A Place with No Name

"A Place with No Name"Single by Michael Jackson
General information
Released	August 12, 2014
Recorded	August 25th, 1998-May 1999 (Invincible sessions) early-mid 2004 (consideration for The Ultimate Collection) 2008 2013-2014 (Stargate remix)
Studio	Record Plant (Los Angeles, California) (initial work) Ocean Way Recording (Los Angeles, California) (48trk tape copy) Marvin's Room (further work w/Brad Buxer) Record One (Los Angeles, California) (mixing and further work w/Brad Buxer) The Hit Factory (further mixing) Neverland Ranch (Encino, California) (work for "The Ultimate Collection") Unknown Las Vegas studio (Las Vegas, Nevada) (unreleased Neff-U mix)
Length	5:35 4:56 (demo) 5:19 (leak)
Album	Xscape
Label	Epic Records
Writer(s)	Dr. Freeze Michael Jackson Dewey Bunnell
Producer(s)	Stargate Dr. Freeze Michael Jackson C.J. DeVillar Adam Olmsted
Singles chronology
Previous	"Love Never Felt So Good"
Next	"Blood on the Dance Floor X Dangerous (The White Panda Mash-Up)"
Track list
Previous	"Loving You"
Next	"Slave to the Rhythm"
Music video
Official video
MICHAEL JACKSON ONE celebrates A Place With No Name

"A Place with No Name" is a previously unreleased song by Michael Jackson released as the fourth track on Jackson's second and final posthumous album, Xscape. It was released as a single on August 12, 2014, serving as the second and final single from the album. Its demo was released on the deluxe edition of Xscape.

Background

Michael Jackson with Dr. Freeze (1998)

In 1998, Dr. Freeze, a producer known for having co-written hits such as "I Wanna Sex You Up", joined Michael Jackson's personnel, having met him through John McClain. At the Record Plant Recording Studios in Los Angeles, Freeze began proposing songs to base new material off of. One of which came to be "A Horse with No Name", a 1972 hit by the British rock band, America. The producer stated he "wanted to refresh it and make a version for the 2000's". Michael was in good contact with America, who gave the two the approval for sampling the recording.

C.J. DeVillar joined the production as well and recorded the bassline for the song. While "trying to find a vibe", Jackson would join the bass player in the recording booth, having both "rocking out".

"A Place with No Name" started prodcution on August 25th, 1998, with additional recording sessions taking place on October 16. Jackson would move on to other studios, to record other songs. Meanwhile, the production and mixing for "A Place with No Name" kept on switching from one studio to another, such as Record One and Marvin's Room. In February 1999, Jackson, Brad Buxer, Michael Prince, and Mark Ging made further changes to the song at Record One.

In May, a sound engineer, Paul J. Falcone worked on another mix of "A Place with No Name" at the Hit Factory in New York. This would be the final time the song was worked on before the release of Jackson's next studio album, as at the time he'd begin work with Rodney Jerkins (known as "Darkchild") switching studios once again and leaving "A Place with No Name" behind, being left off Invincible.

Jackson continued tampering with the song in early-mid 2004, in the studio at Neverland Ranch. This time, he'd be joined by Dr. Freeze and Michael Prince only. Freeze mentioned the track has "improved gradually".

“	It was incremental work. He listened to the different mixes and changed some details around here or there. He was in full creative control. We wanted the song to be perfect… It was a bit like a director looking to improve his film by changing the script or changing players. This is the type of process that was used to create this song, and overall, the album Invincible… All that interested him was to have number one hits.	”
–Dr. Freeze for Damien Shields, Michael Jackson: Songs & Stories From The Vault

"A Place with No Name" was considered for inclusion on The Ultimate Collection, although it was yet again shelved.

Michael worked on the song for the last time in 2008 at a home studio inside of Jackson's Las Vegas mansion. Neff-U took over the production.

“	Here, work with this song. See what you can come up with for this song.	”
–Jackson to Neff-U

This version kept the 1998 vocals, although featured a completely new production. During its development, Freeze had also visited Jackson's house, although the two ended up not working on anything, and rather only "brainstormed". This version of "A Place with No Name" would be the final version Michael had no involvement in.

On July 16, 2009, three weeks after Jackson's death, a twenty-four-second snippet of seemingly an older version of the song leaked online by TMZ.com. It was the first "fresh" material from Jackson to have been heard by the public since his passing. The song was covered in articles and news, most notably "The Today Show". Following the leak, members of America released a statement, claiming the band would want the recording to see an official release.

The year after, the track would've been considered for inclusion on the posthumous Michael album, although nothing came of it. Very little is known about this incarnation of the song, although there is a possibility that Neff-U was behind the production.

Michael Jackson with Stargate (2007)

On December 3, 2013, a full, over five-minute-long version leaked online online. Before this took place, however, the track would be reworked by Stargate, a production duo who Jackson met in 2007 for discussions about a possible collaboration. This version featured a more modernized production. It would see its release in May of the following year, as the fourth track on the posthumous album, Xscape. Meanwhile, a 2000's demo of "A Place with No Name" was featured on the deluxe edition. It differed from the leak, as this version included a slightly different drum snare and removed twenty-three seconds of the recording as a whole.

“	Compared with the 2004 version, you can hear the drums are different in the final version. It has a different kick drum pattern, a little stronger snare, and the ‘na nas’ are copied to repeat through the fade.	”
–Michael Prince for Damien Shields, Michael Jackson: Songs & Stories From The Vault

It is unknown if the leaked version is an edit or another take, that Jackson had worked on during his lifetime.

Music video

The video for "A Place with No Name" features Danielle Acoff and Alvester Martin, the latter who worked with Michael for many years. Previously unseen footage from the filming of "In the Closet" is also included. One more music video was uploaded on August 28, 2014, featuring the dancers from the Michael Jackson ONE show.

Audio

• Demo (leaked version) - ( listen)

Lyrics

• A Place with No Name
• Demo

[Verse 1]
As I drove across on the highway, my Jeep began to rock
I didn't know what to do, so I stopped
Then got out and looked down, I noticed I've got a flat
So I walked out, parked the car, like sideways
So I can find what I can fix
I looked around, there were no cars on the highway
I felt a strange feeling, like a mist
So I walked down towards the end of the road
And in the fog, a woman appeared
She said, "Don't you worry, my friend, I'll take care
Take my hand, I'll take you there"

[Chorus]
Oh, take me to a place without no name
Take me to a place without no name (Yeah, oh)
Take me to a place without no name
Take me to (Oh) a place without (Yeah) no name

[Verse 2]
As she took me right through the fog
I seen a beautiful city appear
At where kids are playin'
And people are laughin' and smilin' and nothin' to fear
She said, "This is the place where no people have pain
With love and happiness"
She turned around, looked down in my eyes
And started cryin'
Grab my hand, you've got a friend, oh

[Chorus]
Take me to a place without no name (No name)
Take me to (See) a place without no name
A place without no name
Take me to (Can't believe) a place without (I can't believe) no name
Take me to a place without no name

[Post-Chorus]
Whoa, yeah
Don't go, oh

[Bridge]
She started liking me, kissing me, and hugging me
She didn't really, really want me to leave
She showed me places I've never seen
And things I've never done, this really looks like a lot of fun
I've seen the grass and the skies and the birds
And the flowers surrounded by the trees
This place is filled with love and happiness
How in the world could I wanna leave?
So then I went in my pocket, took my wallet all out
With my pictures of my family and girl
This is the place that you choose to be with me
When you thought you could be in another world, oh

[Chorus]
Take me to (Don't go) a place
Without (I can't believe) no name (No name)
Take me to (See) a place without no name
Take me to (I can't believe) a place without (Don't go) no name
A place without no name
Take me to (See) a place without no name

[Outro]
No, no, no
La, la, la, la, la (La, la)
La, la, la, la
A place without no name
La, la, la, la, la (La, la, la)
La, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la (La, la, la)
La, la, la, la
A place without no name
La, la, la, la, la (See, a place without)
La, la, la, la
A place without no name
La, la, la, la, la (I can't believe, I can't believe)
La, la, la, la (I can't believe it)
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la
A place without no name
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la
A place without no name
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la

[Verse 1]
As I drove across on the highway
My jeep began to rock
I didn't know what to do
So I stopped and got out
And looked down, I noticed I'd got a flat
So I walked out, parked the car like sideways
So I can find, what I can fix
I looked around there were no cars on the highway
I felt a strange, feeling like a mist
I walked down toward the end of a road
And in the fog, a woman appeared
She said, "Don't you worry my friend
I'll take care, take my hand
I'll take you there"

[Chorus]
Ooh-oh-oh
Take me to a place without no name
Take me to a place without no name

[Verse 2]
As she took me right through the fog
I seen a beautiful city appear
A'Where kids are playin' and people are laughin' and a'smilin' an' Nothin' to fear
She said, "This is the place where no people have pain
With love and happiness"
She turned around, looked down
In my eyes and started cryin'
And grabbed my hand
You've got a friend
Ohh-oh-oh-oh-oh

[Chorus]
Take me to a place without no name
(No name)
Take me to a place without no name
(A place without no name)
Take me to a place (Take me) without no name
(Take me, take me, a place without no name)
Take me to a place without no name
Woh-oh-oh
Yeah, doggone, oh-oh

[Verse 3]
She started likin' me
Kissin' me, and huggin' me
She didn't really really want me to leave
She showed me places I've never seen
And things I've never done
This really looks like a lot of fun
I've seen the grass and the skies and the birds
And the flowers surrounded by the trees
This place is filled with love and happiness
How in the world, could I wanna leave

[Pre-Chorus]
So then I went in my pocket
Took my wallet on out
With my pictures of my family and girl
This is the place that you choose to be with me
When you thought
You could be in another world

[Chorus]
Oh oh-oh
Take me to a place without no name
(Doggone, take me, no name)
(Take me to a place without no name)
Nah nah nah-nah-nah-nah
Nah-nah-nah nah nah
(A place without no name)
(Take me, doggone, a place without no name)
Take me to a place without no name
No no no!

[Outro]
Nah nah nah-nah-nah-nah
Nah-nah-nah nah nah
(A place without no name)
Nah nah nah-nah-nah-nah
Nah-nah-nah nah nah
(A place without no name)
Nah nah nah-nah-nah-nah
Nah-nah-nah nah nah
(A place without no name)
Nah nah nah-nah-nah-nah
(A place without)
Nah-nah-nah nah nah
Nah nah nah-nah-nah-nah
Take me, take me, take me
Nah-nah-nah nah nah
(A place without no name)
Nah nah nah-nah-nah-nah
Nah-nah-nah nah nah
(A place without no name)
Nah nah nah-nah-nah-nah
Nah-nah-nah nah nah
(A place without no name)

Gallery

Physical copies

CD back cover

CD

Videos

A Place With No Name (Original Version)