Is Scream by Janet and Michael Jackson brilliant?

[Custard]

Because I think it might be. A reet banger, as the Geordie gentlefolk may say

I'd even go so far as to say it's the last great record he was involved in. Her too, probably

It proper bangs, and I love that weird little interlude where it goes all airy fairy before coming back to banger

Their voices blend beautifully together, and they dance like troopers. Yer da would be proud

Really sums up the frustration of a tough Monday morning at the office

https://youtu.be/0P4A1K4lXDo

[DrGreggles]

I think "brilliant" might be pushing it, but it's less shit than most of Jacko's later* stuff.

_{*after Thriller}

[BlodwynPig]

I rank the main Jackson's as follows:

1. Janet
2. LaToya
...

...
Last. Michael

Perhaps because Michael's best loved tunes are over-exposed, but they lack any subtlety. LaToya's hip-house phase was fun and groovy, while Janet reigns in all departments.

With all the Jacko aesthetics, but twice the quality and depth - The Pleasure Principle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-gu1KETjVY

[El Unicornio, mang]

It's not bad. Is it the only Michael Jackson song to feature the f-word? (four times, no less)

[Sonny_Jim]

The production seems way more distorted than I remember it at the time, but maybe my ears have changed.  Also I can't see MJ without thinking of Mr Jefferson from South Park.

[peanutbutter]

Don't get anything from Scream I cant get far better from solo Janet.; it's not great but I think it's been thrown into the bin a bit more than it deserves on account of how it was ultimately a flop (beyond MASSIVELY influencing pop music videos for about a decade of singers performing in awful CGI spaceship things).

I'm 30, I basically had no recollection of it from childhood and never heard it until I was about 20. I have fairly often played it to people around my age just to test if they'd ever heard of it and it's usually a no. It's kinda bizarre really.

[kngen]

I can vividly recall the line from one newspaper's pearl-clutching 'what is the world coming to?' expose the day it was due to be broadcast (on TOTP, perhaps ... or did it get one of those special Channel 4 presentations for 'important' pop moments'?):

'Janet makes an offensive gesture towards the camera while appearing to sit on a futuristic toilet.'

Total bollocks, of course, but didn't stop us tuning in to see this fantastical space lav. Turned out it was what Alan Partridge would call a Buck Rogers toilet only a couple of years later. MJ was head of the curve in that sense, I suppose.

[Golden E. Pump]

It's a great song, mainly because it's a Jam & Lewis joint with Janet Jackson, which more-often-than-not produces fine results. Michael was involved in the songwriting process too, but to my ears it sounds more of a Janet song. Janet would still be making great records in the mid-nineties (The Velvet Rope that follows this is excellent), but HIStory: Book One's second disc was patchy at best and I think Michael's output would be downhill from here onwards. He was unable to liberate himself from the scandals and the paranoia and his propensity for the infantile and it neutered his ability to write accessible pop songs.

[Kankurette]

Yes, it is a banger, not least because of Janet.

[Magnum Valentino]

It's not bad. Is it the only Michael Jackson song to feature the f-word? (four times, no less)

He only says it once, which I think really heightens its impact than if it was in every chorus.

I love it. Years ago I wanted to use it to start a thread on here for recommendations for similarly abrasive pop songs.

Also the wee shots from Akira in the video really appealed to the nerdy kid in me who couldn't believe this thing he loved existed outside the small circle of friends who'd seen it at school after the BBC tape was circulated.

[El Unicornio, mang]

He only says it once, which I think really heightens its impact than if it was in every chorus.

Says it 4 times on the lyric sheet! Maybe different album version?

[Magnum Valentino]

Could be on the original recalled version but I've never once seen it mentioned. Tend to go by listening to the song and not looking up lyric sheets like a sodding great swot, mm hm, apple for teacher is it, nice shiny shoes El Unicornio, enjoy READING music do you sounds like it mate sounds like it

[crankshaft]

Because I think it might be. A reet banger, as the Geordie gentlefolk may say
I'd even go so far as to say it's the last great record he was involved in. Her too, probably

I like Scream an awful lot. It's quite close in tone to "Rhythm Nation" but not quite as tuneful, but that's not necessarily a criticism.

I'd say it's not quite the last great record either would make because Michael still has "Stranger In Moscow" up his sleeve, and Janet's next single is the wonderful confection that is "Runaway".

[BlodwynPig]

Michael should cut out the whooping and grunting, but its still not a classic. What year was this?

[peanutbutter]

I like Scream an awful lot. It's quite close in tone to "Rhythm Nation" but not quite as tuneful, but that's not necessarily a criticism.

I'd say it's not quite the last great record either would make because Michael still has "Stranger In Moscow" up his sleeve, and Janet's next single is the wonderful confection that is "Runaway".

and every single from the Velvet Rope? The 2001 album has some good singles too, I think.

[Chicory]

Seven squillion dollars spent on the video, seven minutes spent on the song.

[Goldentony]

ANOTHER JAM AND LEWIS MASTERPIECE

[crankshaft]

and every single from the Velvet Rope? The 2001 album has some good singles too, I think.

I like The Velvet Rope as an album but I don't rate its singles as highly as her previous efforts. "All For You" is good fun too.

[TheMonk]

Nah. Load of bollocks.

[madhair60]

It's great like basically all Michael Jackson songs, actions and proclivities

[Sebastian Cobb]

_{*after Thriller}

Think you mean Bad there chief.

[Goldentony]

he was having belters up til Dangerous and singles wise up til Stranger In Moscow, lets not fuckarse about here

[DrGreggles]

Think you mean Bad there chief.

Bad and Dangerous do absolutely nothing for me.

[Magnum Valentino]

Not even Popcorn's remix of Smooth Criminal?

Popcorn! From here!

[mrpupkin]

Scream is good, Stranger in Moscow is good, Blood on the Dancefloor is good, the first three songs on Invincible are even good. A few others. Vastly outnumbered by unwanted bum logs though, post-Dangerous.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Bad has Man in the Mirror and Smooth Criminal though.

[Magnum Valentino]

Also absolutely love 2 Bad from History. It's a minor percussive force of nature.

I'm glad so many of you like Stranger in Moscow, I love that song.

[daf]

In the Stranger in Moscow ballpark, from 'Invincible' : Don't Walk Away

Also like this one from the posthumous album 'Michael' - 'Best of Joy'

[PaulTMA]

Stranger In Moscow is a much better song about feeling sad because loads of people think you're a massive nonce

[TheMonk]

.