HIStory
HIStory: Past, Present and Future â€" Book I is a double-disc album by
Michael Jackson released in 1995 by the
Epic Records devision of
Sony Music.
The first disc (
HIStory Begins) is a fifteen-track greatest hits, while the second disc (
HIStory Continues) contains fifteen new recordings.
HIStory was nominated for several 1996
Grammy Awards ,including
Album of the Year, which it did not win. Since its release in 1995,
HIStory: Past, Present and Future - has sold 18 million copies worldwide, making it the biggest selling multiple-disc album of all-time. [
1]
HIStory (pronounced his story) was the first album where Jackson showcased his instrumental abilities, playing
keyboard and
synthesizer,
guitar,
drums and
percussion on the album, as well as
lead and backing vocals. He was also more involved in the production of this album, collaborating with producers
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis,
Dallas Austin, Bill Bottrell and
R. Kelly.
Sony Music backed the album's promotion with a 30 million dollar promotion and marketing campaign, the largest budget set for an album at that time. The campaign included a full set of singles and music videos, television and radio advertising, a world tour, and eventually a remix album.
Unlike other Jackson albums,
HIStory has a
bitter, angry, and personal sound, primarily because it was released in the wake of
Jordan Chandler's sexual molestation allegations.
"Scream"/"Childhood"
The first single from the album was "
Scream"/"
Childhood", released in May 1995 as a double a-side single. "Scream" was a duet between Michael and his younger sister
Janet, and "Childhood" was the theme song for the
Warner Bros. film
Free Willy 2. Both songs were supported by a
music video. "Scream's" expensive
science-fiction-inspired music video won a
Grammy Award for Best Short-Form Music Video, and an
MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography in 1995. "Childhood's "
Peter Pan-inspired video showed Jackson singing in a forest with pirate ships floating above him.
The double a-side single made history by debuting at its peak of number-five on the
Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, the highest debut chart position to that point, breaking a 25-year record set by the Beatles with their single "
Let It Be", which debuted at number-six in 1970. The single remained on the US charts for 17 weeks, and by
July 31, 1995, it had been certified
platinum. The single also reached number-three in the U.K., number-two in
Australia and number-one in
New Zealand,
Finland,
Spain,
Hungary,
Italy,
France, and also on the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles Chart.
"You Are Not Alone"
HIStory's second single, "
You Are Not Alone", was written and produced by
R. Kelly and released in August 1995. It became the first ever single to debut at number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100, garnering Jackson a "Billboard Hot 100 Achievement Award" for this achievement. The single remained on the U.S. charts for 20 weeks, and within 8 weeks was certificated platinum for selling over a million. It also went to number-one in the U.K., New Zealand, Ireland, France, Switzerland, and on the Eurochart (where it stayed for 6 weeks). The music video was controversial in that it featured an almost
nude Jackson and his then-wife
Lisa Marie Presley.
"Earth Song"
"
Earth Song" was the third single released from the album in November 1995, except in the US, where it was released to radio along with the song "This Time Around." In the UK, "Earth Song" debuted at number-one and stayed there for 6 weeks. By doing so, the single went on the become the UK Christmas number-one single for 1995. "Earth Song" remained on the charts a total of 19 weeks, and is Jackson's biggest UK hit.
The single also reached number-one in Germany, Switzerland, Latvia and the Eurochart. In total, it reached the top 10 in 16 European countries. At the 1996
Brit Awards, the song caused some controversy.
Jarvis Cocker protested against Jackson's performance of the song, claiming Jackson was taking on a "
Christ-like" image. Because of the performance and Cocker's protest, "
Earth Song" climbed back up the UK charts (from number 38 to number 16). It went on to sell 3 million copies worldwide making it the most successful single on the album, and Jackson's highest selling single.
"They Don't Care About Us"
"
They Don't Care About Us" was the fourth single released from
HIStory in April 1996, and also caused controversy - this time over alleged
anti-Semitic lyrics. Jackson was prompted to change the lyrics
"Jew me, sue me" and
"kick me, kike me" to
"do me, sue me" and
"kick me, strike me" in order for the single to be played on radio and music television. The original music video, which was shot in March on the streets of
Rio de Janeiro in
Brazil, was reportedly not "entirely satisfactory" to Jackson's liking, and so a second music video, the "Prison Version", was made a week later. However, this new music video was banned in some countries, due to complaints that it was too violent, and on both MTV and VH1 it was only allowed to be shown after the 9 o'clock watershed.
In the U.K, "They Don't Care About Us" reached number-four and stayed in the top 100 for 18 weeks, whilst in both Germany and Italy it reached number-one. In contrast, the single peaked on the Billboard 100 at number 30, but remained stay on the chart for 13 weeks. On the Eurochart, "They Don't Care About Us" peaked at number-two, and stayed there for 8 weeks, and all together stayed in the charts 26 weeks.
"Stranger In Moscow"
"
Stranger In Moscow", released in November 1996, was the fifth single from
HIStory, and like "
They Don't Care About Us" it proved to be more popular in Europe than the United States. In Britain, "Stranger In Moscow" reached number-four, and remained in the top 100 for 16 weeks. In both Spain and Italy, it reached number-one, whilst on the Eurochart it reached number-six and remained in the top 100 for 17 weeks.
In July 1997, just as the second leg of the Michael Jackson's
HIStory tour was at its midway point, "HIStory (Tony Moran's History Lesson)" - a remixed version of the song "HIStory", was released worldwide (except in the US), along with "Ghosts", a track from Jackson's 1997 album
Blood On The Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix. The single debuted in the U.K. at number-five, and remained on the charts for 8 weeks. In France and Italy, the single reached number-four and number-three respectively.
"Smile"
"Smile" is a cover version of Charlie Chaplin's 1928 song, which Jackson covered for its inclusion on
HIStory. It was due to be released as
HIStory's seventh and final single in October 1997. However its release was subsequently cancelled by Sony. (There are a few promotional CD singles and 12" Vinyls floating around, which have been sold on
eBay anything from £550-£850)
Disc one: HIStory Begins
#"
Billie Jean" (Jackson) â€" 4:54#"
The Way You Make Me Feel" (Jackson) â€" 4:57#"
Black or White" (Jackson/Bottrell) â€" 4:15#"
Rock with You" (Temperton) â€" 3:40#"
She's out of My Life" (Bahler) â€" 3:38#"
Bad" (Jackson) â€" 4:07#"
I Just Can't Stop Loving You" featuring
Siedah Garrett (Jackson) â€" 4:12#"
Man in the Mirror" (Ballard/Garrett) â€" 5:19#"
Thriller" (Temperton) â€" 5:57#"
Beat It" (Jackson) â€" 4:18#"
The Girl Is Mine" featuring
Paul McCartney (Jackson) â€" 3:41#"
Remember the Time" (Riley/Jackson/Belle) â€" 3:59#"
Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" (Jackson) â€" 6:05#"
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Jackson) â€" 6:04#"
Heal the World" (Jackson) â€" 6:24
Disc two: HIStory Continues
#"
Scream" featuring
Janet Jackson (Harris/Lewis/Jackson/Jackson) â€" 4:38#"
They Don't Care About Us" (Jackson) â€" 4:44#"
Stranger in Moscow" (Jackson) â€" 5:44#"This Time Around" featuring
The Notorious B.I.G. (Moore/Austin/Swedien/Jackson/
Wallace) â€" 4:20#"
Earth Song" (Jackson) â€" 6:46#"
D.S." (Jackson) â€" 4:49#"Money" (Jackson) â€" 4:41#"
Come Together" (
Lennon/
McCartney) â€" 4:02#"
You Are Not Alone" (Kelly) â€" 5:45#"
Childhood (Theme from
Free Willy 2)" (Jackson) â€" 4:28#"Tabloid Junkie" (Harris/Lewis/Jackson) â€" 4:32#"2 Bad" featuring
Shaquille O'Neal (Harris/Lewis/Jackson/O'Neal) â€" 4:49#"
History" featuring
Boyz II Men on background vocals (Harris/Lewis/Jackson) â€" 6:37#"Little Susie" (Jackson) â€" 6:13#"
Smile" (
Chaplin) â€" 4:56
* "On The Line" - From the Film
Get on the Bus - Later included on "The Ultimate Collection" (2004)
* "Superfly Sister" - Later included on "Blood On The Dance Floor/HIStory In The Mix (1997)
* "In The Back" - Later included on "The Ultimate Collection" (2004)
| "HIStory" - Billboard 200 Album Chart. Chart run starting from release date of June 20th 1995. | | Week | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36!37 |
|---|
| Position | 112481214161517191919223138445361657483635553484861699097112135168195Out (206)| 195 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|
*
List of double albums*
HIStory World Tour*
Lyrics to songs on album*
Soundtrack listing for "Get on the Bus"
