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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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 OPINION 
5

Forget Thriller: Off the Wall Was His Best

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(Newser) – It’s no exaggeration to say that Michael Jackson “made a more profound impact in the arenas of soul, R&B and dance-pop than any other singer or songwriter in history,” writes Jim DeRogatis in the Chicago Sun-Times. But while many fans reach for Thriller, “widely considered the best-selling disc of all time,” DeRogatis and other “hardcore fans” cast their lot with 1979’s Off the Wall.

With Off the Wall, Jackson “pioneered the mix of funk, disco, pop, soul, jazz and rock that he polished for mainstream consumption on Thriller.” Superstar collaborators including Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney “clearly viewed the then-20-year-old star as a peer,” DeRogatis writes. Even “Ben”—Jackson’s 1972 ballad about “a killer rat from a B-grade horror film”—is “more moving than anything on Thriller.”

In this Dec. 3, 1984 picture, Michael Jackson performs with his brothers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles as part of their Victory Tour concert.
In this Dec. 3, 1984 picture, Michael Jackson performs with his brothers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles as part of their Victory Tour concert.   (AP Photo/Doug Pizac)
In this Dec. 3, 1984 photo, Michael Jackson performs with his brothers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles as part of their Victory Tour concert.
In this Dec. 3, 1984 photo, Michael Jackson performs with his brothers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles as part of their Victory Tour concert.   (AP Photo/Doug Pizac)
In this Nov. 14, 1996 file photo, Michael Jackson performs during his first Australian concert in Sydney.
In this Nov. 14, 1996 file photo, Michael Jackson performs during his first Australian concert in Sydney.   (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, file)
In this Saturday, April 20, 2002 file picture, Michael Jackson performs
In this Saturday, April 20, 2002 file picture, Michael Jackson performs "Dangerous" during the taping of the American Bandstand's 50th anniversary show in Pasadena, Calif.   (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
In this Jan. 31, 1993 file picture, Michael Jackson performs during the halftime show at the Super Bowl XXVII in Pasadena, Calif.
In this Jan. 31, 1993 file picture, Michael Jackson performs during the halftime show at the Super Bowl XXVII in Pasadena, Calif.   (AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy, File)
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Ben is "a song that Jackson invested with so much emotion that it instantly transcended its origins as a love song to a killer rat from a B-grade horror film," writes Jim DeRogatis.   (cesarivansalazar)

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5 comments
VIEWING:
 
BeatBlaster
Jun 26, 09 1:54 PM CDT
Bout time someone agrees with me! :) I first heard Thriller when I was, what? 8? 7? But then my dad handed me his Off the Wall tape and my perception of music changed forever. My imagination soared. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
BeatBlaster
Jun 26, 09 1:55 PM CDT
I take that back. I had to be 4 or 5 cause I'm on tape having a tantrum over Michael Jackson stickers at that age. Yeah it happened. I was 5! Wanna fight about it? :) j/k of course
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IN RESPONSE:
drlarrymitchell
Jun 29, 09 6:07 PM CDT
'Off The Wall' perfected the formula- 'Thriller' merely followed it.
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+1
skylinesandsunsets
Jun 26, 09 5:54 PM CDT
Of all the songs from the Thriller album that were overplayed on the radio, "Human Nature" should have received more expose. However, I must say that Billie Jean's video was brilliantly ground breaking. Reply
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Shannonals
Jun 27, 09 1:10 AM CDT
First albums are always he best Reply
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