| "In the Closet" | ||||||||||
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| Single by Michael Jackson | ||||||||||
| from the album Dangerous | ||||||||||
| Released | May 8, 1992 | |||||||||
| Format | CD single, 7", 12" | |||||||||
| Recorded | March-May 1991[1] |
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| Genre | New jack swing, R&B | |||||||||
| Length | 6:34 (Album Version) 4:49 (Single Version) |
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| Label | Epic | |||||||||
| Writer(s) | Michael Jackson Teddy Riley |
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| Producer | Teddy Riley Michael Jackson |
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| Michael Jackson chronology | ||||||||||
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"In the Closet" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson from his 1991 Dangerous album. The song became that album's second number one R&B single and its third top ten pop single, hitting number six on the Billboard Hot 100.
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The song, written and composed by Michael Jackson and Teddy Riley, is about keeping a relationship secret between lovers. "In the closet" is an English idiom used when one is not open about an aspect of their life, particularly in regard to sexual orientation. Despite the song's suggestive name its lyrics do not allude to hidden sexual orientation but rather a concealed relationship; "Don't hide our love/ Woman to man." The New York Times stated, "Only Jackson would use that title for a heterosexual love song..."[2] Rolling Stone described the number as "titillatingly titled" but "determinedly heterosexual." [3] The single's music video, directed by Herb Ritts, features Jackson performing sensual and physically complicated dance techniques with supermodel Naomi Campbell. The song's female vocal was originally labeled "Mystery Girl" but was later revealed to be Princess Stéphanie of Monaco.[4] Campbell mimed the lyrics for the music video.
The song, with its heavy industrial-sounding percussion and uptempo arrangement, is typical of producer Teddy Riley's new jack swing style. The unique, Eastern-influenced backing vocals, reaching crescendo at middle eight imbue the song with an erotic edge usually missing from Jackson's music. His vocals are whispered and subdued for most of the song, embellished with gasps, moans, and shudders. It is generally considered one of his most provocative singles with lyrics that include "...And if it's aching, you have to rub it."
The song was not performed during Jackson's Dangerous World Tour (however, during his concert in Toulouse, the band played a short instrumental before Man In The Mirror), but a short version, with the intro of "She Drives Me Wild," was the third song of a medley including "Scream" and "They Don't Care About Us" during the HIStory World Tour. Princess Stéphanie's spoken lines were replaced with Jackson's live speech for the sequence.
"In the Closet" was originally conceived as a duet between Jackson and Madonna. According to a 1992 interview with British journalist Jonathan Ross, Madonna said she worked on some lyrical ideas for the song but when she presented them to Michael, he decided they were too provocative and they decided not to continue with the project.[5]
In the sepia colored music video, directed by Herb Ritts, Jackson is seen dancing with top model Naomi Campbell. The video was filmed in late March 1992 in Salton Sea, California and premiered on April 23, 1992.[6][7] This video was Jackson's most sexually provocative piece ever. This video was banned in South Africa due to its imagery. The video is featured on Dangerous - The Short Films and Michael Jackson's Vision.
In keeping with the trend in the early 1990s, several remixes were commissioned by Jackson and released on a maxi CD by DJ/ Producers Frankie Knuckles and Tommy Musto, two prolific remixers of the time that transformed the single version into versions that made their way into the clubs and on dance radio. Two versions were included on the remix album Dangerous - The Remix Collection, called 'The Reprise' and 'The Underground Mix'.
This song is featured on the video game Michael Jackson The Experience.
Chart listings for the single are as follows:[8]
Peak positions
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End of year charts
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^Pareles, Jon. RECORDINGS VIEW; Michael Jackson in the Electronic Wilderness. The New York Times. November 24, 1991 ^Light, Alan. Album Reviews - Dangerous. Rolling Stone. January 9, 1992 ^Whitburn, Joel. (2000). The Billboard book of top 40 hits.Billboard Books. p. 320. ISBN 978-0823076901 ^the song was set in ancient Egypt. Youtube. July 7, 2008 ^Landis, David (1992-03-26). dids=56195740:56195740&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+26%2C+1992&author=David+Landis&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=ASTHMA+COSTS&pqatl=google "Asthma Costs". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/56195740.html? dids=56195740:56195740&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+26%2C+1992&author=David+Landis&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=ASTHMA+COSTS&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2010-05-21.^Scaduto, Anthony; Vaughan, Doug; Stasi, Linda (March 20, 1992). "Inside New York". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/77515941.html?dids=77515941:77515941&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+20%2C+1992&author=By+Anthony+Scaduto%2C+Doug+Vaughan+and+Linda+Stasi.&pub=Newsday+(Combined+editions)&desc=INSIDE+NEW+YORK&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2010-05-21.^Halstead, Craig; Cadman, Chris (2003). Jacksons Number Ones. Authors On Line Ltd. p. 71. ISBN 978-0755200986 ^"Billboard Top 100 - 1992". http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1992. Retrieved 2010-07-30.