Now, for the record climax. The cream-filler of the album. May I give you a ghoulish ear to "Thriller"! Surely telling Disco to change direction or "Beat It". A whole new era of Pop had just arrived in the neighborhood.
Believe it or not, "Thriller" was not meant to bring zombies boogieing down Hollywood Blvd-Initially. You see, Rod Temperton wrote a song called "Starlight". But Michael wanted more of a creepy overtone and changed a lot of the words to fit his vision. Due to it's merchandising potential, Rob then suggested the title be changed to "Thriller"!
Every kid in the block was wearing that red vest! Whenever Halloween arrived, this song was sure to be jammin' on all airways and around every ghouling party you could find! Even WCW would play the exposition, as the host would ring in the champs for the evening.
Obviously none had any idea where Michael Jackson was headed past Off The Wall. Never was it thought we'd be thrilled 25-50 years on down the road. Even the rap refrain was a spur of the moment.
Rod Temperton was on his way to the studio, commissioned to come up with a few lines on the finale. Within that SUV, he wrote several good lines for the part(Of which, a few where clipped away). Vincent Price(an accomplished Horror Flick Actor), breathed cryptic life into those words. Which can still runs shivers down our spines.
The Single
The single made fourth place on the U.S. Singles Chart and #10 on the U.K. Currently, "Thriller" and John Lennon's "Imagine" were the only singles to attain instant success on the Billboards(#20) for the U.S. However, this single further took off when the music video with The Making of Documentary arrived on the scene!U.K. Single
- "Thriller"(single edit)
- "The Things I Do for You"(live with The Jackson's)
- "Thriller"(Remixed short version)
- "Can't Get Outta the Rain"(an "Off The Wall" outtake)
- Album Version
- Early Demo
- Instrumental
- 7" Edit(Special Edit)
- Remixed short version
- Single edit(w/Rap)
- 1982 Def Remix
- Danny Tenaglia Remix(Unreleased)
- Vincent Price Outtake
Thriller-The Short Film
On a lonely dark alley in Los Angelas California comes a John Landis directed short horror flick. From Union Pacific Avenue came a bunch of "grisly ghouls" in-line with Michael Jackson! Turning Horror into a Funky groove thang. Reviving old-time favorites as the Wolf Man, Dracula, and Frankenstein. Clearly, Mr. Jackson had ignited a frenzy for scariness! Something left burnt-out since the 60's.In 1984, John Landis and Michael Jackson did a documentary on "Thriller-The Making Of". Which layered the finishing touches on this most expensive project yet. Making Thriller his most sought-after signature. Right along-side The Moonwalk.
Next: Beat It!
