Gone Too Soon

"Gone Too Soon"Single by Michael Jackson
General information
B-side	"Human Nature"
Released	December 1, 1993
Recorded	June 1990
Genre	Operatic pop
Length	3:22
Album	Dangerous
Label	Epic Records
Writer(s)	Larry Grossman • Buz Kohan
Producer(s)	Michael Jackson • Bruce Swedien
Singles chronology
Previous	"Will You Be There"
Current	"Gone Too Soon"
Next	"Scream"
Track list
Previous	"Keep the Faith"
Current	"Gone Too Soon"
Next	"Dangerous"
Music video

"Gone Too Soon" is a song produced by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released as the thirteenth track from the Dangerous album. It was released as a single on December 1, 1993, serving as the ninth and final single from the album. The track was a tribute to one of Jackson's friends, Ryan White, who had died a few months earlier from AIDS-related pneumonia.

Background

"Gone Too Soon" was first performed by Dionne Warwick in February 1983, on a TV special titled Here's Television Entertainment. She peformed the track as a tribute to many performers, including Elvis Presley, John Lennon, and Minnie Riperton, among others. Later on the same day, Jackson called Buz Kohan, explaining he had wept while watching the performance and that he felt he wanted to record it some day.

During production for the Dangerous album, Jackson recorded "Gone Too Soon" in June 1990, to pay tribute to White. For the prelude, Marty Paich was brought in to compose, arrange, and conduct it. Bruce Swedien, who served as the co-producer, was also selected to record and mix the ballad.

Music video

The music video, directed by Bill DiCicco, features footage of Jackson and White together, as well as brief coverage from White's funeral. It was later featured on the 1993 collection, Dangerous: The Short Films, with an alternate music video being released a few months after Jackson's passing, also later being feautred on Michael Jackson's Vision.

Live performance

Jackson performed "Gone Too Soon" only once, during then-newly elected president Bill Clinton's 1993 inauguration celebration, American Reunion: The 52nd Presidential Inaugural Gala. Jackson dedicated his only performance of the track to White, and also used the celebration to inform Clinton about funding AIDS-related research.

Audio

A demo of "Gone Too Soon" leaked online sometime in the 2000s. It featured a different vocal take. At one point, Jackson messes up the lyrics, saying "like a perfect sunflower" instead of "like a perfect flower". He seems to have realized his mistake pretty quickly, as he had to pause for a second before continuing.

• Demo - ( listen)

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Like a comet
Blazing 'cross the evening sky
Gone too soon

[Verse 2]
Like a rainbow
Fading in the twinkling of an eye
Gone too soon

[Chorus]
Shiny and sparkly
And splendidly bright
Here one day
Gone one night

[Verse 3]
Like the loss of sunlight
On a cloudy afternoon
Gone too soon

[Verse 4]
Like a castle
Built upon a sandy beach
Gone too soon

[Verse 5]
Like a perfect flower
That is just beyond your reach
Gone too soon

[Chorus]
Born to amuse
To inspire, to delight
Here one day
Gone one night

[Verse 6]
Like a sunset
Dying with the rising of the moon
Gone too soon

[Outro]
Gone too soon

Gallery

Vinyl back cover

Vinyl