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
Price Of Fame
Michael Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And she was well aware
I was excited about the way things could have been
'Cause in it I don't care
I want a face no one can recognize, in disguise
Someone called out my name
They thought of taking pictures, autographs, then they grab
My joy has turned to pain
Father always told me
You won't live a quiet life
If you're reaching for fortune and fame
I feel the pressure setting in, I'm living just to win
I'm down in my pain, don't you feel it, no pain?
It's the price of fame, you pay the price of fame
So don't be feelin' no pain
It's the price of fame, it's the price of fame
So don't you ever complain
I am a cover of a magazine, what a scene
They know my every do's
"Just sign your name on the dotted line, you'll be fine"?
That always bothers me
Get in your car, you wanna take a ride, look behind
Someone is following you
You try to get away you turn real fast, but too bad
They know your every move
My father always told me
You won't live a quiet life
If you're reaching for fortune and fame
And I feel the pressure setting in, I'm living just to win
I bleed all this pain, don't you ever complain
It's the price of fame, you pay the price of fame
So don't you ever complain
It's the price of fame, you pay the price for fame
So don't be feelin' no pain
It's the price of fame, you pay the price of fame
Father never lies (price of fame)
My father never lies
My father never lies (price of fame)
So don't be feelin' this way, boy
I'd like to take some time and get away, then they'll say
Is that boy still alive?
The weak that really start takin' pills, what a thrill
Only the strong survive
My father always told me
You won't live the quiet life
They startin' to wonderin' where have you been?
I feel their envious looks at me
Their mistaken jealousy
And then stand here in my shoes
And get a taste of my blues
It's the price of fame
You pay the price of fame, so don't you ever complain
It's the price of fame
You pay the price of fame
So don't be feelin' this way
It's the price of fame
You pay the price of fame, so don't you ever complain
It's the price of fame, you pay the price of fame
My father never lies (price of fame)
My father never lies, baby
My father never lies (price of fame)
So don't be feelin' no pain, boy
The song "Price of Fame" by Michael Jackson discusses the challenges and pitfalls of fame. Jackson takes his girlfriend on a riverboat cruise, but quickly realizes that he cannot escape from his celebrity status. He craves anonymity, wanting a face that no one can recognize. However, this is difficult to achieve as people constantly call out his name and take his picture. Jackson laments the fact that he cannot simply enjoy himself without interference from fans.
The lyrics of "Price of Fame" heavily reference Jackson's own life in the public eye. He had been a famous musician since he was a child and had to deal with the pressures and scrutiny of the entertainment industry his entire life. The song touches on the price of success and how it affects a person's privacy and happiness. Jackson's father is mentioned throughout the song, with lyrics like "father always told me you won't live a quiet life; if you're reaching for fortune and fame" emphasizing the role his father played in pushing him to become a successful performer.
The lyrics of "Price of Fame" ultimately suggest that while fame is desired by many, it is not always worth the cost. Jackson expresses his frustrations with having his privacy invaded and the endless pressure to succeed. The lyrics serve as a warning to those who aspire to be famous, reminding them that success comes with a price.
Line by Line Meaning
I took my baby on a river boat cruise
I went on a date with my love on a boat, hoping to have a good time together
And she was well aware
She knew that I was excited about something, and it was about to happen on that boat
I was excited about the way things could have been
I was feeling hopeful about how well the date could go, but I was also a bit nervous
Cause in it I don't care
I was letting go of my worries and just enjoying the moment with my partner
I want a face no one can recognize, in disguise
I wish I could hide myself and be anonymous because fame brings too much attention and scrutiny
Someone called out my name
Despite my wish to be anonymous, someone recognized me and called out my name
They thought of taking pictures, autographs, then they grab
People started taking pictures and asking for autographs, which soon turned into grabbing or invading my personal space
My joy has turned to pain
What started as a joyful moment with my partner has now turned into pain and discomfort due to the attention and invasion of privacy
I feel the pressure setting in, I'm living just to win
I feel a lot of pressure to maintain my fame and success and it's becoming hard to enjoy life
I'm down in my pain, don't you feel it?
I'm going through a tough time and it would be great if someone understood and empathized with how I was feeling
It's the price of fame, you pay the price of fame
I must accept the negative consequences of fame and success if I want to keep it
So don't be feelin' no pain!
I should not expect people to understand the difficulties of fame and fortune and not expect them to empathize with me
I'm on, the cover of the magazine, what a scene
I am on the cover of a magazine, attracting a lot of attention and making a scene
They know my every do's
The public knows everything about me, including my daily routines or personal life
"Just sign your name on the dotted line, you'll be fine"
People constantly pressure me into signing agreements, contracts, and deals that may not be in my best interest
That always bothers me
I am bothered by the constant pressure and demands made on me, even if this is part of what I sought when seeking fame and fortune
Get in your car, you wanna take a ride, look behind
When I am driving, I worry about people following me, tracking my movements, and invading my privacy
Someone is following you
I often feel like someone is always following me or watching my every move
You try to get away you turn real fast, but too bad
I try to get away from the attention, but it's not always easy or possible
They know your every move!
Despite my attempts at privacy, people still know everything I'm doing
They startin' to wonderin' where have you been?
When I am out of the public eye for a while, people start to speculate and wonder where I am or what I am doing
I feel their envious looks at me
When people see my success and fame, they sometimes feel envious or resentful, which makes me uncomfortable
Their mistaken jealousy
People don't really know the true cost of being famous, successful, or wealthy, and so their jealousy is often misplaced or misguided
Then stand here in my shoes
If others were in my position, they might understand better what it's like to be me
And then get a taste of my blues!
If others could experience what it's like to be me, they would know how challenging and difficult fame and success can be
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Michael Jackson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael DeBalso
Lyrics:
I took my baby on a river boat cruise
And she was well aware
I was excited about the way the things could have been
She said that I don't care
I wore a face no one could recognize, in disguise
Someone called out my name
They thought of taking pictures, autographs, then they grab
My joy had turned to pain
Father always told me
You won't live a quiet life
If you're reaching for fortune and fame
I feel the pressure setting in
I'm living just to win
I'm done in my pain
Don't you feelin' no pain
It's the price of fame
You pay the price of fame
So don't be feeling no pain
It's the price of fame
It's the price of fame
So don't you ever complain
I am a cover of a magazine, what a scene
They know my every do's
Just sign your name on the dotted line, you'll be fine
That always bothers me
Get in your car, you want to take a ride, look behind
Someone is following you
You try to get away you turn real fast, but too bad
They know your every move
Father always told me
You won't live a quiet life
If you're reaching for fortune and fame
And I feel the pressure setting in
I'm living just to win
I'm feelin' all this pain
Don't you ever complain
It's the price of fame
You pay the price of fame
So don't you ever complain
It's the price of fame
You pay the price of fame
So don't be feelin' no pain
It's the price of fame
You pay the price of fame
Father never lies (price of fame)
My father never lies
My father never lies (price of fame)
So don't be feeling this way, boy
I'd like to take sometime and get away, then they'll say
Is that boy still alive?
The weak that really started taking pills, what a thrill
Only the strong survive
Father always told me
You won't live a quiet life
They start to wondering where have you been
I feel their envious looks at me
Their mistaken jealousy
And then stand here in my shoes
And get a taste of my blues
It's the price of fame
You pay the price of fame
So don't you ever complain
It's the price of fame
You pay the price of fame
So don't be feeling this way
It's the price of fame
You pay the price of fame
So don't you ever complain
It's the price of fame
You pay the price of fame
My father never lies (price of fame)
My father never lies, baby
My father never lies (price of fame)
So don't be feeling no pain, boy
ᵗʰᵉNight★Star
@ljp206 Honestly, I feel like it's not just blind nostalgia for me. I think about it from a logical standpoint, and I still think he's innocent. I LOVED Michael growing up and listened to his albums all the time, sure. But in all the years since, while I have been critical of some of his actions as I got older, I always really felt like something was weird with all these accusations. So I think even speaking objectively and unbiasedly, I always felt there was NO evidence he ever did anything wrong. Lots of slings and arrows thrown at him but nothing ever stuck and nothing was ever found. Every accuser had hole poked in their statements but he always came up clean. To this day, I am convinced that his "odd behavior" just made it easy for people to come along and start connecting dots that weren't there. And then when some saw the opportunity to make money, they jumped on it. Michael Jackson was never some kind of "criminal mastermind" or anything, he couldn't have possibly done THAT a good a job of covering up this much evidence if he has actually crossed the line or done anything wrong.
An investigation would have found SOMETHING. They never did. The court of public opinion was always against him SOLEY because "haha pedophile jokes" were easy for everyone to make, but they didn't require anyone to know what they were talking about. But rumors become perception when EVERYONE makes the same jokes. Even though none of those people ever knew what they were talking about and they still don't.
Having looked into it from every angle, people HAVE to unbiasedly admit that the complete lack of evidence shows the exhortation was just. Michael Jackson never did anything wrong.
This isn't some instance like OJ or Bill Cosby or Harvey Wiestien where the overwhelming evidence points to guilt... there was never ANYTHING substantial to link Jackson to any wrong-doing other than "strange, suspicious behavior".
But as for that behavior, I honestly feel like Jackson just felt as if he was a child, himself in a man's body and was acting out his childhood constantly. I believe he knew right from wrong, and even if his mind was not always in a great place, I believe that he would never have hurt a child and he KNOWS that inappropriate touching was a form of abuse. He never would have done that. His "odd behavior" was nothing but a suspcious case of Peter Pan-syndrome. When people are close with children, devote their lives to children and act like a child around children, people start to talk.
It was the court of public opinion that did Michael Jackson in. His mental state was questionable, but if anything was responsible for driving Michael ultimately insane, I think it was the constant stress from the bullcrap accusations that drove him to his increasingly strange mental state. To everyone else that was just their baseless "proof" that he did it... but people who actually understand logic and know anything about human psychology know that's not how objectivism works. Was Micheal weird? Yes. Was he of very questionable mental health? Admittedly yes. Did he ever molest a single child? I strongly believe NO.
No evidence. Nothing but heresay. Putting aside the Micheal Jackson fandom I had for him many years ago, logically, I think it's clear that the accusations were lousy fabrications. Being a public figure of such importance had a target painted on him. His behavior didn't help. His mental state made it more questionable. But one has to look deeper then what is merely circumstantial and think with a cool, rational head, what evidence ever linked him, and could he have ever covered that up, himself with his questionable mental health? Nothing, and no.
People can say what they think is "obvious" based on nothing but slander, bad jokes and speculation all they want. But what's REALLY obvious to those who value logic and cold, hard facts is that MICHAEL JACKSON DID NOTHING WRONG. He committed no crimes. He did not molest any children. He was and is innocent. THIS is the only thing that makes sense. Every statement brought against him has been more suspicious than ANY of his strange behavior. The difference is that being a strange person and being a guilty person are two different things, and to conflate the two is foolish and stupid, especially when all logic points to Jackson's side.
Gian Felipe
I took my baby on a river boat cruise
And she was well aware
I was excited about the way the things could have been
As in if I don’t care
I want a face no one can recognize, in disguise
Someone called my name
They thought of taking pictures, autographs, then they grab
My joy had turned to pain
Father always told me: You won’t live a quiet life
If you’re reaching for fortune and fame
I fell the pressure setting in
I’m living just to win; I’m down in my pain
Don’t you fell’ no pain?
It’s the price of fame, you pay the price of fame
So don’t be feelin’ no pain
It’s the price of fame, it’s the price of fame
So don’t you ever complain?
I’m a cover of a magazine, watch the scene
They know my every do’s
Just sign your name on the dotted line, you’ll be fine
That always bothers me
Get in your car; you wanna take a ride, look behind
Someone is following you
You try to get away you turn real fast, but too bad
They know you every move
Father always told me: You won’t live a quiet life
If you’re reaching for fortune and fame
I fell the pressure setting in
I’m living just to win, I bleed all this pain
Don’t you ever complain?
It’s the price of fame; you pay the price of fame
So don’t you ever complain?
It’s the price of fame, it’s the price of fame
So don’t be fellin’ no pain?
It’ the price of fame (price of fame)
You pay the price of fame (price of fame)
Father never lies
My father never lies (price of fame)
My father never lies (price of fame)
So don’t be feelin’ this way, boy
I’d like to take sometime and get away, then they’ll say
Is that the boy still alive?
They make you start taking pills, what a thrill
Only the strong survive
Father always told me: You won’t live a quiet life
They start to wonderin’ where have you been
I feel their envious looks at me
Their mistaken jealousy
Then stand here in my shoes
And get a taste of my blues
It’s the price of fame, you pay the price of fame
So don’t you ever complain?
It’s the price of fame, it’s the price of fame
So don’t be fellin’ this way?
It’s the price of fame, you pay the price of fame
So don’t you ever complain?
It’ the price of fame (price of fame)
You pay the price of fame (price of fame)
Father never lies
My father never lies, baby (price of fame)
My father never lies (price of fame)
So don’t be feelin’ don’t pain’, boy
IDon'tKnowAnymore
Price Of Fame (demo)
Lenght : 4'33
Written and composed by Michael Jackson
Musicians :
Michael Jackson : lead vocals and choirs
Recorded :
Hayvenhurst's studios, Encino, California : 1986
Technical Team :
Producer : Michael Jackson
Sound engineers : Matt Forger and Bill Bottrell
Dean Smith
His Demo's honestly blow today's number ones out the water no wonder he's ranked the greatest entertainer of all time. When Michael Jackson died music went with him. R.i.p Michael thank you for sacrificing your entire life for the greatest entertainment we'll ever see or hear. You truly are a super nova there isn't a single word to describe you legend just isn't big enough for you.
Manjari Dwivedi
All those who wanted to bury his name and fame have lost in their own game.. as he still continues to inspire millions of his young, old and new generation fans!
Very Unusual
EXACTLY 👏👏👏👍👍👍
алла петрова
Да, да, да....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dave
He paid the price of fame! The greatest musician of all time.. thank you and R.I.P KING MJ
Break of Dawn
He sacrificed his life for much more than entertainment.
Alyssa Jones 💐
You can literally hear the sadness in his voice. Poor baby, Michael went through so much shit with the media. He said it best "The bigger the star, the bigger the target."
And that he was 💔
The Strange and Stupid One
Whenever I felt the idea of being famous blind me, I always go to this song to snap back to reality. This song is a cry for help, at least that's how I interpret it; he's telling how being famous was slowly ruining his life and instead of giving satisfaction, it was giving him pain. And the fact he still tried his best to wear a dazzling smile through all just for the show made me respect the man greatly.
If you ever want to achieve fame, always remember there are sacrifices that need to be made, and don't you ever complain about it.
Observé musíc
Ong
Mohau Kobe
I'm 15, and one of the biggest goals is to be famous. This is one of my favourite Michael Jackson songs and I really love the message. With this song and Michael Jackson's life in general, I fully acknowledge that there are sacrifices to be made and many challenges that come with being famous.
I love the line
"So don't you ever complain"
I will always keep that in mind, 'cuz at that point I'd know that I chased after my dream of fame with full acknowledgment of the sacrifices and challenges that would be made.