"Hollywood Tonight" is a previously unreleased song by Michael Jackson released as the second track on his posthumous album Michael. It was released as a single on February 11, 2011, serving also as the second single from the album.
Background[]
The song was first written and recorded in the fall of 1998 during the Invincible sessions. The song was co-written with Brad Buxer, who also helped produce the song. This version sampled "I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)" by Hall & Oates. The song continued progress until early 1999, when the song didn't make the cut and wouldn't be picked up again until nearly a decade later.
In 2007, Jackson pulled "Hollywood Tonight" out of the vault and started reworking it with Brad and Neff-U while in Las Vegas. A year later, Michael Prince was asked by The King of Pop to get the most recent mix of the song on a CD so he can listen to it later and see what can be improved, however Michael never got to do it.[1] Among other titles, it became a contender for Jackson's unfinished eleventh studio album. This version of "Hollywood Tonight" started out the same as the leaked 1999 demo, but featured a funky rhythm guitar played by David Williams. The bridge featured a rhythm guitar solo, ad-libs "she's too young to understand", and overall the recording is described by those who heard it as "phenomenal", and better than any other known version of the track.[2][3] There also exists a note with lyrics written down for the bridge, however it's unknown if Jackson recorded them.
In Summer of 2010, the song would once again be tampered with, this time with intentions to include it on the posthumous Michael album. During the production, while Mr. Prince was doing changes to the track, he decided the song didn't have a good sounding kick nor snare, and put the "Billie Jean" drums over "Hollywood Tonight". Thus what would become the "Throwback Mix" came into fruition.[4] Ultimately, it didn't make it on the album and was replaced by another mix, but eventually got used for the single release and the music video.
Neff-U was presented to "Hollywood Tonight" as well, and made his own mixes. Unfortunately, Sony wasn't satisfied with any of them and were ultimately scrapped. Teddy Riley soon showed interest in the track however, and the producer went on to make his own mix, basing off of an already existing version by Neff-U.[4][5] In the finished version, a loud beatboxing can be heard throughout the song, Michael's vocals are heavily autotuned and the bridge Jackson originally wrote for "Hollywood Tonight" is replaced by a spoken verse done by Michael's nephew, Taryll Jackson.
Music video[]
Music video for the song was released on March 10, 2011, nearly a month after the single's release. It was shot in front of the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California, where Jackson previously filmed "You Are Not Alone". The clip features Sofia Boutella, who auditioned to be a dancer for the This Is It tour. She can been seen auditioning during a scene in Michael Jackson's This Is It. The video is also filled with many Jackson related easter eggs and references.
Audio[]
The original demo from 1999 leaked in HQ on March 5, 2014. Neff-U's early mix (often referred to as "Rock Mix") leaked a few months after. On September 27, 2024 a snippet of the instrumental to Neff-U's early version of "Hollywood Tonight" that later inspired Teddy Riley's final mix leaked through the 3rd and 4th episode of Damien Shields' Faking Michael podcast.[5]
The demo produced by Buxer features Michael coming up with ideas and mumbling some of the lyrics. This demo would go on to be re-used for the Michael album rework and it is unknown why the producers didn't decide to work with a later version instead. Additionally, this version also features the infamous "because she's only fifteen" lyric, which was removed from the released incarnation of "Hollywood Tonight".
The production for Neff-U's demo features elements from both the original demo and such that would later appear in the final version. Additionally, as the title "Rock Mix" suggests, it also includes elements of rock, replacing the bridge with a guitar solo.
The other mix by Neff-U is much more similar to that of Teddy Riley's, although still unpolished. Most notably, it is missing the beatboxing and features different trumpet near the end of the chorus.
- Demo 1 - (
listen) - Demo 2 (Rock Mix) - ( listen)
- Demo 3 (snippet #1) - ( listen)
- Demo 3 (snippet #2) - ( listen)
- Demo 3 (snippet #2) - (
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
Lipstick in hand, Tahitian tanned in her painted-on jeans
She dreams of fame, she changed her name
To one that fits the movie screen
She's headed for the big time, that means
[Chorus]
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
It's true that you may never ever have that chance again
[Pre-Chorus]
That chance again, babe
[Verse 3]
Westbound Greyhound to Tinseltown to pursue her movie star dreams
And she's giving hot tricks to men just to get in
She was taught that that's not clean
She's headed for the big time, that means
[Chorus]
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
It's true that you may never ever have that chance again
[Pre-Chorus]
That chance again, babe
[Verse 3]
She gave up her life to follow her dreams (again, babe)
Left behind everything for the movie scene
Nothing more, she could want, she was determined to follow her plan
She wanted Hollywood, she wanted it bad
Now that she got her dream, she became a star
It all looked so good, but only good from afar
Imprisoned in every paparazzi's camera, every guy wished they could
Now, it's back to reality for Miss Hollywood
[Pre-Chorus]
Lipstick in hand, Tahitian tanned in her painted-on jeans
She dreams of fame, she changed her name
To one that fits the movie screen
She's headed for the big time, that means
[Chorus]
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
It's true that you may never ever have that chance again
[Pre-Chorus]
That chance again, babe
You know it, baby
[Refrain]
Westbound Greyhound to Tinseltown
To pursue her movie star dreams (that chance again, babe)
She's Hollywood, she's Hollywood
Westbound Greyhound to Tinseltown
To pursue her movie star dreams (that chance again, babe)
She's Hollywood, she's Hollywood
You know it, baby
Westbound Greyhound to Tinseltown
To pursue her movie star dreams (again, babe)
She's Hollywood, she's Hollywood
Westbound Greyhound to Tinseltown
To pursue her movie star dreams (Again, babe)
She's Hollywood, she's Hollywood
[Outro]
She's Hollywood, she's Hollywood
Hollywood, she's Hollywood
Hollywood, she's Hollywood
She's Hollywood, she's Hollywood
Lipstick in hand, Tahitian tanned in her painted-on jeans
She dreams of fame, she changed her name
To one that fits the movie screen
She's headed for the big time, that means
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
It's true that you may never ever have that chance again
That chance again, babe
Westbound Greyhound to Tinseltown to pursue her movie star dreams
And she's giving hot tricks to men just to get in
She was taught that that's not clean
Because she's only 15
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
It's true that you may never ever have that chance again
That chance again, babe
You know it, baby (aaow!)
That chance again, babe
(Bridge. You can keep the looped drum going here)
Aaaaaah, oooooooh
Oooooh, oh, baby
Aaaaaah, aaaaaah, aaaaaah
Oooooh
Lipstick in hand, deh-deh-deh
Dun-dun-do-do-duh-doh
Do-deh, dun-do-do-deh-doh-deh-deh
Deh-dah-dah-dah-deh
She's headed for the big time, that means
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
She's going Hollywood, she's going Hollywood tonight
It's true that you may never ever have that chance again
That chance again, babe
You know it, baby (aaow!)
That chance again, babe (Hoo!)
Gallery[]
Physical copies[]
![CD back cover[6]](/wiki/File:Hollywoodbackcover.jpg "Hollywoodbackcover.jpg (178 KB)")
![CD[6]](/wiki/File:Hollywoodcd.jpg "Hollywoodcd.jpg (93 KB)")
Other[]
Trivia[]
Michael's notes for "Hollywood Tonight"
- Michael used "Hollywood" as a shorthand for this song in his notebook, as seen both to the right and in the Michael album documentary. It's often wrongly assumed "Hollywood" is another unreleased song, but this is completely false.
- After being shown "Hollywood Tonight" by Michael Prince, Teddy said: "Finally, something I know is Michael." This is most definitely referring to Teddy's concerns regarding the authenticity of the vocals on "Breaking News" and "Monster", two of Eddie Cascio's controversial songs featured on the Michael album that Riley worked on.[4]
References[]
- ↑ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/inside-michael-jacksons-h_b_834857
- ↑ https://x.com/DamienShields/status/1580952841497477120
- ↑ https://www.mjjcommunity.com/threads/lets-end-the-confusion-about-mjs-unreleased-tracks-here.144361/post-4673265
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 https://youtu.be/HHZNvmjz614?si=ZaNDfDuNQDFXc34S
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-4-listening-session/id1434372710?i=1000670930794
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 https://www.discogs.com/master/331027-Michael-Jackson-Hollywood-Tonight/image/SW1hZ2U6NTEwODYwNw==