Posted by Amanda Marcotte February 4, 2008 in Asides, Music, Video
I had an opportunity to play Michael Jackson’s version of “Ain’t No Sunshine”. It’s quite possibly one of my all-time favorite vocal tracks. If you want to hear the whole thing, here’s the video:
18 Responses to “Easter Egg in today’s podcast”
Leave a comment
Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>
OMG - I agree with an IMS. Maybe my tastes aren’t so bad. Nah - just a lucky (gorgeous) coincidence.
Wow, he sounds young there. Like maybe 13 or so (older than Ben, younger than Off the Wall). When was this recorded?
During the Jackson 5 years. I should have been more specific—that’s a Jackson 5 song, not a solo Michael song. I was amused, because I included it in the podcast and then was listening to another podcast specifically about music snobbery that mentioned the track as a hidden classic, and I got all gloaty.
Ok, that’s just spooky. I literally downloaded that song off of iTunes yesterday. Was it playing on the background of some T.V. show or something?
That’s the first time I’ve heard that version, and while it’s good, it doesn’t beat Bill Withers. I mean, you can feel the hurt in his voice in a way a teenage MJ could never do.
I recently discovered (via the podcast of Sound Opinions, Chicago Public Radio’s rock-and-roll talk show, to which I’d link but I don’t feel like having this post moderated), Man in the Mirror, the Michael Jackson tribute album by Chicago rapper Rhymefest, available for free download here. The whole thing is well worth a listen, but one of the best cuts, “No Sunshine” heavily samples MJ’s version of “Ain’t No Sunshine.”
Ha! That’s where I heard them talking about it. The internets are turning into one big mind meld.
Good gawd, he could sing.
Ah, ok, that’s where I heard it, too.
No kidding. It’s amazing how easy it is to forget that.
(Actually, I think large chunks of Thriller are great, too. Is it ok to admit that?)
Ever heard the Isaac Hayes version from the Wattstax concert?
It’s a solo Michael song, on his first album Got to Be There and reissued on the Ben album.
I actually owned this on vinyl.
“Got to be there” was my favorite song once! He was just so wonderful.
I miss the old MJ so much. We’re only 11 months apart, and I grew up with him. I had posters of him on my bedroom wall, so I literally used to look at him every day for years.
And primarily for that reason, its just so hard for me to look at him now.
Thriller=Teh Shit.
:o wow, never heard this version before. AWESOME. i miss the old (well, young) MJ.
Impressive, but I agree with Cain - Bill Withers is the way to go - check the Live at Carnegie Hall cd. He even sings about his Grandma!
grew up with jackson 5–used to play the vinyl during indoor recess in 5th grade: he could sing, and he was beautiful.
It’s such a shame.
“It’s such a shame.”
I apologize ahead of time for any hurt this statement might cause somebody…
There’s a reason why it’s often good when stars die young. Can you imagine Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison as fat, crotchety old has beens, still trying to live off past glories? What about a 40-something Kurt Cobain, complaining about Emo bands? There have been many others.
Because of their early deaths, the world was spared those sights.
Elvis lived about 5-years too long. Michael Jackson has stayed alive. He has lived long enough to become a parody of himself.
And it really is such a shame…
Thriller=Teh Shit.
Minus side: Black guy turns into animal when dealing with pretty woman, chases after her.
Plus side: Black guy is Michael Jackson. Sorta defeats the subtext.
Elvis lived about 5-years too long. Michael Jackson has stayed alive. He has lived long enough to become a parody of himself.
The word “Britney” is going to spring up. It looks like the life-cycle from emerging popstar to decadence is accelerating. In the case of Amy Winehouse, they may even be overlapping.