"Torture" is a song by American pop band The Jacksons released as the first track from the Victory album. It was released as a single on August 16, 1984, serving as the second single from the album.
Background[]
"Torture" was written in November 1983 by Jackie Jackson, with Motown writer Kathy Wakefield helping the former in the writing.[1][2] It was also one of the songs presented to Epic Records executive Larkin Arnold at a meeting held at Epic's headquarters to select the initial tracklist. Originally, Jackie was gonna record the vocals along with Michael.[3] However, Jermaine Jackson sang vocals in Jackie's place instead for two reasons. The first is Epic's case, they felt that a Michael-Jermaine duet would appeal to the general public, especially to those who were nostalgic for the Motown years.[4] The second is Jermaine's case, he didn't know if Jackie would be fully involved with Victory until the last minute.[3]
Production[]
Randy Jackson, one of the members, helped out with keyboards and percussion, accompanying Jeff Porcaro's drums, which in turn created a white-hot rhythm. Synthesizer overdubs were laid over Jeff's drum track. John Barnes used the Fairlight synthesizer to create and distill some unusual sounds, like the cracking of whips and shrieks that reinforced the single's fantasy atmosphere. Bill Bottrell, who was working with Michael at the time, called on Jerry Hey, the king of brass, to play the short motif that appears at the end of the chorus, among other places.[4]
Music video[]
The song's lyrics describe the end of a romantic relationship nearing, and how "torture" describes the feelings of love when a break-up is looming. On occasion, the video appears to resemble a horror movie.
This video marked the choreography debut in a music video by Paula Abdul, who would enjoy a highly successful singing career by 1989 and in the early 1990s, and later serve as a judge on American Idol. Abdul would also provide choreography in the 1986 music video "Nasty", a single by Michael's youngest sister, Janet Jackson.
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
It was on a street so evil
So bad that even Hell disowned it
Every single step was trouble
For the fool who stumbled on it
Eyes within the dark were watching
I felt the sudden chill of danger
Something told me, "Keep on walkin'"
Told me I should not have come there
[Chorus:]
Baby, 'cause you cut me like a knife
Without your love in my life
Alone, I walk in the night
'Cause I just can't stop this feelin'
It's torture
It's torture
It's torture
[Verse 2]
She was up a stair to nowhere
A room forever I'll remember
She stared as though I should have known her
Tell me, what's your pain or pleasure?
Every little thing you find here is simply for the thrill you're after
Loneliness or hearts of fire
I am here to serve all masters
[Chorus]
She said reality is a knife
When there's no love in your life
And merciful is the night when you just can't stop this feelin'
It's torture
It's torture
It's torture
[Bridge]
And I still can't find the meaning, no (No, no)
Of the face I keep on seeing
Was she real, or am I dreaming?
Did the sound of your name turn a wheel, start the flame in me?
(Hoo, hoo!)
[Guitar Solo]
(Hee, hee!)
[Chorus]
Baby, 'cause you cut me like a knife
Without your love in my life
Alone, I walk in the night
'Cause I just can't stop this feelin'
It's torture, it's torture, it's torture
[Outro]
When you call my name
(It's torture)
It's heading 'round the flame
(It's torture)
When you call my name
(It's torture)
Hey
(It's torture, it's torture, it's torture)
When you call my name
(It's torture)
Yeah, we would have planned
(It's torture)
We gonna need
(It's torture)
Hey
Trivia[]
- Despite Michael contributing vocals to "Torture", he never appeared in the music video, but instead was substituted with wax dummies with no eyes as stand-ins.
References[]
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture_(The_Jacksons_song)
- ↑ https://www.newslibrary.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_sort=YMD_date%3AD&p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_text_direct-0=0EB297FAA88A8B2C&p_topdoc=1&p_theme=realcities&s_trackval=GooglePM&p_perpage=10
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Michael Jackson: For The Record
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://books.google.ca/books?id=CbVgDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT563&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false