Jackson's musical career began in 1967 as lead singer of The Jackson 5, when the group made their first recording with a local label before signing up with Motown Records in 1968. He made his first solo recordings in 1971 while still a member of the group. But it was Off the Wall (1979) which marked the start of his full-fledged solo career, and he formally parted with his siblings in 1984. In his solo career, Jackson recorded and co-produced the best-selling album of all time, Thriller (with worldwide sales over 100 million), received thirteen Grammy awards and charted thirteen #1 singles in the U.S. Throughout his four-decade career, Michael Jackson has been awarded numerous honors, including the World Music Awards Best-selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium. He is also a double-inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997, and in 2002 as a solo artist. He is also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In the mid-1980s, TIME magazine described Jackson as "the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley". He has had a notable impact on music and culture throughout the world while also tearing down racial barriers and paving the way for modern pop music.
From 1988 to 2005, Jackson lived on his Neverland Ranch property, on which he built an amusement park and private zoo for the enjoyment of economically disadvantaged and terminally ill children. In 1993 and 2003, separate accusations of child molestation that allegedly occurred in Neverland were made against Jackson, which drew intensely negative media coverage. While he was never charged for the first case, Jackson was tried and vindicated in 2005 of the latter allegation, but moved out of the US shortly thereafter. He later returned to Las Vegas in early 2007.
In the years following his acquittal, (2005-2009) Jackson made numerous public appearances including MTV Japan's VMA awards where he accepted the legends award; the World Music Awards where he accepted the Diamond Award for selling over 100 million records; James Brown's funeral where he paid tribute and delivered a sermon; and a fan appreciation event in Tokyo, Japan, where he greeted troops at US Army base Camp Zama. In early 2008, Jackson issued Thriller 25th Anniversary, a critical and commercial success that was the second-biggest selling album of 2008 with over 2.1 million copies sold worldwide.
On June 25, 2009, Jackson collapsed at a rented home in Holmby Hills in Los Angeles, California. The cause of death is currently believed to be cardiac arrest. At the time of his death, Jackson was scheduled to perform 50 sold-out concerts to over one million people, at London's O2 arena, from July 13, 2009, to March 6, 2010. During a press conference, Jackson made suggestions of possible retirement.
In the hours following Jackson's death, his record sales increased dramatically. His seminal album Thriller climbed to number one on the American iTunes music chart, while another eight made it into the top 40. In the UK, where Jackson would have performed less than three weeks after his death, fifteen of his albums occupied the top 15 spots on the Amazon music chart. Social music network website Last.fm also saw a dramatic increase in Michael Jackson plays per hour after the announcement of his death.
On December 10, 2010, a compilation album of previously unreleased material, simply entitled Michael, was released posthumously. Featuring guest performances by Akon, 50 Cent and Lenny Kravitz, the album was certified Platinum in 18 countries but received mixed reviews from most critics. This was followed in November 2011 by Immortal, a remix album; in September 2012 by Bad 25, a 25th anniversary reissue of Jackson's 1987 hit album Bad; and by Xscape, a second compilation album released in May 2014.
Official Website: http://www.michaeljackson.com
Intro
Michael Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Song in order of appearence: Scream, They Don't Care About Us, & Scream.
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Scream:
Tired of injustice
'M tired of these schemes
These lives are disgustin'
So what does it mean? Dabbi
I got ta git up.
As jacked as it sounds,
The whole system sucks. Dabbi
With such confusion don't it make you wanna scream?
Your bash abusin' victimise within the scheme.
You try to cope with every lie they scrutinize.
Somebody please have mercy, cause I just can't take it!
Stop pressurin' on me.
Jus' stop pressurin' on me.
Stop pressurin' on me.
Make me wanna scream.
Stop pressurin' on me.
Jus' stop pressurin' on me.
Stop pressurin' on me.
Make me wanna scream.
I'm tired of ya tellin',
The story your way.
It causes confusion.
You think it's ok. Dabbi
You're changin' the rules,
You're playin' their game.
Can't take it much longer,
I think I might go insane!
Now baby!
With such delusions don't it make you wanna scream?
Your bash abusin' victimise within the scheme.
You try to cope with every lie they scrutinize.
Oh father please have mercy, cause I just can't take it!
Stop pressurin' on me.
Jus' stop pressurin' on me.
Stop pressurin' on me.
Make me wanna scream.
Stop pressurin' on me.
Jus' stop pressurin' on me.
Stop pressurin' on me.
Make me wanna scream.
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They don't care about us:
Skinhead, deadhead.
Everybody gone bad.
Situation, aggravation.
Everybody allegation.
In the suite, on the news
Everybody dog food
Bang bang, shot dead
Everybody's gone mad
All I wanna say is that,
They don't really care about us
All I wanna say is that,
They don't really care about us
Tell me what has become of my life?
I have a wife and two children who love me.
I'm a victim of police brutality, no.
I'm tired of bein' the victim of hate.
Your rapin' me of my pride
And for G**'s sake
I look to heaven to fulfill this prophecy.
Set me free!
Skinhead, deadhead.
Everybody gone bad.
Trepidation speculation.
Everybody allegation.
In the suite, on the news.
Everybody dog food.
Black man, black mail
Throw the brother in jail
All I wanna say is that,
They don't really care about us
All I wanna say is that,
They don't really care about us
Hoooooo!
Everyday, create your history.
Some things in life they just don't wanna see.
But if Martin Luther was livin',
He wouldn't let this be! No no!
All I wanna say is that,
They don't really care about us
All I wanna say is that,
They don't really care about us
All I wanna say is that,
They don't really care about us
All I wanna say is that,
They don't really care about . . .
All I wanna say is that,
They don't really care about . . .
All I wanna say is that,
They don't really care about us
---------------------------------
In The Closet:
Keep it in the closet.
She just a lover,
Who's doin' me by.
It worth the givin'
It's worth the try.
You cannot cleave it,
Put it in the furnace.
You cannot wet it.
You cannot burn it.
(Spoken) One thing in life you must understand,
The truth of lust, woman to man.
So open the door and you will see.
There are no secrets make your move set me free.
Ah, because somethin' about you baby
That makes me want to give it to you
I swear there somethin' about you baby, oh.
(Spoken) Just promise me
Whatever we say or do to each other
For now we make a vow to just
Keep it in the closet
Never give in.
The medley performed by Michael Jackson during his 30th-anniversary concert is a combination of three of his most popular songs. The medley, which combines "Scream," "They Don't Care About Us," and "In the Closet," presents a political message that bears a personal theme to the artist himself. "Scream" is an exasperated track about the world failing to understand him as an artist. In contrast, "They Don't Care About Us" emphasizes racial injustice and police brutality, depicting that the world is intrinsically unfair. Finally, "In the Closet" refers to Jackson's notoriously private life, drawing his inspiration from the complicated nature of relationships.
The lyrics are, therefore, a forceful statement about Jackson's struggles in the public space. It reflects his fight with societal mores and established rules that refused to adjust or comprehend his vision. The lyrics are a manifestation of his ideology, fueled by both the pain and the determination of the legendary musician.
The song's lyrics provide a platform for the musician to voice his concerns openly and honestly through his music. While the medley might have three different tracks, what is clear is that it presents an articulate vision of who Michael Jackson was as a person and an artist.
Line by Line Meaning
Tired of injustice
Michael Jackson is tired of the injustice happening around us
'M tired of these schemes
Michael Jackson is tired of the corrupt schemes that people come up with to achieve their selfish motives
These lives are disgustin'
Michael Jackson is expressing his disgust towards the way people lead their lives, prioritizing everything other than humanity
So what does it mean? Dabbi
He questions the meaning of this chaos and what purpose it serves
Kickin' me down,
People constantly try to bring him down
I got ta git up.
But Michael Jackson finds the strength to get back up
As jacked as it sounds,
It may sound surprising, but it is true
The whole system sucks. Dabbi
He believes that the entire system is corrupted and unfair
With such confusion don't it make you wanna scream?
The confusion and chaos around us may make us want to scream in frustration
Your bash abusin' victimise within the scheme.
People abuse and victimize others for their own gain, within the schemes that they plot
You try to cope with every lie they scrutinize.
The constant lies and scrutiny can make it tough to cope
Somebody please have mercy, cause I just can't take it!
He pleads for mercy as he is no longer able to bear the injustice around him
Stop pressurin' on me.
He pleads with those responsible to stop pressurizing him
Jus' stop pressurin' on me.
He repeats his plea for them to stop pressurizing him
Make me wanna scream.
The pressure and injustice makes him want to scream in frustration
I'm tired of ya tellin',
He is tired of people telling their own version of the truth
The story your way.
People manipulate the story to make themselves look good
It causes confusion.
The manipulated stories cause confusion and misunderstandings
You think it's ok. Dabbi
People think it is alright to manipulate and twist the truth
You're changin' the rules,
People change the rules to their advantage
You're playin' their game.
People are playing a game, with their own unfair rules
Can't take it much longer,
Michael Jackson cannot take this unfairness any longer
I think I might go insane!
The injustice is driving him to the brink of insanity
With such delusions don't it make you wanna scream?
The delusional behavior of people around him, makes him want to scream
Oh father please have mercy, cause I just can't take it!
He pleads to God to have mercy on him as he is unable to bear the injustice and pressure anymore
Skinhead, deadhead.
He uses these words to describe people who are racist and violent
Everybody gone bad.
Everyone seems to have gone bad, losing their humanity
Situation, aggravation.
The situation around him is constantly aggravating, causing distress
Everybody allegation.
People are constantly making allegations against each other
In the suite, on the news.
Even people in their suits, who pretend to be good, are exposed as corrupt on the news
Everybody dog food.
People behave like animals, turning on each other
Bang bang, shot dead.
The violence has escalated to the point where people are getting shot and killed
All I wanna say is that,
He wants to convey one simple message
They don't really care about us
People in power, do not really care about the common people
Tell me what has become of my life?
He questions what has happened to his life and the world around him
I have a wife and two children who love me.
He has a family who loves him, adding to the sadness of the situation they are in
I'm a victim of police brutality, no.
He reveals that he too was a victim of police brutality in his life
I'm tired of bein' the victim of hate.
He is tired of being a victim of hate and prejudice
Your rapin' me of my pride and for G**'s sake
People have taken away his pride and dignity
I look to heaven to fulfill this prophecy.
He looks to God and hopes that prophecy comes true
Set me free!
He begs to be set free from the hate and corruption around him
Black man, black mail
Black people are being extorted, receiving threats through blackmail
Throw the brother in jail
People in power mistreat the common man and send them to jail, regardless of innocence or guilt
Everyday, create your history.
Every day can be used to create history and do something that will be remembered forever
Some things in life they just don't wanna see.
Some things in life, people refuse to acknowledge or see
But if Martin Luther was livin', he wouldn't let this be! No no!
If Martin Luther King Jr. was still alive, he wouldn't tolerate the racism and inequality present today
Ah, because somethin' about you baby. That makes me want to give it to you
He is drawn to someone romantically that he finds irresistible
I swear there somethin' about you baby, oh.
He can't put his finger on it, but there is definitely something about this person
Just promise me whatever we say or do to each other for now we make a vow to just keep it in the closet
Whatever happens between them, they promise to keep it between themselves and no one else
Keep it in the closet.
Keep their love and relationship a secret from everyone else
She just a lover, who's doin' me by.
She is just his lover who is fulfilling his desires for now
It worth the givin', it's worth the try.
Their relationship is worth the effort and the risks associated with it
You cannot cleave it, put it in the furnace.
You cannot destroy love, even if you try your best to
You cannot wet it. You cannot burn it.
Love is something that cannot be destroyed, even with water or fire
One thing in life you must understand, the truth of lust, woman to man.
He gives a perspective on the concept of lust between two people
So open the door and you will see. There are no secrets make your move set me free.
He urges his lover to be open and honest with him, and make a move to set their love free
Never give in.
He urges people to never give in to the pressure and injustice around us
Writer(s): Michael Jackson, Talib Kweli Greene, Rafael Salano Sanchez
Contributed by Muhammad H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JonnyCashh
Every time I see him run with the military it gives me chills this guy was Christ on earth!
slimshady ls169
Thats what i thought he was big
WiGe Bs
That's police, guys in green are Royal Hong Kong Police PTU
alexander quiñones
hell yeahhhhhhhhhhh.
AyiBM vids
Not Christ just the king of pop
Music Love
Watchin these videos also gives me chills, but not a feeling of Christ on earth. More like a blessing. This guy was just awesome in his field. He shook up the world.
Martin del Aguila Camán
Leyenda, nadie jamás lo podrá superar. Por siempre Michael Jackson ♥️
Azuni_vxk
Si, y pienso convertirme en bailarín y seguir sus pasos pero eso sí nunca jamás lo superaría ni lo remplazaria
jfom92 m_o
Nadie lo podrá superar es el.mejor de todos los tiempos.. Un dios de la música eterno rey del pop
Matthew Cardenas Lima
@Kevin duvan Diaz o zorro Brother tu andas en drogas verdad ?? Bruno Mars no le llega ni al meñique del pie... no me jodas