Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 20:02, 28 February 2006

HIStory: Past, Present and Future - Book 1 was a double-disc album by Michael Jackson released in 1995.

The first disc (HIStory Begins) was a fifteen-track greatest hits album, while the second disc (HIStory Continues) contained fifteen brand new and original songs. The album received multiple Grammy Award nominations including the coveted Album of the Year award, which it did not win.

HIStory was the first album where Jackson showcased his instrumental abilities, playing keyboard and synthesizer, guitar, drums and percussion on the album, as well as lead and backing vocals. He was also more involved in the production of this album, collaborating with producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Dallas Austin, Bill Bottrell and R. Kelly.

The album was released with the full supported of Sony, who backed up the records promotion with a full out 40 million dollar advertisement and marketing campaign, the then largest budget ever set for an album. Fans and music critics alike were both shocked and worried about Sony seeing this new Michael Jackson album as nothing but a money maker and financial venture that they could cash in on. A long-term promotional campaign was drawn up for the album which included a full set of singles, numerous lavish videos, a massive world tour, and eventually a remix album, as well as a pulled-all-stops-out television and radio advertisement manifesto intended to cause maximum impact and interest.

Many people considered the album to be very bitter, angry and personal - a different style of music from what Michael Jackson was known for making, primarily because it was released in the wake of Jordie Chandler's sexual molestation allegations, which surfaced only 18 months previous. Michael showcased his feelings of the recent happenings by expressing his anger and frustration through his music, detailing and confirming that here was a different Michael Jackson. Since its release in 1995, HIStory: Past, Present and Future - Book 1 has sold over 18 million copies (36 million disks) worldwide, making it the biggest selling multiple-disc album of all-time.

The HIStory album is also noted as being Michael Jackson's fourth biggest selling album, the fifth best selling album worldwide in 1995, and the 70th best selling album of all time.

Scream

The first single from the album was "Scream"/"Childhood" released in May 1995, was a double a-side single. "Scream" was a duet between Michael and his younger sister Janet, and "Childhood" was the theme song for Free Willy 2. Both songs were partnered by a music video. "Scream" was a science-fiction-inspired music video which won a Grammy Award for Best Short-Form Music Video and an MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography in 1995, while "Childhood" was a Peter Pan inspired music video that showed Jackson singing in a forest with pirate ships floating above him. The double a-side single made history by debuting (and subsequently peaking) at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, the highest chart position ever, breaking a 37 year record set by the Beatles with their single "Let It Be", with debuted at #6 in 1970 - however Michael would soon break this record. The single stayed in the US charts for 17 weeks, and by July 31st 1995 (6 weeks after release) had been certificated Platinum (for sales over 1 million). The single also reached #3 in the U.K., #2 in Australia and #1 in New Zealand, Finland, Spain, Hungary, Italy, France, and also in the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles Chart.

You Are Not Alone

The second single released from HIStory, "You Are Not Alone", written and produced by R. Kelly, was released in August 1995. It became the first ever single to debut at #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and broke his previous record set with "Scream" a few months earlier - because of the success Michael received the "Billboard Hot 100 Achievement Award" in recognition of setting a Billboard first since the charts creation in 1958. The single remained in the U.S. charts for good 20 weeks and within 8 weeks was certificated Platinum for selling over a million. It also went to #1 in the U.K., New Zealand, Ireland, France, Switzerland, and on the Eurochart (were it stayed for 6 weeks.) The music video was controversial in that it featured an almost nude Jackson and his ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley.

Earth Song

"Earth Song" was the third single released from the album in November 1995, except in the U.S., were it was released to radio along with the song "This Time Around." In the U.K. it debuted at #1, stayed there for 5 weeks and by doing so went on the become the U.K. Christmas #1 for 1995. It remained in the charts a total of 19 weeks, and is Michael Jackson's biggest U.K. hit. The single also reached #1 in Germany, Switzerland, Latvia and the Eurochart, - it in total the reached the top 10 in 16 European countries. The song caused controversy when Jarvis Cocker protested against Jackson's performance of the song at the 1996 Brit awards, claiming Jackson was taking on a "Christ-like" image. Because of the performance and Cocker's protest, "Earth Song" leaped the back up the U.K. charts (from #38 to #16). It went on to sell 3 million copies worldwide making it the most successful song on the album and Jackson's highest selling single. However it is felt the huge success of the single may have hindered the sales of the HIStory album.

They Don't Care About Us

"They Don't Care About Us" was the fourth single released from HIStory in April 1996, and like most things from the HIStory project also caused controversy - this time over alleged anti semitic lyrics. Jackson was prompted to change the lyrics "Jew me, sue me" and "kick me, kike me" to "do me, sue me" and "kick me, hike me" in order for it to be played on radio and music television. The original music video, which was shot in March, on the streets of Rio De Janiero in Brazil was reportedly not "entirely satisfactory" to Michael's liking, so a second music video, the "Prison Version", was made a week later. However ironically this new music video was banned in some countries due to complaints that it was too violent, and on both MTV and VH1 it was only allowed to be shown after the 9 o’clock watershed. In the U.K it reached #4 and stayed in the top 100 for 18 weeks, whilst in both Germany and Italy it reached number #1. The single disappointingly charted and peaked on the Billboard 100 at #30, but it did however stay on the chart for an reasonable 13 weeks. In the Eurochart it peaked at #2, and stayed there for 8 weeks, and all together stayed in the charts 26 weeks - making it Michael second successful single in Europe after Earth Song.

Stranger In Moscow

"Stranger In Moscow", released in November 1996, was the fifth single pulled from HIStory, and like "They Don't Care About Us" it proved to be more popular in Europe than the United States. In Britain it reached #4 and also remained in the top 100 for 16 weeks. In both Spain and Italy it reached #1, whilst on the Eurochart it reached #6 and remained in the top 100 for 17 weeks.

HIStory/Ghosts

In July 1997, just as the second leg of the Michael Jackson's HIStory tour was at its midway point, HIStory (Tony Moran's History Lesson) - a remixed version of the song HIStory, along with Ghosts, the fourth track from Jackson's 1997 album "Blood On The Dance Floor/HIStory in the Mix" was released worldwide, except in the U.S. The single debuted in the U.K. at #5 and remained in the charts for 8 weeks. In France and Italy the single reached #4 and #3 respectively. This was a huge success as it was Michael Jackson's 6th consecutive top 5 hit from the HIStory album in the U.K. - 7th if the "Blood On The Dance Floor" single (which reached #1 in May 1997) is counted in that bound as part of the "HIStory" project. None of Michael's other solo albums have ever achieved this much success with the number of hit singles that were released to this high level of performance from HIStory, proving that Jackson still had much offer as an artist.

Smile

"Smile" is a cover version of Charlie Chaplin's 1928 song, which Michael Jackson's covered for it's inclusion on HIStory. It was due to be released as HIStory's seventh single (and eighth in total since "Scream") in October 1997 - and it was intended to be the last single from the HIStory project and album. However its release was subsequently cancelled, a wish Michael Jackson had expected to occur, thus ending this era in Michael's Career.

Criticism and Controversy

HIStory got heavy critism during it's release. Many people felt the large statue of Jackson that was exposed upon the release was too much. Many people considered the album to be very bitter. Keep in mind, HIStory was released in the wake of the sexual molestation allegations made by Jordie Chandler. Most of the music of the music was angry screaming, from the literal screaming from "Scream". In the "Scream" video Jackson makes a reference to money by rubbing his fingers together. However, Michael Jackson historians consider HIStory the most ambitious of all Michael Jackson albums.

Track listing

Disc one

1. "Billie Jean" (Jackson) - 4:54
2. "The Way You Make Me Feel" (Jackson) - 4:57
3. "Black or White" (Jackson/Bottrell) - 4:15
4. "Rock with You" (Temperton) - 3:40
5. "She's out of My Life" (Bahler) - 3:38
6. "Bad" (Jackson) - 4:07
7. "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" featuring Siedah Garrett (Jackson) - 4:12
8. "Man in the Mirror" (Ballard/Garrett) - 5:19
9. "Thriller" (Temperton) - 5:57
10. "Beat It" (Jackson) - 4:18
11. "The Girl Is Mine" featuring Paul McCartney (Jackson) - 3:41
12. "Remember the Time" (Riley/Jackson/Belle) - 3:59
13. "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" (Jackson) - 6:05
14. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Jackson) - 6:04
15. "Heal the World" (Jackson) - 6:24

Disc two

1. "Scream" featuring Janet Jackson (Harris/Lewis/Jackson/Jackson) - 4:38
2. "They Don't Care About Us" (Jackson) - 4:44
3. "Stranger in Moscow" (Jackson) - 5:44
4. "This Time Around" featuring The Notorious B.I.G. (Moore/Austin/Swedien/Jackson/Wallace) - 4:20
5. "Earth Song" (Jackson) - 6:46
6. D.S. (Jackson) - 4:49
7. "Money" (Jackson) - 4:41
8. "Come Together" (Lennon/McCartney) - 4:02
9. "You Are Not Alone" (Kelly) - 5:45
10. "Childhood (Theme from Free Willy 2)" (Jackson) - 4:28
11. "Tabloid Junkie" (Harris/Lewis/Jackson) - 4:32
12. "2 Bad" featuring Shaquille O'Neal (Harris/Lewis/Jackson/O'Neal) - 4:49
13. "History" featuring Boyz II Men on background vocals (Harris/Lewis/Jackson) - 6:37
14. "Little Susie" (Jackson) - 6:13
15. "Smile" (Chaplin) - 4:56

Out takes

• "On The Line"
• "Superfly Sister" - Later put on "Blood On The Dance Floor/HIStory In The Mix

US Chart Run

Music samples

See also

• List of double albums
• HIStory World Tour

External links

• Lyrics to songs on album

• Michael Jackson albums
• 1995 albums
• Greatest hits albums
• Double albums
• Controversial albums