State of Shock (song)

"State of Shock"
Single by The Jacksons featuring Mick Jagger
from the album Victory
B-side "Your Ways"
Released June 5, 1984
Format 7" single and 12" maxi single
Recorded 1983
Genre Hard rock,[1] funk[2]
Length 4:30
4:05 (7")
Label Epic
34-04503
Writer(s) Michael Jackson
Randy Hansen
Producer(s) Michael Jackson
The Jacksons chronology
"Walk Right Now"
(1981)
"State of Shock"
(1984)
"Torture"
(1984)
Mick Jagger singles chronology
"Memo from Turner"
(1970)
"State Of Shock"
(1984)
"Just Another Night"
(1985)

"State of Shock" is a 1984 hit single by The Jacksons featuring frontman Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger. It was written by Jackson and guitarist Randy Hansen. "State of Shock" charted at number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. The track was originally to be sung with Freddie Mercury as a duet with Jackson, and was later slated for the Thriller album; however, due to differing time schedules, Jackson ended up recording it with his brothers and Jagger. A clip of the song (an instrumental part) was used on the Immortal album in 2011.

Song information

"State of Shock" was the biggest hit from The Jacksons' Victory album, reaching number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 14 on the UK Singles Chart.[1][3] The song was originally recorded with Freddie Mercury, as Jackson and Mercury had been working on several tracks at that time (1981–83), e.g. the unreleased title track "Victory" for the eponymous album and "There Must Be More to Life Than This" from Mr. Bad Guy. The final version featured lead vocals by Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger. In his book Michael Jackson: unauthorized, author Christopher P. Andersen described the song and commented on Mick Jagger, saying, "The lead singer of the Rolling Stones eyed the phenomenal success of Thriller with envy. As an artist he respected Jackson's work", adding that Arthur Collins, then president of Rolling Stones Records said, "Mick became obsessed with Michael Jackson" and explained it saying, "He wanted to know every detail about Jackson's life, his contract with Columbia, how the Thriller singles were selling,...".[1] "State of Shock" was the last top ten hit for The Jacksons, as well as their last single to be certified gold. The song was later revised by Jagger when he performed it with Tina Turner during their 1985 performance at Live Aid.

Remix

There's also an Extended Dance Mix (5:41) - also digitally remastered available - with features an a cappella passage at the end of the song (when the song reaches its climax).

Parodies

"Weird Al" Yankovic used the song multiple times. It was featured in "Hooked on Polkas" on his Dare to be Stupid album. Also, "State of Shock"'s style was used for the song "UHF". The song is also performed, with comically cheap special effects, in the mockumentary The Compleat Al.

Covers

Insane Clown Posse covered this song as a tribute to Michael Jackson on their cover album Covered, Smothered, & Chunked, which is in the "Red Pop" version of The Mighty Death Pop![4] In 2012, Kelly Clarkson and Robin Thicke covered the song on the show Duets.[5]

Personnel

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Andersen, Christopher P. (1994). Michael Jackson: unauthorized. Simon & Schuster. p. 155. ISBN 0-671-89239-8. Retrieved April 24, 2010. The most memorable cut on the Victory album — and its only top five single — was "State of Shock," Michael's hard rock duet with Mick Jagger. ... "Mick became obsessed with Michael Jackson," said Arthur Collins, then president of Rolling Stones Records.
  2. "100 Best Singles of 1984: Pop's Greatest Year". Rolling Stone. 9 July 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  3. Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke (1991). Rock movers & shakers, Volume 1991, Part 2. ABC-CLIO. p. 261. ISBN 0-87436-661-5. Retrieved April 24, 2010. Jackson duets with Freddy Mercury on the album's lead-off single State Of Shock (US #3 and UK #14).
  4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU8fwgGMiGU
  5. http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/s197/duets/news/a384809/duets-week-2-performance-rounds-live-blog.html