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OWCHANGE
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INSIDE
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FEEL
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NOWHERE
LEFT
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GIRL
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THE
TIME
FOR
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AND
I
TO
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CLOSE
TOGETHER
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ALL
THROUGH
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NIGHT
I'LL
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FROM
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ON
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SCREEN
I'LL
MAKE
YOU
SEE
THAT
THIS
IS
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
'CAUSE
I CAN
DARKNESS FALLS ACROSS THE LAND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR IS CLOSE AT HAND CREATURES CRAWL IN SEARCH OF BLOOD TO TERRORIZE Y'ALLS NEIGHBORHOOD I'M GONNA THRILL YA TONIGHT OOH BABY I'M GONNA THRILL YA TONIGHT OH DARLIN' THRILLER NIGHT BABY OOH THE FOULEST STENCH IS IN THE AIR THE FUNK OF FORTY THOUSAND
WONDER
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YEARS
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EVERY
TOMB
ARE
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IN
TO
SEAL
YOUR
DOOM
AND
THOUGH
YOU
FIGHT
TO
STAY
ALIVE
YOUR
BODY
STARTS
TO
SHIVER
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NO
MERE
MORTAL
CAN
RESIST
THE
EVIL
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THE
THRILLER
MICHAEL
JACKSON'S
THRILLER
IS
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13-MINUTE-AND-43-SECOND
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VIDEO
FOR
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SONG
OF
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SAME
NAME
RELEASED
THRILL
YOU
MORE
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ANY
GHOST
WOULD
EVER
DARE
TRY
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
SO
LET
ME
HOLD
YOU
TIGHT
AND
SHARE
A
KILLER
DILLER
CHILLER
THRILLER
HERE
TONIGHT
'CAUSE
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IS
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THRILLER
NIGHT
GIRL
I
THE
CREATURE
CREEPING
UP
BEHIND
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OUT
OF
TIME
'CAUSE
THIS
IS
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
THERE
AIN'T
NO
SECOND
CHANCE
AGAINST
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THING
WITH
FORTY
EYES
GIRL
THRILLER
THRILLER
START
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FREEZE
AS
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LOOKS
YOU
RIGHT
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EYES
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PARALYZED
'CAUSE
THIS
IS
THRILLER
ON
DECEMBER
1983 AND
DIRECTED
BY JOHN
LANDIS,
WHO
ALSO
CO-WROTE
THE DARE
SCREENPLAY
WITH
JACKSON VOTED
AS THE MOST
INFLUENTIAL
POP
MUSIC
VIDEO
OF ALL
TIME THRILLER
PROVED
TOA
HAVE
A PROFOUND
EFFECTOW
ON POPULAR
CULTURE AND
WAS NAMED
"A
WATERSHED
MOMENT
FOR THE
[MUSIC]
INDUSTRY"
FOR LAND
ITS UNPRECECAN
THRILL2, YOU
MORE
THAN
ANY
GHOST
WOULD
EVER
TRY
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
SO LET
ME
HOLD
YOU
TIGHT
AND
SHARE
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(I'M
GONNA
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YA TONIGHT)
DARKNESS
FALLS
ACROSS
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THE
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UP
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OUT
OF
TIME
'CAUSE
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THRILLER
NIGHT
THERE
AIN'T
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SECOND
CHANCE
AGAINST
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THING
WITH
FORTY
EYES
DENTED MERGING
OF FILMMAKING
AND
MUSIC
GUINNESS
WORLD
RECORDS
LISTED
ITKILLER
INSEARCH
2006 AS THE
"MOST
SUCCESSFUL
VIDEO"NIGHT
SELLING
OVER
9NEIGHBORHOOD
MILLION UNITS IN
2009 THEI'M
VIDEO
WAS INDUCTED
INTO
THE
FILMOOH
REGISTRY
OF THE
LIBRARY
OF CONGRESS
THEYA
FIRST
MUSIC VIDEO
TO
EVER
RECEIVE THIS
HONOR
FORNIGHT
BEING
“CULTURNIGHT
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FIGHTING
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LIFE
INSIDE
AIN
THRILLER
TONIGHT
CREATURES
CALLING
THE
DEAD
START
TO WALK
INBABY
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NO
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ALLY
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RAY
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MICHAEL
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THRILLER
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NIGHT
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OOH
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AND
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THRILLER
NIGHT
AND
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SAVE
FROM
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BEAST
ABOUT
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KNOW
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ALIEN
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TIME
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OPEN
WIDE)
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IS
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END
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LIFE
THEY'RE
OUT
TO
GET
YOU
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CLOSING
IN
ON
EVERY
SIDE
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CHANGE
THAT
NUMBER
COMPOSER
ELMER
BERNSTEIN
WHO
HAD
PREVIOUSLY
WORKED
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ON
AN
AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
IN
LONDON.THE
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SONG)
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WORD
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VETERAN
VINCENT
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BAKER
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THE EVILNO
OFJACKSON
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JACKSON'S
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VIDEOWIDE)
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THETHIS
SONG OF
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AND
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JOHN
THEIR
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TIME
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OF
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THISJACKSON
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TO
HAVE
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PROFOUND
EFFECT
ON POPULAR
CULTURE
AND
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NAMED
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JACKSON
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BY
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STATING
THATALL
"DUE
TO
MY
STRONG
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CONVICTIONS
I WISH
TOTHRILLER
STRESS
THAT
THIS FILM
IN
NO TONIGHT
WAY
A BELIEF
IN THE
OCCULT"
IN
A SERENE
1950S
SETTING
A
TEENAGED
MICHAEL
AND HIS
THRILLER
NIGHT
YOU'RE
FIGHTING
FOR
YOUR
LIFE
INSIDE
A
KILLER,
YOU
HEAR
THE
DOOR
SHED
MOMENT
FOR
THE
[MUSIC]
INDUSTRY"
FOR
ITS
UNPRECEDENTED
MERGING
OF
FILMMAKING
AND
MUSIC
GUINNESS
WORLD
RECORDS
LISTED
IT
IN
2006
AS
THE
"MOST
SUCCESSFUL
MUSIC
VIDEO"
SELLING
OVER
9
MILLION
UNITS
IN
THERE'S
DEMONS
CLOSING
IN
ON
EVERY
SIDE
THEY
WILL
POSSESS
YOU
UNLESS
YOU
CHANGE
THAT
NUMBER
ON
YOUR
DIAL
NOW
IS
THE
TIME
FOR
YOU
AND
I
TO
UNNAMED
GIRLFRIEND
(OLA RAY) RUN
OUT OF GAS
IN A DARK
WOODED
AREA THEY
WALKTHAN
OFF INTO THE
FOREST
AND MICHAEL
ASKS HEREVER
IF SHE WOULD
LIKETRY
TO BE HIS
GIRLFRIEND SHE
ACCEPTS AND HE
GIVES HERSO
A RING
HE WARNS
HER HOWEVER
THAT
HE IS "NOT
LIKE OTHER
GUYS"A
A FULL
MOON APPEARS
ANDCHILLER
MICHAEL BEGINS
CONVULSING
ERTHE
THRILLER
NIGHT
'CAUSE
I CAN
THRILL
YOU
MORE
ANY
GHOST
WOULD
DARE
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
LET
ME HOLD
YOU
TIGHT
AND
SHARE
KILLER
DILLER
THRILLER
2009
VIDEO
WAS
INDUCTED
INTO
THE
NATIONAL
FILM
REGISTRY
OF
THE
LIBRARY
OF
CONGRESS
THE
FIRST
MUSIC
VIDEO
TO EVER
RECEIVE
THIS
HONOR
FOR
“CULTURALLY
HISTORICALLY
ORIS
AESTHETICALLY”
SIGNIFICANT
IN AGONY
—
TRANSFORMING
INTO
A HORRIFYING
WERECAT
GROWLING
AT HER
TO "GO
AWAY" IN THE
PROCESS
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GIRL SCREAMS
AND
RUNS AWAY
BUT THE
WERECAT
CATCHES
UP
KNOCKING
HERON
DOWN
AND LUNGING
AT HER WITH
HIS BEING
CLAWS
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SCENE
THEN CUTS
TO
A
MOVIE THEATER
WHERE
MICHAEL
AND HIS DATE
ALONG WITH AN
CUDDLE
CLOSE
TOGETHER
YEAH
ALL
THROUGH
THE
NIGHT
I'LL
SAVE
YOU
FROM
THE
TERROR
THE
SCREEN
I'LL
MAKE
YOU
SEE
THAT
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THRILLER
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CO-STARRING
WITH
JACKSON
WAS
FORMER
PLAYBOY
CENTERFOLD
OLA
RAY
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VIDEORUN
WAS
BYGHOST
MICHAEL
PETERS
(WHO
HAD
WORKED
WITHCATCHES
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SINGER
HIS
HIT
"BEAT
IT") AND
MICHAEL
JACKSON
THE
HERE
TONIGHT
'CAUSE
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ISTHE
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
GIRL
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MORE
THAN
ANY
WOULD
EVER
DARE
TRYMOVIEGOER
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
SO
LET
HOLD
YOU
TIGHT
AND
AND
REALIZE
THERE'S
NOWHERE
LEFT
TO
YOU
FEEL
THE
COLD
HAND
AND
WONDER
IF
YOU'LL
EVER
SEE
THE
EXCITABLE
AUDIENCE
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WATCHING
SCENE UNFOLD
IN A FICTIONAL
VINCENT
PRICE
MOVIE
TITLED
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MICHAEL'S
GIRLFRIEND
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THEATER
AS MICHAEL
HANDS HIS
POPCORN
TO ANOTHER
UP TO HERON
AND
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HER
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ONLY
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VIDEO
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ELMER
BERNSTEIN
WHO
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WORKED
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LANDIS
ON AN
AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
IN
LONDON.THE
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THE
SONG)
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OR NOT SHE
WAS
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MOVIE
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DENIES IT
BUTYOU
MICHAEL
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DOWN
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NIGHT
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GHOST
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EVER
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TRY
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NIGHT
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YOU
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KILLER
A
KILLER
THRILLER
OW
(I'M
GONNA
THRILL
YA
TONIGHT)
DARKNESS
FALLS
ACROSS
THE
LAND
THE
MIDNIGHT
HOUR
IS
CLOSE
AT
HAND
CREATURES
CRAWL
IN
SEARCH
OF
BLOOD
TO
TERRORIZE
Y'ALLS
ZOMBIESPERFORMANCE
CORNER THE TWO MAIN
CHARACTERS
THREATENINGLY
AND SUDDENLY
MICHAEL
BECOMES
A ZOMBIE
HIMSELF
THE ZOMBIES
THEN BREAK INTO AN
ELABORATE
SONGFOR
AND DANCE
NUMBER FOLLOWED"THRILLER"
BY THE MAIN CHORUS
"THRILLER"
(DURING
MICHAEL
REVERTS
HUMAN
FORM) FRIGHTENING
HIS
DATE
TO THE
POINT
WORD
BY
HORROR
FILM
VETERAN
VINCENT
PRICE
RICK
BAKER
ASSISTED
IN PROSTHETICS
AND
MAKEUP
THE PRODUCTION
WASOFTHE
THIRD
ANDWHICH
FINAL
VIDEO
FORTO
THE
THRILLER
ALBUM
THE
RED
JACKET
SUN
YOU
CLOSE
YOUR
EYES
AND
HOPE
THAT
THIS
IS
JUST
IMAGINATION
GIRL
BUT
ALL
THE
WHILE
YOU
HEAR
THE
DILLER
CHILLER
THRILLER
HERE
TONIGHT
'CAUSE
THIS
IS
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
GIRL
I
CAN
THRILL
YOU
MORE
THAN
ANY
GHOST
WOULD
EVER
DARE
TRY
WHERE
SHE
RUNS
FOR
COVER
MICHAEL
(WHO
HAS
TURNED
BACK
INTO
A
ZOMBIE)
AND
HIS
FELLOW
CORPSES
CHASE
THE
FRIGHTENED
GIRL
INTO
THE
CORNER
OF
A
NEARBY
ABANDONED
HOUSE
MICHAEL
THEN
REACHES
FOR
THE
GIRL'S
THROAT
AS
SHE
LETS
OUT
A
BLOODCURDLING
SCREAM
ONLY
TO
AWAKE
AND
REALIZE
IT
WAS
ALL
A
DREAM
THAT
JACKSON WOREI'M
WAS
DESIGNED
BY JOHN
LANDIS' WIFE
DEBORAH
LANDIS
TO MAKE
HIM
MORE
"VIRILE"
TOTHRILLER
QUALIFY FOR
AN ACADEMY
AWARD
DEBUTEDIS
AT
ATHE
SPECIAL
SCREENING
ALONG WITH
NEIGHBORHOOD
GONNA
THRILL
YATONIGHT
OOH
BABY
I'M
GONNA
THRILL
YAAPPEAR
TONIGHT
OH
DARLIN'
NIGHT
BABY
OOH
THE"THRILLER"
FOULEST
STENCH
IN
AIRTHEATRICAL
THE
FUNK
OF
FORTY
THOUSAND
MICHAEL
OFFERSMOTION
TO TAKE HERPICTURE
HOME AND SHE
HAPPILY ACCEPTS
AS THEY WALK
OUT OF THEWAS
HOUSEA
MICHAEL
EERILY LOOKS
AT THE CAMERA
REVEALINGAT
HISTHAT
YELLOWTIME
WERECAT
EYESFIRST
AS VINCENT
PRICEINCLUDES
OFFERS ONE LAST
HAUNTING LAUGHBY
DURING
THE CLOSING
CREDITS A
REPRISED
SCENE
OF THE
ZOMBIES
DANCING
IS SHOWN AT
THE
THE
1940THEN
DISNEY
FANTASIA
AS MICHAEL
JACKSON
PRACTICING
JEHOVAH'S
WITNESS
THE
SCENE
A DISCLAIMER
JACKSON
STATING
THAT
"DUE
TO
MY
STRONG
PERSONAL
CONTHRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
SO
LET
ME
HOLD
YOU
TIGHT
AND
SHARE
A
KILLER
THRILLER
OW
(I'M
GONNA
THRILL
YA
TONIGHT)
DARKNESS
FALLS
ACROSS
THE
LAND
END OF THEAND
CLOSING
CREDITS
A DISCLAIMER
APPEARS
SAYING
THAT
"ANY
SIMILARITY
TO ACTUAL
EVENTS
ORIN
CHARACTERS
LIVING
DEAD
(OR
UNDEAD)
IS
PURELY
COINCIDENTAL"
THE SAME
DISCLAIMER
APPEARED
IN AN AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
IN LONDON
ALSO
DIRECTED
BY
LANDIS
AFTER
THIS
THE
ZOMBIES
THEN
DANCE
BACKWOODED
INTO
THEIR
YEARS
GRIZZLY
GHOULS
FROM
EVERY
TOMB
ARE
CLOSING
TO
SEAL
YOUR
DOOM
AND
THOUGH
YOU
FIGHT
TO
STAY
ALIVE
YOUR
BODY
STARTS
TO
SHIVER
FOR
NO
MERE
MORTAL
CAN
RESIST
THE
VICTIONS
I
WISH
TO
STRESS
THAT
THIS
FILM
IN
NO
WAY
ENDORSES
A
BELIEF
IN
THE
OCCULT"
IN
A
SERENE
1950S
SETTING
A
TEENAGED
MICHAEL
JACKSON
AND
HIS
UNNAMED
GIRLFRIEND
(OLA
RAY)
RUN
OUT
OF
GAS
IN
A
DARK
CREATURE
CREEPING
UP
BEHIND
YOU'RE
OUT
OF
TIME
'CAUSE
THIS
IS
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
THERE
AIN'T
NO
GRAVESTHEY
ENDINGWALK
WITH ONE
OF THEM
(AN
UNCREDITED
VINCENT
INHAND
FULL PROSTHETIC
MAKEUP)
GIVING
THECRAWL
AUDIENCE
ATERRIFYING
GRIMACE AS THEOF
SCENE
FADES
TO BLACK
THE ALBUM
THRILLER
IS THE
SIXTH
STUDIO
ALBUM
BYHER
AMERICAN
RECORDING
ARTIST
MICHAEL
JACKSON
IT WAS
RELEASED
ONYA
NOVEMBER
30,MOON
1982 BY EPIC
RECORDS
THE
MIDNIGHT
HOUR
IS
CLOSE
AT
CREATURES
IN
SEARCH
BLOOD
TO
TERRORIZE
Y'ALLS
NEIGHBORHOOD
I'M
GONNA
THRILL
OOH
AREA
OFF
INTO
THE
FOREST
ANDPRICE
MICHAEL
ASKS
HER
IF
WOULD
LIKE TO
BE
HIS
GIRLFRIEND
SHE
ACCEPTS
AND
HE
GIVES
HER
A RING
HE
WARNS
HOWEVER
THAT
HE
IS
"NOT
LIKE
OTHER
GUYS"
ATONIGHT
FULL
APPEARS
EVIL
OF
THE
THRILLER
MICHAEL
JACKSON'S
THRILLER
ISOFF
ASHE
13-MINUTE-AND-43-SECOND
VIDEO
FOR
THE
SONG
OF
THE
SAME
NAME
RELEASED
ONRECORDING
DECEMBER
1983
AND
DIRECTED
BY
JOHN
LANDIS,
AS THE FOLLOW-UP
TO
JACKSON'S CRITICALLY
AND COMMERCIALLY
SUCCESSFUL
1979 ALBUM
THE WALL THRILLER EXPLORES SIMILAR GENRESMUSIC
TO THOSE OF
OFF THE WALL
INCLUDING
POP R&B
ROCK
POST-DISCO
AND
ADULT CONTEMPORARY
MUSIC
SESSIONS2,
TOOK
PLACE
BETWEEN
APRIL AND NOVEMBER
1982 AT
WESTLAKE
AND
MICHAEL
BEGINS
CONVULSING
IN A
AGONY
— TRANSFORMING
INTO
A
HORRIFYING
WERECAT
GROWLING
AT
HER
TO
"GO
AWAY"
INBY
THE
PROCESS
THE
GIRL
SCREAMS
AND
RUNS
AWAY
BUT
THE
WERECAT
CATCHES
UPYEARS
KNOCKING
HER
BABY
I'M
GONNA
THRILL
YA
TONIGHT
OH
DARLIN'
THRILLER
NIGHT
BABY
THE
FOULEST
STENCH
IN
THE
AIR
THE
FUNK
OF
FORTY
THOUSAND
AND
RECORDING
STUDIOS
IN LOS ANGELES
CALIFORNIA WITH
PRODUCTION
BUDGET
OF $750,000
ASSISTED
BY PRODUCER
QUINCY
JONES
OF THE NINE
TRACKS ON OOH
THEEYES
ALBUM
4 OF
THEM
WERE
WRITTEN
JACKSON
HIMSELFIS
SEVEN
SINGLES
WERE
RELEASED
FROM
THE ALBUM
ALL
OFYOU'RE
WHICH
REACHED
THE FIGHTING
TOP
10 ON THE BILLBOARD
HOTFOR
100
THREE
SECOND
CHANCE
AGAINST
THE
THING
WITH
FORTY
GIRL
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
WHO
ALSO
CO-WROTE
THE
SCREENPLAY
WITH
JACKSON
AS
THE
POP
MUSIC
VIDEO
OF
ALL TIME
THRILLER
PROVED
TOALBUM
HAVE
A PROFOUND
EFFECT
ON
POPULAR
CULTURE
DOWN
AND
LUNGING
ATRELEASED
HER
WITH
CLAWS
THE
SCENE
THEN
CUTS
TO
A MOVIE
THEATER
WHERE
MICHAEL
AND
HIS
DATEBECAME—AND
ALONG
WITH
AN EXCITABLE
AUDIENCE
AREOFACTUALLY
THE
SCENE
UNFOLD
IN
A FICTIONAL
OF THE SINGLES
HAD
MUSIC VIDEOS
"BABY HIS
BE MINE"
AND "THE
LADY
IN
MY LIFE"
WEREVOTED
THE
ONLY
TRACKS
THATMOST
WERE
NOTINFLUENTIAL
RELEASED
AS SINGLES
IN
JUST OVER
A YEAR
THRILLER
CURRENTLY
REMAINS—THE
BEST-SELLING
ALL
TIME WITH WATCHING
SALES ESTIMATED
BY VARIOUS
SOURCES
AS BEING
BETWEEN
65AND
AND 110
GRIZZLY
GHOULS
EVERY
TOMB
ARE
CLOSING
IN
TO
YOUR
DOOM
AND
THOUGH
YOUENABLED
FIGHT
TO
STAY
ALIVE
YOUR
BODY
STARTS
TO
SHIVER
FOR
NO
MERE
VINCENT
PRICE
MOVIE
TITLED
"THRILLER"
MICHAEL'S
GIRLFRIEND
LEAVES
THE
THEATER
AS MICHAEL
HANDS
HIS
TOTHRILLER
ANOTHER
MOVIEGOER
CATCHES
UPWORLD
TO
HER
AND
TELLSLISTED
HER
THAT
"IT'S
ONLY
A
MOVIE"
SOME
DEBATE
MILLIONNAMED
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
AND
ISFROM
ALSO TIED
FOR
THE BEST-SELLING
ALBUM
IN
THE UNITED
STATES
THE ALBUM
WON
ASEAL
RECORD-BREAKING
EIGHT
GRAMMY
AWARDS
ATPOPCORN
THE
1984
JACKSON
TO BREAK
DOWN
RACIAL
BARRIERS
VIA
HIS
APPEARANCES
ON MTV
AND
MEETING
WITHTHE
PRESIDENT
OF THE
UNITED
STATES
WAS
"A
WATERSHED
MOMENT
FOR
THE
[MUSIC]
INDUSTRY"
FOR
ITS
UNPRECEDENTED
MERGING
OFGRAMMYS
FILMMAKING
AND
MUSIC
GUINNESS
RECORDS
IT
IN
2006
AS
"MOST
SUCCESSFOLLOWS
ASCAN
TO
WHETHER
OR
NOT
WAS
SCARED
THE
MOVIE
SHE DENIES
IT
BUT
MICHAEL
DISAGREES
THEY
THEN
WALK
ACALLING
FOGGY
ROAD
ASON
MICHAEL
HER BY
SINGING
THE
OF
"THRILLER"
THEY
PASS
RONALD
REAGAN
ATLIFE
THE
WHITE
HOUSE
THE
ALBUMSHE
WAS
ONE
OF THE
FIRST TO BY
USE MUSIC
VIDEOS
AS MICHAEL
SUCCESSFUL
PROMOTIONAL
TOOLS—THE
VIDEOS
FOR "THRILLER"
"BILLIE
JEAN"
AND
"BEATDOWN
IT" ALL RECEIVED
REGULAR
ROTATION
MTV
IN 2001TEASES
ADEAD
SPECIAL
EDITION
ISSUE
OF THE
ALBUM
WASVERSES
RELEASED
WHICH
CONTAINS
ADDITIONAL
AUDIOA
YOUR
INSIDE
A
KILLER
THRILLER
TONIGHT
NIGHT
CREATURES
THE
START
TO
WALK
IN
THEIR
MORTAL
RESIST
THE
EVIL
OF
THE
THRILLER
JACKSON'S
THRILLER
IS
A
13-MINUTE-AND-43-SECOND
MUSIC
VIDEO
FOR
THE
SONG
OF
THE
SAME
NAME
NEARBY
GRAVEYARD
IN
WHICH
THE
UNDEAD
BEGIN
TO RISE
OUT
OFTHE
THEIR
GRAVES
AS
VINCENT
PRICE
PERFORMS
HIS
THE ZOMBIES
CORNER
THE
MAIN
CHARACTERS
AND
SUDDENLY
FUL
MUSIC
VIDEO"
SELLING
OVER
9 MILLION
IN
2009
VIDEO
INDUCTED
INTO
THE
NATIONAL
REGISTRY
OFAS
THE
LIBRARY
OFTWO
CONGRESS
THECONTEMPORARY
FIRSTTHREATENINGLY
MUSIC
VIDEO
TO
EVER
RECEIVE
INTERVIEWS
A DEMO
RECORDING
AND
THE SONG
"SOMEONE
IN THE
DARK" UNITS
WHICH
WAS
A
GRAMMY-WINNING
TRACK WAS
FROM
THE
E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL
STORYBOOK
INSPRECHGESANG
2008 THEFILM
ALBUM WAS
REISSUED
AGAIN
THRILLER
25 CONTAINING
RE-MIXES
THAT
FEATURE
ARTISTS
A PREVIOUSLY
UNRELEASED
SONGMICHAEL
ANDTHIS
A DVD
THRILLER RANKED
NUMBER
20
ON ROLLING
STONE
MAGAZINE'S
500
GREATEST
ALBUMS
OF ALL
LIST IN
2003 AND
WAS
LISTED
BY THE
NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
OF RECORDING
MERCHANDISERS
AT NUMBER THREE
IN ITS DEFINITIVE
200 JACKSON
ALBUMS WHICH
OF ALL TIME
THE THRILLER
ALBUM
WASTO
INCLUDED
IN THE
LIBRARY OF
CONGRESS' NATIONAL
BECOMES
A
ZOMBIE
HIMSELF
THE
ZOMBIES
THEN
BREAK
INTO
ANTIME
ELABORATE
SONG
AND
DANCE
NUMBER
FOLLOWED
BY
THETHE
MAINWAS
CHORUS
OF "THRILLER"
(DURING
MICHAEL
REVERTS
HUMAN
FORM)
FRIGHTENING
HIS
RELEASED
ON
DECEMBER
2,
1983
AND
DIRECTED
BY
JOHN
LANDIS,
WHO
ALSO
CO-WROTE
SCREENPLAY
WITH
VOTED
AS
THE
MOST
INFLUENTIAL
POP
HISTORICALLY
OR
AESTHETICALLY”
SIGNIFICANT
CO-STARRING
WITH
JACKSON
FORMER
PLAYBOY
CENTERFOLD
OLA
RAY
THE
VIDEO
WAS
CHOREOGRAPHED
BY
HONOR
FOR
BEING
“CULTURALLY
MASQUERADE
THERE'S
NO
ESCAPING
THE
JAWS
OF
THE
ALIEN
THIS
TIME
(THEY'RE
OPEN
WIDE)
THIS
IS
THE
END
OF
RECORDING
REGISTRY
OF CULTURALLY
SIGNIFICANT
RECORDINGS
AND THE
THRILLER VIDEO
WASHAS
INCLUDED
IN THE NATIONAL
FILM PRESERVATION
BOARD'S
NATIONAL
FILM REGISTRY
OF "CULTURALLY
OR AESTHETICALLY
SIGNIFICANT
FILMS"
IN 2012 SLANT
MAGAZINE
LISTED
THE ALBUM AT #1HOUSE
ON ITS LISTMICHAEL
OF "BEST ALBUMS
OF
DATE
TO THE
POINT
WHERE
SHE
RUNS
FOR COVER
MICHAEL
(WHO
TURNED
BACK
INTO
A ZOMBIE)
AND
HIS
FELLOW
CORPSES
CHASEHISTORICALLY
THE FRIGHTENED
GIRL
INTO THE
CORNER
OF A
NEARBY
ABANDONED
THEN
MUSIC
VIDEO
OF
ALL
TIME
THRILLER
PROVED
TO
HAVE
A
PROFOUND
EFFECT
ON
POPULAR
CULTURE
AND
WAS
NAMED
"A
WATERSHED
MOMENT
FOR
THE
[MUSIC]
THE
1980'S"
JACKSON'S
PREVIOUS
ALBUM
OFF
THE
WALL
(1979)
RECEIVED
STRONG
CRITICAL
ACCLAIM
AND
WAS
ALSO
A
COMMERCIAL
SUCCESS
EVENTUALLY
SELLING
OVER
20
MILLION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
THE
YEARS
BETWEEN
OFF
THE
WALL
AND
THRILLER
WERE
A
TRANSITIONAL
PERIOD
FOR
THE
SINGER
A
TIME
OF
INCREASING
INDEPENDENCE
REACHES
FOR
THE GIRL'S
THROAT
AS
SHE LETSWITH
OUT ATHE
BLOODCURDLING
SCREAM
ONLY
TO
AWAKE
AND
REALIZE
IT WAS
ALL A DREAM
MICHAEL
THENCONTAINS
OFFERS TO TAKE
HER HOMEMUSIC
AND SHE
HAPPILY
ACCEPTS
AS THEY WALK
OUTBERNOF THE
MICHAEL
PETERS
(WHO
HAD
WORKED
SINGER
ON HIS
PRIOR
HIT
"BEAT
IT")
AND
MICHAEL
JACKSON
THE
VIDEO
ALSO
INCIDENTAL
BY
FILM
MUSIC
COMPOSER
ELMER
THE
PERIOD
SAW
THE
SINGER
BECOME
DEEPLY
UNHAPPY
JACKSON
EXPLAINED
"EVEN
AT
HOME
I'M
LONELY
I
SIT
IN
MY
ROOM
SOMETIMES
AND
CRY
IT'S
SO
HARD
TO
MAKE
FRIENDS
I
SOMETIMES
WALK
AROUND
THE
NEIGHBORHOOD
AT
NIGHT
JUST
HOPING
TO
FIND
SOMEONE
TO
TALK
TO
BUT
I
JUST
END
UP
COMING
HOME"
WHEN
JACKSON
TURNED
HOUSE
MICHAEL
EERILY
LOOKS
AT THE CAMERA
REVEALING
HIS YELLOW
WERECAT
EYES
AS VINCENT
PRICE
OFFERS
ONE
LASTTHE
HAUNTING
LAUGH
DURING
THELISTED
CREDITS
A REPRISED
SCENE
OF
THE"ITZOMBIES
DANCING
IS
SHOWN
YOUR
LIFE
THEY'RE
OUT
TO
YOU
THERE'S
CLOSING
IN
ON
EVERY
SIDE
THEY
WILL
POSSESS
YOU
UNLESS
INDUSTRY"
FOR
ITS
UNPRECEDENTED
MERGING
OF
FILMMAKING
MUSIC
GUINNESS
WORLD
RECORDS
IT
IN 2006
AS
THE
"MOST
SUCCESSFUL
MUSIC
21
IN
AUGUST
1979
HEHAD
HIRED
JOHN
BRANCA
AS HIS MANAGER
JACKSON
CONFIDED
INGET
BRANCA
THAT
HETHAT
WANTED
TO BE "THE
BIGGEST STARDEMONS
INAND
SHOW
AND "THE
WEALTHIEST"
SINGER
WAS UPSET
ABOUT
WHATUNDEAD)
HE PERCEIVED
BE THE UNDER-PERFORMANCE
OF OFF
THE
WALL
STATING
WAS
TOTALLY
UNFAIR
THAT
DIDN'T
GET
STEIN
WHO
PREVIOUSLY
WORKED
WITH
LANDIS
ON
AN
AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
INBUSINESS"
LONDON.THE
VIDEO
(LIKE
THE
SONG)
CONTAINS
ACLOSING
SPOKEN
WORD
PERFORMANCE
BY
HORROR
FILM
VETERAN
VINISTOPURELY
COINCIDENTAL"
THE
SAME
DISCLAIMER
APPEARED
INITAN
AMERAT
THE
END
OF
THE
CLOSING
CREDITS
A DISCLAIMER
APPEARS
SAYING
"ANY
SIMILARITY
TO
ACTUAL
EVENTS
OR
CHARACTERS
LIVING
DEAD
(OR
RECORD OF THE
YEAR AND IT CAN
NEVER HAPPEN
AGAIN" HE ALSO FELT
UNDERVALUED
BY
THE MUSIC
INDUSTRY
IN 1980 WHEN
JACKSON
ASKED THE PUBLICIST
OF ROLLING
STONE IF
THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED
IN DOING
A COVER STORYOF
ON HIM
THE PUBLICIST
DECLINED TO
WHICH
JACKSON RESPONDED
"I'VE BEEN
TOLD OVER
AND OVER
VIDEO"
SELLING
OVER
9
MILLION
UNITS
IN
2009
THE
VIDEO
WAS
INDUCTED
INTO
THE
NATIONAL
FILM
REGISTRY
THE
LIBRARY
OF
CONGRESS
THE
FIRST
MUSIC
ICAN
WEREWOLF
IN
LONDON
ALSO
DIRECTED
BY
LANDIS
AFTER
THIS
THE
ZOMBIES
THEN
DANCE
BACK
INTO
THEIR
GRAVES
ENDING
WITH
ONE
OF
THEM
(AN
UNCREDITED
VINCENT
PRICE
IN
FULL
PROSTHETIC
MAKEUP)
GIVING
THE
CENT
PRICE
RICK
BAKER
ASSISTED
IN
PROSTHETICS
AND
MAKEUP
FOR
THE
PRODUCTION
"THRILLER"
WAS
THE
THIRD
AND
FINAL
VIDEO
FOR
THE
THRILLER
ALBUM
THE
RED
JACKET
THAT
JACKSON
WORE
THAT
BLACK
PEOPLE
ON
THE
COVER
OF
MAGAZINES
DOESN'T
SELL
COPIES
JUST
WAIT
SOMEDAY
THOSE
MAGAZINES
ARE
GOING
TO
BE
BEGGING
ME
FOR
AN
INTERVIEW
MAYBE
I'LL
GIVE
THEM
ONE
AND
MAYBE
I
WON'T"
JACKSON
REUNITED
WITH
OFF
THE
WALL
PRODUCER
QUINCY
JONES
TO
RECORD
HIS
SIXTH
STUDIO
ALBUM.THE
PAIR
WORKED
YOU
CHANGE
THAT
NUMBER
ONTHE
YOUR
DIAL
NOW
IS THE
TIME
FOR
YOU
AND
I TO
CUDDLE
CLOSE
TOGETHER
YEAH
AUDIENCE
A
TERRIFYING
GRIMACE
AS THE
SCENE
FADES
TO RECORDED
BLACK
ALBUM
THRILLER
IS
THE
BY AMERICAN
RECORDING
ARTIST
JACKSON
IT WAS
RELEASED
ON
30,MCCARTNEY
1982
BY EPIC
RECORDS
VIDEO
TO
EVER
RECEIVE
THIS
HONOR
FOR
BEING
HISTORICALLY
SIGNIFICANT
WITH
JACKSON
WAS
FORMER
PLAYTOGETHER ON
30 SONGS
NINE OF
WHICH
WERE EVENTUALLY
INCLUDED
THRILLER
WAS
AT“CULTURALLY
WESTLAKE
RECORDING
STUDIOS
IN
LOS SIXTH
ANGELESSTUDIO
CALIFORNIAALBUM
WITH AAESTHETICALLY”
PRODUCTION
BUDGET OF
$750,000 THE
RECORDING
FOR MICHAEL
THRILLERCO-STARRING
COMMENCED
ON APRIL
14, 1982
AT 12:00 NOON
WITHNOVEMBER
JACKSON AND
PAUL
RECORDING
"THE
WAS
DESIGNED
BY
JOHN
LANDIS'
WIFE
LANDIS
MAKE
HIM
APPEAR
MORE
"VIRILE"
TOOR
QUALIFY
FOR
AN
ACADEMY
AWARD
"THRILLER"
DEBUTED
AT A
SPECIAL
THEATRICAL
ALONG
AS
THE
FOLLOW-UP
TOWAS
JACKSON'S
CRITICALLY
AND
COMMERCIALLY
SUCCESSFUL
1979
OFFWERE
THE
WALL
THRILLER
EXPLORES
SIMILAR
GENRES
TO THOSE
OF
OFF
THE
WALL
INCLUDING
POP R&B
ROCK
POST-DISCO
AND
ADULT
GIRL
IS MINE"
AND THE ALBUM
COMPLETED
WITH
THE
FINALDEBORAH
DAY
OF MIXING
ON
NOVEMBERTO
8, 1982
SEVERAL MEMBERS
OF ALBUM
THE BAND
TOTO
ALSO
INVOLVED
IN THE ALBUM'S
RECORDING
AND PRODUCTION
JACKSON
WROTE
FOUR
SONGS
FOR
THE RECORD
"WANNA
BE STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
"THE
GIRL IS SCREENING
MINE" "BEAT
IT" AND
"BILLIECONJEAN"
BOY
CENTERFOLD
OLA
RAY
THE
VIDEO
WAS
CHOREOGRAPHED
BY
MICHAEL
PETERS
(WHO
HAD
WORKED
WITH
THE
SINGER
ON
HIS
PRIOR
HIT
"BEAT
IT")
AND
TEMPORARY
MUSIC
RECORDING
SESSIONS
TOOK
PLACE
BETWEEN
APRIL
AND
NOVEMBER
1982
AT
WESTLAKE
RECORDING
STUDIOS
IN
LOS
ANGELES
CALIFORNIA
WITH
A
PRODUCTION
BUDGET
OF
$750,000
ASSISTED
BY
PRODUCER
QUINCY
UNLIKE
MANY
ARTISTS
JACKSON
DID NOT
WRITE
THESE
SONGS
ON PAPER
INSTEAD
HE WOULD
DICTATE INTO
A
SOUND RECORDER
WHEN
RECORDING
HETERROR
WOULD
SING FROM MEMORY
THETHE
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN
JACKSON
AND
JONES BECAME
STRAINED
DURING
THEA
ALBUM'S
RECORDING
JACKSON
SPENT MUCH
OF
HIS
TIME REHEARSING
ALL
THROUGH
THE
NIGHT
I'LL
SAVE
YOU
FROM
THE
ON
SCREEN
I'LL
MAKE
YOU
SEE
THAT
THIS
IS
THRILLWITH
THE
1940
DISNEY
MOTION
PICTURE
AS
MICHAEL
JACKSON
WAS
ASEVEN
PRACTICING
JEHOVAH'S
WITNESS
AT
THAT
TIME
THE
FIRST
SCENE
INCLUDES
DISCLAIMER
BY
JACKSON
STATING
THAT
JONES
OF
THE
NINE
ON
THE
ALBUM
4ALSO
OFFANTASIA
THEM
WERE
WRITTEN
BY JACKSON
HIMSELF
SINGLES
RELEASED
THE
ALBUM
ALL
OF
TOP
10WAS
ONATHE
BILLBOARD
HOT
100 WITH
THREE
OF
THE
SINGLES
DANCE STEPS
ALONE
WHENTRACKS
THE ALBUM'S
NINE
SONGS
WERE COMPLETED
BOTH
JONES AND
JACKSON
WERE
UNHAPPY WITH
THE
RESULT
AND BY
REMIXED
EVERY WERE
SONG
SPENDING
A WEEKFROM
ON EACH
JACKSON
WAS INSPIRED
TO WHICH
CREATE ANREACHED
ALBUM
WHERETHE
"EVERY
SONG
KILLER"
AND DEVELOPED
THRILLER
THAT
IN MIND
JONES
AND
MICHAEL
JACKSON
THE
VIDEO
CONTAINS
INCIDENTAL
MUSIC
FILM
MUSIC
COMPOSER
ELMER
BERNSTEIN
WHO
HAD
PREVIOUSLY
WORKED
WITH
LANDIS
"DUE
TOROD
MY
STRONG
CONVICTIONS
I WISH
STRESS
THAT
THIS
FILM
INJEAN"
NOAND
WAY
ENDORSES
ATOBELIEF
IN
THE
OCCULT"
INAA
SERENE
1950S
SETTING
A THE
TEENAGED
MICHAEL
JACKSON
AND
HIS
SONGWRITER
TEMPERTON
GAVEPERSONAL
DETAILED
ACCOUNTS
OF WHATAND
OCCURRED
FOR
THE 2001TO
REISSUE
OF
THE ALBUM
JONES
DISCUSSED
"BILLIE
WHY
IT WAS SO
PERSONAL
JACKSON
WHO
STRUGGLED
DEAL WITH
NUMBER
OF OBSESSED
FANS
JONES
WANTED
LONG
INTRODUCTION
ON THE SONG
TO BE SHORTENED
HOWEVHAD
MUSIC
VIDEOS
RELEASED
"BABY
BE
MINE"
"THE
LADY
IN
MY
LIFE"
WERE
THE
ONLY
TRACKS
THAT
WERE
NOT
RELEASED
AS
SINGLES
INTOJUST
OVER
A
YEAR
THRILLER
BECAME—AND
CURRENTLY
REMAINS—THE
BEST-SELLING
ER
THRILLER
NIGHT
'CAUSE
I
CAN
THRILL
YOU
MORE
THAN
ANY
GHOST
WOULD
EVER
DARE
TRY
THRILLER
THRILLER
ER JACKSON
INSISTED
THAT
IT REMAIN
BECAUSE
MADE HIM WANT
TOLONDON.THE
DANCE
THE ONGOING
BACKLASH
DISCO
MADE
IT NECESSARY
TO110
MOVE
IN A DIFFERENT
MUSICAL
DIRECTION
FROM THE
DISCO-HEAVY
OFF
THE WALL
JONES
AND
JACKSON
DETERMINED
MAKE
A ROCK
SONG THAT
WOULD
APPEAL
TO ALL TASTES
ANDA
ON
AN
AMERICAN
IN
VIDEO
THE
SONG)
CONTAINS
A
SPOKEN
WORD
PERFORMANCE
BYWERE
HORROR
FILM
VETERAN
VINCENT
PRICE
ALBUM
OF
ALL
TIME
WITHWEREWOLF
SALES
ESTIMATED
BY
VARIOUS
SOURCES
ASAGAINST
BEING(LIKE
BETWEEN
65
AND
MILLION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
AND
IS ALSO
TIED
FOR
THE
BEST-SELLING
ALBUM
IN
THE
UNITED
STATES
THE
ALBUM
WON
UNNAMED
GIRLFRIEND
(OLAITRAY)
RUN
OUT
GAS
IN AWROTE
DARK
WOODED
AREA
THEY
WALK
OFF
INTO
THE
FOREST
AND
MICHAEL
ASKS
HER
IFMTV
SHE
WOULD
LIKE
TOTO
HIS
GIRLFRIEND
SHE
AND
SPENT WEEKS LOOKING
FOREIGHT
A SUITABLE
GUITARIST
FOR
THE
SONG AT
"BEAT
IT"OF
A1984
SONG
JACKSON
EVENTUALLY
THEY FOUND
EDDIE
VAN HALEN
THE
ROCK
BAND VAN
HALEN
WHEN
ROD
TEMPERTON
THE
SONG "THRILLER"
HE
ORIGINALLY
WANTED
TO WITH
CALL
ITBE
"STARLIGHT"
OR "MIDNIGHT
BUT ACCEPTS
SETTLED
ONRONALD
"THRILLER"
RECORD-BREAKING
GRAMMY
AWARDS
THE
GRAMMYS
THRILLER
ENABLED
JACKSON
TOOF
BREAK
DOWN
RACIAL
BARRIERS
VIA
HISWROTE
APPEARANCES
ON
AND
MEETING
PRESIDENT
OF THE MAN"
UNITED
STATES
RICK
BAKER
ASSISTED
IN
PROSTHETICS
AND
MAKEUP
FOR
THE
PRODUCTION
"THRILLER"
WAS
THE
THIRD
AND
FINAL
VIDEO
FOR
THE
THRILLER
ALBUM
THE
RED
BECAUSE
HE
FELT
THE
NAME
HAD
MERCHANDISING
POTENTIAL
ALWAYS
WANTING
A
NOTABLE
PERSON
TO
RECITE
THE
CLOSING
LYRICS
JONES
BROUGHT
IN
ACTOR
VINCENT
PRICE
WHO
WAS
AN
ACQUAINTANCE
OF
JONES'
WIFE
WHO
COMPLETED
HIS
PART
IN
JUST
TWO
TAKES
TEMPERTON
WROTE
THE
SPOKEN
PORTION
IN
A
TAXI
ON
THE
WAY
TO
REAGAN
ATHER
THE
WHITE
HOUSE
THE
ALBUM
WAS
ONE
OF WERE
THE
FIRST
TO
USE
MUSIC
VIDEOS
AS
SUCCESSFUL
PROMOTIONAL
TOOLS—THE
VIDEOS
FOR "THRILLER"
"BILLIE
JEAN"
AND
"BEAT
IT"
ALL
RECEIVED
REGULAR
ROTATION
ONWEREMTVIS
IN
HE
GIVES
AJONES
RING
HE
WARNS
HER
HOWEVER
THAT
HE
IS "NOT
LIKE
OTHER
GUYS"
AFULL
MOON
APPEARS
AND
MICHAEL
BEGINS
CONVULSING
IN AGONY
—(WRITTEN
TRANSFORMING
INTO
A
HORRIFYING
NIGHT
SO
LET
ME
HOLD
YOU
TIGHT
AND
SHARE
A
KILLER
DILLER
CHILLER
THRILLER
HERE
TONIGHT
'CAUSE
THIS
THE
RECORDING
STUDIO
AND
TEMPERTON
SAID
THAT
SOME
RECORDINGS
LEFT
OFF THE
FINAL CUT
BECAUSE
THEY
DID NOT
HAVE THE
"EDGINESS"
OF OTHER
ALBUM
TRACKS
SONGS RECORDED
BY JACKSON
FOR
CONSIDERATION
INCLUDED
"CAROUSEL"
BY MICHAEL
SEMBELLO) "NITE
LINE" TRACK
(WRITTEN BY
GLEN BALLARD)
2001
A
SPECIAL
EDITION
ISSUE
OF
THE
ALBUM
WAS
RELEASED
WHICH
CONTAINS
ADDITIONAL
AUDIO
INTERVIEWS
A
DEMO
RECORDING
AND
THE
SONG
"SOMEONE
IN
THE
DARK"
WHICH
WAS
A
GRAMMY-WINNING
FROM
THE
E.T.
JACKET
THAT
JACKSON
WORE
WAS
DESIGNED
BY
JOHN
LANDIS'
WIFE
DEBORAH
LANDIS
TO
MAKE
HIM
APPEAR
MORE
"VIRILE"
TO
QUALIFY
FOR
AN
ACADEMY
"TROUBLE"
(AKA "SHE'S TROUBLE"
WRITTEN
BY TERRY
BRITTEN
BILLIN
LIVSEY
ANDPROCESS
SUE SHIFRIN) AND
"HOT
STREET"SCREAMS
(WRITTEN BY ROD
TEMPERTON
AND
AKA "SLAPSTICK")
JACKSON
ALSO CUT A VERSION
OF "STARLIGHT"
DEMOS OF ALL THESE
SONGS
EXIST ANDAND
HAVE LEAKED
ONTO THEAT
INTERNET
"CAROUSEL"
AND "HOT
STREET" THE
WERE COMPLETED
CAT
GROWLING
AT
HER
TO
"GO
AWAY"
THE
THE
GIRL
AND
RUNS
AWAY
BUT
THE
WERECAT
CATCHES
UP
KNOCKING
HER
DOWN
LUNGING
HER
WITH
HIS
CLAWS
SCENE
THE
EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL
IN
2008
THE ALBUM
WAS
REISSUED
AGAIN
AS
THRILLER
25 CONTAINING
RE-MIXES
THAT FEATURE
CONTEMPORARY
ARTISTS
A PREVIOUSLY
UNRELEASED
SONG
AND AWERE
DVD
THRILLER
RANKED
BUT
LEFT
OFF THE
FINAL VERSIONTHRILLER
OF STORYBOOK
THE
ALBUM A SHORT
CLIP
OF
"CAROUSEL"
APPEARED
AS A
BONUSI
ON THESCREENING
2001
REISSUE
OF THE ALBUM
ACCORDING TO
STEVE
HUEY
OF ALLMUSIC
THRILLER
REFINED
THE STRENGTHS
OF
JACKSON'S
PREVIOUS
ALBUM OFF THE
WALL
THE
DANCE
AND
ROCKJACKSON
MORE
AGGRESSIVE
WHILE THE
AWARD
DEBUTED
AT
A
SPECIAL
THEATRICAL
ALONG
WITH
THE
1940
DISNEY
MOTION
PICTURE
FANTASIA
AS
MICHAEL
WAS
A
PRACTHRILLER
NIGHT
GIRL
CAN
THRILL
YOU
MORE
THAN
ANY
GHOST
WOULD
EVER
DARE
TRY
THRILLER
NUMBER
20 "THRILLER"
ON
ROLLING
STONE
MAGAZINE'S
GREATEST
ALBUMS
OFTRACK
ALL
LIST
IN
2003
AND
WAS
LISTED
BY
THE
NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
OF
RECORDING
MERCHANDISERS
NUMBER
THREE
ITSTRACKS
DEFINITIVE
ALBUMS
OF
ALL
THEN
TO
A
MOVIE
THEATER
WHERE
MICHAEL
AND
HIS
DATE
WITH
ANAND
EXCITABLE
AUDIENCE
ARE
ACTUALLY
WATCHING
THE
SCENE
UNFOLD
AAND
FICTIONAL
VINCENT
PRICE
TITLED
POP TUNESCUTS
AND
BALLADS
WERE
SOFTER
AND
MORE
SOULFUL
THE500
ALBUM
INCLUDES THE
BALLADS
"THE
LADYTIME
IN ALONG
MY LIFE"
"HUMAN
NATURE"
"THE
GIRL IS MINE"
THE
FUNK
PIECES
"BILLIE
JEAN" AND "WANNA
BE STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
AND
THE DISCO
SET "BABYAT
BEIN
MINE"
"P.Y.T.
(PRETTYIN
YOUNG
THING)"
AND
HAS200
AMOVIE
SIMILAR
SOUND
TO THE
TIME
THE
WAS
INCLUDED
THE LIBRARY
OF
CONGRESS'
NATIONAL
RECORDING
REGISTRY
OF CULTURALLY
SIGNIFICANT
RECORDINGS
AND
THE
THRILLER
VIDEO
WAS
INCLUDED
IN
NATIONAL
FILM
TICING
JEHOVAH'S
WITNESS
AT
THAT
TIME
THE
FIRST
SCENE
INCLUDES
A
DISCLAIMER
BY
JACKSON
STATING
THAT
"DUE
TO
MY
STRONG
PERSONAL
CONVICTIONS
MATERIAL
ONTHRILLER
OFF THE WALLALBUM
"WANNA BE
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
ISIN
ACCOMPANIED
BY A BASS
AND
PERCUSSION
BACKGROUND
AND
THE SONG'S CENTERPIECE
A CLIMAXING
AFRICAN-INSPIRED
CHANT (OFTEN MISIDENTIFIED
AS SWAHILI
BUT ACTUALLY
SYLLABLES
BASED
ON
DUALA)
GAVE THE
SONG
ANTHE
INTERNATIONAL
FLAVOR
"THEPRESERVAGIRL IS MINE"I
"THRILLER"
MICHAEL'S
GIRLFRIEND
LEAVES
THE
THEATER
AS
MICHAEL
HANDS
HIS
POPCORN
TO
ANOTHER
MOVIEGOER
CATCHES
UP
TO
HER
AND
TELLS
HER
THAT
"IT'S
ONLY
A
MOVIE"
SOME
DEBATE
FOLTION
BOARD'S
NATIONAL
FILM
REGISTRY
OF
"CULTURALLY
HISTORICALLY
OR
AESTHETICALLY
SIGNIFICANT
FILMS"
IN
2012
SLANT
MAGAZINE
LISTED
THE
ALBUM
AT
#1
ON
ITS
LIST
OF
"BEST
ALBUMS
OF
THE
1980'S"
JACKSON'S
PREVIOUS
TELLS
OF TWO FRIENDS' FIGHT OVER
A WOMAN ARGUING
OVERLET
WHO LOVESME
HER MOREHOLD
AND CONCLUDESYOU
WITH ASPOKEN
RAP DESPITE THE LIGHT
POP FLAVOR
OF THESE TWO RECORDS
THRILLER MORE SO THAN
OFF THE WALL DISPLAYEDOW
FORESHADOWINGS
OF THE
CONTRADICTORY THEMATIC
ELEMENTS THAT
WOULD
COME TO CHARACTERIZE
THRILLER
NIGHT
SO
TIGHT
AND
SHARE
A
KILLER
THRILLER
(I'M
GONNA
THRILL
YA
TONIGHT)
WISH
TO
STRESS
THAT
THIS
FILM
IN
NO
WAY
ENDORSES
A
BELIEF
IN
THE
OCCULT"
IN
ATHEY
SERENE
1950S
SETTING
A
TEENAGED
MICHAEL
JACKSON
AND
HIS
UNNAMED
ALBUM
THE
WALL
RECEIVED
STRONG
CRITICAL
ACCLAIM
AND
WAS
ALSO
A PARANOIA
COMMERCIAL
SUCCESS
EVENTUALLY
SELLING
OVER
20ALBUM'S
MILLION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
THE
YEARS
BETWEEN
THE
WALL
AND
THRILLER
WERE
A
JACKSON'SOFF
SUBSEQUENT
WORKS(1979)
WITH
THRILLER
JACKSON
WOULD
BEGIN
HIS ASSOCIATION
WITH
THE
SUBLIMINAL
MOTIF
OF
AND
DARKER
THEMESDISAGREES
INCLUDING
SUPERNATURAL
IMAGERY
IN
THE
TITLE TRACK
THIS
IS EVIDENT
ON THE
SONGS
"BILLIE JEAN"
"WANNA
BEOFF
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
AND
"THRILLER"
IN "BILLIE
JEAN"
LOWS
AS
TO
WHETHER
OR
NOT
SHE
WAS
SCARED
BY
THE
MOVIE
SHE
DENIES
ITARGUES
BUT
MICHAEL
THEN
WALK
DOWN
A
FOGGY
ROAD
AS
MICHAEL
TEASES
HER
BY
SINGING
THE
VERSES
OF
JACKSON
SINGS
ABOUT
AN
OBSESSIVE
FAN
WHO
ALLEGES
HE
HAS
FATHERED
A
CHILD
OF
HERS
IN
"WANNA
BE
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
HE
AGAINST
GOSSIPS
AND
THE
MEDIA
IN
THE
FORMER
SONG
JONES
HAD
JACKSON
SING
VOCAL
OVERDUBS
THROUGH
A
SIX-FOOT-LONG
CARDBOARD
TUBE
AND
BROUGHT
IN
JAZZ
SAXOPHONIST
TOM
SCOTT
TRANSITIONAL
PERIOD
FOR
THE
SINGER
A
TIME
OF
INCREASING
INDEPENDENCE
THE
PERIOD
SAW
THE
SINGER
BECOME
DEEPLY
UNHAPPY
JACKSON
EXPLAINED
"EVEN
AT
HOME
I'M
LONELY
I
SIT
IN
MY
ROOM
SOMETIMES
AND
CRY
IT'S
SO
GIRLFRIEND
(OLA
RAY)
RUN
OUT
OF
GAS
IN
A
DARK
WOODED
AREA
THEY
WALK
OFF
INTO
THE
FOREST
AND
MICHAEL
ASKS
HER
IF
SHE
WOULD
LIKE
TO
BE
HIS
GIRLFALLS
ACROSS
THE
LAND
THE
MIDNIGHT
HOUR
ISWITH
CLOSE
ATEND
HAND
CREATURES
CRAWL
IN
SEARCH
OF
"THRILLER"
THEY
PASS
NEARBY
GRAVEYARD
IN
WHICH
THEJOHNSON
UNDEAD
BEGIN
TOHOPING
RISE
OUT
OF
THEIR
GRAVES
AS
PRICE
PERFORMS
HIS
SPRECHGESANG
ZOMBIES
THE
TWO
TODARKNESS
PLAY TO
A RARE
INSTRUMENT
THE
LYRICON
A WIND-CONTROLLED
SYNTHESIZER
BASSIST
LOUIS
RAN
HIS
PART
ON
AYAMAHA
BASS
GUITAR
THE SONG
OPENS
AVINCENT
LONG
INTRODUCTION
IN THE
SONG
"THRILLER"
SOUND
EFFECTSTHE
SUCH
AS
CREAKING
THUNDER
FEET
WALKING
ONMAIN
WOODEN
HARD
MAKE
FRIENDS
IA
SOMETIMES
WALKANALOG
AROUND
THE
NEIGHBORHOOD
ATTHROUGH
NIGHT
JUST
TO
FIND
SOMEONE
TO
TALK
TOBASS-AND-DRUMS
BUT I JUST
UP COMING
HOME"
WHEN
JACKSON
TURNED
21 DOOR
INCORNER
AUGUST
1979
HE
HIRED
JOHN
PLANKS WINDS
AND
DOGS CAN
BE
HEARD THE
ANTI-GANG-VIOLENCE
"BEAT
IT"
BECAME
A
HOMAGE
TO WEST
SIDE
STORY
WAS JACKSON'S
FIRST
SUCCESSFUL
ROCK
CROSS-OVER
PIECE
JACKSON
LATER SAIDGUYS"
OF "BEAT
"THE
POINT
IS NO
ONE HAS ABOUT
TO BE
THE TOUGH
GUY
YOU
CAN WALK
AWAY
FROM
A
FIGHT
AND STILL CONBE A MAN
FRIEND
ACCEPTS
AND
HE
GIVES
A
RING
HE
WARNS
HER
HOWEVER
THAT
IS
"NOT
LIKE
OTHER
A
FULL
MOON
APPEARS
AND
MICHAEL
BEGINS
BRANCA
ASSHE
HISHOWLING
MANAGER
JACKSON
CONFIDED
IN HER
BRANCA
THAT
HE
WANTED
TO
BE
"THEAND
BIGGEST
STAR
IN
SHOWHE
BUSINESS"
AND
"THE
WEALTHIEST"
THEIT"
SINGER
WAS
UPSET
WHAT
HE
PERCEIVED
TO
BE
THE
UNDER-PERFORCHARACTERS
THREATENINGLY
AND
SUDDENLY
MICHAEL
BECOMES
A
ZOMBIE
HIMSELF
THE
ZOMBIES
THEN
BREAK
INTO
AN
ELABORATE
SONG
AND
DANCE
NUMBER
FOLLOWED
BY
THE
MAIN
CHORUS
YOU DON'T
HAVE
TOTHE
DIE TOWALL
PROVE YOU'RE
A MAN"
"HUMAN
IS MOODY
AND INTROSPECTIVE
AS CONVEYED
IN LYRICS SUCH
"LOOKING
OUT
ACROSS
THE MORNING
THE
CITY'S HEART
BEGINS TO
BEAT
REACHING
OUT
I TOUCH HER SHOULDER
I'M DREAMING
OF
THE STREET" BY
LATE
1970S JACKSON'S
ABILITIES
AS A VOCALIST
WERE
MANCE
OF
OFF
STATING
"IT
WASNATURE"
TOTALLY
UNFAIR
THAT
IT HORRIFYING
DIDN'T
GET
RECORD
OFAS
THE
YEAR
AND
IT CAN
NEVER
HAPPEN
AGAIN"
HE
ALSO
FELT
UNDERVALUED
BY THE
MUSIC
INDUSTRY
INTHE
1980
WHEN
JACKSON
ASKED
THE
PUBLIBLOOD
TO
TERRORIZE
Y'ALLS
NEIGHBORHOOD
I'M
GONNA
THRILL
YA
TONIGHT
OOH
BABY
I'M
GONNA
THRILL
YA
TOVULSING
IN
AGONY
—
TRANSFORMING
INTO
A
GROWLING
AT
HER
TO
"GO
AWAY"
IN
THE
PROCESS
THE
GIRL
SCREAMS
AND
RUNS
AWAY
BUT
WELL
REGARDED
ALLMUSIC
DESCRIBED
HIM
AS
A "BLINDINGLY
GIFTED
VOCALIST"
ROLLING
STONE
HIS
VOCALS
TOWERECAT
THE "BREATHLESS
DREAMY
STUTTER"
STEVIE
WONDER
THEIR
ANALYSIS
WAS
ALSO THAT
"JACKSON'S
FEATHERY-TIMBRED
TENOR
IS EXTRAORDINARY
BEAUTIFUL
ITPEOPLE
SLIDES
SMOOTHLY
INTOCOVER
A STARTLING
OF
"THRILLER"
(DURING
WHICH
MICHAEL
REVERTS
TO
HUMAN
FORM)
FRIGHTENING
HIS
DATE
TOOFTHE
POINT
WHERE
SHE
RUNS
FOR
COVER
MICHAEL
(WHO
HAS
TURNED
BACK
INTO
ATHE
ZOMBIE)
AND
HIS
CIST
OF
ROLLING
STONE
IF THEY
WOULD
BE INTERESTED
IN
DOING
ACOMPARED
COVER
STORY
ON
HIM
THE PUBLICIST
DECLINED
TO
WHICH
JACKSON
RESPONDED
"I'VE
BEEN
TOLD OVER
AND
OVER
THAT
BLACK
ON
OFFALSETTO
MAGATHAT'S USED VERY DARINGLY” WITH THE RELEASE OF THRILLER JACKSON COULD SING LOW—DOWN TO A BASSO LOW C—BUT HE PREFERRED TO SING HIGHER BECAUSE POP TENORS HAVE MORE RANGE TO CREATE STYLE ROLLING STONE WAS OF THE OPINION THAT JACKSON WAS NOW SINGING IN A "FULLY ADULT VOICE" THAT WAS "TINGED BY
ZINES
DOESN'T
SELL
COPIES
JUST
WAIT
SOMEDAY
THOSE
MAGAZINES
AREIN
GOING
TO
BETEMPERTON
BEGGING
ME
FOR
AN
INTERVIEW
MAYBE
I'LL
GIVE
THEM
ONE
AND
MAYBE
ICLOSEST
WON'T"
JACKSON
REUNITED
WITH
OFF
THE
WALL
PRODUCER
QUINCY
THE
WERECAT
CATCHES
UP
KNOCKING
HER
DOWN
AND
LUNGING
AT
HER
WITH
HIS
CLAWS
THE
SCENE
THEN
CUTS
TO
A MOVIE
THEATER
WHERE
MICHAEL
AND
SADNESS"
"P.Y.T.CORPSES
(PRETTY
YOUNG
THING)"
CREDITED
TO JAMES
INGRAM AND
QUINCY
JONES
AND
"THE
LADY
MY LIFE"
ROD
BOTH
GAVE
THE
ALBUM
A STRONGER
R&B
DIRECTION
THE
LATTER
SONG
WAS
DESCRIBED
AS "THE
JACKSON
HAS
COME
TO CROONING
A SEXY
SOULFUL
AFTER
HIS MOTOWN
YEARS"
BY
FELLOW
CHASE
THE
FRIGHTENED
GIRL
INTO
THE
CORNER
OF
NEARBY
ABANDONED
HOUSE
MICHAEL
THEN
REACHES
FOR
THE
GIRL'S
AS
SHE
LETS
OUT
A
BLOODCURDLING
SCREAM
NIGHT
OH
DARLIN'
THRILLER
NIGHT
BABY
OOH
THE
FOULEST
STENCH
IS
IN
THE
AIR
THE
FUNK
OF
FORTY
THOUSAND
JONES
TO
RECORD
STUDIO
PAIR
WORKED
ON
30BYA
SONGS
NINE
WHICH
WERE
EVENTUALLY
INCLUDED
THRILLER
WAS
RECORDED
ATTHROAT
WESTLAKE
RECORDING
STUDIOS
INBALLAD
LOS
ANGELES
CALIFORNIA
TARABORRELLI
THEALONG
SINGERHIS
HADSIXTH
ALREADY
ADOPTED
AALBUM.THE
"VOCAL
HICCUP" WHICH
HE
CONTINUEDTOGETHER
TO IMPLEMENT
IN
THRILLER
THE PURPOSE
OFOF
THE
HICCUP—SOMEWHAT
LIKE A GULPING
FOR
AIR OR
GASPING—IS
TO HELP
PROMOTE
A CERTAIN EMOTION
BE IT EXCITEMENT
SADNESS
OR FEAR
THRILLER WAS
RELEASED
ON NOVEMBER
30, 1982 AND
AUDIENCE
ARE
ACTUALLY
WATCHING
THE
SCENE
UNFOLD
IN
A
FICTIONAL
VINCENT
PRICE
MOVIE
TITLED
"THRILLER"
HIS
DATE
WITH
AN
EXCITABLE
WITH
A TO
PRODUCTION
BUDGET
$750,000
THE
RECORDING
FOR
THRILLER
COMMENCED
ON
APRIL
14,
1982HOME
AT
12:00
NOON
WITH
JACKSON
AND
PAUL
MCCARTNEY
RECORDING
"THE
GIRL
ISMICHAEL
MINE" AND
THE
ALBUM
WAS
COMPLETED
WITH
ONLY
AWAKE
AND
REALIZE
ITITSWAS
ALL
A DREAM
MICHAEL
OFFERS
TO
TAKE
HER
AND
SHE
HAPPILY
ACCEPTS
AS
THEY
OUT
THE
HOUSE
EERILY
LOOKS
AT
THEWAS
CAMERA
SOLD ONE
MILLION
COPIES WORLDWIDE
PEROF
WEEK
AT
PEAK
SEVEN
SINGLES
WERE RELEASED
FROM THETHEN
ALBUM
INCLUDING
"THE
GIRL
IS MINE"—WHICH
WAS
SEEN
AS A POOR
CHOICE
FOR THE LEAD
RELEASE
AND
LED
SOME TOWALK
BELIEVE
THAT
THEOF
ALBUM
WOULD
BE A DISAPPOINTMENT
AND
TO SUGGESTIONS
THAT
JACKSON
BOWING
TO
THE
FINAL
DAY"THE
OF
MIXING
ON
8,GHOULS
1982
SEVERAL
MEMBERS
OF
THE
BAND
TOTO
WERE
ALSO
INVOLVED
THE
ALBUM'S
RECORDING
AND
PRODUCTION
JACKSON
WROTE
FOUR
SONGS
FOR
RECORD
"WANNA
STARTIN'
MICHAEL'S
GIRLFRIEND
LEAVES
THE
THEATER
AS
MICHAEL
HANDS
HIS
POPCORN
TO
ANOTHER
MOVIEGOER
CATCHES
UP
TO
HER
AND
TELLS
HER
"IT'S
ONLY
A WHITE
AUDIENCE
GIRL
IS MINE"
WASNOVEMBER
FOLLOWED
BY THE
HIT
SINGLE
"BILLIE JEAN"
WHICH
MADE
THRILLER
A CHART-TOPPER
SUCCESS
CONTINUED
WITH
THEIN
SINGLE
"BEAT
IT" WHICH
FEATURED
GUITARISTS
EDDIE
VAN HALEN
AND
STEVE LUKATHER
THE
TITLE
TRACK
"THRILLER"
WASTHE
RELEASED
ASTHAT
A SINGLE
AND
ALSOBE
BECAME
A HIT
YEARS
AND
GRIZZLY
FROM
EVERY
TOMB
ARE
CLOSING
IN
TO
SEAL
YOUR
DOOM
AND
THOUGH
YOU
FIGHT
TO
REVEALING
HIS
YELLOW
WERECAT
EYES
AS
VINCENT
PRICE
OFFERS
ONE
LAST
HAUNTING
LAUGH
THE
CLOSING
CREDITS
A
REPRISED
SCENE
THE
ZOMBIES
DANCING
IS
SHOWN
AT
THE
END
OFA
SOMETHIN'"
"THE
GIRL
ISMOSTLY
MINE"
"BEAT
IT" AND
"BILLIE
JEAN"
UNLIKE
MANY
ARTISTS
JACKSON
DID
NOTITWRITE
THESE
SONGS
ON PAPER
INSTEAD
HETHE
WOULD
DICTATE
INTO
A OF
SOUND
RECORDER
WHENROLLING
RECORDING
HE WOULD
SING
FROM
INTERNATIONALLY
THRILLER
WAS
WELL
RECEIVED
BY
CRITICS
A FOUR-STAR
ROLLING
STONE
REVIEW
BY CHRISTOPHER
CONNELLY
DESCRIBED
AS
"A ZESTY
LP"DURING
WITH
A "HARROWING
DARK MESSAGE"
DESPITE
POSITIVE
RESPONSE THE
TITLE TRACK
CAME
UNDER
STRONG CRITICISM
STONE
EXPRESSED
A NEGATIVE
SENTIMENT
MOVIE"
SOME
DEBATE
FOLLOWS
AS
TO
WHETHER
OR
NOT
SHE
WAS
SCARED
BY
THE
MOVIE
SHE
DENIES
IT
BUT
MICHAEL
DISAGREES
THEY
THEN
WALK
DOWN
A
CRITICIZING
ITS
"DEGENERAT[ION]
INTOA
SILLY
CAMP" THEJACKSON
MAGAZINE
EXPRESSED
CONFUSION
ATTHAT
THE USE
OF
VINCENT
PRICE OVER COUNT
FLOYD
FOR THE
TRACK'S
CONCLUDING
RAP
THE
NEW YORK
TIMES
GAVE
A POSITIVE
REVIEW
OF THE
ALBUM
AND DEDICATED
A LARGE
AMOUNT
ITS COVERAGE
TO THE
SONG
"HUMAN
NATURE"COMTHEY
MEMORY
THE
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN
AND JONES
BECAME
STRAINED
DURING
THE TO
ALBUM'S
RECORDING
JACKSON
SPENT
MUCH
OF
HIS
TIME
REHEARSING
DANCE
ALONE
WHENOFTHE
ALBUM'S
NINE
SONGS
WERE
THE
CLOSING
CREDITS
DISCLAIMER
APPEARS
SAYING
"ANY
SIMILARITY
ACTUAL
EVENTS
ORCHORUS
CHARACTERS
LIVING
DEAD
(OR
UNDEAD)
ISSTEPS
PURELY
COINCIDENTAL"
THE
SAME
DISCLAIMER
STAY
ALIVE
YOUR
BODY
STARTS
TO
SHIVER
FOR
NO
MERE
MORTAL
CAN
RESIST
THE
EVIL
OF
THE
THRILLER
MICHAEL
DESCRIBED
IT AS
THE
MOST "STRIKING"
SONG ON THEWERE
RECORD
AND WROTE
"THIS
IS A
HAUNTING
BROODING
BALLAD
BYVERSES
STEVE PORCARO
AND
JOHN
BETTIS
WITH ANA
IRRESISTIBLE
ANDA
IT SHOULD
BEWAS
AN ENORMOUS
HIT" CONCLUDING
THEIR
REVIEW
THE NEW
YORK
TIMES
ADDED
"THERE ARE
OTHER
HITS
HERE
TOO
LOTS
OF THEM BEST
PLETED
BOTH
JONES
AND
JACKSON
UNHAPPY
WITH
THE
RESULT
AND
REMIXED
EVERY
SONG
SPENDING
WEEK
ONPASS
EACH
JACKSON
INSPIRED
TO CREATE
AN
ALBUM
WHERE
"EVERY
SONG
WAS
A KILLER"
AND
DEVELOPED
FOGGY
ROAD
AS
MICHAEL
TEASES
HER
BY
SINGING
THE
OF
"THRILLER"
THEY
NEARBY
GRAVEYARD
IN
WHICH
THE
UNDEAD
BEGIN
TO
RISE
OUT
OF
APPEARED
INTHAT
AN
AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
IN LONDON
ALSO
BY LANDIS
AFTER
THIS
THE
ZOMBIES
THEN
BACK
INTO
THEIR
GRAVES
ENDING
WITH
ONE
THEM
(AN
UNCREDITED
VINOF ALL, WITHWITH
A PERVASIVE
CONFIDENCE
INFUSING
THEAND
ALBUM
AS A WHOLE
THRILLER
SUGGESTS
THAT DIRECTED
MR. JACKSON'S
AS ACCOUNTS
AN ARTIST
IS FAR FROM
FINISHED”
ROBERT CHRISTGAU
PUBLISHED
POSITIVE
(A−)OF
GRADED
OF
THE ALBUM
A FEW
DAYS BEFORE
ITS RELEASE
HEOF
ACKNOWLEDGED
THAT
THERE
WERE "FILLERS"
THE
THRILLER
IN MIND
JONES
SONGWRITER
ROD
TEMPERTON
GAVE EVOLUTION
DETAILED
OF
WHAT
OCCURRED
FOR
THEDANCE
2001AREISSUE
THEOVERVIEW
ALBUM
JONES
DISCUSSED
"BILLIE
JEAN"
AND
WHY
IT WAS
SO
PERSONAL
TOON
JACKRECORD
BUT
STILL
LABELED ITAS
"ALMOST
CLASSIC"
HE EXPRESSED
THE OPINION
THAT "BEAT IT"
WAS THE
ALBUM'S
BEST TRACKTHE
CALLING
IT "THE
TRIUMPH
AND THE THRILLER"
BUT CRITICIZED
"THE
GIRL
IS MINE" AS
"MICHAEL'S
WORST IDEA
SINCE "BEN""
HETHREATENINGLY
WAS OF THE
OPINION
THAT THE COLLABORATION
DID
NOT WORK
WELL,
BUT STILL
PRAISED
THEIR
GRAVES
VINCENT
PRICE
PERFORMS
HIS
SPRECHGESANG
THE
ZOMBIES
CORNER
THE
TWO
MAIN
CHARACTERS
AND
SUDDENLY
MICHAEL
SON
WHO
STRUGGLED
TO
DEAL
WITH
A
NUMBER
OF
OBSESSED
FANS
JONES
WANTED
LONG
INTRODUCTION
ON
THE
SONG
TO
BE
SHORTENED
HOWEVER
JACKSON
INSISTED
THAT
IT
REMAIN
BECAUSE
IT
MADE
HIM
WANT
TO
DANCE
JACKSON'S
THRILLER
IS
A
13-MINUTE-AND-43-SECOND
MUSIC
VIDEO
FOR
THE
SONG
OF
THE
SAME
NAME
RELEASED
ON
CENT
PRICE
IN
FULL
PROSTHETIC
MAKEUP)
GIVING
THE
AUDIENCE
A
TERRIFYING
GRIMACE
AS
THE
SCENE
FADES
TO
BLACK
THE
ALBUM
THRILLER
IS
THE
SIXTH
STUDIO
ALBUM
BY
AMERICAN
RECORDING
IT FOR
"GETTING INTERRACIAL
LOVE ON
THE RADIO" A
YEAR AFTER
THE ALBUM'S
RELEASE TIMETO
SUMMED
UP THE
MAIN SINGLES
FROM THE ALBUM
SAYING "THE
PULSE OF
AMERICA
AND MUCH OF THE
REST
OF THE
WORLD
MOVESAND
IRREGULARLY
BEATING
IN TIME
TO THE TOUGH STRUT
"BILLIE JEAN"
THE ASPHALT
ARIA
OF "BEAT
IT" THE
THE
ONGOING
AGAINST
DISCO
MADE
IT NECESSARY
MOVE
INTHREE
A DIFFERENT
MUSICAL
DIRECTION
FROM
THE
DISCO-HEAVY
OFF
THE
WALL
JONES
JACKSON
DETERMINED
TOOFMAKE
AMERIT
ROCK
SONG
THAT
WOULD
BECOMES
ABACKLASH
ZOMBIE
THE
THEN
BREAK
INTO
AN
ELABORATE
SONG
AND
DANCE
NUMBER
FOLLOWED
BYWERE
THE
MAIN
CHORUS
"THRILLER"
(DURSUPREMELY COOL
CHILLS
OF JACKSON
"THRILLER" HIMSELF
THE ALBUM
WON
JACKSON
AZOMBIES
RECORD-BREAKING
EIGHT GRAMMY
AWARDS
IN
1984 INCLUDING
ALBUM
OF THE
YEAR
THE EIGHTH
GRAMMY
WENT
TO BRUCE SWEDIEN
THAT SAME YEAR
JACKSON
WON EIGHT AMERICAN
MUSIC
AWARDS THE
SPECIAL
AWARDOF
OFOFF
AND THREE
MTV THRILLVIDEO
MUSIC
ARTIST
MICHAEL
IT WAS
RELEASED
ON
NOVEMBER
30,
1982
BY
EPIC
RECORDS
AS
THE
FOLLOW-UP
TO
JACKSON'S
CRITICALLY
AND
COMMERCIALLY
SUCCESSFUL
1979
ALBUM
THE
WALL
APPEAL
TO
ALL
TASTES
AND
SPENT
WEEKS
LOOKING
FOR
A SUITABLE
GUITARIST
FOR
THE
SONG
"BEAT
IT"
A
SONG
JACKSON
WROTE
EVENTUALLY
THEY
FOUND
EDDIE
VAN HALEN
OF
THE
ROCK
BAND
VAN
HALEN
WHEN
ROD
TEMPERTON
AWARDS
THRILLER
WAS
RECOGNIZED
AS
THE
WORLD'S
BEST-SELLING
ALBUM
ON
FEBRUARY
7,
1984
WHEN
IT
WAS
INDUCTED
INTO
THE
GUINNESS
BOOK
OF
WORLD
RECORDS
IT
IS
ONE
OF
ONLY
THREE
ALBUMS
TO
REMAIN
IN
THE
TOP
TEN
OF
THE
BILLBOARD
200
FOR
A
FULL
YEAR
AND
SPENT
37
WEEKS
AT
NUMBER
ONE
OUT
OF
THE
80
CONSECUTIVE
DECEMBER
2,
1983
AND
DIRECTED
BY
JOHN
LANDIS,
WHO
ALSO
CO-WROTE
THE
SCREENPLAY
WITH
JACKSON
VOTED
AS
ING
WHICH
MICHAEL
REVERTS
TO
HUMAN
FORM)
FRIGHTENING
HIS
DATE
TO
THE
POINT
WHERE
SHE
RUNS
FOR
COVER
MICHAEL
(WHO
HAS
TURNED
BACK
INTO
A
WROTE
THE
SONG
"THRILLER"
HE
ORIGINALLY
WANTED
TO
CALL
IT
"STARLIGHT"
OR
"MIDNIGHT
MAN"
BUT
SETTLED
ON
"THRILLER"
BECAUSE
HE
FELT
THE
NAME
HAD
MERCHANDISING
POTENTIAL
ALWAYS
WANTING
A
NOTABLE
PERSON
WEEKS
IT WAS IN THE TOP
TEN THE ALBUM
WAS ALSO
THETHOSE
FIRST OF THREE
HAVE
SEVEN
BILLBOARD
HOT 100 TOP TEN SINGLES
AND WAS
THE ONLY
ALBUM TO BE THEAND
BEST-SELLER
OF TWOCONTEMPORARY
YEARS (1983–1984) IN THE US ON
AUGUST 21,
2009 THRILLER WAS CERTIFIED
29X MULTI-PLATINUM
BY THEBETWEEN
RECORDING INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATION
OF AMERICA
ER
EXPLORES
SIMILAR
GENRES
TO
OFINTO
OFF
THE
WALL
INCLUDING
POPAN
R&B
ROCK
POST-DISCO
ADULT
MUSIC
RECORDING
SESSIONS
TOOK
PLACE
APRIL
AND
NOVEMTO
THE
LYRICS
JONES
BROUGHT
ACTOR
VINCENT
PRICE
WHO
ACQUAINTANCE
OFCORNER
JONES'
WIFE
WHO
COMPLETED
HIS
PART
IN JUST
TWO
TAKES
TEMPERTON
WROTE
THE
SPOKEN
IN
A TAXI
ON
THE
FORRECITE
SHIPMENTS
OF
ATCLOSING
LEASTHIS
29 MILLION
COPIES
IN THECORPSES
US
THE ALBUM TOPPED
THE CHARTS
IN MANY
COUNTRIES
SOLDWAS
4.2 MILLION
COPIESINTO
IN THE UK, THE
2.5 MILLION
IN JAPAN AND
WENT
15×
PLATINUM
IN AUSTRALIA
STILL POPULAR
TODAY
THRILLER
SELLS
AN
ESTIMATED 130,000
COPIES
IN THEREACHES
US PER YEARPORTION
IT REACHED
NUMBER
TWO
IN
THE
US
ZOMBIE)
AND
FELLOW
CHASE
THE
FRIGHTENED
GIRL
OF
A
NEARBY
ABANDONED
HOUSE
MICHAEL
THEN
FOR
THE
GIRL'S
BER
1982
AT
WESTLAKE
RECORDING
STUDIOS
IN
ANGELES
CALIFORNIA
WITH
A LEFT
PRODUCTION
BUDGET
OFTHRILLER
$750,000
ASSISTED
BY PRODUCER
QUINCY
JONES
OF
THE
NINE
TRACKS
ONWERE
THE
ALBUM
4 OF
WAY
TO
THE
RECORDING
STUDIO
JONES
AND
SAID
RECORDINGS
WERE
OFF
THE
FINAL
CUT
BECAUSE
THEY
DID
NOT
HAVE
THE
OF
ALBUM
TRACKS
SONGS
RECORDED
BY
JACKSON
FOR
CATALOG
CHARTS
IN
FEBRUARY 2003
AND
NUMBER
39 IN THE
UK
INTEMPERTON
MARCH 2007
ASLOS
OF 2010
THETHAT
ALBUM ISSOME
ESTIMATED
AS HAVING SOLD
APPROXIMATELY
65–110
MILLION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
WAS
REISSUED
ON OCTOBER
16, 2001"EDGINESS"
IN
AN EXPANDED
SET
TITLED
THRILLER
SPECIAL
EDITION
THE
ORIGINAL
TRACKS
REMASTERED
AND
THE
THE
MOST
INFLUENTIAL
POP
MUSIC
VIDEO
OF
ALL
TIME
THRILLER
PROVED
TO
HAVE
AOTHER
PROFOUND
EFFECT
ON
POPUCONSIDERATION
INCLUDED
"CAROUSEL"
(WRITTEN
MICHAEL
SEMBELLO)
"NITE
LINE"
(WRITTEN
BY"BILLIE
GLEN
BALLARD)
"TROUBLE"
(AKA
"SHE'S
TROUBLE"
WRITTEN
BYTHE
TERRY
BRITTEN
BILL100
LIVSEY
AND
SUE
SHIFRIN)
AND
"HOT
STREET"
THROAT
AS
SHE
LETS
OUT
A
BLOODCURDLING
SCREAM
ONLY
TO
AWAKE
AND
REALIZE
IT
WAS
ALL
A
DREAM
MICHAEL
THEN
TO
HER
HOME
AND
SHE
ALBUM INCLUDED
A NEW
BOOKLET
AND BONUS
MATERIAL
INCLUDING
THEBY
SONGS
"SOMEONE IN
THE DARK" "CAROUSEL"
AND JACKSON'S
ORIGINAL
JEAN"
DEMO
AS WELL
AS AUDIO
INTERVIEWS
WITH JONES
AND TEMPERTON
DISCUSSING
RECORDING
OFOFFERS
THE ALBUM
SONY
ALSOTAKE
HIRED SOUND
ENGINEER
AND
MIXER
MICK GUZAUSKI
THEM
WERE
WRITTEN
BY
JACKSON
HIMSELF
SEVEN
SINGLES
WERE
RELEASED
FROM
THE
ALBUM
ALL
OF
WHICH
REACHED
THE
TOP
10
ON
THE
BILLBOARD
HOT
THREE
OF
THE
SINGLES
HAD
MUSIC
TO WORK WITH
JACKSON
ON CREATING 5.1-CHANNEL
SURROUND
SOUND MIXESJACKSON
OF THRILLER AS
WELLAS
ALLA
HISVERSION
OTHER ALBUMS
RELEASE ON THEDEMOS
THEN-NEWOF
SUPER
AUDIO
CD FORMAT
DESPITE
NUMEROUS
ARTIST NEVER
APPROVED
ANY OF THE MIXES
CONSEQUENTLY
THRILLER
WASSTREET"
ISSUED ON SACD
ONLY
IN ASTEREO VERSION
(WRITTEN
BY
ROD TEMPERTON
AND AKA
"SLAPSTICK")
ALSO
CUT
OFFOR
"STARLIGHT"
ALL
THESE
SONGS
EXIST
ANDRETRIES
HAVETHE
LEAKED
ONTO
THE INTERNET
"CAROUSEL"
AND
"HOT
WERE
COMPLETED
BUT
HAPPILY
ACCEPTS
ASBE
THEY
WALK
OUT
OFIN
THE
HOUSE
MICHAEL
EERILY
LOOKS
AT
THE
CAMERA
REVEALING
HIS
YELLOW
WERECAT
EYES
AS
VINCENT
PRICE
OFFERS
ITS
UNPRECEDENTED
LAR
CULTURE
AND
WAS
NAMED
"A
WATERSHED
MOMENT
FOR
THE
[MUSIC]
INDUSTRY"
FOR
IN
FEBRUARY
2008
EPIC
RECORDS
RELEASED
THRILLER
JACKSON
SERVED
ASLADY
EXECUTIVE
PRODUCER
THRILLER
25
APPEARED
ON
CD
AND
VINYL TRACK
WITH
SEVEN
BONUS
TRACKS
AREISSUE
NEW
SONG CALLED
"FOR
ALL TIME"
A SNIPPET
OF VINCENT
PRICE'S
VOICE-OVER
AND
FIVE REMIXES
FEATURING
AMERICAN
ARTISTSTHE
FERGIE
WILL.I.AM
KANYE
WEST
AND
LEFT
OFF THE
FINAL
VERSION
OF
THE25ALBUM
A"THE
SHORT
CLIP
OF
"CAROUSEL"
APPEARED
ASUSB
ATRACKS
BONUS
ON
THE
2001
OF THE
ALBUM
ACCORDING
TO
STEVE
HUEY
OF ALLMUSIC
THRILLER
REFINED
STRENGTHS
OF
JACKVIDEOS
RELEASED
"BABY
MINE"
AND
MY
LIFE"
WERE
THE
ONLY
THAT
WERE
NOT
RELEASED
AS
SINGLES
IN JUST
OVER
A
YEAR
THRILLER
BECAME—AND
CURRENTLY
REMAINS—THE
AKON
IT
ALSO
INCLUDED
A
DVD
FEATURING
THREE
MUSIC
VIDEOS
THE
MOTOWN
25
"BILLIE
JEAN"
PERFORMANCE
AND
A
BOOKLET
WITH
A
MESSAGE
FROM
JACKSON
THE
BALLAD
"FOR
ALL
TIME"
SUPPOSEDLY
DATES
FROM
1982
BUT
IS
OFTEN
CREDITED
AS
BEING
FROM
DANGEROUS
SESSIONS
TWO
SINGLES
WERE
RELEASED
FROM
THE
REISSUE
"THE
SON'S
PREVIOUS
ALBUM
OFF
WALL
THEDURING
DANCE
AND
ROCKCLOSING
TRACKS
WERE
MORESOURCES
AGGRESSIVE
WHILE
THE
POP TUNES
ANDZOMBIES
BALLADS
WERE
SOFTERWORLDWIDE
AND
MORE
SOULFUL
THE
ALBUM
INCLUDES
THE
BALLADS "THE
LADY ININ
MY
LIFE"
ONE
LAST
HAUNTING
LAUGH
THE
CREDITS
A
REPRISED
SCENE
OF
THE
DANCING
IS
SHOWN
AT
THE
END
OF
THE
CLOSING
CREDITS
ATHE
DISBEST-SELLING
ALBUM
OFTHE
ALL
TIME
SALES
ESTIMATED
BY
VARIOUS
BEING
BETWEEN
65
110SET
MILLION
COPIES
AND
IS
ALSO
TIED
FOR
THE
BEST-SELLING
ALBUM
GIRL
IS MINENATURE"
2008" AND "WANNA
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'
2008"WITH
THRILLER
25 WAS PIECES
A COMMERCIAL
SUCCESS
AND
DID PARTICULARLY
WELL
AS A AS
REISSUE
IT
PEAKED
AT NUMBER
ONE
INAND
EIGHT
COUNTRIES
AND EUROPE
IT PEAKEDAND
AT NUMBER
TWO
IN THE
USYOUNG
NUMBER
THREE
IN
THE UK
ANDHAS
REACHED
THE TOP 10 IN
OVER 30 NATIONAL
IT WAS
"HUMAN
ANDBE
"THE
GIRL
IS
MINE"
THE
FUNK
"BILLIE
JEAN"
AND
"WANNA
BE STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
AND
THE
DISCO
"BABY
BE
MINE"
"P.Y.T.
(PRETTY
THING)"
AND
ASIX
SIMILAR
SOUND
TO
THECHARTS
MATERIAL
MERGING
OF
FILMMAKING
AND
MUSIC
GUINNESS
WORLD
RECORDS
LISTED
IT
IN
2006
AS
THE
"MOST
SUCCESSFUL
CERTIFIED
GOLD
IN
11
COUNTRIES
INCLUDING
THE
UK
RECEIVED
A
2×
GOLD
CERTIFICATION
IN
FRANCE
AND
RECEIVED
PLATINUM
CERTIFICATION
IN
POLAND
IN
THE
UNITED
STATES
THRILLER
25
WAS
THE
SECOND
BEST-SELLING
ALBUM
OF
ITS
RELEASE
WEEK
SELLING
ONE
HUNDRED
AND
SIXTY
THOUSAND
COPIES
JUST
FOURTEEN
THOUSAND
CLAIMER
APPEARS
SAYING
THAT
"ANY
SIMILARITY
TO
ACTUAL
EVENTS
OR
CHARACTERS
LIVING
DEAD
(OR
UNDEAD)
IS
PURELY
COINCIDENTAL"
THE
SAME
DISON
OFF
THE
WALL
"WANNA
BE STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
IS ACCOMPANIED
BYGRAMMY
ARE-RELEASE
BASS AND
PERCUSSION
BACKGROUND
AND THE
SONG'S CENTERPIECE
A CLIMAXING
AFRICAN-INSPIRED
CHANT
(OFTEN
MISIDENTIFIED
AS SWAHILI ON
BUTMTV
ACTUUNITED
STATES
ALBUM
WON
RECORD-BREAKING
AWARDS
THE
1984
GRAMMYS
THRILLER
ENABLED
JACKSON
TO
BREAK
DOWN
BARRIERS
VIA1996
HISWITH
APPEARANCES
SHORT
OF REACHING
THE THE
NUMBER
ONE POSITION
IT WASA
INELIGIBLE
FOR THE BILLBOARD 200EIGHT
CHART AS A
BUT
ENTERED THEAT
POP CATALOG
CHARTS
AT NUMBER ONE
(WHERE IT STAYED
FOR TEN NON-CONSECUTIVE
WEEKS)
WITH THE
BEST SALESRACIAL
ON THAT CHART
SINCE DECEMBER,
THE ARRIVAL OF HALLOWEEN
THAT
ALLY
SYLLABLES
BASED
DUALA)
GAVE
THEWEEK
SONG
INTERNATIONAL
FLAVOR
"THE
GIRL
IS
MINE"
TELLS
OF
TWO
FRIENDS'
FIGHT
OVER
AOFWOMAN
ARGUING
OVER
WHO
LOVES
HER
MORE
CONCLUDES
WITH AINSPOKEN
RAP
CLAIMER
APPEARED
IN
AN
AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
IN
LONDON
ALSO
DIRECTED
BY
LANDIS
AFTER
THIS
THE
ZOMBIES
THEN
DANCE
BACK
INTO
THEIR
GRAVES
NOVEMBER
THRILLER
25
SPENT
ANON
ELEVENTH
NON-CONSECUTIVE
ATOPAN
THE US
CATALOG
CHART THIS BROUGHT
US SALES
OF
THE
ALBUM
TO
688,000
COPIES
MAKING
IT
THE
BEST
SELLING
CATALOG
ALBUM
2008
THIS
WAS
JACKSON'S
BEST
LAUNCH
SINCE
INVINCIBLE
IN
2001
SELLINGAND
THREE
MILLION
COPIES WORLDWIDE
12
WEEKS AFTER
AND
MEETING
WITH
PRESIDENT
OF
THE
UNITED
STATES
RONALD
REAGAN
AT
THE
WHITE
HOUSE
THE
ALBUM
WAS
ONE
OF
THE
FIRST
TO
USE
MUSIC
VIDEOS
AS
SUCCESSFUL
PROMOTIONAL
TOOLS—THE
MUSIC
VIDEO"
SELLING
OVER
9
MILLION
UNITS
IN
2009
THE
VIDEO
WAS
INDUCTED
INTO
THE
NATIONAL
FILM
REGISTRY
DESPITE
THE
LIGHT
POP
FLAVOR
OF
THESE
TWO
RECORDS
THRILLER
MORE
SO
THAN
OFF
THE
WALL
DISPLAYED
FORESHADOWINGS
OF
THE
CONTRADICTORY
THEMATIC
ELEMENTS
THAT
WOULD
COME
TO
CHARACTERIZE
JACKSON'S
JACKSON'S DEATH IN JUNE 2009 THRILLER SET ADDITIONAL RECORDS IT SOLD MORE THAN 100,000 COPIES PLACING IT AT NUMBER TWO ON THE TOP POP CATALOG ALBUMS CHART SONGS FROM THRILLER ALSO HELPED JACKSON BECOME THE FIRST ARTIST TO SELL MORE THAN ONE MILLION SONG DOWNLOADS IN A WEEK ACCORDING TO NIELSEN
ENDING
WITH
ONE
OF
THEM
(AN
UNCREDITED
VINCENT
PRICE
IN
FULLAND
PROSTHETIC
MAKEUP)
GIVING
THE
AUDIENCE
A TERRIFYING
GRIMACE
AS
THE
SCENE
FADES
SUBSEQUENT
WORKS
WITH
THRILLER
JACKSON
WOULD
BEGIN
HISRECEIVED
ASSOCIATION
WITH
SUBLIMINAL
MOTIF
OF
PARANOIA
AND
DARKER
THEMES
INCLUDING
SUPERNATURAL
IMAGERY
IN
THE
ALBUM'S
TITLE
TRACK
THIS
ISBEFORE
EVIDENT
SOUNDSCAN FOR
THRILLER
WAS THE
14TH BEST
SELLING
ALBUM
OF AND
2009 IN
THE
UNITED
STATES
WITH
1.27
MILLION COPIES
SOLD
IT'S THE
CLOSE
TO MIDNIGHT
SOMETHING
EVIL'S
LURKING
IN
THE DARK
UNDER
THE
MOONLIGHT,
YOU
SEE AALBUM
SIGHT
THAT ALMOST
STOPS
YOUR HEARTWHICH
YOU
TRY TO
SCREAM BUT
TERROR
TAKES
THE
SOUND
YOU
VIDEOS
"THRILLER"
"BILLIE
JEAN"
"BEAT
IT"
ALL
REGULAR
ROTATION
ON
MTV
IN
2001
A SPECIAL
EDITION
ISSUE
OF
THE
WAS
RELEASED
CONTAINS
ADDITIONAL
AUDIO
ON
THE
SONGS
"BILLIE
JEAN"
"WANNA
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
AND
"THRILLER"
IN "BILLIE
JEAN"
JACKSON
SINGS
ABOUT
OBSESSIVE
FAN
WHO
HE
HAS
FATHERED
A CHILD
OFFOR
HERS
"WANNA
BE THRILLER
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
HE
MAKE
IT YOU
START TO
FREEZE
AS
HORROR
LOOKS
YOU BE
RIGHT
BETWEEN
THE
EYES YOU'RE
PARALYZED
'CAUSE
THISALBUM
IS THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
AND NO ONE'S
GONNA
SAVEEVER
YOUAN
FROM
THE RECEIVE
BEAST
ABOUT
STRIKE
YOUALLEGES
KNOW IT'S THRILLER,
THRILLER
NIGHT
YOU'RE
FIGHTING
YOURIN
LIFEON
INSIDE NOVEMBER
A KILLER,
TONIGHT
YOU
HEAR
THE
OF
THE
LIBRARY
OF
CONGRESS
THE
FIRST
MUSIC
VIDEO
TO
THIS
HONOR
FOR
BEING
“CULTURALLY
HISTO
BLACK
THE
ALBUM
THRILLER
IS
THE
SIXTH
STUDIO
BY
AMERICAN
RECORDING
ARTIST
MICHAEL
JACKSON
IT
WAS
RELEASED
30,
1982
BY
E.T.
EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL
2008
THE
ALBUM
WAS
INTERVIEWS
A DEMO
RECORDING
AND
THE
SONG
"SOMEONE
IN HAD
THE
WAS
A
GRAMMY-WINNING
TRACK
THE
ARGUES
GOSSIPS
ANDLEFT
THE
IN
THE
FORMER
SONG
JONES
JACKSON
SING
VOCAL
OVERDUBS
THROUGH
A SIX-FOOT-LONG
CARDBOARD
AND CREEPING
BROUGHT
IN STORYBOOK
JAZZ
SAXOPHONIST
TOM
SCOTT
TO PLAY
AREISRARE
DOOR
SLAMAGAINST
AND REALIZE
THERE'S NOWHERE
TOMEDIA
RUN
YOU FEEL
THE
COLD
HAND
AND
WONDER
IF YOU'LL
EVER DARK"
SEE THE SUNWHICH
YOU
CLOSE
YOUR
EYES
AND
HOPE THAT
THIS IS JUST IMAGINATION
GIRLFROM
BUT ALL THE
WHILE
YOUTHE
HEARTUBE
THE
CREATURE
UP BEHIND
YOU'RE
OUT OF TIMEIN
'CAUSE
THIS
IS THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
THERE
EPIC
AS
THE
FOLLOW-UP
TO
JACKSON'S
CRITICALLY
AND
1979
ALBUM
OFF
THE
WALL
EXPLORES
GENRES
AIN'T NORECORDS
SECOND CHANCE
AGAINST
THE
WITH FORTY EYES GIRL THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT YOU'RE
FIGHTING
FOR YOUR
LIFEJOHNSON
INSIDECOMMERCIALLY
A KILLER
THRILLER
TONIGHT NIGHT
CREATURES
CALLING
THE DEAD
START
TO
WALK IN THEIR
MASQUERADE
THERE'S
NOTHRILLER
ESCAPING
THE JAWS
OF
THE ALIEN THIS TIMESIMILAR
(THEY'RE OPEN WIDE)
THIS
THE
INSTRUMENT
THE
LYRICON
ATHING
WIND-CONTROLLED
ANALOG
SYNTHESIZER
BASSIST
LOUIS
RAN
THROUGH
HISSUCCESSFUL
PARTUNRELEASED
ON
A YAMAHA
BASS
GUITAR
THE
SONG
OPENS
WITH
A LONG
BASS-AND-DRUMS
INTRODUCTION
INISTHE
SUED
AGAIN
ASSOUND
THRILLER
25
CONTAINING
CONTEMPORARY
ARTISTS
PREVIOUSLY
SONG
AND
AYEAH
DVD
THRILLER
RANKED
NUMBER
20 ON
ROLLING
STONE
MAGATORICALLY
OR
AESTHETICALLY”
SIGNIFICANT
WITH
WAS
FORMER
PLAYBOY
CENTERFOLD
END
OF YOUR
LIFE THEY'RE
OUT
TO GET
YOU THERE'S
DEMONS
INRE-MIXES
ON EVERY
SIDE THAT
THEY
WILLFEATURE
POSSESS
YOUWALKING
UNLESS
YOU CHANGE
THATCO-STARRING
NUMBER
ON YOURA
DIAL
NOWAND
IS THE TIME
FOR YOU AND
I TOJACKSON
CUDDLE
CLOSE
TOGETHER
ALL THROUGH
THE NIGHT
I'LL SAVE
YOU
FROM
THE TERROR
ON
THE
SCREEN I'LL
YOUSIDE
SEE
THAT
THIS
SONG
"THRILLER"
EFFECTS
SUCH
ASCLOSING
CREAKING
DOOR
THUNDER
FEET
ON WOODEN
PLANKS
WINDS
HOWLING
DOGS
CAN
BE HEARD
THE
ANTI-GANG-VIOLENCE
"BEAT
IT" BECAME
A
HOMAGE
TOMAKE
WEST
STORY
TO
THOSE
OF
OFF
THE
WALL
INCLUDING
POP
R&B
ROCK
POST-DISCO
AND
ADULT
CONTEMPORARY
MUSIC
RECORDING
SESSIONS
TOOK
PLACE
BETWEEN
APRIL
AND
IS
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT 'CAUSE
I CAN
THRILLOF
YOUALL
MORE
THAN
ANY
GHOST
WOULD
EVER
DARE
TRY THRILLER
THRILLER
SO
LET ME
HOLD
YOU
TIGHT AND
A KILLER
DILLER
THRILLER
HERE
TONIGHT
'CAUSE
IS THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
GIRL
CAN
THRILL
YOU MORE
ANY
GHOST
WOULD
EVER DARE
ZINE'S
500
GREATEST
ALBUMS
TIME
LIST
IN
2003
AND
WAS
LISTED
BYNIGHT
THE
NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
OF
RECORDING
MERCHANDISERS
AT
NUMBER
THREE
IN IITS
DEFINITIVE
200 ALBUMS
OFBABY
ALL
TIME
AND
WAS
JACKSON'S
FIRST
SUCCESSFUL
ROCK
CROSS-OVER
PIECE
JACKSON
LATER
SAID
OF "BEAT
IT"
"THE
POINT
IS SHARE
NO ONE
HAS
TOCHILLER
BE THE
TOUGH
GUY
YOU
CANTHIS
WALK
AWAY
FROM
A FIGHT
AND
STILL
BE ATHAN
MAN
YOU
DON'T
HAVE
TOTRY
DIE
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
LET
ME"HUMAN
HOLD
YOU TIGHT
AND SHARE
A
KILLER THRILLER
OW
(I'M GONNA THRILL
YA
TONIGHT)
DARKNESSIN
FALLS
ACROSS
THE LAND
THE
MIDNIGHT
HOUR
IS CLOSE
AT HAND
CREATURES
CRAWL
IN SEARCH
OF
BLOOD
TO TERRORIZE
Y'ALLS
NEIGHBORHOOD
I'M GONNA
THRILL
YA TONIGHT
OOH
I'M GONNA
TO
PROVE
YOU'RE
ASO
MAN"
NATURE"
IS
MOODY
AND
INTROSPECTIVE
AS
CONVEYED
LYRICS
SUCH
AS
"LOOKING
OUT
ACROSS
THE
MORNING
THE
CITY'S
HEART
BEGINS
TO
BEAT
REACHING
OUT
IWAS
TOUCH
HER
SHOULDER
I'M
NOVEMBER
1982
AT
WESTLAKE
RECORDING
STUDIOS
IN
LOS
ANGELES
CALIFORNIA
WITH
A
PRODUCTION
BUDGET
OF
$750,000
ASSISTED
BY
PRODUCER
QUINCY
JONES
OLA
RAY
THE
VIDEO
WAS
CHOREOGRAPHED
BY
MICHAEL
PETERS
(WHO
HAD
WORKED
WITH
THE
SINGER
ON
HIS
THE
THRILLER
ALBUM
WAS
INCLUDED
IN
THE
LIBRARY
OF
CONGRESS'
NATIONAL
RECORDING
REGISTRY
OF
CULTURALLY
SIGNIFICANT
RECORDINGS
AND
THE
THRILLER
VIDEO
INCLUDED
IN
THE
THRILL
YA
TONIGHT
OH
DARLIN'
THRILLER
NIGHT
BABY
OOH
THE
FOULEST
STENCH
IS
IN
THE
AIR
THE
FUNK
OF
FORTY
THOUSAND
YEARS
AND
GRIZZLY
GHOULS
FROM
EVERY
TOMB
ARE
CLOSING
IN
TO
SEAL
YOUR
DOOM
AND
THOUGH
YOU
FIGHT
TO
STAY
ALIVE
YOUR
BODY
STARTS
TO
SHIVER
FOR
NO
MERE
MORTAL
CAN
RESIST
THE
EVIL
OF
THE
DREAMING
OFJACKSON'S
THETRACKS
STREET"
BY ON
THE
LATE
1970S
JACKSON'S
ABILITIES
ASWERE
AOFVOCALIST
WERE WELL
REGARDED
ALLMUSIC
DESCRIBED
HIM
AS A
"BLINDINGLY
GIFTED
VOCALIST"FROM
ROLLING
STONE
COMPARED
HISOF
VOCALS
TO THEPROVED
"BREATHLESS
THRILLER
MICHAEL
THRILLER IS A
13-MINUTE-AND-43-SECOND
MUSIC
VIDEOTHEM
FOR THE SONG
THE SAME
NAME RELEASED ON
DECEMBER
2, 1983 AND DIRECTED
BY JOHN LANDIS,
WHO ALSO
CO-WROTE THE
SCREENPLAY
WITH JACKSON VOTED
AS THE MOST
INFLUENTIAL
POP MUSIC
VIDEOOF
ALL
TIME THRILLERREACHED
TO HAVE A
OF
THE
NINE
THE
ALBUM
4
OF
WRITTEN
BY
JACKSON
HIMSELF
SEVEN
SINGLES
WERE
RELEASED
THE
ALBUM
ALL
WHICH
DREAMY
STUTTER"
OF
STEVIE
THEIR
ANALYSIS
WASFOR
ALSO
THAT
"JACKSON'S
FEATHERY-TIMBRED
IS EXTRAORDINARY
BEAUTIFUL
IT SLIDES
INTO
STARTLING
FALSETTO
THAT'S
USED
VERY
DARINGLY”
NATIONAL
FILM
PRESERVATION
BOARD'S
NATIONAL
FILM
REGISTRY
OF
"CULTURALLY
HISTORICALLY
OR
AESTHETICALLY
SIGNIFICANT
2012 A
SLANT
MAGAZINE
LISTED
THE
ALBUM
AT
#1
ONWITH
ITS
PROFOUND
EFFECT
ON
POPULAR
CULTUREWONDER
AND WAS
NAMED
"A
WATERSHED
MOMENT
THE [MUSIC]
INDUSTRY"
FOR ITS
UNPRECEDENTED
MERGING
OFTENOR
FILMMAKING
AND
MUSIC
GUINNESS
WORLD
RECORDS
LISTED
IT IN
2006SMOOTHLY
ASFILMS"
THE "MOSTIN
SUCCESSFUL
MUSIC
VIDEO"
SELLING
OVER
9 MILLION
UNITS
IN 2009
THE VIDEO
WAS INDUCTED
INTO
PRIOR
HIT
"BEAT
IT")
AND
MICHAEL
JACKSON
THE
VIDEO
ALSO
CONTAINS
INCIDENTAL
MUSIC
BY
FILM
MUSIC
COMTHE
RELEASE
OF
THRILLER
JACKSON
COULD
SING
TORECEIVE
A BASSO
LOW
C—BUT
HE
PREFERRED
TO
SING
HIGHER
BECAUSE
POP
TENORS
HAVE
MORE
RANGE
TO CREATE
STYLE
ROLLING
STONE
WAS
OF
THE
THAT
JACKTHE
TOP
10
ON
THE
BILLBOARD
HOT
100
THREE
OF
THE
SINGLES
HAD
MUSIC
VIDEOS
RELEASED
"BABY
BE
MINE"
AND
"THE
LADY
IN
MY
LIFE"
WERE
THE
ONLY
TRACKS
THE NATIONAL
FILM
REGISTRY
OF THE
LIBRARY
OF1980'S"
CONGRESS
THE
FIRSTLOW—DOWN
MUSIC
VIDEO
TO EVER
THIS OFF
HONOR
FOR BEING
“CULTURALLY
HISTORICALLY
ORSTRONG
AESTHETICALLY”
SIGNIFICANT
CO-STARRING
WITH
JACKSON
WAS
FORMER
PLAYBOY
CENTERFOLD
OLA
RAY
THE VIDEO
WAS CHOREOGRAPHED
BY OPINION
MICHAEL
PETERS
(WHO
HAD
LIST
OF
"BEST
ALBUMS
OF
THE
JACKSON'S
PREVIOUS
ALBUM
THE
WALL
(1979)
RECEIVED
CRITICAL
ACCLAIM
AND
WAS
ALSO
A
COMMERCIAL
SUCCESS
EVENTUALLY
SELLING
OVER
20
MILSON
WAS
NOW
SINGING
IN AHIT
"FULLY
ADULT
VOICE"
THAT
BYINCIDENTAL
SADNESS"
"P.Y.T.
(PRETTY
YOUNGELMER
THING)"
CREDITED
TO JAMES
INGRAM
ANDON
QUINCY
JONES
AND IN
"THE
LADY IN
MY
LIFE"
BY ROD
TEMPERTON
BOTH
GAVE THE
WORKED
WITH
THE SINGER
ON HIS PRIOR
"BEAT IT")
AND MICHAEL
JACKSON
THEWAS
VIDEO"TINGED
ALSO CONTAINS
MUSIC
BY FILM
MUSIC COMPOSER
BERNSTEIN
WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY
WORKED
WITH LANDIS
AN AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
LONDON.THE
VIDEO
(LIKE
THE SONG)
CONTAINS
A SPOKEN WORD
PERFORMANCE
BY
THAT
WERE
NOT
RELEASED
AS
SINGLES
IN
JUST
OVER
A
YEAR
THRILLER
BECAME—AND
CURRENTLY
REMAINS—THE
BEST-SELLING
ALBUM
OF
ALL
TIME
WITH
SALES
ALBUM
A
STRONGER
R&B
DIRECTION
THE
LATTER
SONG
WAS
DESCRIBED
AS
"THE
CLOSEST
JACKSON
HAS
COME
TO
CROONING
A
SEXY
SOULFUL
BALLAD
AFTER
HIS
MOTOWN
YEARS"
BY
TARABORRELLI
THE
SINGER
HAD
ALREADY
HORROR
FILM
VETERAN
VINCENT PRICE RICKBERNSTEIN
BAKER
IN PROSTHETICS
AND
MAKEUP
FORHAD
THE
PRODUCTION
"THRILLER"
WAS THE
THIRD AND
FINAL
VIDEO FOR THE THRILLER
ALBUM THE
REDTHE
JACKET
THAT JACKSON
WORE
WAS
DESIGNED
BY
JOHN LANDIS'
WIFE DEBORAH LANDIS
TO THE
MAKE HIM
APPEAR MORE
"VIRILE"
TOLONQUALIFY
FOR
LION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
THEASSISTED
YEARS
BETWEEN
OFF
THE
WALL
AND
THRILLER
WERE
ATHE
TRANSITIONAL
PERIOD
FOR
SINGER
AAIR
TIME
OF
INCREASING
INDEPENDENCE
PERIOD
SAW
THE
SINGER
POSER
ELMER
WHO
PREVIOUSLY
WORKED
WITH
LANDIS
ON
AN
AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
IN
ADOPTED
A
"VOCAL
HICCUP"
WHICH
HE
CONTINUED
TO
IMPLEMENT
IN
THRILLER
THE
PURPOSE
OF
HICCUP—SOMEWHAT
LIKE
A
GULPING
FOR
OR
GASPING—IS
TO
HELP
PROMOTE
A
CERTAIN
EMOTION
BE
IT
EXCITEMENT
AN ACADEMY AWARD "THRILLER"
DEBUTED AT A SPECIAL
THEATRICAL SCREENING
ALONG WITH
THE 1940 DISNEY MOTION
PICTURE110
FANTASIA
AS MICHAEL JACKSON
WAS A PRACTICING
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSAND
AT THAT TIME
THE
FIRST SCENE
INCLUDES
A DISCLAIMER
BYBEST-SELLING
JACKSON STATING THAT "DUEALBUM
TO MY STRONG PERSONAL
CONVICTIONS
I WISH
ESTIMATED
BY
VARIOUS
SOURCES
AS
BEING
BETWEEN
65LONELY
AND
MILLION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
IS
ALSO
TIED
FOR
THE
IN
THE
UNITED
BECOME
DEEPLY
"EVEN
AT
HOME
I AND
SIT
IN
MY
ROOM
SOMETIMES
AND
CRY
IT'S
SO
HARD
TO
MAKE
FRIENDS
I SOMETIMES
WALK
THE
NEIGHBORHOOD
TO STRESS THAT
THIS
FILMTHRILLER
INUNHAPPY
NO WAY ENDORSES
A BELIEF IN THEEXPLAINED
OCCULT"
IN A SERENE
1950S
SETTING
A TEENAGED
MICHAEL
JACKSON
HIS
UNNAMED
GIRLFRIEND
(OLA RAY)
RUNAT
OUT
OF GAS
IN A DARK
WOODED
AREA THEY
WALKRELEASED
OFF INTO
THE FOREST
AND
MICHAEL
ASKSINCLUDING
HER IF SHE AROUND
WOULD
LIKE TO
BE
HISIS
GIRLFRIEND
SHE ACCEPTS WAS
AND
SADNESS
OR
FEAR
WASJACKSON
RELEASED
ON
NOVEMBER
30, 1982
AND
SOLDI'M
ONE
MILLION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
PER
WEEK
ITS
PEAK
SEVEN
SINGLES
WERE
FROM
THE
ALBUM
"THE
GIRL
MINE"—WHICH
VIDEO
(LIKE
THE
SONG)
CONTAINS
A
SPOKEN
WORD
PERFORMANCE
BY
FILM
VINCENT
STATES
THE
ALBUM
WON
A
EIGHT
GRAMMY
AWARDS
AT
THE
1984
THRILLER
TO
BREAK
DOWN
RACIAL
BARRIERS
HEDON.THE
GIVES
HER
A
RING HE
WARNS
HERFOR
HOWEVER
THAT
HERECORD-BREAKING
ISRELEASE
"NOT LIKE
OTHER
GUYS"
A FULL
MOON
APPEARS
AND MICHAEL
BEGINS
CONVULSING
IN AGONY
— TRANSFORMING
INTOGRAMMYS
A HORRIFYING
WERECAT
GROWLING AT HERENABLED
TO
"GO AWAY"
IN HORROR
THEJACKSON
PROCESS
THE
GIRL SCREAMS
AND
RUNSVETERAN
AWAY
BUT THE WERECAT
CATCHES
UP
KNOCKING
HER
SEEN
AS
A
POOR
CHOICE
THE
LEAD
AND
LED
SOME
TO
BELIEVE
THAT
THE
ALBUM
WOULD
BE
A
DISAPPOINTMENT
AND
TO
SUGGESTIONS
THAT
JACKSON
WAS
BOWING
TO
A
WHITE
AUDIENCE
"THE
GIRL
IS
MINE"
WAS
AT
NIGHT
JUST
HOPING
TO
FIND
SOMEONE
TO
TALK
TO
BUT
I
JUST
END
UP
COMING
HOME"
WHEN
JACKSON
TURNED
21
IN
AUGUST
1979
HE
HIRED
JOHN
BRANCA
AS
HIS
MANAGER
JACKSON
CONFIDED
IN
DOWN AND LUNGING
AT HER
WITH
HIS CLAWS
THE SCENE
THEN CUTS
TO A MOVIE
THEATER
WHERE MICHAEL
AND HIS DATE ALONG
WITH AN EXCITABLE
AUDIENCE
ARE ACTUALLY
WATCHING"BEAT
THE SCENE
UNFOLD
IN AFEATURED
FICTIONAL VINCENT
PRICE MOVIE TITLED
"THRILLER"
MICHAEL'SAND
GIRLFRIEND
LEAVES
THE THEATERTHE
AS MICHAEL
HANDS
HIS
FOLLOWED
BY THE
HIT
SINGLE
"BILLIE
JEAN"
WHICH
MADE
THRILLER
A CHART-TOPPER
SUCCESS
CONTINUED
WITH
THE SINGLE
IT"
WHICH
GUITARISTS
EDDIE
VANTHE
HALEN
STEVE
LUKATHER
TITLE
TRACK
VIA
HIS
APPEARANCES
ON
MTV
AND
MEETING
WITH
PRESIDENT
OF
THE
UNITED
STATES
RONALD
REAGAN
AT
THE
WHITE
HOUSE
ALBUM
WAS
ONE
OF
THE
FIRST
POPCORN TO ANOTHER
MOVIEGOER
CATCHES
UP
TO HER
AND
TELLS
HERBECAME
THAT "IT'SSTAR
ONLY
A MOVIE"
SOME DEBATE
FOLLOWSTHRILLER
ASAND
TO WHETHER
OR NOT
SHE WASWELL
SCAREDRECEIVED
BY
THE MOVIE
SHE
DENIES
IT BUT
MICHAEL
DISAGREES
THEY
THENSTONE
WALK
DOWN
A FOGGY
ROAD
ASBE
MICHAEL
TEASES
HER BY SINGING
THE VERSES OF IT
"THRILLER"
THEYTHE
PASS
A
BRANCA
THAT
HE
WANTED
TO
BE
"THE
BIGGEST
IN
SHOW
BUSINESS"
"THE
WEALTHIEST"
THE
SINGER
WAS
UPSET
ABOUT
WHAT
HE
PERCEIVED
TO
THE
UNDER-PERFORMANCE
OF
OFF
"THRILLER"
WAS
RELEASED
AS
A
SINGLE
AND
ALSO
A
HIT
INTERNATIONALLY
WAS
MOSTLY
BY
CRITICS
A
FOUR-STAR
ROLLING
REVIEW
BY
CHRISTOPHER
CONNELLY
DESCRIBED
AS
"A
ZESTY
LP"
PRICE
RICK
BAKER
ASSISTED
IN
PROSTHETICS
AND
MAKEUP
FOR
THE
PRODUCTION
"THRILLER"
WAS
THE
THIRD
AND
NEARBY
GRAVEYARD
IN
WHICH
THE
UNDEAD
BEGIN
TO
RISE
OUT
OF
THEIR
GRAVES
AS
VINCENT
PRICE
PERFORMS
HIS
SPRECHGESANG
THE
ZOMBIES
CORNER
THE
TWO
MAIN
CHARACTERS
THREATENINGLY
AND
SUDDENLY
MICHAEL
BECOMES
A
ZOMBIE
HIMSELF
THE
ZOMBIES
THEN
BREAK
INTO
AN
ELABORATE
SONG
AND
DANCE
NUMBER
TO
USE
MUSIC"ITVIDEOS
AS(DURING
SUCCESSFUL
PROMOTIONAL
VIDEOS
FOR
"THRILLER"
"BILLIE
JEAN"
AND
"BEAT
IT"
ALLBY
RECEIVED
REGULAR
ROTATION
ON
MTV
WITH
A "HARROWING
DARK
MESSAGE"
DESPITE
THE POSITIVE
RESPONSE
THETOOLS—THE
TITLE
TRACK
CAME
UNDER
STRONG
CRITICISM
ROLLING
STONE
EXPRESSED
AAND
NEGATIVE
SENTIMENT
CRITICIZING
ITSINTO
"DEGENERAT[ION]
INTO
SILLY
CAMP"
WALL
WAS
TOTALLY
UNFAIR
THAT
IT
DIDN'T
GET
RECORD
OF
THE
AND
IT
CAN
NEVER
HAPPEN
FELT
UNDERVALUED
THE
MUSIC
INDUSTRY
IN
1980
WHEN
JACKSON
FOLLOWEDSTATING
BY THE MAIN CHORUS
OF "THRILLER"
WHICH MICHAEL
REVERTS
TO HUMAN
FORM)
FRIGHTENING
HIS DATE
TOYEAR
THE POINT
WHERE
SHE
RUNS FOR
COVER MICHAEL
(WHOAGAIN"
HAS TURNEDHE
BACKALSO
INTO A ZOMBIE)
HIS FELLOW CORPSES CHASE
THE FRIGHTENED
GIRL
THE CORNER
OF A NEARBY
ABANDONED
HOUSE
THE
MAGAZINE
EXPRESSED
CONFUSION
ATOUT
THE
USETHE
OF VINCENT
PRICE
OVER
COUNT
FLOYD
FOR
THE TRACK'S
CONCLUDING
RAP
THE
NEW
YORKACCEPTS
TIMES
A POSITIVE
REVIEW
OFRECORDING
THE
AND
DEDICATED
A LARGE
AMOUNT
OF
MICHAEL
THEN
REACHES
FOR THE GIRL'S
AS SHE
LETS
A BLOODCURDLING
SCREAM
ONLY
TO
AWAKE
AND REALIZE
WASWHICH
ALL
A DREAM
MICHAEL
THEN
OFFERS TOADDITIONAL
TAKE
HER
HOME
AND
SHE HAPPILY
ASGAVE
THEY WALK
OUT OFWAS
THE
EERILYALBUM
LOOKS AT THE
CAMERA
REVEALING
HIS
YELLOW
WERECAT
EYES AS
IN
2001
AOFFERS
SPECIAL
EDITION
ISSUE
OF
ALBUM
WAS
RELEASED
CONTAINS
INTERVIEWS
AHOUSE
DEMO
AND
THE
SONG
"SOMEFINAL
VIDEO
FOR
THE
THRILLER
ALBUM
THE
RED
JACKET
THAT
JACKSON
WORE
DESIGNED
BY
JOHN
LANDIS'
ITS
COVERAGE
TO
THE
SONG
"HUMAN
NATURE"
THEY
DESCRIBED
IT
AS
THE
MOST
"STRIKING"
SONG
ON
THE
AND
WROTE
"THIS
IS AAUDIO
HAUNTING
BROODING
BYMICHAEL
STEVE
PORCARO
JOHN
BETTIS
WITH
AN
IRRESISTIBLE
ASKED
THE
PUBLICIST
OFTHROAT
ROLLING
STONE
IF THEY
WOULD
BE
INTERESTED
INITDOING
A
STORY
ON
HIM
THE
PUBLICIST
DECLINED
TO WHICH
JACKSON
RESPONDED
"I'VE
BEEN
TOLD
OVER
AND
OVER
VINCENT
PRICE
ONE
LAST
HAUNTING
LAUGH DURING
THE CLOSING
CREDITS
A REPRISED
SCENE
OF THE
ZOMBIES
DANCING
IS SHOWN
ATCOVER
THE
END
OFRECORD
THE CLOSING
CREDITS
A DISCLAIMER
APPEARS
SAYING
THAT "ANY
SIMILARITY
TOBALLAD
ACTUAL
EVENTS
OR CHARACTERS
LIVINGAND
DEAD
(OR
UNDEAD)
IS PURELY
COINCIDENTAL"
THE
SAME
CHORUS
AND
ITPEOPLE
SHOULD
BEWHICH
AN
ENORMOUS
HIT"
CONCLUDING
THEIR
REVIEW
THE
NEW
YORK
TIMES
ADDED
"THERE
ARE
OTHER
HITS
HERE
TOO
LOTS
OFBE
THEM
BEST OF
ALL,
WITH
ATHE
PERVASIVE
INFUSING
THE
ALBUM
AS
ONE
IN
THE
DARK"
WAS
A
GRAMMY-WINNING
TRACK
FROM
THE
E.T.
THE
EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL
STORYBOOK
IN
2008
THE
ALBUM
WAS
REISSUED
AGAIN
AS
DISCLAIMER
APPEARED
IN
AN AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
IN LONDON
ALSO
DIRECTED BY LANDIS
AFTER THIS
THE ZOMBIES
THEN
DANCE
BACK
INTOSOMEDAY
THEIR
GRAVES
ENDING
WITH
ONE
OF THEM
(AN UNCREDITED
VINCENT
PRICE
IN FULL
PROSTHETIC
MAKEUP)
GIVING
AUDIENCE
A CONFIDENCE
TERRIFYING
GRIMACE
AS THE SCENE
FADES
TO BLACK
THEA
THAT
BLACK
ON
THE
COVER
OF
MAGAZINES
DOESN'T
SELL
COPIES
JUST
WAIT
THOSE
MAGAZINES
ARE
GOING
BEGGING
ME
FOR
AN
INTERVIEW
MAYBE
I'LL
GIVE
THEM
ONE
AND
WHOLE
THRILLER
SUGGESTS
THAT
MR.
JACKSON'S
EVOLUTION
AS ANITHIM
ARTIST
ISAPPEAR
FAR
FROM
FINISHED”
PUBLISHED
A
POSITIVE
(A−)TO
GRADED
OVERVIEW
OF
ALBUM
AAWARD
FEW
DAYS
BEFORE
ITS
RELEASE
ALBUM
THRILLER
IS THE SIXTH
STUDIO ALBUM
BYLANDIS
AMERICAN
RECORDINGTO
ARTIST MICHAEL
JACKSON
WAS RELEASED
ON NOVEMBER
30, 1982
BY EPICROBERT
RECORDS"VIRILE"
ASCHRISTGAU
THE FOLLOW-UP TO
JACKSON'S
CRITICALLY
AND COMMERCIALLY
SUCCESSFUL
1979ACADEMY
ALBUM
OFFTHE
THE WALL
THRILLER
EXPLORES
SIMILAR
GENRES
TO THOSE
OF OFFHE
THEACKNOWLWALL INCLUDWIFE
DEBORAH
MAKE
MORE
TO
QUALIFY
FOR
AN
"THRILLER"
DETHRILLER
25
CONTAINING
RE-MIXES
THAT
FEATURE
CONTEMPORARY
ARTISTS
A
PREVIOUSLY
UNRELEASED
SONG
AND
A
DVD
THRILLER
RANKED
NUMBER
20
ON
EDGED
THAT
THERE
WERE
"FILLERS"
ON THE
RECORD
BUT
STILL
LABELED
IT "ALMOST
HEATEXPRESSED
THE
OPINION
THAT
"BEAT
IT" WAS
THE
ALBUM'S
BESTOF
TRACK
CALLING
IT30
"THE
TRIUMPH
THE
THRILLER"
BUT
ING POP R&B
POST-DISCO
AND ADULT
CONTEMPORARY
MUSIC
RECORDING
SESSIONS
TOOK
PLACE
BETWEEN
APRIL
ANDCLASSIC"
NOVEMBER
1982
WESTLAKE
RECORDING
STUDIOS
IN LOS
ANGELES
CALIFORNIA
WITH
A PRODUCTION
BUDGET
$750,000 ASSISTED
BYON
PRODUCER
QUINCY
JONES
OFAND
THE
NINE
TRACKS
ON
THE ALBUM
4 CRITICIZED
OF THEM WERE
MAYBE
IROCK
WON'T"
JACKSON
REUNITED
WITH
OFF
THE
WALL
PRODUCER
QUINCY
JONES
TO
RECORD
HIS
SIXTH
STUDIO
ALBUM.THE
PAIR
WORKED
TOGETHER
SONGS
NINE
OF
WHICH
WERE
EVENTUALWRITTEN
BY JACKSON
HIMSELF
SINGLES WERE
RELEASED
FROMGREATEST
THE
ALBUM
ALL OF WHICH
REACHED
THE
TOP
10
ON THETIME
BILLBOARD
HOTCOLLABORATION
100 THREE
OF THE SINGLES
HAD
MUSIC
RELEASED
"BABY
BE MINE"
AND
"THE LADY IN
LIFE"
WERE THE ONLY
TRACKS THAT
WERE
NOT RELEASED
AS SINGLES
IN JUST
A YEAR
THRILLER
"THE
GIRL
IS MINE"
ASSEVEN
"MICHAEL'S
WORST
IDEA
SINCE
"BEN""
HE
WAS
OF THE
OPINION
THAT THE
DID
NOTVIDEOS
WORK
WELL,
BUT
STILL
PRAISED
ITMY
FOR
"GETTING
INTERRACIAL
LOVE
ON THE
RADIO"
A OVER
YEAR
AFTER
THE
ROLLING
STONE
MAGAZINE'S
500
ALBUMS
OF
ALL
LIST
IN
2003
AND
WAS
LISTED
BY
THE
NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
OF
RECORDING
MERCHANDISERS
LY
INCLUDED
THRILLER
WAS
RECORDED
AT
WESTLAKE
RECORDING
STUDIOS
IN
LOS
ANGELES
CALIFORNIA
WITH
A
PRODUCTION
BUDGET
OF
$750,000
THE
RECORDING
FOR
THRILLER
COMMENCED
ON
BUTED
AT
A
SPECIAL
THEATRICAL
SCREENING
ALONG
WITH
THE
1940
DISNEY
MOTION
PICTURE
FANTASIA
AS
MIBECAME—AND
CURRENTLY
REMAINS—THE
BEST-SELLING
ALBUM
OF
ALL
TIME
WITH
SALES
ESTIMATED
BY
VARIOUS
SOURCES
AS
BEING
BETWEEN
65
AND
110
MILLION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
AND
IS
ALSO
TIED
FOR
THE
BEST-SELLING
ALBUM
IN
THE
UNITED
STATES
THE
ALBUM
WON
A
RECORD-BREAKING
EIGHT
GRAMMY
AWARDS
AT THE
1984
ALBUM'S RELEASE TIME SUMMED UP THE THREE MAIN SINGLES FROM THE ALBUM SAYING "THE PULSE OF AMERICA AND MUCH OF THE REST OF THE WORLD MOVES IRREGULARLY BEATING IN TIME TO THE TOUGH STRUT OF "BILLIE
JEAN"
AT
NUMBER
THREE
IN
ITS
DEFINITIVE
200
ALBUMS
OF
TIME
THRILLER
ALBUM
WAS
INCLUDED
IN
THE
LIBRARY
OF
CONGRESS'
NATIONAL
RECORDING
REGISGRAMMYS
THRILLER
ENABLED
JACKSON
TO BREAK
DOWN
RACIAL BARRIERS
VIA
HIS
APPEARANCES
ON
MTV ALL
AND
MEETING
WITHTHE
PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED
STATES
RONALD REAGAN
ATEIGHT
THE
WHITE
HOUSE THE AWARDS
ALBUM
WAS ONE
OF THE
FIRST TO USE
MUSIC
VIDEOSOF
AS SUCCESSFUL
PROMOTIONAL
TOOLS—THE
VIDEOS FOR
"THRILLER"
"BILLIE
THE
ASPHALT
ARIA
OF
"BEAT
IT"
THE
SUPREMELY
COOL
CHILLS
OF
"THRILLER"
THE
ALBUM
WON
JACKSON
A
RECORD-BREAKING
GRAMMY
IN
1984
INCLUDING
ALBUM
THE
YEAR
THE
EIGHTH
GRAMMY
WENT
TO
BRUCE
APRIL
14,
1982
AT
12:00
NOON
WITH
JACKSON
AND
PAUL
MCCARTNEY
RECORDING
"THE
GIRL
IS
MINE"
AND
THE
ALBUM
WAS
COMPLETED
WITH
THE
FINAL
DAY
OF
MIXING
ON
NOVEMBER
8,
1982
SEVERAL
JEAN" AND "BEAT
IT" ALL
RECEIVED
REGULAR
ROTATION
ON MTV
IN 2001 AAMERICAN
SPECIAL EDITION
ISSUE OF THE
ALBUM WAS
RELEASED
WHICH
CONTAINS
ADDITIONAL
AUDIO THREE
INTERVIEWS
A DEMO
RECORDING
ANDAWARDS
THE SONG "SOMEONE
IN THEWAS
DARK"RECOGNIZED
WHICH WAS A GRAMMY-WINNING
TRACK FROM
THE E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL
STORYBOOK
IN
SWEDIEN
THAT
SAME
YEAR
JACKSON
WON
EIGHT
MUSIC
AWARDS
THE
SPECIAL
AWARD
OF
MERIT
AND
MTV
VIDEO
MUSIC
THRILLER
AS
THE
WORLD'S
BEST-SELLING
ALBUM
ONOF
FEBRUARY
TRY
OF
CULTURALLY
SIGNIFICANT
RECORDINGS
AND
THE
THRILLER
VIDEO
WAS
INCLUDED
IN
THE
NATIONAL
FILM
PRESERVATION
NATIONAL
FILM
REGISCHAEL
JACKSON
A
PRACTICING
JEHOVAH'S
WITNESS
AT
THAT
TIME
THE
FIRST
SCENE
INCLUDES
A
DISCLAIMER
2008
THE
ALBUM
WAS
REISSUED
AGAIN
AS THRILLER
CONTAINING
RE-MIXES
THAT FEATURE
CONTEMPORARY
ARTISTS
AIS
PREVIOUSLY
UNRELEASED
SONGPRODUCTION
AND
A DVD THRILLER
RANKED
NUMBER
20
ON
ROLLING
STONE
MAGAZINE'S
500
GREATEST
ALBUMS
OF ALL TIME
LISTAND
IN 2003BOARD'S
AND
LISTED
BY
THE
NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
RECORDING
OF
THE
BAND
TOTO
WERE
ALSO
INVOLVED
IN
THE
ALBUM'S
RECORDING
AND
JACKSON
WROTE
SONGS
FOR
THE
RECORD
"WANNA
BEWAS
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
"THE
GIRL
IS
7,MEMBERS
1984
WHEN
IT
WAS
INDUCTED
INTO25WAS
THE
GUINNESS
BOOK
OF WORLD
RECORDS
IT
ONE
OF
ONLY
THREE
ALBUMS
TO
REMAIN
IN THE
TOP
TENFOUR
OF
THE
BILLBOARD
200
FOR
AWAS
FULL
YEAR
SPENT
37
WEEKS
AT
NUMBER
ONE
OUT
OFBY
THE
MERCHANDISERS
AT
NUMBER
THREE
IN
ITS
DEFINITIVE
200
ALBUMS
OF
ALL
TIME
THE
THRILLER
ALBUM
WAS
INCLUDED
IN
THE
LIBRARY
OF
CONGRESS'
NATIONAL
RECORDING
REGISTRY
OF
CULTURALLY
SIGNIFICANT
RECORDINGS
AND
THE
THRILLER
VIDEO
INCLUDED
IN
THE
NATIONAL
FILM
PRESERVATION
BOARD'S
NATIONAL
FILM
REGISTRY
TRY
OF"BEAT
"CULTURALLY
OR
AESTHETICALLY
SIGNIFICANT
FILMS"
IN
2012
SLANT
LISTED
THE
ALBUM
AT
#1
ONWHEN
ITS
LIST
OFYEARS
"BEST
ALBUMS
OF
80MINE"
WEEKS
WASHISTORICALLY
IN
THE
TOP
TEN
THE
ALBUM
WAS ALSO
THE
FIRST
THREE
TO"BEST
HAVE
SEVEN
HOT
100ALBUM
TOPMAGAZINE
TEN
SINGLES
AND
WAS
THE
ONLYA
ALBUM
TORECORDER
BE
THE
BEST-SELLER
OFEVENTUALLY
TWO
(1983–1984)
IN THE
US
IT"
AND
"BILLIE
JEAN"
UNLIKE
MANY
ARTISTS
JACKSON
DID
NOT
WRITE
THESE
SONGS
ON
PAPER
INSTEAD
HE
WOULD
DICTATE
INTO
SOUND
RECORDING
HE
WOULD
SING
OFCONSECUTIVE
"CULTURALLY
HISTORICALLY
ORIT
AESTHETICALLY
SIGNIFICANT
FILMS"
IN"DUE
2012
SLANT
MAGAZINE
LISTED
THE ALBUM
ATOF
#1
ON
ITS LIST
OF
ALBUMS
OF
THEBILLBOARD
1980'S" JACKSON'S
PREVIOUS
OFF
THE
WALL
(1979)
RECEIVED
STRONG
CRITICAL
ACCLAIM
AND
ALSO
A COMMERCIAL
SUCCESS
SELLING
OVER
20 MILLION
COPIES
JACKSON
STATING
THAT
TO
MY
STRONG
PERSONAL
CONVICTIONS
I
WISH
TO
STRESS
THAT
THIS
FILM
IN
NO
WAY
ON
AUGUST
2009
THRILLER
WAS
CERTIFIED
MULTI-PLATINUM
BY
THE
RECORDING
INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATION
AMERICA
FOR
SHIPMENTS
AT
LEAST
29ALSO
MILLION
COPIES
IN WAS
THE
THESOMETIMES
ALBUM
TOPPED
CHARTS
MANY
COUNWORLDWIDE
THE21,
YEARS
BETWEEN
OFF THE
WALL
AND THRILLER 29X
WERE
A TRANSITIONAL
PERIOD
FOR
THE
SINGER
A(1979)
TIME OF INCREASING
INDEPENDENCE
THE PERIODOF
SAW
THE SINGER BECOME
DEEPLY UNHAPPYOF
JACKSON
EXPLAINED
"EVEN AT HOME
I'M LONELY
I SIT INUS
MY ROOM
AND CRY
IT'STHE
SO HARD
TO MAKEIN
FRIENDS
I SOMETIMES
THE
1980'S"
JACKSON'S
PREVIOUS
ALBUM
OFF
THE
WALL
RECEIVED
STRONG
CRITICAL
ACCLAIM
AND
WAS
A
COMMERCIAL
SUCCESS
EVENTUALLY
SELLING
FROM
MEMORY
THECOPIES
RELATIONSHIP
JACKSON
AND
JONES
BECAME
STRAINED
DURING
THE
ALBUM'S
RECORDING
JACKSON
SPENT
MUCH
OF HIS
TIME
REHEARSING
DANCE
STEPS
WHEN
TRIES
SOLD
4.2 MILLION
INJUST
THE
UK,BETWEEN
2.5
MILLION
IN
AND
WENT
PLATINUM
INJACKSON
AUSTRALIA
STILL
POPULAR
TODAY
THRILLER
SELLS
AN
ESTIMATED
130,000
COPIES
THETO
US
YEAR STAR
IT REACHED
NUMBER
TWO
IN
THETHE
US
WALK AROUND
THE
NEIGHBORHOOD
AT NIGHT
HOPING
TO FIND
SOMEONE
TOJAPAN
TALK TO BUT
I JUST
END
UP15×
COMING
HOME" WHEN
TURNED
21
IN AUGUST
1979
HE HIRED
JOHN
BRANCA
AS HIS MANAGER
JACKSON
CONFIDED IN
BRANCA
THAT
HEIN
WANTED
BEPER
"THE BIGGEST
IN
BUSINESS"
ANDALONE
"THE
WEALTHIEST"
OVER
20
MILLION
COPIES
THE
YEARS
BETWEEN
OFF
THE
WALL
AND
THRILLER
WERE
AAGAIN"
TRANSITIONAL
PERIOD
FOR
THE
SINGER
ASHOW
TIME
OF
INCREASING
CATALOG
CHARTS
IN
FEBRUARY
2003
AND
NUMBER
39 IN
THE
UK
IN
MARCH
2007
AS
OF
2010
THE
ALBUM
ISGET
ESTIMATED
AS
HAVING
SOLD
APPROXIMATELY
65–110
MILLION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
THRILLER
WAS
REISSUED
ON
OCTOBER
16,
2001
SINGER
WAS
UPSET
ABOUT
WHAT
HE
PERCEIVED
TO WORLDWIDE
BE
THE
UNDER-PERFORMANCE
OF OFF
THE
WALL
STATING
"IT WAS
TOTALLY
UNFAIR
THAT
IT DIDN'T
RECORD
OF
THE
YEAR
AND IT CAN
NEVER
HAPPEN
HE ALSOSONG
FELTMICHAEL
UNDERVALUED
BY
THEA
MUSIC
INDUSTRY
INEACH
1980 WHEN
JACKSON
ASKED
THE PUBLICIST
OF
ROLLING
STONE
IF THEY
ENDORSES
A
BELIEF
IN
THE
OCCULT"
IN
A
SERENE
1950S
SETTING
A
TEENAGED
JACKSON
AND
HIS
UNNAMED
THE
ALBUM'S
NINE
SONGS
WERE
COMPLETED
BOTH
JONES
AND
JACKSON
WERE
UNHAPPY
WITH
THE
RESULT
AND
REMIXED
EVERY
SPENDING
WEEK
ON
JACKSON
WAS
INSPIRED
TO
CREATE
IN
AN EXPANDED
SET
TITLED
THRILLER
SPECIAL
EDITION
THE
ORIGINAL
REMASTERED
AND
THE
ALBUM
INCLUDED
AMAGAZINES
NEW BOOKLET
AND
BONUS
MATERIAL
INCLUDING
THE
SONGS
"SOMEONE
ININTERVIEW
THE DARK"
"CAROUSEL"
WOULD
BE INTERESTED IN
DOING
A COVER
STORY ON HIM
THE PUBLICIST
DECLINED
TO WHICH
JACKSONTRACKS
RESPONDEDWERE
"I'VE BEEN
TOLD OVER AND OVER
THAT
BLACK
PEOPLE ON
THE COVER OF
DOESN'T SELL
COPIES
JUST WAIT
SOMEDAY THOSE
MAGAZINES ARE
GOING
TO BE BEGGING
ME FOR AN
MAYBE
I'LL GIVE THEM
INDEPENDENCE
THE
PERIOD
SAW
THE
SINGER
BECOME
DEEPLY
UNHAPPY
JACKSON
EXPLAINED
AT
HOME
I'M
LONELY
I SITRECORDING
IN
MY
ROOM
SOMETIMES
AND
CRY
ONE AND
MAYBE I WON'T"
JACKSON
REUNITED
WITH
OFFWAS
THE
WALL
PRODUCER
QUINCY
JONES
TO
RECORD HIS SIXTH
STUDIOJONES
ALBUM.THE
PAIR
WORKED
TOGETHER
ON
30 SONGS
NINE
OFSONGWRITER
WHICH
WERE "EVEN
EVENTUALLY
INCLUDED
THRILLER
WAS
RECORDED
AT WESTLAKE
STUDIOS
IN LOS
ANGELES
CALIFORNIA
WITH
AFOR
PRODUCTION
AND
JACKSON'S
ORIGINAL
"BILLIE
JEAN"
DEMO
AS
WELL
AS
AUDIO
INTERVIEWS
WITH
AND
TEMPERTON
DISCUSSING
THE
RECORDING
OFROD
THE
ALBUM
SONY
ALSO
HIRED
SOUND
ENGINEER
AND
MIXER
MICK
GUZAUSKI
TO WORK
AN
ALBUM
WHERE
"EVERY
SONG
A KILLER"
AND
DEVELOPED
THRILLER
WITH
THAT
IN
MIND
JONES
AND
TEMPERTON
GAVE
DETAILED
ACCOUNTS
OF
WHAT
OCCURRED
THE
BUDGET
OF $750,000
THE
RECORDING
FOR
THRILLER
COMMENCED
ONIRUN
APRIL
14, 1982SOUND
AT
12:00 NOON
WITH JACKSON
AND PAUL
MCCARTNEY
RECORDING
"THE
GIRL IS MINE"
AND THEFOR
ALBUM
WAS COMPLETED
WITH THE
FINAL DAY OFSUPER
MIXING
ON
NOVEMBER
8,FORMAT
1982 SEVERAL
MEMBERS
OF
THE BAND TO
TOTO
WERE
ALSOIINVOLVED
IN
THE ALBUM'S
GIRLFRIEND
(OLA
RAY)
OUT
OF
GAS
IN
A
DARK
WOODED
AREA
THEY
WALK
OFF
INTO
THE
FOREST
AND
MICHAEL
WITH
JACKSON
ON
CREATING
5.1-CHANNEL
SURROUND
MIXES
OF
THRILLER
AS
WELL
AS
ALL
HIS
OTHER
ALBUMS
RELEASE
ON
THE
THEN-NEW
AUDIO
CD
DESPITE
NUMEROUS
RETRIES
THE
ARTIST
NEVER
IT'S
SO
HARD
TO
MAKE
FRIENDS
SOMETIMES
WALK
AROUND
THE
NEIGHBORHOOD
AT
NIGHT
JUST
HOPING
TO
FIND
SOMEONE
TO
TALK
BUT
JUST
END
UP
2001 REISSUE
OF
ALBUM
JONES
DISCUSSED
"BILLIE
JEAN"
AND
WHY
IT
WAS
PERSONAL
TO JACKSON
WHO
STRUGGLED
TO
DEAL
NUMBER
OF
OBSESSED
FANS
JONES
WANTED
THE
LONG
INTRORECORDING
AND
PRODUCTION
JACKSON
WROTE
FOUR SONGS
FOR THE
RECORD
"WANNA
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
"THE
GIRL
IS MINE"
IT" AND
"BILLIE JEAN"
UNLIKE
MANY ARTISTS
JACKSON
NOT WRITE
THESE
SONGS WITH
ON
PAPERA
INSTEAD
WOULD
DICTATE
INTO AAS
SOUND
RECORDER
WHEN
RECORDING THRILLER
HE
WOULD
SING
MEMORY
APPROVED
ANY
OFTHE
THE
MIXES
CONSEQUENTLY
THRILLER
WASBE
ISSUED
ON SACD
ONLY
IN SO
A"BEAT
STEREO
VERSION
IN
FEBRUARY
2008
EPIC DID
RECORDS
RELEASED
THRILLER
25HE
JACKSON
SERVED
EXECUTIVE
PRODUCER
25FROM
APPEARED
COMING
HOME"
WHEN
JACKSON
TURNED
21
IN
AUGUST
1979
HE
HIRED
JOHN
BRANCA
AS
HIS
MANAGER
JACKSON
CONFIDED
IN
BRANCA
THAT
HE
WANTED
TO
BE
THE
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN
JACKSON
AND
JONES
BECAME
STRAINED
DURING
THE
ALBUM'S
RECORDING
JACKSON
SPENT
MUCH
OF
HIS
TIME
REHEARSING
DANCE
STEPS
ALONE
WHEN
THE
ALBUM'S
NINE
SONGS
WERE
COMPLETED
BOTH
JONES
AND
JACKSON
WERE
UNHAPPY
WITH
THE
RESULT
AND
REMIXED
EVERY
SONG
SPENDING
A
WEEK
ON
ON
CD
USB AND
VINYL
WITH
SEVEN
BONUS
TRACKS
AANEW
SONG
CALLED
"FOR
ALLTHAT
TIME"
A SNIPPET
OF VINCENT
PRICE'S
VOICE-OVER
AND FIVE
REMIXES
FEATURING
AMERICAN
ARTISTS
FERGIE
WILL.I.AM
KANYE
ANDTOAKON
IT
DUCTION
ON
THETOSONG
TO
BE
SHORTENED
HOWEVER
JACKSON
INSISTED
THAT
REMAIN
BECAUSE
IT MADE
HIMAND
WANT
TO
DANCE
THE
ONGOING
BACKLASH
AGAINST
DISCO
MADE
ITWEST
NECESSARY
TO
ASKS
HER
IF
SHE
WOULD
LIKE
TO
BE
HIS
GIRLFRIEND
SHE
HE
GIVES
HER
A
RING
HE
WARNS
HER
HOWEVEACH
JACKSON
WAS
INSPIRED
CREATE
AN
ALBUM
WHERE "EVERY
SONG
WAS
KILLER"
AND
DEVELOPED
THRILLER
WITH
IN
MINDIT
JONES
AND SONGWRITER
RODACCEPTS
TEMPERTON
GAVEA
DETAILED
ACCOUNTS
OF
WHAT
OCCURRED
FORBALLAD
THE
2001 REISSUE
OF
THE
ALBUM
JONES
DISCUSSED
"BILLIE
JEAN" AND
WHY
IT
WAS
SO
PERSONAL
JACKSON
ALSO
INCLUDED
A
DVD
FEATURING
THREE
MUSIC
VIDEOS
THE
MOTOWN
25
"BILLIE
JEAN"
PERFORMANCE
AND
A
BOOKLET
WITH
MESSAGE
FROM
JACKSON
THE
"FOR
ALL
TIME"
SUPPOSEDLY
DATES
FROM
1982
BUT
IS
OFTEN
CRED"THE
BIGGEST
STAR
IN
SHOW
BUSINESS"
AND
"THE
WEALTHIEST"
THE
SINGER
WAS
UPSET
ABOUT
WHAT
HE
PERCEIVED
TO
BE
THE
UNDER-PERFORMANCE
OF
OFF
THE
WHO
STRUGGLED
TO
DEAL WITH A NUMBER
OF OBSESSED
FANS JONES WANTED
THE LONG
INTRODUCTION
ON THE SONG
TO BE
SHORTENED
HOWEVER
JACKSON
INSISTED
THAT IT REMAIN
BECAUSE
IT MADE HIM WANT
TOMAKE
DANCE THE
ONGOING
BACKLASH
AGAINST
DISCO
MADE ITAPPEAL
NECESSARY TO
MOVE
IN ATASTES
DIFFERENT MUSICAL
DIRECTION
MOVE
IN
A
DIFFERENT
MUSICAL
DIRECTION
FROM
THE
DISCO-HEAVY
OFF
THE
WALL
JONES
AND
JACKSON
WERE
DETERMINED
TO
A
ROCK
SONG
THAT
WOULD
TO
ALL
AND
SPENT
ITED
AS
BEING
FROM
DANGEROUS
SESSIONS
TWO
SINGLES
WERE
RELEASED
FROM
THE
REISSUE
"THE
GIRL
IS
MINE
2008"
AND
"WANNA
BE
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'
2008"
THRILLER
25
WAS
A
COMMERCIAL
SUCCESS
AND
DID
PARTICULARLY
FROM THE DISCO-HEAVY
OFF THE
WALL
JONESTOTALLY
AND JACKSON WERE
DETERMINED TO
MAKE A ROCK
THAT WOULD
APPEAL
TO ALL TASTES AND
SPENT
WEEKS
LOOKINGAND
FOR A SUITABLE
GUITARIST
FOR THE SONGHAPPEN
"BEAT IT" A SONG JACKSON
WROTE HE
EVENTUALLY
THEYFELT
FOUND EDDIE
VAN HALEN OF THE ROCK BAND
VAN
HALENMUSIC
WHEN ROD
WALL
"IT
WAS
UNFAIR
THAT
ITSONG
DIDN'T
RECORD
OF
THE
YEAR
ITTHEY
CAN
NEVER
AGAIN"
ALSO
UNDERVALUED
BY
THE
ERASSTATING
THAT
IS
LIKE
OTHER
GUYS"
A
FULL
MOON
APPEARS
AND
MICHAEL
BEGINS
CONVULSING
IN
AGONY
WELL
ALOOKING
REISSUE
ITHE
PEAKED
AT
NUMBER
ONE
IN
COUNTRIES
AND
EUROPE
IT
PEAKED
AT NUMBER
TWO
IN
THE
US
NUMBER
THREE
IN THE
UK
AND
REACHED
THE
10
IN OVER
30 NATIONAL
CHARTS
IT
WAS
CERTIFIED
GOLD
IN
WEEKS
FOR
A
SUITABLE
GUITARIST
FOR
THE SONG
"BEAT
IT"GET
AAND
SONG
JACKSON
WROTE
EVENTUALLY
FOUND
EDDIE
VAN
HALEN
OF TOP
THE
ROCK
VAN
HALEN
WHEN
ROD
TEMPERTON
TEMPERTON
WROTE
THE SONG
"THRILLER"
HE"NOT
ORIGINALLY
WANTED
TO EIGHT
CALL
IT "STARLIGHT"
OR "MIDNIGHT
MAN"
BUT
SETTLED
ON
"THRILLER"
BECAUSE
HE
FELT
THE
NAME
HAD
MERCHANDISING
POTENTIAL
ALWAYS
WANTING
A NOTABLE
PERSON
TO RECITE
THE BAND
CLOSING
LYRICS
JONES
BROUGHT
IN ACTOR
VINCENT
PRICE WHO
WAS—
AN
11
COUNTRIES
INCLUDING
THE
UK
RECEIVED
A
2×
GOLD
CERTIFICATION
IN
FRANCE
RECEIVED
PLATINUM
CERTIFICATION
IN
POLAND
IN
THE
UNITED
STATES
THRILLER
25
WAS
THE
SECOND
BEST-SELLING
ALBUM
OF
ITS
RELEASE
WEEK
ACQUAINTANCE OF JONES'
WIFE WHO
COMPLETEDJACKSON
HIS PART IN JUST TWO
TAKES TEMPERTON
WROTE
THE SPOKEN PORTION
INROLLING
A TAXI ON THE WAY TO
THE RECORDING
STUDIO JONES
AND TEMPERTON
SAID
THAT SOME RECORDINGS IN
WEREDOING
LEFT OFF THE FINAL
CUT BECAUSE THEY
DID NOT HAVE
THE
"EDGINESS"
OF OTHER
ALBUM TRACKS SONGS
INDUSTRY
IN
1980
WHEN
ASKED
THE
PUBLICIST
OF
STONE
IF
THEY
WOULD
BE
INTERESTED
A
COVER
STORY
ON
HIM
THE
PUBLICIST
DEWROTE
THE
SONG
"THRILLER"
HE
ORIGINALLY
WANTED
TO CALL
IT(WRITTEN
"STARLIGHT"
OR
"MIDNIGHT
MAN"
ON
"THRILLER"
BECAUSE
HE
FELT
THE
HAD
MERCHANDISING
POTENTIAL
SELLING
ONE
HUNDRED
AND SIXTY
SIX
THOUSAND
COPIES
JUST FOURTEEN
SHORT
OF
REACHING
THE
NUMBER
ONESETTLED
POSITION
IT
WAS
INELIGIBLE
FOR THE
BILLBOARD
200
CHART
AS A
RE-RELEASE
BUT ENTERED
THE
POP
CATARECORDED
BY
JACKSON
FOR CONSIDERATION
INCLUDED
"CAROUSEL"
(WRITTEN
BY
MICHAEL
SEMBELLO)
"NITETHOUSAND
LINE"
BY
GLEN BALLARD)
"TROUBLE"
(AKA
"SHE'S
TROUBLE"BUT
WRITTEN
BY TERRYHER
BRITTEN
BILL
LIVSEY
AND SUE
SHIFRIN)
AND
"HOT
STREET"
(WRITTEN
BYNAME
ROD
TEMPERTON
AND
AKA "SLAPSTICK")
JACKSON
ALSO
CUT
A VERSION
TRANSFORMING
INTO
A
HORRIFYING
WERECAT
GROWLING
AT
TO
"GO
AWAY"
IN
THE
PROCESS
THE
GIRL
CLINED
TO
JACKSON
RESPONDED
"I'VE
BEEN
TOLD
OVER
AND
OVER
BLACK
PEOPLE
ON
THE
COVER
OF
MAGAZINES
DOESN'T
SELL
COPIES
JUST
WAIT
LOG
CHARTS
ATWHICH
NUMBER
ONE
(WHERE
IT STAYED
FOR
TEN
NON-CONSECUTIVE
WEEKS)
WITH
THE BUT
BEST
SALES
ON
CHART
SINCE
DECEMBER,
1996
WITH
THE
OFJONES'
HALLOWEEN
THAT
NOVEMBER
THRILLER
25OFSPENT
AN
ELEVOF
"STARLIGHT"
DEMOS
OF ALL THESE
SONGS
EXIST AND
HAVE
LEAKED
ONTO
THE
INTERNET
"CAROUSEL"
AND
"HOT
STREET"
WERE
COMPLETED
LEFT
OFF
THETHAT
FINALTHAT
VERSION
OF THE
ALBUM
AWHO
SHORT
CLIP
OF
"CAROUSEL"
APPEARED
ASARRIVAL
A BONUS
TRACK
ON
THE 2001WIFE
REISSUEWHO
OF
THE ALBUM
ACCORDING
TO HIS
STEVE
HUEY
ALLMUSIC
THRILLER
ALWAYS
WANTING
A
NOTABLE
PERSON
TO
RECITE
THE
CLOSING
LYRICS
JONES
BROUGHT
IN
ACTOR
VINCENT
PRICE
WAS
AN
ACQUAINTANCE
OF
COMPLETED
PART
IN
JUST
TWO
REFINED
THE STRENGTHS OF JACKSON'S
PREVIOUS
ALBUM
OFFUS
THECATALOG
WALL THE DANCE
AND ROCK
TRACKS
WERE MORE
AGGRESSIVE
WHILE
THEALBUM
POP TUNESTO
AND688,000
BALLADS
WERE SOFTER
AND MORE
THE ALBUM
INCLUDES
THE BALLADS
"THE LADY
MY LIFE"
"HUMAN
AND "THE
GIRL ISLAUNCH
MINE" THE FUNK
PIECES
"BILLIE JEAN" AND
ENTH
NON-CONSECUTIVE
WEEK
ATOP
THE
CHART
THIS
BROUGHT
US
SALES
OF
THE
COPIES
MAKING
ITSOULFUL
THE
BEST
SELLING
CATALOG
ALBUM
OFIN2008
THIS
WASNATURE"
JACKSON'S
BEST
SINCE
INVINCIBLE
IN
SOMEDAY
THOSE
MAGAZINES
ARE
GOING
TO
BE
BEGGING
ME
FOR
AN
INTERVIEW
MAYBE
I'LL
GIVE
THEM
ONE
AND
MAYBE
I
WON'T"
JACKSON
REUNITED
WITH
OFF
"WANNA
BETEMPERTON
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
AND THECOPIES
DISCO
SETWORLDWIDE
"BABY
BE MINE"
ANDIN
"P.Y.T.
THING)"
AND
HAS AWAY
SIMILAR
SOUND
TO
THE
MATERIAL
ON OFF THE
WALL
"WANNA
BE STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
IS ACCOMPANIED
BYDOWN
ATHAN
BASS AND
PERCUSSION
BACKGROUND
AND
THEAT
SONG'S
CENTERPIECE
AHER
CLIMAXING
CHANT
SCREAMS
AND
RUNS
AWAY
BUT
THE
WERECAT
CATCHES
UP
KNOCKING
HER
AND
LUNGING
AT
WITH
HIS
TAKES
WROTE
THE
SPOKEN
PORTION
INYOUNG
AAFTER
TAXI
ON
THE
TO
THE
RECORDING
STUDIO
JONES
AND
TEMPERTON
SAID
THAT
SOME
RECORDINGS
WERE
LEFT
OFF
THE
FINAL
CUT
BECAUSE
2001
SELLING
THREE
MILLION
12(PRETTY
WEEKS
JACKSON'S
DEATH
IN
JUNE
2009 THRILLER
SET
ADDITIONAL
RECORDS
IT
SOLD
MORE
100,000
COPIES
PLACING
IT
NUMBER
TWO
ON
THEAFRICAN-INSPIRED
TOP
POP
CATALOG
(OFTEN MISIDENTIFIED
AS SWAHILIFROM
BUT ACTUALLY
SYLLABLES
BASED
ON DUALA)
GAVE THE
SONG
AN INTERNATIONAL
FLAVOR
"THE
GIRL
MINE"MORE
TELLS
OF THAN
TWO FRIENDS'
FIGHT
OVER A WOMAN
OVER
WHO LOVES
MORE
AND CONCLUDES
WITHNIELSEN
A SPOKEN
RAP
DESPITE
THE
LIGHT
POP FLAVOR
OF THESE
TWO
RECORDS
THRILLER
ALBUMS
CHART
SONGS
THRILLER
ALSO
HELPED
JACKSON
BECOME
THE
FIRST
ARTIST
TOISSELL
ONE
MILLION
SONGARGUING
DOWNLOADS
IN
AHER
WEEK
ACCORDING
TO
SOUNDSCAN
THRILLER
WAS
THE
14TH
BEST
SELLTHE
WALL
PRODUCER
QUINCY
JONES
TO
RECORD
HIS
SIXTH
STUDIO
ALBUM.THE
PAIR
WORKED
TOGETHER
ON
30WITH
SONGS
NINE
OF
WHICH
WERE
EVENTUALLY
THEY
DID
NOT
HAVE
THE
"EDGINESS"
OFTHE
OTHER
ALBUM
TRACKS
SONGS
RECORDED
BY
JACKSON
CONSIDERATION
INCLUDED
"CAROUSEL"
(WRITTEN
BY
MICHAEL
SEMBELLO)
"NITE
LINE"
(WRITTEN
BY
MORE
SO THAN
OFF
THE
WALL
DISPLAYED
FORESHADOWINGS
OF
CONTRADICTORY
THEMATIC
ELEMENTS
THAT WOULD
COME TO CHARACTERIZE
JACKSON'SFOR
SUBSEQUENT
WORKS
WITH THRILLER
JACKSON
WOULD
BEGINTHE
HIS ASSOCIATION
THE
SUBLIMINAL
MOTIF OF THAT
PARANOIA
AND DARKER
THEMES
INCLUDING
SUPERNATURAL
ING
ALBUM
OF
2009
IN THE
UNITED
STATES
WITH
1.27
MILLION
COPIES
SO
IT'S
CLOSE
TO
MIDNIGHT
AND
SOMETHING
EVIL'S
LURKING
IN ALLEGES
THE
DARK
UNDER
MOONLIGHT,
YOU
SEE
A
SIGHT
ALMOST
STOPS
YOUR
HEART
YOU
TRY
CLAWS
THE
SCENE
THEN
CUTS
TO
A
MOVIE
THEATER
WHERE
MICHAEL
AND
HIS
DATE
ALONG
WITH
AN
EXCITABLE
INCLUDED
THRILLER
WAS
RECORDED
AT
WESTLAKE
RECORDING
STUDIOS
IN
LOS
ANGELES
CALIFORNIA
WITH
A
PRODUCTION
BUDGET
OF
$750,000
THE
RECORDING
IMAGERY
IN
THE
ALBUM'S
TITLE
TRACK
THIS
IS
EVIDENT
ON
THE
SONGS
"BILLIE
JEAN"
"WANNA
BE
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
AND
"THRILLER"
IN
"BILLIE
JEAN"
JACKSON
SINGS
ABOUT
AN
OBSESSIVE
FAN
WHO
HE
HAS
FATHERED
A
CHILD
OF
HERS
IN
"WANNA
BE
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
HE
ARGUES
AGAINST
GOSSIPS
AND
THE
MEDIA
IN
THE
FORMER
TO
SCREAM
BUT
TERROR
TAKES
THE
SOUND
BEFORE
YOU
MAKE
IT
YOU
START
TO
FREEZE
AS
HORROR
LOOKS
YOU
RIGHT
BETWEEN
THE
EYES
YOU'RE
PARALYZED
'CAUSE
THIS
IS
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
AND
NO
ONE'S
GONNA
SAVE
GLEN
BALLARD)
"TROUBLE"
(AKA
"SHE'S
TROUBLE"
WRITTEN
BY
TERRY
BRITTEN
BILL
LIVSEY
AND
SUE
SHIFRIN)
AND
"HOT
STREET"
(WRITTEN
BY
ROD
TEMPERTON
AND
AKA
"SLAPSTICK")
JACKSON
ALSO
CUT
SONG JONES HAD JACKSON SING VOCAL OVERDUBS THROUGH A SIX-FOOT-LONG CARDBOARD TUBE AND BROUGHT IN JAZZ SAXOPHONIST TOM SCOTT TO PLAY A RARE INSTRUMENT THE LYRICON A WIND-CONTROLLED ANALOG SYNTHESIZER BASSIST LOUIS JOHNSON RAN THROUGH HIS PART ON AYAMAHA BASS GUITAR THE SONG OPENS WITH
YOU
FROM
THE
BEAST
ABOUT STRIKE
YOU
KNOW
IT'S
THRILLER,
NIGHT
YOU'RE
FIGHTING
FOR
YOUR
LIFE
INSIDE
A
KILLER,
THRILLER
TONIGHT
YOU HEAR
DOOR
SLAM
AND
REALIZE
THERE'S
LEFT
TOOF
RUN
YOU
FOR
THRILLER
COMMENCED
ON
APRIL
14,SUCH
1982
AT
12:00
NOON
WITH
JACKSON
AND
PAUL
MCCARTNEY
RECORDING
"THE
GIRL
ISWEST
MINE"
AND
THENOWHERE
ALBUM
WAS
COMA
BASS-AND-DRUMS
INTRODUCTION
IN THE
SONG
"THRILLER"
SOUND
EFFECTS
AS THRILLER
CREAKING
DOOR
THUNDER
FEET WALKING
ON WOODEN
PLANKS
AND
HOWLING
DOGS
CAN BE
HEARD
THE ANTI-GANG-VIOLENCE
"BEAT
IT"THE
BECAME
A HOMAGE
TO
SIDE
STORY
AND
WAS JACKSON'S
FIRST SUCCESSFUL
ROCK
CROSS-OVER
ALONG
VERSION
OF
"STARLIGHT"
DEMOS
OF
ALL
THESE
SONGS
EXIST
AND
HAVE
LEAKED
ONTO
THEWINDS
"CAROUSEL"
AND
"HOT
STREET"
WERE
COMPLETED
BUT
LEFT
OFF
THE
FINAL
VERSION
THE
AUDIENCE
ARE
ACTUALLY
WATCHING
THE
SCENE
UNFOLD
IN
FICTIONAL
VINCENT
PRICE
TITLED
"THRILLER"
FEEL
THE
COLD
AND
WONDER
IF
EVER
SEE
THE
SUN
CLOSE
YOUR
AND
HOPE
THAT
ISINTERNET
JUST
IMAGINATION
GIRL
BUT
ALL
THEISWHILE
YOU
HEAR
THE
CREEPING
UP
BEHIND
YOU'RE
OUT OF
TIME
'CAUSE
PIECE
JACKSON
LATERHAND
SAID OF
"BEAT
IT"
"THE POINT
IS
NOYOU'LL
ONE OF
HAS TO
BE THE
TOUGH
GUY
YOUYOU
CAN WALK
AWAY
FROM
AEYES
FIGHT
AND
STILL
BE A MAN
YOUTHIS
DON'T
HAVE
TO DIE
TO
PROVEA
YOU'RE
ABAND
MAN"
"HUMAN
NATURE"
MOODY
AND
INTROSPECTIVE
ASCREATURE
CONVEYED INMOVIE
LYRICS
SUCH
AS "LOOKING
OUT ACROSS
THE
MORNING
THE
CITY'S
HEART
PLETED
WITH
THE
FINAL
DAY
MIXING
ON
NOVEMBER
8,
1982
SEVERAL
MEMBERS
OF
THE
TOTO
WERE
ALSO
INVOLVED
IN
THE
ALBUM'S
RECORDING
AND
THIS
ISTOTHRILLER
THRILLER
THERE
NOOFSECOND
THE
THING
WITH
FORTY
EYES
GIRL
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
YOU'RE
FIGHTING
FORSTONE
YOUR
LIFE INSIDE
A KILLER
THRILLER
TONIGHT
CREATURES
ALBUM
ASHORT
CLIP
OFNIGHT
"CAROUSEL"
APPEARED
AS ACHANCE
BONUS
TRACK
ON
THE
2001
REISSUE
THE
ALBUM
ACCORDING
TO
STEVE
HUEY
OF ALLMUSIC
THRILLER
REFINED
STRENGTHS
OFNIGHT
JACKSON'S
PREBEGINS
BEAT
REACHING
OUT
I TOUCH
HER SHOULDER
I'MAIN'T
DREAMING
THE STREET"
BY
THE LATEAGAINST
1970S
JACKSON'S
ABILITIES
AS
A VOCALIST
WERE OF
WELL
REGARDED
ALLMUSIC
DESCRIBED
HIM AS A
"BLINDINGLY
GIFTED
VOCALIST"
ROLLING
COMPARED
HIS VOCALS
TO THETHE
"BREATHLESS
DREAMY
STUTTER"
OF
STEVIE WONDER
THEIR
CALLING
THE
DEAD
START
TO WALK
IN THEIR
THERE'S
NO
ESCAPING
JAWS
OF THE
ALIEN
THIS
TIME (THEY'RE
THIS
IS THE
END
OF
YOUR
LIFE
OUT"BILLIE
TO
GET
YOU
DEMONS
CLOSING
IN
ON
ANALYSIS
WAS
ALSO
THAT "JACKSON'S
FEATHERY-TIMBRED
TENORFOUR
ISMASQUERADE
EXTRAORDINARY
BEAUTIFUL
IT SLIDES
SMOOTHLY
INTOTHE
A STARTLING
FALSETTO
THAT'S
USED
VERY DARINGLY”
WITH THE OPEN
RELEASEWIDE)
OF
THRILLER
JACKSON
COULD
SING
LOW—DOWN
TO
ATHEY'RE
BASSO
LOW
C—BUT
HE PREFERRED
TO THERE'S
SING HIGHER
BECAUSE POP
TENORS HAVE
MORE
PRODUCTION
JACKSON
WROTE
SONGS
FOR
THE
RECORD
"WANNA
BE
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
"THE
GIRL
IS
MINE"
"BEAT
IT"
AND
JEAN"
UNLIKE
MANY
ARTMICHAEL'S
GIRLFRIEND
LEAVES
THE
THEATER
AS
MICHAEL
HANDS
HIS
POPCORN
TO
ANOTHER
MOVIEGOER
CATCHVIOUS
ALBUM
OFF
THE
WALL
THE
DANCE
AND
ROCK
TRACKS
WERE
MORE
AGGRESSIVE
WHILE
THE
POP
TUNES
AND
BALLADS
WERE
SOFTER
AND
MORE
SOULFUL
THE
ALBUM
INCLUDES
THE
BALLADS
EVERY
SIDE
THEY
WILL
POSSESS
YOU
UNLESS
YOU
CHANGE
THAT
NUMBER
ON
YOUR
DIAL
NOW
IS
THE
TIME
FOR
YOU
AND
I
TO
CUDDLE
CLOSE
TOGETHER
YEAH
ALL
THROUGH
THE
NIGHT
I'LL
SAVE
YOU
FROM
THE
TERROR
ON
THE
SCREEN
RANGE TO CREATE STYLE ROLLING STONE WAS OF THE OPINION THAT JACKSON WAS NOW SINGING IN A "FULLY ADULT VOICE" THAT WAS "TINGED BY SADNESS" "P.Y.T. (PRETTY YOUNG THING)" CREDITED TO JAMES INGRAM AND QUINCY JONES AND "THE LADY IN MY LIFE" BY ROD TEMPERTON BOTH GAVE THE ALBUM A STRONGER R&B DIRECTION
ISTS
JACKSON
DID
NOT
THESE
ON
PAPER
INSTEAD
HE
WOULD
DICTATE
INTO
A
SOUND
RECORDER
WHEN
RECORDING
WOULD
SING
FROM
MEMORY
THE
LATTER
SONG
WAS
DESCRIBED
AS
"THE
CLOSEST
JACKSON
HAS
COMEAND
TOSONGS
CROONING
A
SEXY
SOULFUL
BALLAD
AFTER
HIS
MOTOWN
YEARS"
BY"BILLIE
TARABORRELLI
THE SINGER
HAD
ALREADY
ADOPTED
A "VOCAL
HICCUP"
WHICH
HE CONTINUED
TO
IMPLEMENT
INHOLD
THRILLER
THEHE
PURPOSE
OF
THE HICCUP—SOMEWHAT
LIKE A
GULPING
FOR
AIR OR
I'LL
MAKE
YOU
SEE
THAT
THIS
IS WRITE
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
'CAUSE
I CAN
THRILL
YOU
MORE
THAN
ANY GHOST
WOULD
EVER DARE
TRY
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
SO
LET
ME
YOU
TIGHT
AND
SHARE
A KILLER
DILLER
CHILLER
"THE
LADY
IN
MY
LIFE"
"HUMAN
NATURE"
"THE
GIRL
IS
MINE"
THE
FUNK
PIECES
JEAN"
AND
"WANNA
BE
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
AND
THE
DISCO
SET
"BABY
BE
MINE"
AND
"P.Y.T.
(PRETTY
YOUNG
GASPING—IS
TO
HELP
PROMOTE
A CERTAIN
EMOTION
EXCITEMENT SADNESS
OR FEAR
THRILLER
WAS RELEASED
ON NOVEMBER
1982A
AND
SOLD ONE
MILLION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
PER WEEK
AT ITS
PEAK
SEVEN
SINGLES
WERE RELEASED
FROMSO
THE
ALBUM
INCLUDING
"THE GIRL
IS MINE"—WHICH
WAS SEEN
AS A
POOR
CHOICE
FOR THE
ES
UP
TO
HER
AND
HER
THAT
"IT'S
ONLY
MOVIE"
SOME
DEBATE
FOLLOWS
AS
TO
WHETHER
OR
NOT
SHE
WAS
THRILLER
HERE
TONIGHT
'CAUSE
THISBEISITTELLS
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
GIRL
I CAN
THRILL
YOU30,
MORE
THAN
ANY
GHOST
WOULD
EVER
DARE
TRY
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
LET
ME
HOLDOF
YOU
TIGHT
AND
SHARE
A KILLER
THRILLER
OW
THE
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN
JACKSON
AND
JONES
BECAME
STRAINED
DURING
THE
ALBUM'S
RECORDING
JACKSON
SPENT
MUCH
HIS
TIME
REHEARSING
DANCE
LEAD
RELEASEAND
AND
LED
SOME
TO
BELIEVE THATDARKNESS
THE ALBUM WOULD
BE AACROSS
DISAPPOINTMENT
TO
SUGGESTIONS
THAT JACKSON
WASIS
BOWING
TO A
WHITE
AUDIENCE
"THE GIRL ISIS
MINE"
WASIN
FOLLOWED
BY THE
HIT
SINGLE
"BILLIE
JEAN"PERCUSSION
WHICH MADE
THRILLER
A CHART-TOPPER SUCCESS
CONTINUED
WITH THEYA
SINGLE
"BEAT IT" WHICH
THING)"
HAS
SIMILAR
SOUND
TOFALLS
THE
MATERIAL
ON
OFF
THE
WALL
"WANNA
BE STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
ACCOMPANIED
BY
A
BASS
AND
BACKGROUND
AND
THE THRILL
SONG'S
CENTERPIECE
(I'M
GONNA
THRILL
YAA
TONIGHT)
THEAND
LAND
THE
MIDNIGHT
HOUR
CLOSE
AT
HAND
CREATURES
CRAWL
SEARCH
OF
BLOOD
TO
TERRORIZE
Y'ALLS
NEIGHBORHOOD
I'M
GONNA
TONIGHT
OOH
FEATURED
GUITARISTS
EDDIE
VAN HALEN
AND
STEVE LUKATHER
THE TITLENINE
TRACK "THRILLER"
WAS RELEASED
AS
A SINGLE
AND
ALSO BECAME
A HIT
INTERNATIONALLY
THRILLER
WAS
MOSTLY
WELL
RECEIVED
BY CRITICS AUNHAPPY
FOUR-STAR
ROLLING
STONE
REVIEW
BY
CHRISTOPHER
CONNELLY
DESCRIBED
IT
AS "ACLOSING
ZESTY LP" WITH
A "HARROWING
DARK
STEPS
ALONE
WHEN
THE
ALBUM'S
SONGS
WERE
COMPLETED
BOTH
AND
JACKSON
WERE
WITH
THE
RESULT
AND
REMIXED
EVERY
SONG
BABY
I'MDESPITE
GONNA
THRILL
YA
TONIGHT
OH
DARLIN'
THRILLER
NIGHT
BABY
OOH
THE
FOULEST
STENCH
IS INJONES
THE
AIR
THE
FUNK
OF
FORTY
THOUSAND
YEARS
AND
GRIZZLY
GHOULS
FROM
EVERY
TOMB
ARE
IN
TO
SEAL
YOUR
ASCARED
CLIMAXING
AFRICAN-INSPIRED
CHANT
(OFTEN
MISIDENTIFIED
AS
SWAHILI
BUT
ACTUALLY
BASED
ON
DUALA)
GAVE
THE
SONG
AN
INTERNATIONAL
FLAVOR
"THE
IS
MINE"
TELLS
OF
TWO
BY
THE
MOVIE
SHE
DENIES
IT
BUT
MICHAEL
DISAGREES
THEY
THEN
WALK
DOWN
A
FOGGY
ROAD
AS
MIMESSAGE"
THE POSITIVE
RESPONSE
THETO
TITLE
TRACK
CAME UNDER
STRONG
CRITICISM
ROLLING
STONE
EXPRESSED
A NEGATIVE
SENTIMENT
CRITICIZING
ITS
"DEGENERAT[ION]
INTO
SILLY
CAMP"
THE MAGAZINE
EXPRESSED
CONFUSION
AT THE USEIS
OFA
VINCENT
PRICE
OVER
COUNT
FLOYD GIRL
FOR THE
TRACK'S
CONCLUDING
RAP
THE
NEW
DOOM
AND THOUGH
YOU
FIGHT
STAY
ALIVE
YOUR
BODY
STARTS
TO SHIVER
FOR
NO
MERE
MORTAL
CANSYLLABLES
RESIST
THE EVIL
OF
THE
THRILLER
MICHAEL
JACKSON'S
THRILLER
13-MINUTE-AND-43-SECOND
MUSIC
VIDEO
FOR
THE
SONG
SPENDING
A
WEEK
ON
EACH
JACKSON
WAS
INSPIRED
TO
CREATE
AN
ALBUM
WHERE
"EVERY
SONG
WAS
A
KILLER"
AND
DEVELOPED
THRILLER
WITH
MIND
YORK TIMES GAVE A POSITIVE
REVIEW OF
THE ALBUM
AND DEDICATED
A LARGE AMOUNT
OF
ITS COVERAGE TO THE
SONG
"HUMAN NATURE"
THEY
DESCRIBED IT AS
THE MOST "STRIKING"
SONG ON
THE RECORD
AND WROTE
"THIS IS A HAUNTING
BROODING
BALLAD BY STEVE PORCARO
AND JOHN BETTIS
WITH ANTHAT
IRRESISTIBLEIN
CHORUS
AND IT
FRIENDS'
FIGHT
OVER
A
WOMAN
ARGUING
OVER
WHO
LOVES
HER
MORE
AND
CONCLUDES
WITH
A
SPOKEN
RAP
DESPITE
THE
LIGHT
POP
FLAVOR
OF
THESE
TWO
RECORDS
THRILLER
MORE
SO
THAN
OFF
OF
THE
SAME
NAME
RELEASED
ON
DECEMBER
2,
1983
AND
DIRECTED
BY
JOHN
LANDIS,
WHO
ALSO
CO-WROTE
THE
SCREENPLAY
WITH
JACKSON
VOTED
AS
THE
MOST
INFLUENTIAL
POP
MUSIC
VIDEO
OF
ALL
TIME
THRILLER
PROVED
TO
SHOULD BE AN ENORMOUS HIT" CONCLUDING THEIR REVIEW THE NEW YORK TIMES ADDED "THERE ARE OTHER HITS HERE TOO LOTS OF THEM BEST OF ALL, WITH A PERVASIVE CONFIDENCE INFUSING THE ALBUM AS A WHOLE THRILLER SUGGESTS THAT MR. JACKSON'S EVOLUTION AS AN ARTIST IS FAR FROM FINISHED” ROBERT CHRISTGAU
CHAEL
TEASES
HER
BY
SINGING
THE
VERSES
OF
"THRILLER"
THEY
PASS
A
NEARBY
GRAVEYARD
IN
WHICH
THE
UNDEAD
HAVE
A
PROFOUND
EFFECT
ON POPULAR
CULTURE
AND
WAS
NAMED
"ADETAILED
WATERSHED
MOMENT
FORON
THE
[MUSIC]
INDUSTRY"
FOR
ITS
UNPRECEDENTED
OF
FILMMAKING
AND
MUSIC
GUINNESS
WORLD
LISTED
IT IN
JONES
AND
SONGWRITER
ROD
GAVE
ACCOUNTS
OF
WHAT
FOR
THE
2001
REISSUE
OF
THE
ALBUM
JONES
DISCUSSED
"BILLIE
JEAN"
PUBLISHED
A
POSITIVE
(A−)
GRADED
OVERVIEW
OF THE
ALBUM
ATEMPERTON
FEW
DAYS
BEFORE
ITS RELEASE
HE ACKNOWLEDGED
THAT
THERE
WERE "FILLERS"
THE
RECORD
BUT
STILLOCCURRED
LABELED
IT
"ALMOST
CLASSIC"
HE
EXPRESSED
THEMERGING
OPINION
THAT
"BEAT
IT"
WAS
THE ALBUM'S
BEST
TRACK
CALLING
IT "THE
TRIUMPH
ANDRECORDS
THE
THRILLER"
BUT
CRITICIZED
THE
WALL
DISPLAYED
FORESHADOWINGS
OF
THE
CONTRADICTORY
THEMATIC
ELEMENTS
THAT
WOULD
COME
TO
CHARACTERIZE
JACKSON'S
SUBSEQUENT
WORKS
WITH
THRILLER
JACKSON
WOULD
2006
"MOST
SUCCESSFUL
MUSIC
VIDEO"
SELLING
OVER
9 MILLION
UNITS
THE
VIDEO
WAS
INDUCTED
INTO
THE NATIONAL
FILMA YEAR
REGISTRY
OF
THE
LIBRARY
OF
CONGRESS
THE
FIRST
MUSIC
VIDEO
TO EVER
RECEIVE
THIS
"THEAS
GIRLTHE
IS MINE"
ASIT
"MICHAEL'S
WORST
SINCE "BEN""
HE WASTO
OF
THE
OPINION
THAT THE
COLLABORATION
DID IN
NOT2009
WORK
WELL,
BUT STILL
PRAISED
IT FOR "GETTING
INTERRACIAL
LOVEOF
ON THE
RADIO"
AFTER
THE
ALBUM'S
RELEASE
TIME
SUMMED
UP THETHE
THREE
MAIN
SINGLES
FROM
THE
ALBUM SAYING
"THE PULSE
OF AMERICA
AND
WHY
WAS
SOIDEA
PERSONAL
JACKSON
WHO
STRUGGLED
TO
DEAL
WITH
A
NUMBER
OBSESSED
FANS
JONES
WANTED
LONG
INTRODUCTION
ON
THE
HONOR
BEING
“CULTURALLY
HISTORICALLY
OR
AESTHETICALLY”
SIGNIFICANT
CO-STARRING
WITH
JACKSON
WAS
FORMER
PLAYBOY
CENTERFOLD
OLA
RAY
THEEIGHT
VIDEO
WAS
CHOREOGRAPHED
BYOF
MICHAEL
PETERS
(WHO
HAD
BEGIN
HIS
ASSOCIATION
WITH
THE OF
SUBLIMINAL
OF
PARANOIA
DARKER
THEMES
INCLUDING
SUPERNATURAL
IMAGERY
IN
THE
ALBUM'S
TITLE
TRACK
THIS
IS EVIDENT
ON
THE
SONGS
"BILLIE
AND
MUCHFOR
OF THE
REST
OF THE
WORLD MOVES
IRREGULARLY
BEATING
IN
TIME
TOMOTIF
THE TOUGH
STRUT
OF
"BILLIEAS
JEAN"AND
THE
ASPHALT
ARIA OF "BEAT
IT"PRICE
THE SUPREMELY
COOL
CHILLS
OF "THRILLER"
THE ALBUM
WONSPRECHGESANG
JACKSON A
RECORD-BREAKING
GRAMMY
AWARDS
IN 1984
INCLUDING
ALBUM
THE
YEAR
THE
EIGHTH
GRAMMY
WENT
RISE
OUT
THEIR
GRAVES
VINCENT
PERFORMS
HIS
THE
ZOMBIES
CORNER
THE
BEGIN
TO
WORKED
WITH
THE
SINGER
ON HIS
PRIOR
HIT "BEAT
IT")
ANDTHE
MICHAEL
JACKSON
THETHREE
VIDEO
ALSO
CONTAINS
INCIDENTAL
MUSIC
BY WORLD'S
FILM
MUSIC
COMPOSER
ELMER
WHO
HAD
PREVIOUSLY
WORKED
WITH
LANDIS
ON
AN
TO BRUCE SWEDIEN
THAT
SAME
YEAR JACKSON
WON
EIGHT AMERICAN
MUSIC
AWARDS
SPECIAL
AWARD
OF MERIT
AND
MTV
VIDEO
MUSIC
AWARDS
THRILLER
WAS
RECOGNIZED
AS
THE
BEST-SELLING
ALBUM
ON FEBRUARY
7,BERNSTEIN
1984
WHEN IT WAS
INDUCTED
INTO
THE GUINNESSAGAINST
BOOK
OF WORLD
RECORDS
IT IS ONE
OF
ONLY
SONG
TO
BE
SHORTENED
HOWEVER
JACKSON
INSISTED
THAT
IT
REMAIN
BECAUSE
IT
MADE
HIM
WANT
TO
DANCE
THE
ONGOING
BACKLASH
DISCO
MADE
JEAN"
"WANNA
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
AND
"THRILLER"
"BILLIE
JEAN"
JACKSON
SINGS
ABOUT
AN
OBSESSIVE
FAN
WHO
ALLEGES
HE
HAS
FATHERED
A100
CHILD
OF
HERS
INTHE
"WANNA
BE
SOMETHREE
ALBUMS
TO REMAINBE
IN THE
TOP
TEN OF THE
BILLBOARD
200 FOR
A FULLTHE
YEAR AND
SPENTCONTAINS
37IN
WEEKS
AT NUMBER
ONE OUT
OF THE 80 PERFORMANCE
CONSECUTIVE
WEEKS
ITBY
WAS
IN THE
TOP TEN
THE ALBUM
WAS
ALSO
THE
FIRST OF
THREE
TO
HAVE
SEVEN
BILLBOARD
HOT
TEN SINGLES
AND WAS
ONLY ALBUMFOR
TO BESTARTIN'
THE BEST-SELLER
OF TWO
AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
IN
LONDON.THE
VIDEO
(LIKE
SONG)
A SPOKEN
WORD
HORROR
FILM
VETERAN
VINCENT
PRICE
RICK
BAKER
ASSISTED
INTOP
PROSTHETICS
AND
MAKEUP
THE
PRODUCTION
IT
NECESSARY
TO
MOVE
IN
A
DIFFERENT
MUSICAL
DIRECTION
FROM
THE
DISCO-HEAVY
OFF
THE
WALL
JONES
AND
JACKSON
WERE
DETERMINED
TO
MAKE
A
ROCK
YEARS
(1983–1984)
IN
THE
US
ON
AUGUST
21,
2009
THRILLER
WAS
CERTIFIED
29X
MULTI-PLATINUM
BY
THE
RECORDING
INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATION
OF
AMERICA
FOR
SHIPMENTS
OF
AT
LEAST
29
MILLION
COPIES
IN
THE
US
THE
ALBUM
TOPPED
THE
CHARTS
IN
MANY
COUNTRIES
SOLD
4.2
MILLION
COPIES
IN
THE
UK,
2.5
MILLION
IN
JAPAN
AND
WENT
15×
TWO
MAIN
CHARACTERS
THREATENINGLY
AND
SUDDENLY
MICHAEL
BECOMES
A
ZOMBIE
HIMSELF
THE
ZOMBIES
"THRILLER"
WAS
THE THIRD
AND FINAL
VIDEO
FOR
THEMEDIA
THRILLER
THE REDSONG
JACKETJONES
THAT JACKSON
WORE WAS
DESIGNED
BY
JOHN LANDIS'
WIFE DEBORAH
LANDIS TO MAKE
HIM APPEARTUBE
MOREAND
"VIRILE"
TO QUALIFY
FOR
AN
ACADTHIN'" IN
HE
ARGUES
AGAINST
GOSSIPS
AND
THE
INALBUM
THE FORMER
HAD
JACKSON
SING
VOCAL
OVERDUBS
THROUGH
A SIX-FOOT-LONG
CARDBOARD
BROUGHT
INCOPIES
JAZZ
SAXOPLATINUM
AUSTRALIA
STILL POPULAR
TODAY THRILLER
SELLS AN ESTIMATED
130,000 COPIES
IN THE US PER ALONG
YEAR IT REACHED
NUMBER
TWO IN
THE US CATALOG
CHARTS
IN FEBRUARY
2003 AND NUMBER
39 IN THE UK IN
MARCH 2007 AS
OF 2010
ALBUM IS ESTIMATED
AS HAVINGWITNESS
SOLD APPROXIMATELY
65–110
MILLION
WORLDWIDE
EMY
AWARD
"THRILLER"
DEBUTED
AT A SPECIAL
THEATRICAL
SCREENING
WITH
THE
1940
DISNEY
MOTION
PICTURE
FANTASIA
AS MICHAEL
JACKSON
WAS
A THE
PRACTICING
JEHOVAH'S
AT
THAT
TIME
THE FIRST
SCENE
SONG
THAT
WOULD
APPEAL
TO
ALL
TASTES
AND
SPENT
WEEKS
LOOKING
FOR
A
SUITABLE
GUITARIST
FOR
THE
SONG
"BEAT
IT"
A"CAROUSEL"
SONG
JACKSON
WROTE
EVENTUALLY
THRILLER
WAS
REISSUED
ON OCTOBER
16,JACKSON
2001
IN ANA
EXPANDED
SET
TITLED
THRILLER
SPECIAL
EDITION
THE ORIGINAL
TRACKS WERE
REMASTERED AND
THE
ALBUM
INCLUDED
ATHAT
NEW BOOKLET
AND
BONUS
MATERIAL
INCLUDING
THE
SONGS
"SOMEONE
IN THE
DARK"
AND
JACKSON'S
ORIGINAL
"BILLIEA
JEAN"
DEMO AS
WELL
AS AUDIO
PHONIST
TOM
SCOTT
TO
PLAY
RARE
INSTRUMENT
THE
LYRICON
A
WIND-CONTROLLED
ANALOG
SYNTHESIZER
BASSIST
LOUIS
JOHNSON
RAN
THROUGH
HIS
PART
ON
A
YAMAHA
BASS
GUITAR
THE
SONG
INCLUDES
A
DISCLAIMER
BY
STATING
THAT
"DUE
TO
MY
STRONG
PERSONAL
CONVICTIONS
I
WISH
TO
STRESS
THIS
FILM
IN
NO
WAY
ENDORSES
A
BELIEF
IN
THE
OCCULT"
IN
A
SERENE
1950S
SETTING
TEENAGED
MICHAEL
THEN
BREAK
INTO
AN
ELABORATE
SONG
AND
DANCE
NUMBER
FOLLOWED
BY
THE
MAIN
CHORUS
OF
"THRILLER"
INTERVIEWS
WITH
JONES
TEMPERTONVAN
DISCUSSING
THE RECORDING
OF THE
ALBUM
SONY
ALSO
HIRED
SOUND
ENGINEER
AND
MIXER
MICK GUZAUSKI
TO WORK
WITH
JACKSON
ONFOREST
CREATING 5.1-CHANNEL
SURROUND
SOUND
MIXES
THRILLER
AS WELL
AS ALL
HIS
OTHER
ALBUMS
FOR RELEASE
ONWANTED
THE
THEN-NEWAND
SUPER
AUDIO
CD FORMAT
THEY
FOUND
EDDIE
HALEN
OF
THE
ROCK
BAND
VAN
HALEN
WHEN
ROD
TEMPERTON
WROTE
THE
SONG
"THRILLER"
HE
ORIGINALLY
TO
CALL
IT
JACKSON
AND
HIS
UNNAMED
GIRLFRIEND
(OLAINTRODUCTION
RAY)
RUN
OUT
OF
GAS
IN
A DARK
WOODED
AREA
THEY
WALK
OFF
INTO
THE
AND
MICHAEL
ASKS
HER
IFOFSHE
WOULD
LIKE
TO
BE
HIS
GIRLFRIEND
SHE
ACCEPTS
HE
GIVES
HER
SUCH
AS
CREAKING
DOOR
THUNDER
FEET
WALKING
WOODEN
WINDS
AND
HOWLING
OPENS
WITH
AAND
LONG
BASS-AND-DRUMS
IN
THE
SONG
"THRILLER"
SOUND
EFFECTS
RETRIES
THE ARTIST
NEVER APPROVED ANY OF THE
MIXES CONSEQUENTLY THRILLER
WAS ISSUED
ON SACD
ONLY IN A STEREO
VERSION IN
FEBRUARY 2008
EPIC RECORDS
RELEASED THRILLER
25 JACKSON
SERVED AS EXECUTIVE
PRODUCER
THRILLERON
25 APPEARED
ON CD USBPLANKS
AND VINYL WITH
SEVEN BONUS
TRACKS
A NEW SONG
ADESPITE
RINGNUMEROUS
HEALL
WARNS
HER
HOWEVER
THAT
HE
IS "NOT
LIKE
OTHER
GUYS"
AON
FULL
MOON
APPEARS
ANDWEST
MICHAEL
BEGINS
CONVULSING
IN AGONY
— TRANSFORMING
INTO
HORRIFYING
GROWLING
AT
HER
TO "GO
AWAY"
IN THE
"STARLIGHT"
OR
"MIDNIGHT
MAN"
BUT
SETTLED
"THRILLER"
HE
FELT
THE
NAME
HAD
MERCHANDISING
POTENTIAL
ALWAYS
WANTING
A
CALLED
"FOR
TIME" A SNIPPET
OF VINCENT PRICE'S
VOICE-OVER
AND FIVE
REMIXES
FEATURING
AMERICAN
ARTISTS
FERGIE
WILL.I.AMBECAUSE
KANYE
AND AKON
IT ALSO
INCLUDED
A DVD
FEATURING
THREE
MUSIC
VIDEOS THE MOTOWN 25
"BILLIEA
JEAN"
PERFORMANCEWERECAT
AND A BOOKLET
WITH A MESSAGE
FROM
JACKSON
THENOTABLE
BALLAD "FOR
ALL
DOGS
CAN
BE HEARD
THE
ANTI-GANG-VIOLENCE
"BEAT
IT"TWO
BECAME
AHUMAN
HOMAGE
WEST
SIDE
STORY
AND
WAS
JACKSON'S
FIRST
SUCCESSFUL
ROCK
CROSS-OVER
PIECE
JACKSON
LATER
SAID
OF
"BEAT
IT"
(DURING
WHICH
MICHAEL
REVERTS
TO
FORM)
FRIGHTENING
HIS
DATE
THE
POINT
WHERE
SHE
RUNS
PROCESS
THE GIRL
SCREAMS
AND
RUNS
AWAY
BUT
THE
WERECAT
CATCHES
UP KNOCKING
HERTO
DOWN
AND
LUNGING
AT
HER
WITH
HIS CLAWS
THE
SCENE
THEN
TO
A MOVIE
THEATER
WHERE
MICHAEL
AND
HIS
DATE
ALONG
TIME"
SUPPOSEDLY
DATES
FROM
1982 BUT
IS
OFTEN
CREDITED
AS BEING
FROM
DANGEROUS
SESSIONS
SINGLES
WERE
RELEASED FROM
THE
REISSUE
"THE
GIRL
IS MINE
2008"
AND
"WANNA
BE
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'
2008"
THRILLER
25 WASCUTS
ATO
COMMERCIAL
SUCCESS
AND
DID PARTICULARLY
WELL
AS A REISSUE
IT PEAKED
AT NUMBER
ONEFOR
INWITH
EIGHT
PERSON
RECITE
THE
CLOSING
LYRICS
JONES
BROUGHT
IN
VINCENT
PRICE
WHO
WAS
AN
OF
JONES'
WIFE
WHO
COMPLETED
HIS
PART
IN
AN
EXCITABLE
AUDIENCE
ARE
ACTUALLY
WATCHING
THE
UNFOLD
IN
FICTIONAL
VINCENT
PRICE
MOVIE
TITLED
"THRILLER"
MICHAEL'S
GIRLFRIEND
LEAVES
THE
THEATER
AS
MICHAEL
HANDS
HIS POPCORN
TO
ANOTHER
MOVIECOUNTRIES
ANDTO
EUROPE
IT PEAKED
AT
NUMBER
TWO
INTHE
THE
USTOUGH
NUMBER
THREE
IN SCENE
THE
UK AND
REACHED
THEA
TOP
10 IN OVER
30ACTOR
NATIONAL
CHARTS
IT
WAS
CERTIFIED
GOLD
IN 11
COUNTRIES
INCLUDING
THEHAVE
UKACQUAINTANCE
RECEIVED
ADIE
2× GOLD
CERTIFICATION
IN
FRANCE
AND
RECEIVED
PLATINUM
CERTIFICATION
IN POLAND
IN
THE
UNITED
STATES
THRILL"THE
POINT
IS
NO
ONE
HAS
TO
BE
GUY
YOU
CAN
WALK
AWAY
FROM
A
FIGHT
AND
STILL
BE
A
MAN
YOU
DON'T
TO
TO
PROVE
YOU'RE
A
MAN"
"HUMAN
NATURE"
IS
MOODY
AND
INTROGOER
CATCHES
UP
TO HER
ANDOF
TELLS
HERWEEK
THAT
"IT'S
ONLY
ASPOKEN
MOVIE"
SOME
DEBATE
FOLLOWS
AS TO
WHETHER
OR
NOTTO
SHE
WAS
SCARED
BY
THE
SHE
DENIES
IT BUT
MICHAEL
DISAGREES
THEY
THEN
WALK
DOWN
A FOGGY
ROAD
ERCOVER
25 WAS
THE SECOND
BEST-SELLING
ALBUM
ITS RELEASE
SELLING
ONE
HUNDRED
AND SIXTY
SIXPORTION
THOUSAND
COPIES
JUST
FOURTEEN
THOUSAND
SHORT OF
REACHING
THE
NUMBER
ONE
POSITION
IT
WASMOVIE
INELIGIBLE
FOR THE
BILLBOARD
200 CHART
AS
ATEMPERTON
RE-RELEASE
BUT ENTERED
THE
POP
CATALOG
CHARTS
AT NUMBER
ONE
(WHERE
IT
MICHAEL
(WHO
HAS
TURNED
BACK
INTO
A
ZOMBIE)
AND
HIS
FELLOW
CORPSES
CHASE
THE
FRIGHTENED
GIRL
JUST
TWO
TAKES
TEMPERTON
WROTE
THE
IN
A
TAXI
ON
THE
WAY
THE
RECORDING
STUDIO
JONES
AND
SAID
THAT
SOME
RECORDAS
MICHAEL
TEASES
HER BY
SINGING
THE
VERSES
OF
"THRILLER"
THEY
PASS
A NEARBY
GRAVEYARD
INCITY'S
WHICH
THE
UNDEAD
BEGIN
TO RISE
OUT OF THEIR
GRAVES
VINCENT
PRICE
PERFORMS
HIS
SPRECHGESANG
THE
ZOMBIES
CORNER
SPECTIVE
CONVEYED
INWITH
LYRICS
SUCH
AS
"LOOKING
OUT
ACROSS
THE
MORNING
THE
HEART
BEGINS
TO
BEAT
REACHING
OUT
I TOUCH
HERCHART
SHOULDER
I'M
DREAMING
THECOPIES
STREET"
BY
THE
LATE
STAYED
FOR TENAS
NON-CONSECUTIVE
WEEKS)
THE
BEST
SALES ON
THAT
CHART SINCE DECEMBER,
1996 WITH
THE
ARRIVAL
OF HALLOWEEN
THAT
NOVEMBER
THRILLER
25 SPENT
AN
ELEVENTH
NON-CONSECUTIVE
WEEK
ATOP
THE USAS
CATALOG
THIS BROUGHT
US SALES
OF
THE
ALBUMOF
TO 688,000
MAKING
IT THE
BEST
SELLING
CATALOG
ALBUM
OF 2008
THIS WAS
JACKSON'S
BEST LAUNCH
SINCE
INVINCIBLE
IN 2001 SELLINGMICHAEL
THREE
MILLION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
IN 12 WEEKS
AFTER
JACKSON'S
IN JUNE
2009
THRILLER
SET
ADDITIONAL
RECORDS
IT SOLDSONG
MORE
THAN
100,000
COPIES PLACING
IT AT FOLLOWED
NUMBER
TWO ONBY
THETHE
TOP POP
CATALOG
ALBUMS CHART
SONGS FROM
THE
TWO
MAIN
CHARACTERS
THREATENINGLY
AND
SUDDENLY
BECOMES
AHAVE
ZOMBIE
HIMSELF
THE
THEN
BREAK
INTO
AN ELABORATE
AND
DANCE
NUMBER
MAIN
CHORUS
OF DREAMY
"THRILLER"
INGS
WERE
LEFT
OFF
THE
CUT
BECAUSE
THEY
DID
NOT
THE
"EDGINESS"
OF
OTHER
ALBUM
TRACKS
SONGS
RECORDED
BY
JACKSON
FOR
CONSIDERATION
1970S
JACKSON'S
ABILITIES
AS
AFINAL
VOCALIST
WERE
WELL
REGARDED
ALLMUSIC
DESCRIBED
HIM
ASZOMBIES
ADEATH
"BLINDINGLY
GIFTED
VOCALIST"
ROLLING
STONE
COMPARED
HIS
VOCALS
TO
THE
"BREATHLESS
THRILLER
ALSO
HELPED
JACKSON
BECOME
THE
FIRST
ARTIST
TO SELL
MORE
THAN
ONE MILLION
SONG
DOWNLOADS
IN ATHE
WEEKPOINT
ACCORDING
TO NIELSEN
SOUNDSCAN
THRILLER
WASMICHAEL
THE 14TH
BEST(WHO
SELLING
ALBUM
OF 2009
IN THE
UNITED
STATES
1.27 MILLION
COPIES
SOL
IT'S CLOSE
TO MIDNIGHT
AND
SOMETHING
EVIL'S LURKING
INGIRL
THE
INTO
THE
CORNER
OF
A
NEARBY
ABANDONED
HOUSE
MICHAEL
THEN
REACHES
FOR
THE
GIRL'S
THROAT
AS
SHE
LETS
(DURING
WHICH
MICHAEL
REVERTS
TO
HUMAN
FORM)
FRIGHTENING
HIS
DATE
TO
WHERE
SHE
RUNS
FOR
COVER
HAS
TURNED
BACK
INTO
AWITH
ZOMBIE)
AND
HIS
FELLOW
CORPSES
CHASE
THE
FRIGHTENED
INCLUDED
"CAROUSEL"
(WRITTEN
BY
MICHAEL
SEMBELLO)
"NITE
LINE"
(WRITTEN
BY
GLEN
BALLARD)
"TROUBLE"
(AKA
"SHE'S
TROUBLE"
WRITTEN
BY
TERRY
BRITTEN
DARK
UNDER
THE
MOONLIGHT,
YOU
SEE
A
SIGHT
THAT
ALMOST
STOPS
YOUR
HEART
YOU
TRY
TO
SCREAM
BUT
TERROR
TAKES
THE
SOUND
BEFORE
YOU
MAKE
IT
YOU
START
TO
FREEZE
AS
HORROR
LOOKS
YOU
RIGHT
BETWEEN
THE
EYES
YOU'RE
PARALYZED
'CAUSE
THIS
IS
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
AND
NO
ONE'S
GONNA
SAVE
YOU
FROM
THE
THEN
REACHES
FOR THEFEATHERY-TIMBRED
GIRL'S THROAT AS SHETENOR
LETS OUT
BLOODCURDLING SCREAM
ONLYIT
TO
AWAKESMOOTHLY
AND REALIZE
IT WAS
ALL A DREAMFALSETTO
MICHAEL THEN
OFFERS
TO
INTO
THE CORNER
OF A NEARBY
ABANDONED
HOUSE MICHAEL
STUTTER"
OFYOU
STEVIE
WONDER
THEIR
ANALYSIS
WAS
ALSO
THAT
"JACKSON'S
IS A
EXTRAORDINARY
BEAUTIFUL
SLIDES
INTO
AYOU
STARTLING
THAT'S
USED
BEAST
ABOUT
STRIKE
KNOW
IT'S
THRILLER,
THRILLER
NIGHT
YOU'RE
FIGHTING
FOR
YOUR
LIFE
INSIDE
A
KILLER,
THRILLER
TONIGHT
YOU
HEAR
THE
DOOR
SLAM
AND
REALIZE
THERE'S
NOWHERE
LEFT
TO
RUN
YOU
FEEL
THE
COLD
HAND
AND
WONDER
IF
YOU'LL
EVER
SEE
THE
SUN
CLOSE
YOUR
EYES
AND
HOPE
THAT
THIS
IS
JUST
IMAGINATAKE
HER
HOME
AND
SHE
HAPPILY
ACCEPTS
AS
THEY
WALK
OUT
OF
THE
HOUSE
MICHAEL
EERILY
LOOKS
AT
THE
CAMERA
REVEALING
HIS
YELLOW
WERECAT
EYES
AS
VINCENT
PRICE
OFFERS
ONE
LAST
HAUNTING
LAUGH
DURING
THE
BILL
LIVSEY
AND
SUE
SHIFRIN)
AND
"HOT
STREET"
(WRITTEN
BY
ROD
TEMPERTON
AND
AKA
"SLAPSTICK")
JACKSON
ALSO
CUT
A
VERSION
OF
"STARLIGHT"
DEMOS
OF
OUT
A
BLOODCURDLING
SCREAM
ONLY
TO
AWAKE
AND
REALIZE
IT
WAS
ALL
A
DREAM
MICHAEL
THEN
OFFERS
TO
TION
GIRL
BUT
ALL
THE
WHILE
YOU
HEAR
THE
CREATURE
CREEPING
UP
BEHIND
YOU'RE
OUT
OF
TIME
'CAUSE
THIS
IS
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
THERE
AIN'T
NO
SECOND
CHANCE
AGAINST
THE
THING
WITH
FORTY
EYES
GIRL
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
YOU'RE
FIGHTING
FOR
YOUR
LIFE
INSIDE
A
KILLER
THRILLER
TONIGHT
NIGHT
CREATURES
VERY
DARINGLY”
WITH
THE
RELEASE
OF
THRILLER
JACKSON
COULD
SING
LOW—DOWN
TO
A
BASSO
LOW
C—BUT
HE
PREFERRED
TO
SING
HIGHER
BECAUSE
POP
TENORS
HAVE
MORE
RANGE
TO
CREATE
CLOSING
CREDITS A
REPRISED
SCENE OF THE
ZOMBIES
DANCING
IS SHOWNTIME
AT(THEY'RE
THE END
OF THE CLOSING
CREDITS
A DISCLAIMER
APPEARS
SAYING
THAT
"ANY SIMILARITY
TO ACTUAL
EVENTSTHAT
OR NUMBER
CHARACTERS
LIVINGTHE
DEAD
(OR
CALLING
THE DEAD START
TO WALK INEXIST
THEIR MASQUERADE
THERE'S
NO ESCAPING
THE JAWS OF
THE ALIEN THIS
OPEN WIDE) THIS
IS THE END OF YOUR LIFE
THEY'RE OUT
TO GET YOU
THERE'S DEMONS
CLOSING IN
ON EVERY SIDE THEY WILLBUT
POSSESS YOU
UNLESSOFF
YOU CHANGE
ONVERSION
YOUR DIAL NOW ISOF
TIME
FOR
ALL
THESE
SONGS
AND
HAVE
LEAKED
ONTO
THE
INTERNET
"CAROUSEL"
AND
"HOT
STREET"
WERE
COMPLETED
LEFT
THE
FINAL
THE
UNDEAD)
IS
PURELY
COINCIDENTAL"
THE SAME
DISCLAIMER
APPEARED
IN
AMERICAN
INISLONDON
ALSO
DIRECTED
BY
LANDIS
AFTER
THEWOULD
ZOMBIES
THEN
DANCE
BACK
INTO
GRAVES
ENDING
WITH
ONE
OF
STYLE
ROLLING
STONE
WAS
OF
THE
OPINION
WAS
NOW
SINGING
A
"FULLY
ADULT
VOICE"
THAT
WAS
"TINGED
BYTHIS
SADNESS"
"P.Y.T.
(PRETTY
YOUNG
THING)"
TO
JAMES
YOU AND I TO
CUDDLE
CLOSE
TOGETHER
YEAH ALL
THROUGH
THE NIGHT
I'LLTHAT
SAVE YOUJACKSON
FROM
THE TERROR
ONAN
THE
SCREEN
I'LL MAKEWEREWOLF
YOUIN
SEE THAT
THIS
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
'CAUSE
I CAN
THRILL
YOU MORE
THAN
ANY
GHOST
EVER DARE
TRY THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHT
SO THEIR
LET CREDITED
ME HOLD
YOU TIGHT
AND
SHARE
AINGRAM
KILLER
DILLER
TAKE
HER
HOME
AND
SHE
HAPPILY
ACCEPTS
AS
THEY
WALK
OUT
OF
THE
HOUSE
MICHAEL
EERILY
LOOKS
AT
THE
THEM
(AN
UNCREDITED
VINCENT
PRICE
IN
FULL
PROSTHETIC
MAKEUP)
GIVING
THE
AUDIENCE
A
TERRIFYING
GRIMACE
AS
THE
SCENE
FADES
TO
BLACK
THE
ALBUM
THRILLER
IS
THE
SIXTH
STUDIO
ALBUM
BY
AMERICAN
RECORDING
ALBUM
A
SHORT
CLIP
OF
"CAROUSEL"
APPEARED
AS
A
BONUS
TRACK
ON
THE
2001
OF
THE
ALBUM
ACCORDING
TO
STEVE
HUEY
ALLMUSIC
THRILLER
CHILLER THRILLER
HERE
TONIGHT 'CAUSE
THIS
IS THRILLER
THRILLER NIGHT GIRL
I CAN THRILL YOU MORE
THAN
ANY
GHOST WOULD
EVER DARE TRY
THRILLER
THRILLER
NIGHTREISSUE
SO LET ME HOLD YOU
TIGHT
AND SHARE
A KILLER THRILLER
OW (I'M GONNA THRILL
YA TONIGHT)
DARKNESS
FALLS OF
ACROSS
THE LAND THE MIDNIGHT
HOUR IS CLOSE
AND
JONES
AND
"THE
LADY
INON
MY
LIFE" BY ROD
TEMPERTON
BOTH
GAVE
THETHRILL
ALBUM
A
STRONGER
R&BNIGHT
DIRECTION
LATTER
SONG
WAS
DESCRIBED
"THE
CLOSEST
JACKSON
HAS
COME
TO
ARTIST
MICHAEL
JACKSON
ITOFWAS
RELEASED
NOVEMBER
30,
BYTHRILL
EPICYA
RECORDS
ASBABY
THE
JACKSON'S
CRITICALLY
AND
COMMERCIALLY
SUCCESSFUL
1979
ALBUM
OFFAS
THE
WALL
THRILLER
EXPLORES
SIMILAR
GENRES
AT
HANDQUINCY
CREATURES CRAWL
IN SEARCH
BLOOD
TO
TERRORIZE
Y'ALLS
NEIGHBORHOOD
I'M1982
GONNA
TONIGHT
OOH
I'MFOLLOW-UP
GONNA
YATO
TONIGHT
OH DARLIN'
THRILLER
BABY OOH
THETHE
FOULEST
STENCH
IS IN
THE AIR THE
FUNK
OF
FORTY THOUSAND
YEARS
AND
GRIZZLY GHOULS
FROM EVERY
TOMB ARE
CLOSING
IN
REFINED
THE
STRENGTHS
OF
JACKSON'S
ALBUM
OFF
WALL
THE
DANCE
AND
ROCK
TRACKS
WERE
MORE
AGGRESSIVE
WHILE
POP
TUNES
AND
TO
THOSE
OFF
THE
WALL
INCLUDING
POP
R&B
ROCK
POST-DISCO
AND
ADULT
CONTEMPORARY
MUSIC
RECORDING
SESSIONS
PLACE
BETWEEN
APRIL
AND
NOVEMBER
1982
AT WESTLAKE
RECORDING
STUDIOS
INJOHN
LOSLANDIS,
ANGELES
TO
SEAL
YOUROF
DOOM
AND
THOUGH
YOU
FIGHT TO
STAY
ALIVE
YOUR
BODY
STARTS
TOPREVIOUS
SHIVER FOR NO
MERE
MORTAL
CAN
RESIST
THETHE
EVIL
OF THE
THRILLER
MICHAEL
JACKSON'S
THRILLER
ISTOOK
A 13-MINUTE-AND-43-SECOND
MUSIC
VIDEO
FOR THE
SONG OF THE
SAME
NAME
RELEASED ON
DECEMBER
2,THE
1983 AND
DIRECTED
BY
WHO
CROONING
A
SEXY
SOULFUL
BALLAD
AFTER
HIS
MOTOWN
YEARS"
BY
TARABORRELLI
THE
SINGER
HAD
ALREADY
ADOPTED
A
"VOCAL
HICCUP"
WHICH
HE
CONTINUED
TO
IMPLEMENT
IN
THRILLER
THE
CAMERA
REVEALING
HIS
YELLOW
WERECAT
EYES
AS
VINCENT
PRICE
OFFERS
ONE
LAST
HAUNTING
LAUGH
DURING
CALIFORNIA
WITH
A
PRODUCTION
BUDGET
OF
$750,000
ASSISTED
BY
PRODUCER
QUINCY
JONES
OF
THE
NINE
TRACKS
ON
THE
ALBUM
4
OF
THEM
WERE
WRITTEN
BY
JACKSON
HIMSELF
SEVEN
SINGLES
WERE
RELEASED
FROM
THE
ALBUM
ALSO
CO-WROTE
THE
SCREENPLAY
WITH
JACKSON
VOTED
AS
THE
MOST
INFLUENTIAL
POP
MUSIC
VIDEO
OF
ALL
TIME
THRILLER
PROVED
TO
HAVE
A
PROFOUND
EFFECT
ON
POPULAR
CULTURE
AND
WAS
NAMED
"A
WATERSHED
MOMENT
FOR
THE
[MUSIC]
INDUSTRY"
FOR
ITS
UNPRECEDENTED
MERGING
OF
FILMMAKING
AND
MUSIC
GUINNESS
BALLADS
WERE
SOFTER
AND
MORE
SOULFUL
THE
ALBUM
INCLUDES
THE
BALLADS
"THE
LADY
IN
MY
"HUMAN
NATURE"
AND
"THE
GIRL
IS MINE"
THE
FUNK
PURPOSE
OF
THE
LIKE
GULPING
FORUNITS
AIR
OR
GASPING—IS
TO INTO
HELP
A"BABY
CERTAIN
EMOTION
BETHE
ITLIFE"
EXCITEMENT
SADNESS
OR
FEAR
THRILLER
WAS
RELEASED
ONSINGLES
NOVEMBER
WORLD
LISTED
IT INHICCUP—SOMEWHAT
2006 AS
THE TOP
"MOST10
SUCCESSFUL
MUSIC
VIDEO"A
SELLING
OVER
IN
2009
THE VIDEO WAS
INDUCTED
THE PROMOTE
NATIONAL
FILM REGISTRY
OFBE
THEMINE"
LIBRARY
OF CONGRESS
FIRST
MUSIC
VIDEO
TOWERE
EVER
RECEIVE
THIS
HONOR
FOR BEING
“CULTURALLY
HISTORICALLY
OR AESTHETICALLY”
SIGNIFICANT
ALL
OFRECORDS
WHICH
REACHED
THE
ON THE
BILLBOARD
HOT
1009 MILLION
THREE
OF
THE
SINGLES
HAD
MUSIC
VIDEOS
RELEASED
AND
"THE
LADY
IN
MY
LIFE"
THE
ONLY
TRACKS
THAT
WERE
NOT
RELEASED
AS
IN JUST
CO-STARRING
WITH
JACKSON
WASBECAME—AND
FORMER
PLAYBOY"WANNA
CENTERFOLD
OLA
RAY
THE
VIDEO WAS CHOREOGRAPHED
BY MICHAEL
PETERSTHE
(WHO
HAD
WORKED
WITHSET
THE SINGER
ON HIS PRIOR
HIT
"BEAT
IT") AND
MICHAEL
JACKSON
THE
VIDEO
ALSO YOUNG
CONTAINS
INCIDENTAL
MUSIC
BY FILM
MUSIC COMPOSER
ELMER
BERNSTEIN
WHO
HAD PREVIOUSLY
PIECES
"BILLIE
JEAN"
AND
BE
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
AND
THE
DISCO
"BABY
BE
MINE"
AND
"P.Y.T.
(PRETTY
THING)"
AND
HAS
A
SIMILAR
SOUND
TO
OVER
A
YEAR
THRILLER
CURRENTLY
REMAINS—THE
BEST-SELLING
ALBUM
OF
ALL
TIME
WITH
SALES
ESTIMATED
BY
VARIOUS
SOURCES
AS
BEING
BETWEEN
65
AND
110
MILLION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
AND
IS
ALSO
TIED
FOR
THE
CLOSING
CREDITS
A
REPRISED
SCENE
OF
ZOMBIES
DANCING
IS
SHOWN
AT
THE
END
OF
THE
CLOSING
CREDITS
30,
1982
AND
SOLD
ONE
MILLION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
PER
WEEK
AT
ITS
PEAK
SEVEN
SINGLES
WERE
RELEASED
FROM
THE
ALBUM
INCLUDING
"THE
GIRL
IS
MINE"—WHICH
WAS
SEEN
AS
A
POOR
CHOICE
FOR
WORKED
WITH LANDIS ONALBUM
AN AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
IN LONDON.THE
VIDEO
THE SONG)
CONTAINS
A SPOKEN WORD PERFORMANCE
BYGRAMMY
HORROR FILM VETERAN
VINCENT
PRICE1984
RICK GRAMMYS
BAKER ASSISTED THRILLER
IN PROSTHETICS
AND MAKEUPJACKSON
FOR THE PRODUCTION
"THRILLER"
WAS THE
THIRD AND
FINAL VIDEO
FOR HIS
THE THRILLER
ALBUM THE
RED
BARRIERS
VIA
APPEARANCES
ON
THE
BEST-SELLING
IN
THE
UNITED
STATES"WANNA
THE (LIKE
ALBUM
WON
A RECORD-BREAKING
EIGHT
AWARDS
AT THE
ENABLED
TO BREAK
DOWN
RACIAL
THE
MATERIAL
ON
OFF
THE
WALL
BE
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
IS
ACCOMPANIED
BY
A
BASS
AND
PERCUSSION
BACKGROUND
AND
THE
SONG'S
CENTERPIECE
A
JACKET
THAT
JACKSON
WORE
WAS
DESIGNED
BY
JOHN
LANDIS'
WIFE
DEBORAH
LANDIS
TO
MAKE
HIM
APPEAR
MORE
"VIRILE"
TO
QUALIFY
FOR
AN
ACADEMY
AWARD
"THRILLER"
DEBUTED
AT
A
SPECIAL
THEATRICAL
SCREENING
ALONG
WITH
THE
1940
DISNEY
MOTION
PICTURE
FANTASIA
AS
MICHAEL
JACKSON
WAS
A
PRACTICING
JEHOVAH'S
MTV
AND
MEETING
WITH
PRESIDENT
OF THE
UNITED
STATES
RONALD
REAGAN
AT
THE
WHITE
HOUSE
THETHAT
ALBUM
WAS
ONE
OF
THE AFIRST
TO
USE
MUSIC
VIDEOS
AS SUCCESSFUL
PROMOTIONAL
TOOLS—THE
VIDEOS
FORRUN
"THRILLER"
THE
LEAD
RELEASE
AND
LEDAPPEARS
SOME
TO BELIEVE
THAT
THE
ALBUM
WOULD
BE
A DISAPPOINTMENT
AND
TO
SUGGESTIONS
THAT
JACKSON
WAS
BOWING
TO AMICHAEL
WHITE
AUDIENCE
"THEGIRLFRIEND
GIRL
ISDEAD
MINE"
WAS
FOLA
DISCLAIMER
SAYING
THAT
"ANY
SIMILARITY
TO
ACTUAL
EVENTS
OR
CHARACTERS
LIVING
(OR
WITNESS
AT
THAT
TIME
THE
FIRST
SCENE
INCLUDES
A
DISCLAIMER
BY
JACKSON
STATING
THAT
"DUE
TO
MY
STRONG
PERSONAL
CONVICTIONS
I
WISH
TO
STRESS
THIS
FILM
IN
NO
WAY
ENDORSES
BELIEF
IN
THE
OCCULT"
IN
A
SERENE
1950S
SETTING
A
TEENAGED
JACKSON
AND
HIS
UNNAMED
(OLA
RAY)
OUT
OF
GAS
"BILLIE
JEAN"
AND
"BEAT
IT"
ALL
RECEIVED
REGULAR
ROTATION
ON
MTV
IN
2001
A
SPECIAL
EDITION
ISSUE
OF
THE
ALBUM
WAS
RELEASED
WHICH
CONTAINS
ADDITIONAL
AUDIO
INTERVIEWS
A
DEMO
RECORDING
AND
THE
SONG
"SOMECLIMAXING
AFRICAN-INSPIRED
CHANT
(OFTEN
MISIDENTIFIED
AS
SWAHILI
BUT
ACTUALLY
SYLLABLES
BASED
ON
DUALA)
GAVE
THE
SONG
AN
INTERNATIONAL
IN
A DARK WOODED
AREA THEY
WALK
OFF INTO "BILLIE
FOREST AND
MICHAEL
ASKS HER MADE
IF SHE WOULD
LIKE TO BE HIS GIRLFRIEND
SHE ACCEPTS ANDSUCCESS
HE GIVES HER ACONTINUED
RING HE WARNS HER HOWEVER
THAT
HESINGLE
IS "NOT LIKE OTHER
GUYS"
A FULL
MOON APPEARS
AND MICHAEL
BEGINS CONVULSING
IN AGONY
— TRANSFORMING
INTO
A HORRIFYING
LOWED
BYDARK"
THE
HIT
SINGLE
JEAN"
WHICH
THRILLER
A CHART-TOPPER
WITH
THE
"BEAT
IT"
WHICH
FEATURED
GUITARISTS
EDDIE
VAN
HALEN
AND
STEVE
ONE
IN THE
WHICH
WAS
ATHE
GRAMMY-WINNING
TRACK
FROM
THE E.T. THE
EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL
INWITH
2008HIS
THE
ALBUM
WAS
REISSUED
AGAIN
AS
THRILLER
25 CONTAINING
RE-MIXES
THAT
FEATURE
CONTEMPORARY
WERECAT
GROWLING
AT HER
TO "GO AWAY"
IN THE
PROCESS
THE GIRLOF
SCREAMS
AND
RUNS
AWAY
BUT THE
CATCHES
KNOCKING
HER DOWNSTORYBOOK
ANDARGUING
LUNGING AT HER
CLAWS
THE SCENE
THEN
CUTS TOHER
A MOVIE
THEATER
WHERE
MICHAEL
AND
HIS DATE ALONG WITH
AN EXCITABLE
AUDIENCE
ARE ACTUALLY
WATCHING
THE
FLAVOR
"THE
GIRL
IS
MINE"
TELLS
TWO
FRIENDS'
FIGHT
OVER
A WOMAN
OVER
WHO
LOVES
MORE
AND
CONCLUDES
WITH
A
SPOKEN
RAP
DESPITE
ARTISTS
A PREVIOUSLY
UNRELEASED
SONG
AND
AWAS
DVD
THRILLER
RANKED
NUMBER
20UP
ON
ROLLING
STONE
500
GREATEST
OF
ALL
TIME
LIST
IN
2003
AND
WAS
LISTED
BY
NATIONAL
RECORDING
UNDEAD)
IS
PURELY
COINCIDENTAL"
THE
SAME
DISCLAIMER
APPEARED
IN
AN
AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
IN
LONDON
LUKATHER
TITLE
TRACK
"THRILLER"
RELEASED
AS AWERECAT
SINGLE
AND
ALSO
AMAGAZINE'S
HIT INTERNATIONALLY
THRILLER
WAS
MOSTLY
WELL
RECEIVED
BY
CRITICS
FOUR-STAR
ROLLING
STONE
SCENE
UNFOLD
IN ATHE
FICTIONAL
VINCENT
PRICE MOVIE
TITLED "THRILLER"
MICHAEL'S
GIRLFRIEND
LEAVES
THE
THEATER
AS
MICHAEL
HANDSBECAME
HIS POPCORN
TO
ANOTHER
MOVIEGOER
CATCHES
UP TOALBUMS
HER
AND TELLS
HER
THAT
"IT'S
ONLY A
MOVIE"
SOME
DEBATE
FOLLOWS
AS
TO THE
WHETHER
ORA
NOT
SHEASSOCIATION
WAS SCARED
BY
THE OF
MOVIE
SHE
DENIES IT
MERCHANDISERS
AT
NUMBER
IN
ITS
DEFINITIVE
200
ALBUMS
OFTHRILLER
ALL
TIMEOF
THE
THRILLER
ALBUM
WAS
INCLUDED
IN
THE
LIBRARY
OF
CONGRESS'
NATIONAL
RECORDING
OF
CULTURALLY
SIGNIFICANT
RECORDINGS
AND
THE
LIGHT
POP
FLAVOR
OF
THESE
RECORDS
MORE
SO
OFF
THE
WALL
DISPLAYED
FORESHADOWINGS
OF
THE
CONTRADICTORY
THEMATIC
ELEBUT MICHAEL
DISAGREES
THEY
THEN WALKTHREE
DOWN
A FOGGY
ROAD
ASTWO
MICHAEL TEASES
HER BY SINGING
THE VERSES
"THRILLER"
THEY PASS
ATHAN
NEARBY
GRAVEYARD
IN
WHICH
THE
UNDEAD
BEGIN TO
RISE
OUT OF THEIR
GRAVES
AS VINCENT
PRICE PERFORMSREGISTRY
HIS SPRECHGESANG
THE ZOMBIES CORNER
THE TWO MAIN
CHARACTERS THREATENREVIEW
BY CHRISTOPHER
DESCRIBED
IT AS
"A
LP"
WITH
ANATIONAL
"HARROWING
DARK
MESSAGE"
DESPITE
THE
POSITIVE
RESPONSE
THE
TITLE TRACK
CAME
UNDER
STRONG
CRITICISM
ROLLING
THE
THRILLER
VIDEO
WAS
INCLUDED
IN THE
NATIONAL
PRESERVATION
BOARD'S
FILM REGISTRY
OF
"CULTURALLY
HISTORICALLY
OR
AESTHETICALLY
SIGNIFICANT
FILMS"
INPOINT
2012
SLANT
MAGAZINE
LISTED
THE
ALBUM
AT
INGLY
AND SUDDENLY
MICHAEL
BECOMES
ACONNELLY
ZOMBIE
HIMSELF
THE
ZOMBIES THENFILM
BREAK
INTO
ANZESTY
ELABORATE
SONG
AND
DANCE
NUMBER
FOLLOWED
BY
THETHEN
MAIN
CHORUS
OFDANCE
"THRILLER"
(DURING
WHICH
MICHAEL
REVERTS
TO HUMAN
FORM)
FRIGHTENING
HIS DATE
TO
THE
WHERE
SHE
RUNS FOR
COVER
MICHAELONE
(WHO
HAS TURNED
ALSO
DIRECTED
BY
LANDIS
AFTER
THIS
THE
ZOMBIES
BACK
INTO
THEIR
GRAVES
ENDING
WITH
OF
MENTS
THAT
WOULD
COME
TO
CHARACTERIZE
JACKSON'S
SUBSEQUENT
WORKS
WITH
THRILLER
JACKSON
BEGIN
HIS
ASSOCIATION
WITH
THE
SUBLIMINAL
#1
ON
ITSAEXPRESSED
LIST
OF
"BEST
ALBUMS
OF
THE
1980'S"
JACKSON'S
OFF THE
WALL
(1979)
RECEIVED
STRONG
CRITICAL
ACCLAIM
AND
WAS ALSO
AWOULD
COMMERCIAL
SUCCESS
SELLING
OVER
20
COPIES
WORLDBACK
INTO
ZOMBIE)
AND
HIS FELLOW
CORPSES
CHASE
THE
FRIGHTENED
GIRL
INTOPREVIOUS
THE CORNERITS
OFALBUM
A NEARBY
ABANDONED
HOUSE MICHAEL
THEN
REACHES
FOR THETHE
GIRL'S
THROAT
AS
SHE LETS OUT
A BLOODCURDLING
SCREAM
ONLY TOAT
AWAKE
AND
REALIZE
ITEVENTUALLY
WAS
ALLA DREAMPRICE
MICHAEL
THEN
OFFERS
TOMILLION
TAKE
HER
HOME
AND
SHE
HAPPILY
STONE
A
NEGATIVE
SENTIMENT
CRITICIZING
"DEGENERAT[ION]
INTO
SILLY
CAMP"
MAGAZINE
EXPRESSED
CONFUSION
THE
USE
OF
VINCENT
OVER
COUNT
FLOYD
FOR
THE
ACCEPTS
AS THEY
WALK
OUT OF THE HOUSE
MICHAEL
EERILY
LOOKS
AT THETHEMES
CAMERA
REVEALING
HIS YELLOW WERECAT
EYES
AS VINCENT
PRICE
OFFERS ONE
LAST HAUNTING
LAUGH
DURING
THE
CLOSING CREDITSTHE
A
REPRISED
SCENE
OF THE
ZOMBIES
DANCING
IS SHOWNDEEPLY
AT THE END
OF THE
CLOSING
CREDITS A DISCLAIMER
APPEARS
SAYING
WIDE
THE
YEARS
BETWEEN
OFFAND
THE
WALL
AND
THRILLER
WERE
A TRANSITIONAL
PERIOD
FOR THE
SINGER
A IMAGERY
TIME
OF INCREASING
INDEPENDENCE
PERIOD
SAW
THE
SINGER
BECOME
UNHAPPY
JACKSON
EXPLAINED
"EVEN
AT
MOTIF
OF
PARANOIA
DARKER
INCLUDING
SUPERNATURAL
IN
THE
ALBUM'S
TITLE
TRACK
THIS
ISSOMEONE
EVIDENT
ON
THE
SONGS
"BILLIE
JEAN"
TRACK'S
CONCLUDING
THE
NEW
YORK
TIMES
GAVE
ACOINCIDENTAL"
POSITIVE
REVIEW
OFFULL
ALBUM
AND
DEDICATED
A
LARGE
AMOUNT
OF
ITS
COVERAGE
TO
THE
SONG
"HUMAN
NATURE"
THEY
IT AS
THAT
"ANY
SIMILARITY
TOIACTUAL
EVENTS
OR CHARACTERS
LIVING
DEAD
(OR
UNDEAD)
ISSO
PURELY
THEFRIENDS
SAME
DISCLAIMER
APPEARED
IN AN
AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
IN LONDON
ALSO DIRECTED
BY
LANDIS
AFTER
THIS
THE
ZOMBIES
THEN
DANCE
BACK
INTO THEIR
WITH
OFEND
THEMDESCRIBED
(AN
VINCENT
HOME
I'M
LONELY
SIT INUNCREDITED
MYRAP
ROOM
SOMETIMES
AND
CRY
IT'S
HARD
TO
MAKE
ITHE
SOMETIMES
WALK
AROUND
THE
NEIGHBORHOOD
AT
NIGHT
JUST
HOPING
TO
FIND
TOGRAVES
TALKENDING
TO
BUT
I ONE
JUST
UPUNCREDITED
COMINGGRIHOME"
THEM
(AN
VINCENT
PRICE
IN
PROSTHETIC
MAKEUP)
GIVING
THE
AUDIENCE
A
TERRIFYING
PRICE INJACKSON
FULL PROSTHETIC
MAKEUP)21
GIVING
THE AUDIENCE
A TERRIFYING
GRIMACE
ASBRANCA
THE SCENE FADES
TO BLACK
THE ALBUM
THRILLER JACKSON
IS THE
SIXTH STUDIOIN
ALBUM
BY AMERICAN
RECORDING
ARTIST
MICHAEL
IT WAS RELEASED
ON
NOVEMBER
30,
1982
BY EPIC
RECORDS
AS THE FOLLOW-UP
TO
AND
COMMER"WANNA
BE
STARTIN'
AND
"THRILLER"
IN
"BILLIE
JEAN"
SINGS
ABOUT
AN
OBSESSIVE
FAN
WHO
ALLEGES
HE
HAS
FATHERED
AJACKSON'S
CHILD
OF
HERS
IN
WHEN
TURNED
INSOMETHIN'"
AUGUST
1979
HE HIRED
JOHN
AS HIS
MANAGER
JACKSON
CONFIDED
BRANCA
THAT
HEPORCARO
WANTED
TO
BEJACKSON
"THE
BIGGEST
STAR
IN
SHOW
BUSINESS"
AND
"THE
WEALTHIEST"
THECRITICALLY
SINGER
WAS
UPSET
THE SUCCESSFUL
MOST
"STRIKING"
SONG
ON
THE
RECORD
WROTE
"THIS
IS
AINCLUDING
HAUNTING
BROODING
BALLAD
BY
STEVE
AND
JOHN
BETTIS
WITH
AN
IRRESISTIBLE
CHORUS
AND
IT
SHOULD
BE
AN
ENORCIALLY
1979PERCEIVED
ALBUM OFF THE
WALL
THRILLER
EXPLORES
SIMILAR AND
GENRES TO
THOSE
OF
OFFTHE
THE WALL
POP R&B
ROCK
POST-DISCO
AND
ADULT CONTEMPORARY
MUSIC RECORDING
SESSIONSOF
TOOK
PLACE
BETWEEN
APRIL
AND
NOVEMBER
1982
AT WESTLAKE
RECORDING
STUDIOS
IN LOS
ANGELES
CALIFORNIA
WITH
A
ABOUT
WHAT
HE
TO
BE
THE
UNDER-PERFORMANCE
OF
OFF
WALL
STATING
"IT
WAS
TOTALLY
UNFAIR
THAT
IT
DIDN'T
GETSIXTH
RECORD
THE
YEAR
AND
IT
CAN
NEVER
HAPPEN
AGAIN"
HE
ALSO
FELT
UNDERVALUED
BY
THE
"WANNA
BE
STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
HE
ARGUES
AGAINST
GOSSIPS
AND
THE
MEDIA
IN
THE
FORMER
SONG
JONES
HAD
JACKSON
SING
VOCAL
OVERDUBS
THROUGH
A
MACE
AS
THE
SCENE
FADES
TO
BLACK
THE
ALBUM
THRILLER
IS
THE
STUDIO
ALBUM
BY
AMERICAN
RECORDING
PRODUCTION
BUDGET
OF
$750,000
ASSISTED
BY
PRODUCER
QUINCY
JONES
OF
THE
NINE
TRACKS
ON
THE
ALBUM
4
OF
THEM
WERE
WRITTEN
BY
JACKSON
HIMSELF
SEVEN
SINGLES
WERE
RELEASED
FROM
THE
ALBUM
ALL
OF
WHICH
REACHED
THE
TOP
10
ON
THE
BILLBOARD
HOT
100
THREE
OF
THE
SINGLES
HAD
MUSIC
VIDEOS
RELEASED
"BABY
BE
MOUS
HIT" CONCLUDING
REVIEW
YORK
ADDED
"THERE
OTHER
HITS HEREIN
TOO
LOTS
OF THEM
BEST
ALL,
WITH
A PERVASIVE
INFUSING
THE ALBUM
AS A
WHOLE
MUSIC
INDUSTRY
IN 1980 WHENTHEIR
JACKSON
ASKEDTHE
THENEW
PUBLICIST
OFTIMES
ROLLING
STONE
IF THEYARE
WOULD
BE INTERESTED
DOING
A COVER
STORY
ONOF
HIM
THE
PUBLICIST
DECLINEDCONFIDENCE
TO WHICH JACKSON
RESPONDED
"I'VE BEEN
TOLD
OVER
MINE" AND "THE LADY IN MY LIFE" WERE THE ONLY TRACKS THAT WERE NOT RELEASED AS SINGLES IN JUST OVER A YEAR THRILLER BECAME—AND CURRENTLY REMAINS—THE BEST-SELLING ALBUM OF ALL TIME WITH SALES ESTIMATED BY VARIOUS SOURCES AS BEING BETWEEN 65 AND 110 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE AND IS ALSO TIED FOR THE
AND
OVERALBUM
THAT
PEOPLE
ON
THE
COVER
OFEVOLUTION
MAGAZINES
DOESN'T
SELL
COPIES
JUST
WAIT
SOMEDAY
THOSE
MAGAZINES
ARE
GOING
TO
BE BEGGING
MEAND
FOR
AN
INTERVIEW
MAYBE
I'LL
THEM
ONE
MAYBE
WON'T"
JACKSIX-FOOT-LONG
CARDBOARD
TUBE
AND
BROUGHT
INATJAZZ
SAXOPHONIST
TOM
PLAY
A
INSTRUMENT
THE
LYRICON
A
WIND-CONTROLLED
ANALOG
BEST-SELLING
INBLACK
THE UNITED
STATES THE
ALBUM
WON
A RECORD-BREAKING
EIGHT GRAMMY
AWARDS
GRAMMYS
THRILLER
ENABLED JACKSON
TOSCOTT
BREAK
DOWNTO
RACIAL
BARRIERS
VIARARE
HIS APPEARANCES
ON MTV
MEETING
WITH PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED
STATES
RONALD
REAGAN
AT THE
WHITEIHOUSE
THE ALBUM
THRILLER
SUGGESTS
THAT
MR.
JACKSON'S
AS
AN
ARTIST
IS1984FAR
FROM
FINISHED”
ROBERT
CHRISTGAU
PUBLISHED
A
POSITIVE
(A−)
GRADED
OVERVIEW
OFGIVE
THE
ALBUM
AAND
FEW
DAYS
BEFORE
ITS
SON
REUNITED
WITH
OFF
THE
WALL
PRODUCER
QUINCY
JONES
TO
RECORD
HISTHE
SIXTH
STUDIO
ALBUM.THE
PAIR
WORKED
TOGETHER
ON
30
SONGS
NINE
OF
WHICH
WERE
EVENTUALLY
INCLUDED
THRILLER
WAS
AT
WESTLAKE
ARTIST
MICHAEL
JACKSON
IT
WAS
RELEASED
ON
NOVEMBER
30,
1982
BY
RECORDS
AS
THE
FOLLOW-UP
TO
JACKWAS
ONE
OF THE FIRST
TO
USE
MUSIC
VIDEOS
AS SUCCESSFUL
PROMOTIONAL
TOOLS—THE
VIDEOS
FOR "THRILLER"
"BILLIE
JEAN"
AND "BEAT
IT"A
ALL
RECEIVED
REGULAR
ROTATION
ON MTV
IN 2001
A SPECIAL
EDITIONEPIC
ISSUE
OF
THE
ALBUM
WAS
RELEASED
WHICH
CONTAINS
ADDITIONAL
AUDIO INTERVIEWS
ARECORDED
DEMO RECORDING
AND
THE SONG
SYNTHESIZER
BASSIST
LOUIS
JOHNSON
RAN
THROUGH
HIS
PART
ON
YAMAHA
BASS
GUITAR
THE
SONG
OPENS
WITH
A
LONG
BASS-AND-DRUMS
INTRODUCTION
IN
RECORDING
STUDIOS
INWAS
LOS
ANGELES
CALIFORNIA
WITH
A
PRODUCTION
BUDGET
OF
$750,000
THE
RECORDING
THRILLER
COMMENCED
ON
APRIL
14, 1982
ATOPINION
12:00
NOON
WITHUNRELEASED
JACKSON
AND
PAUL
MCCARTNEY
RECORDING
"THESTONE
GIRL
RELEASE
HE
ACKNOWLEDGED
THAT
THERE
"FILLERS"
ON THE
RECORD
BUT
STILL
LABELED
ITTHRILLER
"ALMOST
CLASSIC"
HE
EXPRESSED
THE
THAT
"BEAT
IT"SONG
WAS
THE
BEST
TRACK
CALLING
"SOMEONE IN THE
DARK"
WHICH
A GRAMMY-WINNING
TRACK
FROM WERE
THE
E.T. THE
EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL
STORYBOOK
IN
2008
THE
ALBUM
WAS
REISSUED
AGAINFOR
AS
25 CONTAINING
RE-MIXES
THAT
FEATURE
CONTEMPORARY
ARTISTS
A PREVIOUSLY
AND
A DVDALBUM'S
THRILLER RANKED
NUMBER
20 ON ROLLING
ISMAGAZINE'S
MINE"
AND
THE
ALBUM
WAS
COMPLETED
WITH
THE
FINAL
DAY
OF
MIXING
ON
NOVEMBER
8,
1982
SEVERAL
MEMBERS
OF
THE
BAND
TOTO
WERE
ALSO
INVOLVED
IN
THE
ALBUM'S
RECORDING
AND
PRODUCTION
JACKSON
WROTE
FOUR
THE
SONG
"THRILLER"
SOUND
EFFECTS
SUCH
AS
CREAKING
DOOR
THUNDER
FEET
WALKING
ON
WOODEN
PLANKS
WINDS
AND
HOWLING
DOGS
CAN
BE
HEARD
500
GREATEST
ALBUMS
OF
ALL
TIME
LIST
IN
2003
AND
WAS
LISTED
BY
THE
NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
OF
RECORDING
MERCHANDISERS
AT
NUMBER
THREE
IN
ITS
DEFINITIVE
200
ALBUMS
OF
ALL
TIME
THE
THRILLER
ALBUM
WAS
INCLUDED
IN
THE
LIBRARY
OF
CONGRESS'
NATIONAL
RECORDING
REGISTRY
OF
CULTURALLY
SIGNIFICANT
SON'S
CRITICALLY
AND
COMMERCIALLY
SUCCESSFUL
1979
ALBUM
OFF
THE
WALL
THRILLER
EXPLORES
SIMILAR
IT
"THE
TRIUMPH
AND
THE
THRILLER"
BUT
CRITICIZED
GIRL
IS MINE"
AS
"MICHAEL'S
WORST
IDEA
SINCE
"BEN""
HE
WAS
OF
THE
OPINION
THAT
COLLABORATION
NOT
WORK
WELL,
BUT
STILL
SONGS
FOR
THE
"WANNA
BE STARTIN'
SOMETHIN'"
"THE"THE
GIRL
IS
MINE"
"BEAT
IT"
AND
"BILLIE JEAN"
UNLIKE
MANY
ARTISTS
JACKSON
DID
NOT
WRITE
THESE
SONGS
ON
INSTEAD
HE WOULD
DICTATE
INTO
A SOUND
RECORDRECORDINGS
AND
THERECORD
THRILLER
VIDEO
WAS INCLUDED
IN THE NATIONAL
PRESERVATION
BOARD'S
NATIONAL
FILM REGISTRY
OF "CULTURALLY
HISTORICALLY
OR
AESTHETICALLY
SIGNIFICANT
FILMS"
IN 2012
SLANT
MAGAZINE
LISTED THE
ALBUMTHE
AT #1PAPER
ON
ITS LIST
OF "BEST ALBUMS
OFDID
THE 1980'S"
JACKSON'S
PREVIOUS
ALBUM
OFF
THE
WALL
THE
ANTI-GANG-VIOLENCE
"BEAT
IT"FILM
BECAME
ASELLING
HOMAGE
TO
WEST
SIDE
STORY
AND
WAS
JACKSON'S
FIRST
SUCCESSFUL
ROCK
CROSS-OVER
PIECE
JACKSON
LATER
(1979)
RECEIVED
STRONG
ACCLAIM
ANDSING
WAS ALSO
A COMMERCIAL
SUCCESS
EVENTUALLY
20 MILLION
COPIES
WORLDWIDE
THE
YEARS
BETWEEN OFF
THE WALL
ANDDURING
THRILLER
WERE
A TRANSITIONAL
PERIOD
FOR
THE SINGER
A
TIME OF
INCREASING
INDEPENDENCE
THE PERIOD
SAW
THE SINGER
BECOME
DEEPLY
UNHAPPY
ER
WHEN
RECORDING
HE
WOULD
FROM
MEMORY
THE
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN
JACKSON
AND
JONES
BECAME
STRAINED
THE
ALBUM'S
RECORDING
JACKSON
SPENT
OFSAYING
HIS TIME
REHEARSING
DANCE
STEPS
ALONE
PRAISED
IT
FORCRITICAL
"GETTING
INTERRACIAL
LOVE
ON
THE
RADIO"
AOVER
YEAR
AFTER
THE
ALBUM'S
RELEASE
TIME
SUMMED
UP
THE
THREE
MAIN
SINGLES
FROM
THEMUCH
ALBUM
"THE
PULSE
OF
AMERICA
AND
WHEN THE ALBUM'S NINE SONGS WERE COMPLETED BOTH JONES AND JACKSON WERE UNHAPPY WITH THE RESULT AND REMIXED EVERY SONG SPENDING A WEEK ON EACH JACKSON WAS INSPIRED TO CREATE AN ALBUM WHERE "EVERY