"She's Out of My Life" is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released as the seventh track from the Off the Wall album. It was released as a single on April 1, 1980, serving as the fourth single from the album. "She's Out of My Life" was later released as a B-side to the "Gone Too Soon" single, alongside "Human Nature" and "Thriller".
An acoustic guitar + vocals demo was released as the seventeenth track from the posthumous album, Michael Jackson's This Is It.
Background[]
"She's Out of My Life" was written by Tom Bahler and produced by Quincy Jones. It was recorded between December 1978–June 1979.
Jones intended "She's Out of My Life" for Frank Sinatra. However, he wanted Jackson to record material with more mature themes and "feel the full range of his voice," so he brought the song to Jackson's attention.
| “ | "She's Out of My Life", I'd been carrying around for about three years – you can feel the pain in it, you know. And I held on to it and finally something said 'this is the right moment to give it to Michael'. And when we recorded it with Michael, I know it was an experience he'd never even thought about to sing in a song, 'cause it's a very mature emotion. And he cried at the end of every take, you know. We recorded about – I don't know – 8–11 takes, and every one at the end, he just cried, and I said 'hey – that's supposed to be, leave it on there.' |
” |
–Jones on "She's Out of My Life"[1] | ||
| “ | "She's Out of My Life" is about knowing that the barriers that have separated me from others are temptingly low and seemingly easy to jump over and yet they remain standing while what I really desire disappears from my sight. Tom Bahler composed a beautiful bridge, which seemed right out of an old Broadway musical. In reality, such problems are not so easily resolved and the song presents this fact, that the problem is not overcome. | ” |
Music video[]
The music video, directed by Bruce Gowers, who also directed the music video for "Rock with You", uses a split screen technique to simultaneously show Jackson from two different angles during the second and third verses.
Live performances[]
"She's Out of Life" was first performed during The Jacksons' Triumph and Victory Tours. It was also performed during Jackson's Bad and Dangerous World Tours. The track was later performed at the Royal Brunei concert, which turned out to be the final live performance.
"She's Out of My Life" was rehearsed for the HIStory World Tour, but it was removed from the setlist just before the tour began. it was also rehearsed as a duet with a female backup vocalist for the first MJ & Friends charity concert in Seoul, South Korea, but cancelled for the final performance, which took place ten years to the day before Jackson's death.
During the "She's Out of My Life" performances, Jackson would replace the line "it's out of my hands" with "it's...can I come down there?" He'd then bring a female audience member up on stage with him while performing. Just before concluding the track by singing the final word "life", Jackson would often pause briefly to physically display distress, which he amplified by shielding his face and acting as if he were crying. He'd also do that gesture near the end of "I'll Be There" during the Jackson 5 Medley.
Audio[]
Lyrics[]
[Chorus]
She's out of my life
She's out of my life
And I don't know whether to laugh or cry
I don't know whether to live or die
And it cuts like a knife
She's out of my life
[Verse]
It's out of my hands
It's out of my hands
To think for two years, she was here
And I took her for granted, I was so cavalier
Now, the way that it stands
She's out of my hands
[Bridge]
So, I've learned that love's not possession
And I've learned that love won't wait
Now, I've learned that love needs expression
But, I've learned too late
[Chorus]
And she's out of my life
She's out of my life
Damned indecision and cursed pride
Kept my love for her locked deep inside!
And it cuts like a knife
She's out of my life
[Intro]
Do it one more time. I sung the wrong lyrics
[Chorus]
She's out of my life
She's out of my life
I don't know whether to laugh or cry
I don't know whether to live or die
And it cuts like a knife
She's out of my life
Verse]
It's out of my hands
It's out of my hands
To think for two years, she was here
And I took her for granted, I was so cavalier
Now, the way that it stands
She's out of my hands
[Bridge]
So, I've learned that love's not possession
And I've learned that love won't wait
Now, I've learned, love needs expression
But, I've learned too late
[Chorus]
And she's out of my life
She's out of my life
Damned indecision and cursed pride
Kept my love for her locked deep inside
And it cuts like a knife
She's out of my life
Gallery[]
![Vinyl back cover[3]](/wiki/File:Soomlvinylback.jpg "Soomlvinylback.jpg (98 KB)")
![Vinyl[3]](/wiki/File:Soomlvinyl.jpg "Soomlvinyl.jpg (63 KB)")
Trivia[]
- It has been claimed that Bahler wrote "She's Out of My Life" about Karen Carpenter, whom he briefly dated. However, he stated:
| “ | The fact is, I had already written that song by the time Karen and I became romantic. That song was written more about Rhonda Rivera... Rhonda and I had been together for two years, and it was after we broke up that I started dating Karen. | ” |
–Bahler on the origins of "She's Out of My Life"[4] | ||