Often it’s hard to believe it’s been thirteen years since GOD called the King of Pop home. Since his passing, fans have enjoyed some of his unreleased music. A few weeks before the official anniversary, the MJ estate blessed fans with Thriller 40.
This edition of the album is the third reissue of the original record, and Mike Jack’s is the first posthumous album in five years since the release of 2017’s Scream. For this week’s edition of Slow Jam Saturday, the popular choice would’ve been to celebrate the closing song on Thriller, “The Lady In My Life,” but I decided to highlight one of the unreleased bops, “Who Do You Know.”
The “Thriller 40” campaign was already in full swing on November 10 when news broke that the previously unreleased and unheard demo was a track on Disc 2. Jackson wrote and produced the ballad sometime between 1980 and February 1982. When the song didn’t make the final track list for Thriller, initially, it was reworked and considered for the Jacksons’ 1984 reunion album Victory. However, Jackson decided to contribute three other songs (“Be Not Always,” “State Of Shock,” and “The Hurt”) instead. Outside of some grainy video footage from a 1993 deposition, I had never heard Jackson refer to “Who Do You Know.”
That said, the first song I went to when Thriller 40 was digitally released was “Who Do You Know.” The song opens with a simple arrangement, and Jackson comes crooning with an undeniable yearning.
“I’ve lost my baby
Two years ago
Have you seen her?
She seems to be on a mission
Long ago when I smiled, did you notice her? Oh lord…
She was only playin’
Waiting for love, gonna get you this, oh lord…
Well, she seems to have left me
What in all of love
Can you tell me which way did she go? (Alright)”
“Tell me, who do you know?”
“Who Do You Know” is only a demo, but Michael sounds better than half of the artists who have emerged in the last decade after his passing and who currently have streaming on lock. While it’s unclear whom Jackson is singing about in the song, he croons the lyrics so passionately that it doesn’t matter.
Final Grade: A
“Who Do You Know” from Thriller 40 is available on all streaming platforms
Songstress Ashanti was experiencing significant success with two platinum albums at the time of the release of her inaugural holiday project, “Ashanti’s Christmas,” on November 18, 2003. Her label head, Irv Gotti, produced most of the album. This project comprises four original songs co-written by Ashanti, in addition to six cover versions of traditional Christmas standards and carols.
Vocal quartet A Few Good Man contributed two songs to the project: a cover of “Silver Bells” and the ballad “Merry Christmas My Dear,” both of which were produced by Daryl Simmons. Demail Burks, David Morris, Aaron Hilliard, and Tony Amey were the members of the group, and after introducing themselves in the festive video for “Silver Bells,” it was only fitting that they delivered a ballad on the album.
R&B legend Luther Vandross had already solidified his place in R&B when he released his first holiday album, “This Is Christmas. Arriving in stores on October 24, 1995, “This Is Christmas” validates Vandross’s ability to sing anything.