"Man in Black" (also known as "Men in Black") is an unreleased song written and produced by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson intended for the Decade and Dangerous albums. A low-quality recording of the track from Brad Sundberg's seminars leaked online on September 9, 2020. (
listen)
Background[]
"Man in Black" was made with Bryan Loren and recorded in 1989 at Larrabee Sound Studios. Jackson came up with the idea after hearing of a Steven Spielberg film project, Men in Black, being in the works. According to Loren, a more finished version exists.[1] The track, however, was completely dropped after Teddy Riley joined production.[2]
On page 446 of Joe Vogel's book, Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson, he mentioned that "Man in Black" first surfaced on a promo acetate CD for Decade, meaning that the song was most likely intended for the canceled greatest-hits album.[2]
| “ | "Man in Black" has been the subject of speculation and interest among fans since it first surfaced on a promo acetate CD for Decade--the greatest-hits collection that never materialized. Jackson worked on the sleek, catchy rhythm track with Bryan Loren in 1989, but dropped it when Teddy Riley came on board in 1990. | ” |
–Joe Vogel in his book, Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson[3] | ||
Lyrics[]
[Chorus]
Soon the man, he gonna need ya
Use the method right now
Gonna do it, today we're gonna kill him
When nobody seem to know how
Man in black, they no better
Call the prosecutor right now
Gotta find the man, gonna kill him
But nobody seem to know how
[Interlude]
[Chorus]
Soon the man, he gonna need ya
Use the method right now
Gonna do it, today we're gonna kill him
When nobody seem to know how
Man in black, they no better
Call the prosecutor right now
Gotta find the man, gonna kill him
But nobody seem to know how
[Bridge]
But the man in black
They say that the man in black
I want the man
They want the man
But the man in black
They say that the man in black
I want the man
They want the man
But the man in black
They say that the man in black
I want the man
They want the man
But the man in black
They say that the man in black
I want the man
They want the man, they want the man
[Chorus]
Soon the man, he gonna need ya
Use the method right now
Gonna do it, today we're gonna kill him
When nobody seem to know how
Man in black, they no better
Soon the man, he gonna need ya
Use the method right now
Gonna do it, today we're gonna kill him
When nobody seem to know how
Black, they no better
Call the prosecutor right now
Gotta find the man, gonna kill him
But nobody seem to know how
[Bridge]
But the man in black
They say that the man in black
I want the man
They want the man
But the man in black
They say that the man in black
I want the man
They want the man, they want the man
[Chorus]
Soon the man, he gonna need ya
Use the method right now
Gonna do it, today we're gonna kill him
When nobody seem to know how
Man in black, they no better
Call the prosecutor right now
Gotta find the man, gonna kill him
But nobody seem to know how
[Bridge]
But, but the man in black
They say that the man in black
I want the man
They want the man
But the man in black
They say that the man in black
I want the man
They want the man, they want the man
[Chorus]
Soon the man, he gonna need ya
Use the method right now
Gonna do it, today we're gonna kill him
When nobody seem to know how
Man in black, they no better
Call the prosecutor right now
Gotta find the man, gonna kill him
But nobody seem to know how
[Bridge]
But the man in black
They say that the man in black
But nobody seem to know how
But the man in black
They say that the man in black
Gonna use the men, gotta kill 'em
When nobody seem to know
I want the man
They want the men
I want the man, I want the man
They want the man, they want the man
I want the man
They want the man (Soon the men, they gonna)
I want the man, I want the man
They want the man, they want the man
[Outro]
(Soon the men, they gonna need ya)
I want the man
They want the man
I want the man, I want the man
They want the man, they want the man
(Gotta do the method right now)
I want the man
They want the man
(Gonna use the men, gotta kill 'em)
I want the man
They want the man, they want the man, they want the man
I want the man, I want the man
They want the man, they want the man
I want the men, they want the men
(When nobody seem to know how)
But the man in black
They say that the men in black
I want the man
They want the man
But the man in black
They say that the man in black
I want the men
They want the man
Trivia[]
- On March 26, 2025, a supposed HQ leak of "Man in Black" began spreading online alongside an unconfirmed HQ 1987 demo of "Streetwalker". This caused a ton of discourse within the fan community, as people began fighting over whether it was real or not. The authenticity of both leaks is still unconfirmed.[4]
- A fake rumor used to surface that "Man in Black" was a part of a rare Dangerous promo CD shared among the Sony Music executives right before the album's release in November 1991. This is obviously false, as none of the Loren tracks were even considered for the record, and the track was unfinished.
References[]
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20180702173255/https://onmjfootsteps.com/archives/2016/09/27/34369723.html
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://books.google.pl/books?id=9fR8DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA444&lpg=PA444&dq=Jackson+wrote+and+recorded+%E2%80%9CTurning+Me+Off%E2%80%9D+during+the+Hayvenhurst+sessions+in+early+1986.+He+worked&source=bl&ots=4YJ8RykQDv&sig=ACfU3U2sR_ud9A6t-hgohcD5i_sVc2L8ZQ&hl=pl&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjHpZi865D_AhUvAxAIHaUNAIgQ6AF6BAg-EAI#v=onepage&q=Jackson%20wrote%20and%20recorded%20%E2%80%9CTurning%20Me%20Off%E2%80%9D%20during%20the%20Hayvenhurst%20sessions%20in%20early%201986.%20He%20worked&f=false
- ↑ https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Man_in_the_Music/9fR8DwAAQBAJ?hl=pl&gbpv=1&dq=%22Man+in+Black%22+has+been+the+subject+of+speculation+and+interest+in+among+fans+since+it+first+surfaced+on+a+promo+acetate+CD+for+Decade&pg=PA446&printsec=frontcover
- ↑ Michael Jackson - Men In Black (Demo) [HQ Recreation]