"Were they playing the song "Thriller" up in da club?"
Or was it just a novelty song mainly to support the video? Hard to imagine people who aren't kids rolling around bumping Thriller (the song, not the album).
Did Black Radio play Black or White? I can't imagine that song going over THAT well (I am thinking folks were more like "There goes michael being michael" and rolling their eyes). Can you imagine all the thought pieces if an Black or White dropped now? Or if Kanye made a song with a similar theme?
Some things I am to young to remember, some things I just don't think I thought about (or cared about) at the time.
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1. "RE: Were they playing the song "Thriller" up in da club?" In response to Reply # 0
>Or was it just a novelty song mainly to support the video? >Hard to imagine people who aren't kids rolling around bumping >Thriller (the song, not the album).
15. "I thought the same with SMOOTH CRIMINAL" In response to Reply # 0
Saw a SOUL TRAIN LINE clip of them dancing to that.
at first I wasn't quite sure if it was fake. but yeah, apparently they attempted. and it was just AWKWARD.
I NEVER assumed SMOOTH CRIMINAL was a dance/party joint. Im sure the Year and some change between the album release and the video release left many people shaking their heads not really sure what to do with the song.
Love it by the way.
Still want to hear the work that ROGER TROUTMAN allegedly did on it but was never released though.
probably woulda been a WHOLE different situation then...
16. "B or W was played on black radio in STL." In response to Reply # 0
>Did Black Radio play Black or White? I can't imagine that song >going over THAT well (I am thinking folks were more like >"There goes michael being michael" and rolling their eyes).
no.
the song was released in 1991 ahead of Dangerous. MJ was still the biggest Pop star on the planet - this was the year when he crowned himself King of Pop. his star was fading b/c Hip-Hop had exploded and he hadn't released a new album of studio material since HH had gone mainstream in the late 80s. plus New Jack Swing had taken over R&B. but MJ was still the biggest and this new release was widely played on sight b/c it was a new MJ song - the first new MJ song in 4 yrs. yes, Black radio played it...at first. it didn't get played for long and i don't think it was a #1 R&B jam. but it was played.
i also remember hearing 'Who Is It' - ahead of the album and ahead of its official release on a single in 1992 or 1993. but i only heard it once or twice. i suspect Epic/Sony may have released 'Who Is It' as a promo single for black radio b/c they suspected 'B or W' may not hit at R&B. but then i doubt that b/c i only heard it once on black radio in STL and then i only heard 'B or W' for the next few weeks/months until the next single, 'Remember the Time'.
>Can you imagine all the thought pieces if an Black or White >dropped now? Or if Kanye made a song with a similar theme?
yeah. of course, back then the main controversy about the song related to the video w/MJ grabbing his crotch when he danced and destroying a car w/a sledgehammer. it was deemed to sexual and too violent and that portion of the video was edited out.