Tabloid Junkie
"Tabloid Junkie" | |
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Song by Michael Jackson | |
from the album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I | |
Released | June 20, 1995 |
Recorded | 1994 |
Genre | Funk rock[1] |
Length | 4:32 |
Label | Epic |
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Licensed audio | |
"Tabloid Junkie" on YouTube | |
Audio sample | |
"Tabloid Junkie" |
"Tabloid Junkie" is a song performed by American recording artist Michael Jackson. The song appeared as the eleventh track on Jackson's ninth studio album, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, which was released in 1995 as a two-disc set. The song was written, composed, and produced by Michael Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
The song received generally positive reviews from music critics. "Tabloid Junkie" is a funk rock song,[1] with lyrics that pertain to media bias and negative coverage of rumors about Jackson and his personal life, similar to previous songs recorded by Jackson. "Tabloid Junkie" is the seventh song on HIStory to be aimed at the media.[2]
Background
Similarly to "
It was reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick ("the Elephant Man"); Jackson stated that the story was false.[4][5][6] These stories inspired the derogatory nickname "Wacko Jacko", which Jackson acquired the following year, and would come to despise. Jackson stopped leaking untrue stories to the press, so the media began making up their own.[7] In 1989, Jackson released the song and music video "Leave Me Alone", a song about his victimization at the hands of the press.[8] The video shows Jackson poking fun at both the press and himself.[9] In the video, there are newspapers with bizarre headlines, Jackson dancing with the bones of "the Elephant Man", and an animated nose with a scalpel chasing it across the screen.[9]
In August 1993, the relationship between Jackson and the press reached a boiling point when he was accused of child sexual abuse. Although never charged with a crime, Jackson was subject to intense media scrutiny while the criminal investigation took place. Complaints about the coverage included the media using sensational headlines to draw in readers and viewers when the content itself did not support the headline,
Composition
"Tabloid Junkie" is a funk rock song.[1] Throughout the song, Jackson sings in a quick-voice,[1] which some music critics viewed as Jackson "not singing" but "harrumphing".[16] It is a plea to the public to not believe everything in the tabloids; and the lyrics are about media bias and sensational journalism about Jackson and in general. This can be heard in lyrics such as, "Just because you read it in the magazine or see it on the TV screen don't make it factual".[16]
Jackson uses the song to criticize journalists, commenting "with your pen you torture men", describing how he was affected by the media coverage about him, and "speculate to break the one you hate", describing how reporters used sensational writing to mislead people and cast him in a negative view.[17]
"Tabloid Junkie" is played in the key of
Reception
"Tabloid Junkie" received primarily positive reviews from contemporary music critics. James Hunter, a writer for
David Browne, of Entertainment Weekly, noted that "Tabloid Junkie" comes as "close to transcendence as anywhere on the album" and described the chorus, "Just because you read it in the magazine or see it on the TV screen don't make it factual", as Jackson's "grabbiest, most driven refrain in years."[16] Although Browne praised the song, he commented, "The rest of the song, however, is mucked up with fake tabloid-TV snippets about his 'life', and on the verses Jackson's delivery is so terse (he's not singing, he's harrumphing) that his lyrics are all but obliterated. Handed a golden opportunity, he throws it all away—but then, it wouldn't be the first time."[16] Deepika Reedy, of The Daily Collegian, described the "rust in songs" like "Tabloid Junkie" as having a "raw aspect" that Jackson "hasn't approached since a near-miss with 'Billie Jean'."[19] Patrick Macdonald, of The Seattle Times, noted that "Tabloid Junkie" was a "disingenuous attack on sensational news stories" about Jackson, remarked that most of stories were "planted" by Jackson himself.[2]
Personnel
- Produced by Michael Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
- Recorded and mixed by Bruce Swedien
- Michael Jackson – lead and backing vocals, vocal and rhythmic arrangements
- Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – synthesizers and keyboards[20]
References
- ^ RollingStone.com. Wenner Media LLC. Archived from the originalon June 22, 2008. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ a b Patrick Macdonald (June 21, 1995). "'History' Lesson: Jackson's Living On Past Glories". Community.SeattleTimes.nwsource.com. The Seattle Times Company. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ NYDailyNews.com. Mortimer Zuckerman. Archived from the originalon June 10, 2009. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ Time Warner Inc. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
- ^ a b "Music's misunderstood superstar". News.BBC.co.uk. BBC Online. June 13, 2005. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ Taraborrelli, p. 355–361
- ^ Taraborrelli, p. 370–373
- ^ Taraborrelli, p. 365
- ^ a b Taraborrelli, p. 413
- ^ Campbell (1995), p. 42–45
- ^ Campbell (1995), p. 77–80
- ^ a b Taraborrelli, p. 500–507
- ^ "Michael Jackson speaks: 'I am totally innocent of any wrongdoing.'". Jet.com. Johnson Publishing Company. January 10, 1994. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ Taraborrelli, p. 518–520
- ^ Campbell (1995), p. 104–106
- ^ Time Warner Inc. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ Alfred Publishing Co. Inc. August 25, 1999. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
- ^ Robert Christgau. "HIStory: Past, Present and Future Book 1". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ Deepika Reedy (June 23, 1995). "Jackson's latest lives up to his character". Collegian.psu.edu. Collegian Inc. Archived from the original on February 26, 2001. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ISBN 978-1788400572.
Further reading
- Campbell, Lisa (1995). Michael Jackson: The King of Pops Darkest Hour. Branden. ISBN 0-8283-2003-9.
- ISBN 0-330-42005-4.