"State of Shock" is a song by American pop band The Jacksons, released as the fifth track from the Victory album. It was released as a single on June 18, 1984, serving as the second single from the album. Michael Jackson and the guest feature, Mick Jagger from The Rolling Stones, provide lead vocals.
Background[]
"State of Shock" was written by Michael and Randy Hansen. It was initially recorded at Hayvenhurst as a duet with the lead singer of Queen, Freddie Mercury in August 1983. The demo features David Williams on guitar and bass, a Linn LM-1 drum machine, and Michael "banging on the drum in a closet" during the recording sessions, as per Bill Bottrell (who mixed the track).[1][2] As per Mercury's then-personal assistant Peter Freestone, "State of Shock" was already recorded, and Mercury simply added a second vocal to it.[3] Unfortunately, due to conflicting commitments, and issues with CBS/Epic Records, Mercury and Jackson never finished the material they worked on together.
| “ | Yeah, well, CBS/EPIC had someone else in mind - someone under their contract.
MJ was a good soldier then and went along, but the song and record suffered under the committee's stupidity. |
” |
–Bill Bottrell, X, June 11, 2025[4] | ||
Jackson eventually completed the song with Jagger in 1984. This version kept the basic tracks from the original 16-track demo - the duet version with Mercury - overdubbing vocals and percussion.[5]
Audio[]
On July 7, 2002, a demo of "State of Shock" by Jackson and Mercury leaked online alongside a one-take recording of "There Must Be More to Life Than This", another song the two recorded. It is a more skeletal version of what was released, missing many percussion elements. It is also in a lower key (slightly different speed) than the final release.
- Demo (Freddie Mercury duet) - (
listen)
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
Yeah, come on, baby
[Verse 1]
You gotta be mine
'Cause you're so fine
I like your style
It makes me wild
You take it to me good
You like it, know you should
You get me on my knees
Well, please, baby, please
[Chorus]
Listen
She looks so great every time I see her face
She put me in a state, a state of shock
[Interlude]
Oh, do it
Come on, baby
Come on, baby
Come on, baby
[Verse 2]
She put me on my knees
Please, baby, please
I know you like to tease
Please, baby, please
You take it to me good
You like it, know you should
I love the way you walk
And talk, baby, talk
[Chorus]
Listen
She looks so great every time I see her face
She put me in a state, a state of shock
[Bridge]
She put me, state of shock
Come on, dear, no, come over here
Talk, talk to me, state of shock
State of shock
You put me in
You know I really love you, baby
State of shock
You know I really want you, mama
[Verse 3]
You got me paralyzed
You got me paralyzed
You got me catatonic
You got me catatonic, baby
State of shock
You got me supersonic
You got me supersonic, baby
Baby, try, you know I'm deep fried
[Outro]
State of shock
Yeah, look what you've done to me
Look what you done to me
Look what you done to me
Yeah, I can hardly move
State of shock
You know I need mouth to mouth resuscitation
Come on, baby
You know I really love you, baby
State of shock
You know I really want you for me
Yeah, baby, yeah, baby
Just look at me, look at me
State of shock
You drive me
You got me, you got me
You got me in a state of shock
Look at that, look at me
Look at me, look at me
Look at me, oh, look at me
[Verse 1]
Gotta be mine
'Cause you're so fine
I like your style
It makes me wild
You give it to me good
Just like I know you should
Get me on my knees
Please, baby, please
[Interlude]
Listen, yeah
[Chorus]
You look so great, every time I see your face
You put me in a state, a state of shock
[Verse 2]
You put me on my knees
Please, baby, please
I know you like to tease
Please, baby, please
So give it to me good
Like you know you should
I love the way you walk
And talk, baby, talk
[Interlude]
Listen
[Chorus]
You look so great, every time I see her face
She put me in a state, a state of shock
[Ad-libs]
[Outro]
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Trivia[]
- 'Weird Al' Yankovic parodied a part of the song in his song, "Hooked on Polkas" for his album, Dare to Be Stupid.[6]
References[]
- ↑ Bill Bottrell on X: "@onir_mj @SmoothMel7 Never heard of him. MJ told me David Williams played guitar at Hayvenhurst on the Freddy version." / X
- ↑ Bill Bottrell on X: "@SmoothMel7 @onir_mj That's gotta be the answer. It was MJ, Freddie, and David Williams at the house, that's it. MJ even banged on the drum in a closet!" / X
- ↑ Montreuxmusic - Michael by Peter
- ↑ [https://x.com/BillBottrell/status/1932870988162814114 Bill Bottrell on X: "@Music_and_Moi @JacksonFan3000 @michaeljackson Yeah, well, CBS/EPIC had someone else in mind - someone under their contract. MJ was a good soldier then and went along, but the song and record suffered under the committee's stupidity." / X]
- ↑ Victory 1984 CD liner notes
- ↑ Hooked On Polkas - song and lyrics by "Weird Al" Yankovic | Spotify