team Branca is under the gun right now, I know, but please make sure the quality is up to Michael’s standards– not that of the industry’s… because he always surpassed the industry!
Safire’s blog: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=133508881&blogId=497087719
Safire’s version on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyPguc99MAc
Sony Execs today saying they never knew the origin of the song: http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/entertainment/Report_Jacksons_This_Is_It_Not_So_New_dpgo_20091012_jst_3997774
October 12th, 2009 at 7:57 am
I for one don’t agree with Ingrid.I don’t hate most of Michael’s family just Jermaine and LaToya,sorry but when Michael needed them they stabbed him in the back and I am not that forgiving.Although I do have to give LaToya some credit,atleast she is doing things to support Michael’s charities and not her own like Jermaine.I really do like this new song but it seems unfinished to me.I wouldn’t be surprised if Michael didn’t plan on re working it someday but you can bet he never would have added his brothers vocals in the background.In my opinion maybe Janet or even his nephews the 3T’s would have been much better choices.
October 12th, 2009 at 8:00 am
3T– yes, agree Barb. Didn’t think of them–they are all so cute on “Why”. Good choice!
October 12th, 2009 at 8:01 am
Here’s the 1991 original:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCV1h40oS0o
October 12th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Roger, I agree largely with your comments. Do you think this would have worked better if they had handed the vocals over to somebody like David Foster? It’s a pity they could not have chosen a song on a par with Streetwalker, which was left of the original Bad album but included on the special edition. There is also the song Men in Black that was touted in 1991 as being a possible inclusion on Dangerous – I wonder if that is any good? As we know, many of MJ’s ‘rejects’ are often worthy hits so it is somewhat confusing that this is the best choice. They most likely went with it because it matches the movie/concert title. Listening to the song, this is not a good enough reason though.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:25 am
I feel “grand”???
Isn’t that something from the Cole Porter era?
The song sounds like it was orchestrated by men in their sixities.
October 12th, 2009 at 11:49 am
For God’s sake, Roger, can’t you SPELL?! It’s John McClain, not McClane!
October 12th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
I love the song. It is very fitting for the movie.
By the way, guys get your tickets for This is it. Several shows in my area have already sold out.
We had to buy tickets outside of the city..grrrrr.
October 12th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
In my European city there are lots and lots of tickets left for the movie – only the show I am going to is sold out. People seem apprehensive. I am too – MJ was dying and I don’t know if I really want to see that.
October 12th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Again ,,,, $ony make it in the way that it is understand it , it is all about money ,,, MJ will not give his approval to publish this song ,,, I heard so many demo songs ,, fall again ,, we `ve had enough ,,
and it was much better than this song.
MJ was putting his touches in every little details in any song he was attend to publish it to his fans.
it is not about to listen to his voice again it is about to feel in his spirit through the song ?? when i listen to the song i feel SONY SUCKS … and remember the king when he sang:Money
They don’t care
They’d do me for the money
They don’t care
They use me for the money
October 12th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
ROGER IS SLOW.. TMZ GOT IT RIGHT. CHECK THIS OUT.
http://twt.gs/BXi0D
October 12th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
The single sounds nice, BUT I am NOT about to support any of Michael’s family (sans his kids) in any shape or form. They should have have tried to get anyone else to perform background vocals. Michael never had the the bros sing backup on any of his solo stuff, so why the hell are they singing now?
October 12th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Maybe the reason this song doesn’t “sound like Michael” is because it was co-written with Paul Anka in 1983 and called “I Never Heard”??? It definitely doesn’t have the punch of Michael’s music and if it was co-written by Paul Anka maybe that explains why.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
John McClain (NOT McClane) – doesn’t Hollywood Reporter have proof-readers/fact-checkers?
October 12th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Music is totally subjective; for instance, I didn’t like Black and White, I didn’t like the song from which he made the video with Lisa, and I didn’t like the video either. But a lot of y’all did. As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing wrong with the song, not even having the brothers in the background, even if I can’t stand Scummaine.
The song has a late 80s B-side sound and MiJac probably would never have released it because it probably wouldn’t have made it to the charts, even in the 80s, but I don’t hear anything that makes it a horrible song. It’s a poignant piece that seems for the movie. “It seems I’ve known you for a thousand years. . . . ” It’s appropriately sad, given that there are still people, like me, who mourn his tragic death.
On a lighter note, maybe it was a favorite of McClain’s that never got the play he thought it should. Or maybe McClain’s still in a melancholy mood, missing his friend. There’s no reason for the venal comments about the song, in my opinion.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Can anyone provide a link to a photo of John McClain?
October 12th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
I doubt MJ ever intended to release this throw away demo song “This is It”. It’s all just about trying to milk as much money as possible.
How sad.
As for “Saturday Night Woman”. If it was any good, why was it left off the “Bad” album?
But you know what would be really cool. BLURay releases of the BAD Tour concerts, where MJ was at his best.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
The song would have been fantastic if Michael finished recording it but it’s a demo that was recorded in 1980 – Sony basically did a hack job on the song because it tied in perfectly with their marketing campaign. Michael would NEVER have released this. It’s really unforunate that some people feel this reflects badly on MJ because it really doesn’t. I agree that it works as a theme song of sorts for the movie but to market it as the “new Michael Jackson single” is totally misleading.
October 13th, 2009 at 3:08 am
Maybe there is “nothing wrong” with the song – but Michael J never settled for mediocre. He wanted only the best. This is not the best, by a long shot.
October 13th, 2009 at 8:23 am
The verse of “This is it” sounds almost identical to the verse in “Why” by MJ and 3T
October 13th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Precisely. That’s why it never appeared on his albums.