FEATURE:
Too Good to Be Forgotten: Songs That Are Much More Than a Guilty Pleasure
Michael Jackson – Earth Song
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MAYBE there is something…
inherently ‘guilty pleasure’ about listening to any song from Michael Jackson at all. A lot of his music has been blacklisted by radio and, after allegations of sexual abuse, there has been an unease about playing his music. I have heard a few of his songs mentioned by radio stations. In any case, I am simply judging the song and not the artists here and, in 1995, Jackson released HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. It comprises two discs: HIStory Begins - a greatest hits compilation - and HIStory Continues - comprising new material written and produced by Jackson and collaborators. The album is really interesting and there are plenty of terrific songs to be found. Many critics have been divided regarding the quality of music across the album; one song that has really split people is Earth Song. It was taken as the third single from the album and it was not surprising hearing Jackson cover subjects like the natural world and depletion. A few of his songs have tackled social and politic subjects – such as We Are the World -, so one could not accuse him of jumping on a bandwagon or say that he was being inauthentic. I remember when the video was released and being played on music T.V.
The stirring images of dead animals and destruction really did leave a mark, and I think Earth Song is one of Jackson’s most committed and intense vocal performances. Released on 27th November, 1995, the single celebrated twenty-five years recently. I wonder, since the song’s release, the messages have been taken to heart and we have actually made any progress! Certainly, we are hearing about the impact of global warming and we definitely need to make improvements and think more carefully about how we are treating the planet! With production from David Foster and Bill Bottrell, this was the first time Jackson wrote a song about the environment and animal rights; the video received a Grammy nomination in 1997 and it hit the Christmas top spot in the U.K. in 1995. If Jackson received supportive nods from environmental agencies and bodies that supported animal welfare, there has been a slightly less effusive and warm response from music critics through the years. Some have accused him of being overly-dramatic and insincere. One can definitely feel Jackson’s anger and upset, and I think Earth Song was a case of a big artist putting into the limelight themes that were not being discussed in music much. Looking around in 2020, and how many big artists are using their platform to highlight the plight of our environment and putting out these stirring images and messages?! One infamous ‘criticism’ of the song occurred on 19th February, 1996, when Jackson performed Earth Song at the BRIT Awards; he was there to collect a special Artist of a Generation award.
During the performance, singer Jarvis Cocker (Pulp) ran onstage without permission, lifted his shirt and pretended to break wind, before giving Jackson the V-sign. It was a funny moment, but I think there was this sense of derision and mocking from a lot of the music community regarding Jackson’s song and whether it was pure; if, maybe, as a mega-famous and rich artist, he should be singing about environmental issues when he was touring the world by plane and, to an extent, contributing to the issue. Looking at the official Michael Jackson site, and we get some more details regarding the song and its legacy:
“Written in a hotel in Austria while on tour, “Earth Song” was a passionate plea for environmental awareness in the face of unchecked global development. “I was feeling so much pain and so much suffering of the plight of the Planet Earth. And for me, this is Earth’s Song, because I think nature is trying so hard to compensate for man’s mismanagement of the Earth,” Jackson said of the song. “And with the ecological unbalance going on, and a lot of the problems in the environment, I think earth feels the pain, and she has wounds, and it’s about some of the joys of the planet as well. But this is my chance to pretty much let people hear the voice of the planet.”
The “Earth Song” short film features stark footage of Michael and native people around the world witnessing acts of natural devastation. Burnt-out forests, dead animals on the African savannah and war-torn neighborhoods are shown as Michael and other citizens of the world drop to their knees and grab the earth beneath them. Suddenly, the earth shakes and violent winds blow as Michael sings the final verse of the song, and the planet is magically restored.
The short film earned Michael Jackson the Doris Day Music Award from the Humane Society’s Genesis Awards in 1996. One year later, it was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video. It is one of 12 of Michael’s short films to be VEVO Certified for more than 100 million views”.
I think Earth Song is as relevant twenty-five years after its release as ever and, as I said, I wonder whether we have learned anything from the song. Many people do see Earth Song as a guilty pleasure because it is quite heavy and many are not a fan of Jackson when he is more political. Whereas songs such as Heal the World (from Dangerous, 1991) are syrupier, there is a real sense of power and aggression to Earth Song that means it stays in the memory longer and you stand to attention. Maybe we will never hear Earth Song played again on radio because of the controversy regarding Jackson and his reputation, but it is a fantastic track that is brilliantly performed and produced. I think, because of its important lyrics and the relevance of the song today, we should definitely give Earth Song…
ANOTHER spin.