"Black or White" is a song written and produced by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson released as the eighth track from the Dangerous album. It was released as a single on November 11, 1991, serving as the lead single from the album.
Bill Bottrell (who co-wrote and produced the song with Jackson) is featured on the rap verse under the alias "L.T.B.". Slash is also featured as the lead guitar for the skit intro.
A radio mix, which was done by The Clivillés & Cole for the "Remember the Time" single, was released on The Ultimate Collection.
Background[]
In early 1989, Bottrell (who already worked with Jackson on Victory and Bad) was hired by the latter to help create a new sound, one that would be different from the latter's earlier work with Quincy Jones. Around the same time, the project would be moved to Westlake Audio in West Hollywood.
The first thing Jackson did at the studio was to hum to Bottrell the main riff of "Black or White". Using the Kramer American Series electric guitar plugged into a Mesa Boogie amplifier, mic'd with a Beyerdynamic M 160, Bottrell interpreted the tune by Jackson. Jackson himself suggested the song's rhythm to Bottrell with his voice, so Bottrell programmed this rhythm into an E-mu Systems drum machine.
Bottrell augmented the pattern with samples from an Emulator III. His Atari computer ran a MIDI editing program by Hybrid Arts; Bottrell and Brad Buxer used the program to tweak the percussion timings to give more of a swing feel. Jackson recorded his main and backing vocals into a Neumann U47 microphone.[1]
In two days, "Black or White" had vocals, drum sounds, and electric guitar. Bottrell added an acoustic guitar part using a Gibson LG-2 built in the 1940s, a robust model with a big country sound reminiscent of Gene Vincent's classic rockabilly style.
However, Jackson became quite busy with other projects, so "Black or White" was pushed aside, languished for a few months. When Bottrell's part of the album project moved to Record One in Sherman Oaks, "Black or White" was picked up again. However, Bottrell and Jackson felt that it had two big gaps in the middle, so they were determined to fill them.
For one of the gaps, Jackson wanted a heavy metal guitar on said gap, so he sang the part he wanted, including chord arpeggiations, to session player Tim Pierce, who performed it on a Les Paul plugged into a Marshall stack. Kevin Gilbert assisted Michael Boddicker in adding the sound of a high-speed guitar via a Roland sequencer.
Bottrell blended two different bass sounds, primarily Bryan Loren playing a Moog keyboard bass, augmented by Terry Jackson playing an electric bass guitar. Bottrell replaced some of the E-mu default rhythm samples with live drum samples taken from an Akai machine.[1]
Jackson left Bottrell alone for most of the recording process to work on various ideas. The latter wanted a rap section to fill the remaining gap, suggesting LL Cool J or Heavy D. However, these proposals didn't work out.
Over the next 8 months, Bottrell tried to get someone to write a rap verse for "Black or White", when suddenly, he was inspired to write it himself. Bottrell first recorded Loren performing the rap verse, but the latter didn't really want the role, so Bottrell had to record it himself several times. Bottrell edited one of the takes to use as a demonstration for Jackson (who, according to Loren, also did a recording of the rap verse).[2] Jackson, upon hearing the tap, wanted it for the final version. Though Bottrell pleaded again that they should get a "real rapper", Jackson insisted on keeping Bottrell's take.[1]
For the finishing touches to "Black or White", Bottrell filled a keyboard with various sampled electric guitar notes, bringing his friend Jasun Martz to play it. Bottrell took advantage of Martz's fresh ears and rock sensibility.
Bottrell was frustrated by the Solid State Logic (SSL) mixer at Larrabee Sound Studios, which sounded good on the heavy metal guitar, but for the classic guitars, made it seem "too cold and clinical". He ended up using the Neve mixer at Record One to mix the majority of "Black or White" and the SSL for the rap and heavy metal sections. Two Studer 24-track 2-inch analog tape machines were used to record original tracks, with a compilation of them being laid down on a Mitsubishi ProDigi 32-track digital audio tape deck.[1] Interestingly, despite the numerous changes to "Black or White" over 18 months, the initial scratch vocal by Jackson was left completely untouched, ultimately appearing on the final version.[1]
Music video[]
The music video was directed by John Landis, who previously helped with the Thriller short film. The music video was released on November 14, 1991, featuring an intro with Macaulay Culkin and George Wendt. Later in the video, Jackson is seen with dancers of various cultures, dancing through many different parts of the world.
The scene taking place near the end of the short film features the "morphing" filming technique, which made it the second time ever that said technique was used. Only Terminator 2: Judgment Day (which was released just a few months prior) used this "morphing" technique earlier.[3]
Making of "Black or White"[]
On November 14, 2016, the author of a biography book, Making Michael: Inside the Career of Michael Jackson, Mike Smallcombe, posted on his YouTube channel a VHS rip of behind-the-scenes footage of the "Black or White" music video.
Controversy[]
The video's outro features Jackson dancing on the top of the car, which includes sexually suggestive scenes. As a result, the media heavily criticized him for it. He apologized, explaining it was a "dance-style interpretation of the animalistic instincts of a panther". In 2001 a digitally-altered version was released, where racially-offensive graffiti was mposed on the windows destroyed: the car displays "Hitler Lives", "NI66eR 6O HOMe", "No More Wetbacks", and the storefront door sports "KKK Rules". Such alterations gave the sequence a new interpretation of Jackson's vandalism.
Live performances[]
"Black or White" first debuted during the 1991 MTV 10th Anniversary show, ultimately appearing in the Dangerous and HIStory World Tours, the 30th Anniversary Celebration, and the 2002 Apollo performance. Jackson performed "Black or White" for the last time on June 23, 2009, during the This Is It rehearsals.
For most of the performances, Jackson was joined by Jennifer Batten for guitar, the only exceptions being several shows of the Dangerous World Tour, where Slash would take the role instead, and the 2009 rehearsals, as a new guitarist, Orianthi would be hired.
Audio[]
On January 27, 2023, a remix of "Black or White" dubbed "Nick's Drum and Guitar Mix" leaked after the Brad Sundberg laptop theft. Judging by the title, it could be crafted by the YouTuber, Remixed by Nick*.
- Nick's Drum and Guitar Mix - (
listen)
Lyrics[]
[Skit]
Dad: Hey!
Kid: What?!
Dad: Turn that off!
Kid: Dad, this is the best part!
Dad: Turn it off!
Kid: No!
Dad: It's too late for this. Turn it off!
Kid: Dad, this is the best part, come on!
Dad: No, turn it off now!
Kid: No, this is the-I want to listen to it, OK?
Dad: You've got things to do tomorrow, turn it off now!
Kid: Yeah, right. Too late. Sure. Eat this.
[Intro; Michael Jackson]
Aouw! (Ooh)
Aouw!
[Verse 1]
I took my baby on a Saturday bang
Boy, is that girl with you?
Yes, we're one and the same
[Chorus]
Now, I believe in miracles
And a miracle has happened tonight (hee)
But if you're thinking about my baby
It don't matter if you're black or white (ooh)
[Verse 2]
They print my message in The Saturday Sun
I had to tell 'em,
"I ain't second to none"
[Chorus]
And I told 'em 'bout equality and it's true
Either you're wrong or you're right (hee-hee-ee)
But if you're thinking about my baby
It don't matter if you're black or white (hoo)
[Break]
Gone witcha, babe!
Hee-hee!
[Bridge]
I am tired of this Devil
I am tired of this stuff
I am tired of this business
Oh, when the going gets rough
I ain't scared of your brother
I ain't scared of no sheets
I ain't scared of nobody
Girl, when the going gets mean
[Bill Bottrell]
Protection for gangs, clubs, and nations
Causing grief in human relations
It's a turf war on a global scale
I'd rather hear both sides of the tale
See, it's not about races, just places, faces
Where your blood comes from is where your space is
I've seen the bright get duller
I'm not gonna spend my life being a color
[Michael]
Don't tell me you agree with me
When I saw you kicking dirt in my eye (hee-hee)
But if you're thinking about my baby
It don't matter if you're black or white
[Post-Chorus]
I said if you're thinking of being my baby
It don't matter if you're black or white
I said if you're thinking of being my brother
It don't matter if you're black or white
[Outro]
Alright, alright
(Ooh-ooh-ooh)
Alright (yeah, yeah, yeah), yeah, now
Alright, alright (ooh-ooh-ooh)
Shamone, don't (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Yeah, now, alright
It's black, it's white
It's tough for you to beat that (yeah, yeah, yeah)
It's black, it's white, hoo!
It's black, it's white
It's tough for you to beat that (yeah, yeah, yeah)
It's black, it's white, hoo!
Gallery[]
Physical copies[]
![Vinyl back cover[4]](/wiki/File:Blackorwhitevinylback.jpg "Blackorwhitevinylback.jpg (66 KB)")
![Vinyl[4]](/wiki/File:Blackorwhitevinyl.jpg "Blackorwhitevinyl.jpg (95 KB)")
Video[]
|
"Look deep within yourself, and you'll find something amazing." To view the Black or White gallery, click here. |
Trivia[]
- In 1992, "Weird Al" Yankovic recorded a parody of "Black or White", titled "Snack All Night", continuing his trend with food-themed parodies of Jackson's songs. However, he never released it. The reason why Jackson stopped permitting Weird Al to make parodies of his music videos is that "Black or White" was a big social, political statement, and that it was not something to parody.[5]
- The aforementioned radio mix done by The Clivillés & Cole was planned to be on the cancelled Dangerous: Bonus Cuts.
- The intro is based on a demo from the Bad sessions.[6]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/classic-tracks-michael-jackson-black-or-white
- ↑ 079: Bryan Loren Special – The MJCast
- ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0255006/trivia/
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://www.discogs.com/master/14861-Michael-Jackson-Black-Or-White/image/SW1hZ2U6NDc5MTE5MzU=
- ↑ https://www.spin.com/2012/10/weird-al-yankovic-looks-back-at-20-years-of-smells-like-nirvana/#:~:text=Jon%20%E2%80%9CBermuda%E2%80%9D%20Schwartz%2C%20drums%3A%20Frankly%2C%20the%20Michael%20Jackson%20song%20that%20he%20had%2C%20%E2%80%9CSnack%20All%20Night%2C%E2%80%9D%20was%20not%20destined%20to%20be%20big%2C%20by%20any%20means.%20The%20fact%20that%20Michael%20turned%20him%20down%20was%20a%20great%20stroke%20of%20luck.
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220528121711/https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/michael-jackson-the-making-of-the-king-of-pop-240783/