From bad to dangerous: The saga of MJ

Alright, so today, I'm going to attempt to review my very favorite album of all time, Michael Jackson's 1991 Dangerous, without being overly biased. This is a daunting task, so please excuse me if I "fanboy" during this review at any given time.

In 1991, the world had a very different opinion of MJ than their opinion of him now (or, better yet, the last few years of his life). In 1991, MJ was known as being rather quirky and eccentric (Elephant Man's bones and the oxygen chamber he was rumored to sleep in, anyone?) in the late '80's. While the two events I just told you about were planted into the press by Michael himself, the fact that he did plant those stories himself further proves the man was a little odd.  Also, him having Vitiligo (which is a skin disease, causing pigment in the skin to lighten) didn't help his "weirdness" case much. So, while almost everyone thought he was a bit of a nutcase, or at least a little eccentric, he was still the biggest star in the music biz in the '80's/early '90's. And in the tail-end of his heyday, he released what is (in my opinion) the best album of his career, Dangerous, which featured a different producer than whom he had previously worked with, Teddy Riley, a producer who helped change MJ's sound from soul/pop sound to a more hip-hop feel (with pop elements still blended in), AKA "jack swing".

So, this review is going to be in a style in which I usually write, despite my general hatred for it: song-by-song analysis. It usually takes MUCH longer to type, but I feel this is the only way this excellent album can be described: each individual song spoken about.

(If you do not wish to read through each song description, please skip down to the bottom.)

1. Jam

 Nation to nation, all the world must get together
Face the problems that we see
And maybe we can work it out...


As soon as you pop this disk in, you hear the sound of shattering glass, and sampled of voices saying "jam", before giving way to a very '90's-esque hip-hop beat. This tune gives us an idea as to what to expect throughout the album: more "socially conscious" lyrics, usually sung over a new (at the time, anyway) funky beat. This song is actually really fun to listen to and sing along with, especially it's chorus, which goes as follows: "Go with it / Go with it / Jam! / It ain't too much stuff / It ain't too much / It ain't too much for me to jam," repeated twice. Rapper Heavy D makes a guest appearance, adding to the new sound MJ wanted in his music here. Overall, it's a catchy song, even if it can drag on a bit too long when you're not in the mood to listen to it (a problem that plagues a good portion of the songs here, actually).

2. Why You Wanna Trip On Me

We've got drug addiction
In the minds of the weak
We've got so much corruption
Police brutality...


If you're not a HUGE Michael Jackson fan like myself, then chances are pretty high that you've never heard this song before. It's one of only two songs here not penned by Jackson - this song's lyricists being producer Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle (whoever the Hell THAT is). It pretty much follows the same formula that "Jam" did, which may or may not be a good thing. "Jam" was a good song, yes, but the same idea of "let's join together and heal the world" DOES get admittedly tired after two straight songs about it. But, that doesn't necessarily make it a bad song. There are some great points brought up here, such as awareness for the AIDs epidemic (which was extremely bad in 1991), world hunger, etc. And the vocals in the chorus are outstanding. But does this album really need this song? No, not really. But that is proof that even when MJ is bad, he's good (seeing as I do like this song, I just don't love it).

3. In The Closet

One thing in life you must understand
The truth of lust, woman to man
So open the door and you will see
There are no secrets, make your move
Set me free...

Ah, this is where the album gets really interesting. Easily in what is the sexiest song of his career, MJ gives us a song about a woman cheating on her husband with him, and how they must keep this affair "in the closet". Lyrics like "And if it aches, you have to rub it" make this song extremely sensual, but that's not a bad thing AT ALL. Easily one of the best tracks here, this is a unique tale about the "truth of lust". While certain lines like "Just promise me / Whatever we say / Whatever we do / Let's make a vow / For now/ To just... keep it in the closet" seem creepy now, seeing as this song was released a mere two years before Jackson was sent on trial for molestation charges, this song is easily the best song on the first half of the album. It's songs like THIS that make this my favorite album of all-time.

4. She Drives Me Wild

She got the look, she's so fine
nd you know damn well the girl will be mine
She got the breaks, she's a scene
And you know damn well she gives it to me...


With a musical soundscape of beeping car horns, and a once again hip-hop/"jack swing" beat, we set to sail with a rather playful song, which is about a rather lightweight topic - a woman Jackson finds enticing, and thus, she "drives him wild". At first, I hated this song. I really did. But after a while, it really started to grow on me, and now it's one of my favorite songs here. It's one of the shortest tracks here, running at just over 3 1/2 minutes, and is a catchy song that I'm surprised was no released as a single way back when.

5. Remember The Time

Do you remember back in the Fall 
We'd be together all day long
Do you remember us holding hands
In each others' eyes we'd stare...


Ah, yes. The second single released from this album, with it's video that's more memorable than than the song itself, with it's Egyptian theme. You can hear the desperation in Jackson's voice as he pleads with a girl, asking her if she "remembers the time". It doesn't stick out to me as much, as, oh say, "Jam", "She Drives Me Wild", "In The Closet", "Dangerous", or "Heal The World", but it's still a pretty damn good song, even if it isn't as immediate as one would like. It made for a pretty good choice for a single, however.

6. Can't Let Her Get Away

I try so hard to love you
Some things take time and shame
I think the whole world of you
Your thoughts of me remain...

Okay. As tough as I have been on the sings leading up to this point, I love all of them. But this... this is perhaps the only song not deserving of being here. It's cheesy at best, and by this point, you're ready to hear something other than the early '90's-influenced "jack swing" style Jacko has been employing heavily on this album. Also, the repetition of "I can't let her get away" throughout this song's duration doesn't help much. It's nothing more than wasted space, sadly.

7. Heal The World
  
And the dream we were conceived in will reveal a joyful face
And the world we once believed in will shine again in grace
Then why do we keep strangling life, wound this Earth, crucify its soul
Though it's plain to see this world is heavenly
Be God's glow... 

Here we are, at the center of the album, with what is my favorite song of MJ's. Heck, this is my favorite song, period. Everything about this song is just... perfect. It's structure, the vocals, the lyrics, the music, everything.It starts out with a light piano intro, with the sound of a little girl talking, speaking about how we should make the world a better place, for our children, grandchildren, etc. It really opens up the song nicely, giving it a light, friendly feel. The chorus is nothing short of anthemic, and it's catchy as Hell, too. Some people write this song off as a cheap, cheesy version of "We Are The World", but I beg to differ. This one features Jackson at his very best vocally and musically here, making this the standout track on the album, for me, anyway.

8. Black or White

I am tired of this devil, I'm tired of this stuff, I am tired of this business
Sew when the going gets rough
I ain't scared of your brother, I ain't scared of no sheets
I ain't scared of nobody
Girl, when the goin' gets mean...

And here we have what was the first single released from this album. The controversial music video for this song, which had a record-setting audience for it's debut in late 1991 sparked immediate interest in this album (the original music video was about 7 minutes long, featuring Jacko vandalizing a car, grabbing his crotch, pretending to masturbate, etc. The video was then edited, cutting that out. The original music video is now referred to as the "panther video", because at the end of the original video, MJ turned into a panther), causing high sales in its first week of release. It's actually a REALLY catchy song, calling for equality within all races. 

9. Who Is It

I am the damned, I am the dead
I am the agony inside the dying head
This is injustice, woe unto thee
I pray this punishment would have mercy on me...


Perhaps this is the most underrated cut on the album. It's a song that hints at the paranoia that was prevalent in Jackson's previous two albums - Thriller and Bad. This song finds him searching for answers, as he realizes his girlfriend has left him, asking the inevitable question, "Who is it?" It's not as immediate as some of the other cuts here, but it's an epic song once you let it sink in, and it's internal beauty shines through.

10. Give In To Me

Love is a feeling
I'll give it when I want it
'Cause I'm on fire
Quench My Desire...

And here we have the token rock song, with legendary guitarist Slash showing up to do a cameo guitar solo (he also appeared in the intro of "Black or White"). This shows Jackson being the most brutal, with rather demanding lyrics (for him, anyway), talking to a girl, telling her that "he's on fire", and for her to "give in to him". While it's (sadly) not as popular as his other takes on the rock genre - "Beat It" and "Dirty Diana", respectively - it is perhaps the best song out of those three. MJ is very passionate in his vocals here, and you can tell the song means a lot to him. It shines here because it shows an attitude that we don't get to see much otherwise on this album, with that album being nothing more than Jackson being a bad ass, and not caring anything about what others think.

11. Will You Be There

Everyone's taking control of me
Seems that the world's got a role for me
I'm so confused, will you show it to me
You'll be there for me, and care enough to bear me...

Didn't Skillet have a song titled "Will You Be There" at track 11 on their Alien Youth album? No matter. This song is the strongest ballad in the back-half of the disk, being an inspirational song, asking the question of "will you be there to hold me when I fall?" and the like. It's a beautiful song, albeit the 1 1/2 minute intro does drag it down some, pushing the song to a very lengthy 7:40 running time. It's a good track nevertheless, and it's even better live (you can check it out on his live concert DVD of the Dangerous tour). Perhaps what is my favorite aspect of the song is the spoken outro at the end, with Jackson saying, and I quote: "In our darkest hour, in my deepest despair... will you still care? Will you be there? In my trials and my tribulations, through our doubts, and frustrations, in my violence and turbulence, through my fear and my confessions, in my anguish and my pain, through my joy and sorrow, in the promise of another tomorrow, I'll never let you part... for you're always in my heart." It's very touching, actually, although I could do without the crocodile tears as he says this.

12. Keep The Faith

If you call out loud
Will it get inside
Through the heart of your surrender
To your alibis...

MJ goes gospel on us here, with a song that inspires to keep the faith, and if we do so, we could move a mountain with said faith, and the like. It's a good song, sure, but it can be a little cliche'. The chorus is pretty sound, musically, however, with it's interesting drum-and-percussion rhythm, and the bridge is pretty killer, with a gospel choir repeating "keep the faith" under Jackson's vocals, with all the sound dropping, except the drum machine (at least, I think that's what that is). But the song is too similar to "Man In The Mirror" for comfort, in my opinion. I can see why the song was placed on the album, with it working so well right after "Will You Be There", but the song itself can come across as filler.


13. Gone Too Soon

Shiny and sparkly
And splendidly right
Here one day
Gone one night...


This would be the other song that was not penned, or co-penned, by Mr. Jackson. It's an excellent vocal performance from the man, with a musical background that gives off the atmosphere of a faraway, Disney-esque wonder land, with the song topic being that of a serious one: death. This song is, in fact, dedicated to AIDs victim Ryan White. It's the shortest song here, running just under 3 1/2 minutes, which is a welcome break from some of the longer tracks from earlier in the album.

14. Dangerous


I never knew, but I was walking a line
She said, "come go with me"
I said, "I have no time"
She said, "don't you pretend we didn't talk on the phone"
My baby cried, and left me standing alone...

And last, but certainly not least, we have the title track for the album. This is probably the most epic title track from any MJ album (yes, including Thriller), with it's spoken, sexy verses, and it's catchy-as-Hell chorus. You can just sense the tension from the situation, with this strange, dangerous woman, as she hurt Jackson's "baby", and how he can't "sleep at night" because of this. It's the best way possible to end the disk, honestly. The chorus is perhaps the best part of the entire song, with it's exclamations of "the girl is dangerous!", with Jacko's signature "hee-hoo's!" in the background. The song doesn't get old, not once, in it's entirety: just at 7 minutes. Like I said, this is the single best MJ title track, and quite possibly the best album closer of his career, too.


... and there you have it. If an album can sell over 27 million copies worldwide, and still be underrated, this would be it. This was solid proof that the magic MJ put into his music easily carried over into the '90's. Sadly, however, this CD is often overshadowed by his three albums that were released earlier in his career: Bad, Off The Wall, and Thriller, specifically the latter. Honestly, there is only one song I wish was not here, being "Can't Let Her Get Away". And while there are certainly a couple "filler" tracks, the albums overall is mind-blowingly amazing, a true masterpiece. And this opinion isn't me just "fanboying", it's my purely objective view. So, even if you don't like MJ's '80's stuff, pick this one up. And if you've never checked out the music of Michael Jackson, I would highly suggest starting here. This is one of very fews albums in my musical collection that I truly could not live without. So, check out the music of MJ, as he was teetering on the edge of insanity, as this album was released a mere 2 years or so before his personal AND public life would be in smithereens, due to child molestation allegations. He was certainly bad, and he was also... dangerous.

5/5