Ausschnitt des Transcripts der Mexico Deposition von 1993

Zitat von Chris4MJ

achso danke ,, mhhmm die hab ich noch nicht ,,, menno nu muss ich mir die extra kaufen wegen dem einen song ,, aber was tut man nicht alles

die is sehr empfehlenswert - also für mich ist sie es auf jeden fall

ja hab einige mal auf diesem mjtunes gehört ;

btw ,, welche collection ist eigentlich noch empfehlenswert zu kaufen ? sorry nicht ganz topic

ok danke dir ! .. werd mich morgen denk ich mal auf die suche danach machen .

wird ja immer besser ! danke

[YOUTUBE]xKrZisT80LY[/YOUTUBE]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…=-4U&mode=related&search=

cooles video

Hmm, also ich bin gerade mal dabei die Depostition für euch hochzuladen. Allerdings dauert das für einen Part von 2 Minuten 1,5 Stunden zum Hochladen. Bandbreite 1.000DSL. HAb so das Gefühl, dass das nicht normal ist!

Zitat von Chris4MJ

achso danke ,, mhhmm die hab ich noch nicht ,,, menno nu muss ich mir die extra kaufen wegen dem einen song ,, aber was tut man nicht alles

Die live DVD ist übrigens auch nicht zu verachten.

TLC
Wow, grandioses Video. Die Stimme verändert sich schlagartig von schüchtern/kleinlaut zu einzigartig schön .. den direkten Vergleich habe ich schon lange nicht mehr gehört.

wow mike hats echt voll drauf mit dem beatboxen !! !!

Part 1 Mexico Deposition 1993

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DA8851E0

Zitat von Stinky

Part 1 Mexico Deposition 1993

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DA8851E0

wieviele gibt es denn ? ansonsten

Part 2 Mexico Deposition 1993

http://download.yousendit.com/B416A48955AA0505

Das komplette Verhör dauert ca. 4 Stunden. Ich kann die einzelnen Parts aber nur in kleinen Teilen hochladen. Part 1 hat schon fast 2 Stunden gebraucht um es hochzuladen. (Megaupload)

Zitat von Stinky

Part 2 Mexico Deposition 1993

http://download.yousendit.com/B416A48955AA0505

Das komplette Verhör dauert ca. 4 Stunden. Ich kann die einzelnen Parts aber nur in kleinen Teilen hochladen. Part 1 hat schon fast 2 Stunden gebraucht um es hochzuladen. (Megaupload)

muss ich mich bei yousendit anmelden ?

Nein, soweit ich weiß nicht.
Falls doch, ist die Anmeldung kostenlos.

Ja geil, vielen Dank!

ein komplette video gibt es bis jetzt nicht. nur soweit dieses transcript reicht...

The 1993 Deposition
________________________________________

MJ: *clearing throat*
Lawyer: “Can you raise your right hand please?”
MJ: *raising right hand*
L: “Do you swear the testimony you are about to give (inaudible) so be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”
MJ: “Yes”
L: “Mr. Jackson, what is your occupation?”
MJ: *sigh* “Entertainer….dancer… singer….songwriter……..”
L: “How long….”
MJ: “Actor……..” *drinking water*
L: “Excuse me… How long have you been an entertainer?”
MJ: *drinking water again* “Since the age of 5.”
L: “Without going into too much detail…. Could you tell me how you uh... started as an entertainer?”
MJ: “Well, singing around the house… dancing… making noises…you know… sounds…*scratching cheek* making my own rhythms… making my own music, singing… you know, that type of thing.”
L: “Uh… did you uh… at sometime start performing professionally?”
MJ: “At one point, yes.”
L: “Is that when you were still a child?”
MJ: “Yes…”
L: “Uh… do you remember about how old you were? When you started performing professionally?”
MJ: “Umm… maybe 10 years old.”
L: “What was the name of the group you performed with when you first started?”
MJ: “The Jackson 5.”
L: “And who was in the Jackson 5?”
MJ: “……Marlon………………Tito…. Jackie…….Jermaine….Randy…*counting on fingers while whispering* yeah… that’s it.”
L: “Uh… at some point did you become a solo performer?”
MJ: “Yes.”
L: “Do you remember about when that was?”
MJ: “Well…. I did solo work um…. songs like ‘Ben’, ‘Got To Be There’, ya know…. ‘Rockin’ Robin’, ‘I Wanna Be Where You Are’… all these songs are solo songs while still with the Jackson 5, not meaning I’ve left the group.”
L: “You said one of your uh….. uh… professions is a songwriter, when did you start writing songs?”
MJ: “I started writing songs….gee… as young as…. I’d say 8 years old…. 8 or 9.”
L: “Uh... have you had songs that you’ve written, recorded?”
MJ: “Some….yes”
L: “Um….uh.. About how many songs that you’ve written, have been released?”
MJ: “Oh boy…. I’ve never counted… probably over 30… 40?”
L: “Uh… and again, without going into too much detail, have you uh… ever won any awards?”
MJ: “Lots of awards!”
L: “Could you give me some of them?”
MJ: “Well.. there’s Grammy Awards, there’s American Music Awards, there’s NAACP Awards, ummm…. Black Caucus Awards… there’s all kinds of……..awards in my field. *clearing throat* excuse me….I know that kills the…*pointing to someone off camera* *laughing* microphone man…. *drinking water*.
L: “Uh… let me as you, Mr. Jackson… is it um... the case that uh... you haven’t been feeling well in the last few days?”
MJ: “Yes, that’s very true.”
L: “Umm… you had some... umm oral surgery…”
MJ: “Yes…”
L: “Uh... if at any time you’re not feeling well or you’re uncomfortable… would you let me know and we’ll take a break?”
MJ: “I sure will…”
L: “Thanks… uh... what was the first song that was released uh… that you wrote? If you recall….”
MJ: “A song called ‘Blues Away’ on one of The Jacksons’ albums…”
L: “Do you remember which one it was?”
MJ: “Uh… I think the album was called either Goin Places or Destiny I’m not sure.”
L: “Have you done any albums as a solo artist?”
MJ: “Yes.”
L: “Can you name them for me?”
MJ: “ Ben, Got To Be There, um…. Music and Me………um….there are a couple of others on Motown….but I can’t think of any right now…. Then there’s Off The Wall………….. Thriller..Bad… Dangerous….”
L: “Uh.. can you recall uh… when the album Off The Wall came out?”
MJ: “70 something… but I’m not positive.”
L: “See if I can refresh your recollection….”
MJ: *clearing throat*
L: “I hope this is legal… if not we’ll move on.”
MJ: *takes paper and holds it 2 inches from eyeballs* “79…..”
L: “Uh... do you recognize the document that I’m showing you?”
MJ: “Yes”
L: “What is that?”
MJ: *drinking water* “The cover of Off The Wall.”
L: “Did you write any uh…of the songs on… that were included on the album, Off The Wall?”
MJ: *moving hat up a little* “Yes.”
L: “Which ones?”
MJ: “’Don’t Stop Til’ You Get Enough’…….and ‘Working Day And Night’…. And I co-wrote one with uh……..um…….another musician….. called ‘Get On The Floor’.”
L: “Who was that other musician?”
MJ: “His name is um……. Oh boy….. I can’t think of his name right now…..”
L: “Well, that’s okay…. Um…. Did um… the group The Jacksons also do an album called Triumph?
MJ: “ Triumph….*nodding* yes.”
L: “Do you recall when that was?”
MJ: “No….”
L: “Let me…. take a look at this document.”
MJ: “I’m pretty bad with dates….”
L: “See if it….it’s okay…see if the document that uh…. I’m showing you refreshes your recollection.”
MJ: *looking at paper*
L: “What is the document I’m showing you?”
MJ: “The Jacksons…. It says Triumph… 1980.”
L: “Is that uh…what is that…. a cassette cover?”
MJ: “It’s a cassette cover….”
L: “Mr. Jackson, did you write any of the songs that appeared on the Triumph album?”
MJ: “Yes”
L: “Which ones?”
MJ: “I co-wrote ‘Can You Feel It’….with my brothers….um…… ‘That’s What You Get For Being Polite’…..um…with my brothers…um….’All Night’ with my brothers……’Jack Still’ with my brothers….*scratching cheek* *clearing throat* I think there are a couple of others….I just can’t think of the names….*smiling* right now.”
L: “I’d like to turn, Mr. Jackson…to uh generally how you write songs…. um… can you tell me uh… what process you go through…when…when you’re writing a song, if there is a general process….”
MJ: “Well the process that I go through is um…. songs just kind of come…. They create themselves…. like I’ve said before…. I’m just the source through which they come and it’s…. it’s a beautiful thing…. it’s very spiritual…. it’s like standing under a tree and letting a leaf fall and trying to catch it….it’s that beautiful….and um…..what I do is….it comes into my head….I could be walking along, ya know on a road….or I could be sitting on a bench at Disneyland…eating peanuts *shrugs* *smiles* and there it is…it’s in my head or I could be in the shower…. Or I wake up…like I did when I wrote ‘We Are The World’….and there the song is…it’s right in my head…the entire composition…ya know… um…that’s how it happens.” *readjusts hat*
L: “Once you have the song in your head, what do you do to…next?”
MJ: “I go to a tape recorder… and I put the sounds down. Orally…with my mouth…making sounds..um…of how I want the bass…or the strings or the drums or each part to go, the way I hear it….because the key is to get exactly what you’re hearing in your head – on that tape.” *smile*
L: “You realize that one of the songs…at issue…in this lawsuit is a song called ‘The Girl Is Mine’? Are you aware of that?”
MJ: “Yes”
L: “Who wrote ‘The Girl is Mine’?”
MJ: “I wrote ‘The Girl is Mine’”
L: “What um…album did ‘The Girl Is Mine’ appear on?”
MJ: *clearing throat* sorry…. *glances over at microphone man* that’s uh….*laughs* sorry… the Thriller album.” *drinking water*
L: “Was it also released as a single?”
MJ: “It’s the first single off of Thriller.”
L: “The lyric…. what’s ‘The Girl Is Mine’ about?”
MJ: “It’s about…it’s very simple…it’s two guys kind of quarreling over the same girl. Which happens… *smile* saying’ no she’s mine, no she’s mine, she loves me okay…. *smile* ya know…. That type of thing…she always looks at me….that type of thing. They’re just quarreling over…. the same…..girl. That’s what it’s about.”
L: “How did you get the idea…. for that…. what you just described?”
MJ: “It just came…. *shaking head* it just came…. *scratching cheek* Quincy said to me ya know, write a song that you and Paul McCartney can sing together so.. I guess I went to sleep *shrug* and when I woke up the next day there it was… and I ran to the tape recorder and I started to put down what I heard in my head.”
L: “You mentioned Quincy… who’s Quincy?”
MJ: “Quincy Jones is a uh…producer, songwriter… he’s a really great guy, he’s wonderful, I love him.” *smile*
L: “Have you worked with him before?”
MJ: *nod* “Yes”
L: “When did you first work with him?”
MJ: “ I first…. um…I’m not positive, I think I was nine years old, yeah, I was nine years old. I met him with Sammy Davis Jr. I think it was at Sammy’s house and uh…that’s when I first set eyes on him…I never knew that we would end up working together *smile* professionally, and then we did The Wiz which was in New York City. And then, after The Wiz, we did an album called Off the Wall.”
L: “ The Wiz was a motion picture?”
MJ: *nodding* “Yes, Universal.”
L: “Now at some point, um…you…made a tape recording of ‘The Girl is Mine’, a work tape?”
MJ: “Yes.”
L: “Uh, I’d like to uh…play for you a document that’s…”
MJ: *clearing throat*
L: “Previously been marked exhibit 489.”
MJ: * drinking water*
L: “ And what I’ll do is uh…give this to the reporter after we’re done so that he can hold in his custody and I’ll just play a little bit at first Mr. Jackson, and ask you to tell me whether you recognize uh…exhibit 489. My question is, I’m going to play exhibit 489 and again Mr. Jackson, ask you whether you recognize it. I’ll just play a portion of it.”
*tape playing*
MJ: *clearing throat*
*on tape: Michael beat boxing and singing some words to ‘The Girl is Mine’*
MJ: *moving head side to side to the beat* *smiling*
L: “Ok, I’m going to stop exhibit 489 for a moment and ask you Mr. Jackson, whether you recognize that?”
MJ: “Yes, that’s me writing the parts to ‘The Girl is Mine’….creating it. *clearing throat* sorry.”
L: “What were the circumstances in which you started making exhibit 489?”
MJ: “Well, just a tape recorder there and making sounds like *beat boxing* *starts singing* every night she walks right in my dreams…”
Prosecutor: “Objection! Objection!”
MJ: *continues to sing* “Says I met her from the start…”
P: “I have an objection. I have an objection.”
MJ: *Fades out staarrt* *Moves hair from face and puts it right back where it was*
MJ: “Well…that’s how I did it.” *smiling*
L: “How…how did you um…how did you come to um…you may have told me already but let me…I…I don’t think you did. How did you come to get the song...”
MJ: *licking corners of mouth with tongue*
L: “…. the music on exhibit 489 in mind?”
MJ: “Like I said before…songs create themselves, it just come out of me. It just come from inside…out. And I think I’m just a source through which it comes and uh…You asked me how I created and I started to perform to give you an example of how it’s done, of how I create songs and when I create my music I make these sounds. I wrote a song called ‘Who Is It’…”
P: “Objection!”
L: “Do you recall where you were when um..you , ‘The Girl is Mine’…the song ‘The Girl is Mine’ came to you, Mr. Jackson?”
MJ: “ I…….think I was at the Encino house or a condominium because we were rebuilding the Encino and staying in a um…smaller place.” *clearing throat*
L: “ Uh, let me play for you a…. some more of exhibit 489. I’m going to stop it at some point and ask some more questions.”
*MJ on tape beat boxing*
MJ: *moving head and singing with tape* *scratching cheek* “Yeah…that’s ‘The Girl is Mine’.”
P: “Objection!”
MJ: *continues singing with tape*
P: “Objection!”
L: “Ok…can you show us what you were doing on that tape?”
MJ: “Yeah...” *starts singing* “Every night she walks right in my dreams, says I met her from the start. I’m so proud I am the only one who is special in her heart. The girl is mine…the doggone girl is mine. *beat boxing* Don’t waste your time because the doggone girl is mine.”
L: “You were um…”
MJ: *licking corners of mouth again*
L: “You were making some sounds with your mouth…uh…”
MJ: *moves hair from face and puts it back down again*
L: “Uh, what was the purpose of that?”
MJ: “The sounds are the rhythms that I make…I wrote a song on the Dangerous album called ‘Who Is It’ and what I do is. I go to a tape recorder and I put down the sounds the way I’m hearing it in my head and I’m hearing the bass, I’m hearing the percussion, I’m hearing the drums…and the ‘Who Is It’…goes um…” *starts beat boxing to ‘Who Is It’*
P: “Motion to strike. Move to strike.”
MJ: “That’s how it’s done. So what I do is, I go to a tape recorder…and I just put exactly what I’m hearing in my head down on tape and that’s how I pretty much do it.”
L: “ Would…would you briefly show us how you made the rhythm sounds on ‘The Girl is Mine’ tape?”
MJ: “Sure. *moves hat up a little* *starts beat boxing to ‘The Girl is Mine’* Like that.”
L: “I’d like to play…”
MJ: *moving hair* *keeps singing* “The girl is mine…Sorry, my voice, I’m really hoarse. I had a concert last night…my throat is really bad.”
P: “Objection! Move to strike!”
MJ: *smiles and clears throat*
L: “You were singing some lyrics and not others…is that right?”
MJ: “Pardon?”
L: “You were singing some lyrics but not others uh….”
MJ: “Yes”
L: “Uh…Why was that?”
MJ: “Because certain words come into your head at a certain time…that are fitting for the melody…um…….certain words come with the melody at the same time that it’s created…you know…*sings* Heal the world. I mean, I didn’t think about it…it just came. *sings* Make it a better place. So it came with the melody…*sings* heal the…I thought about it, wow, that’s nice, heal the world…let’s heal our planet.”
L: “Let me play some more of exhibit 489.”
*tape playing-some words, beat boxing and two groans*
MJ: *laughing and nodding head*
L: “I’ll stop there…you were making some noise where…where you just laughed. What were you doing there on ‘The Girl is Mine’?”
MJ: “I was doing a ….I was imitating a mog bass where you play the bass *sniff* on a keyboard…but you have this little…it’s like a stick where you can make noises *making the noises while doing the motions with hands* like noises like that. *sings* doon doon doon *noise* doo dow *noise* like that.”
L: “Thank you.”
*more of the tape is being played*
L: “ You were singing some high notes there.”
P: “ Objection!”
MJ: *moving hair out of eyes*
L: “What were you singing right before I stopped the tape?”
MJ: “I’m singing what I hear over the chorus…like a string part. *imitates strings for ‘The Girl is Mine’.* da da da *sings* the girl is mine….
*more of the tape is being played*
MJ: *drinking water*
L: “You…. just sang….you….you…..did you just hear some words on the tape?”
MJ: “Yeah that part of the song I never used”
L: “Why not?”
MJ: “Because it went in another direction…and I can tell by listening to that where it’s going to go…it’s probably going to go *sings* da da da da because it’s most likely going to go in that direction… I haven’t heard this since then.”
*more of tape is being played*
MJ: “There it is…” *half smile* *sings* da da *pointing up high for high notes*
P: “Objection, there is no question before the witness.”
MJ: *laughs*
*tape still playing*
MJ: *smile* “I haven’t heard this in so long *laugh* *starts moving head to the beat and singing with the tape* *moves hat up a bit* *continues to bob his head*
L: “What um…..part were you singing there, just before I stopped the tape?”
MJ: “Counter lines…. musical counter lines that can go against the main part… *sings* do do dah dum…. It could be a keyboard…. it could be a flute…. it could be a string part…. It’s like a tapestry of sound which is what the law of music is.”
L: “Continue playing exhibit 489.”
MJ: *drinking water* *moving head to the music on the tape* “doh dum… yeah!” *laughing*
L: “What were you doing there?”
MJ: *sings* “doh dum”
L: “What was that?”
MJ: “Creating another part…that I heard…um *moves hat* which I did do on the demo which I played myself. Um…”
L: “But was there a particular musical instrument that uh….”
MJ: “It’s a piano. *starts imitating piano part* It’s accenting… *moves hat* *sings* doh dum… like that…”
*tape starts playing again*
MJ: *drinking water* *moving head to music*
L: “Okay, I’m just going to play more of exhibit 489, Mr. Jackson.”
MJ: *moving hair out of eyes*
L: “Why don’t you wait for my question…ok”
MJ: *nodding*
*Mj on tape singing: “strings, daa daa”*
MJ: *laughs*
L: “What did you say right there?”
MJ: “Strings.”
L: “And uh….what….”
MJ: *sings* Daa Daa Daa, it’s the part that would go over a verse like a second verse, which would climax the song… which would build it.”
L: “Were you imitating a particular instrument when you made that sound?”
MJ: “Yes”
L: “What?”
MJ: “Strings… I even said it….I go ‘Strings’…”*laughs* *sings* Daa Daa *smile* *drinking water*
L: “I’m going to play more of exhibit 489.”
*tape starts playing*
MJ: *starts pouring honey into his tea*
*Mj on tape “piano…” *sings* dum doo”
L: “What did you just say erm…on the tape?”
MJ: “I’m not positive…I think I said piano…something like that. *starts messing around with all of his drinks. What…”
*tape begins to play again cutting Michael off*
*tape is quickly stopped*
MJ: “What I’m doing now is creating.”
L: “Let me ask you, what are you doing now?”
MJ: *laughs* “Okay… after creating the melody I’m now creating the different sounds that I want to go with the melody. What each instrument should do.”
*bit of tape is played*
MJ: “…. to create the song…”
*tape shuts off to let Michael finish…*
MJ: “…………………”
*tape turns back on when notices Michael was finished*
L: “I’ll play more of exhibit 489”
MJ: *sips tea*
*Mj on tape: “Strings… *sings* doooOOOOooo”
MJ: *whispers* “strings….” *clears throat* *clears it again* *looks over at ‘microphone man’, shakes head* *laughs*….*laughs at tape*
L: “What were you doing there?”
MJ: “Creating a French horn part.. which I never used…*sings* duh dum duh duh…”
L: “Thank you.”
*tape continues*
*Mj on tape: “That’ll be soft horns…”
MJ: “See…..” *smile*
L: “What did you just say there?”
MJ: “I just said that could be soft horns…“ *smile* *sips tea*
*tape starts…then quickly stops*
L: “Continuing with exhibit 489”
*tape starts again*
MJ: *moving hat* *nodding to the beat* *stirring tea*
*Mj on tape: “And don’t write the song….”
MJ: *throwing fists in air* *smile*
*Mj on tape: “Don’t write anything, let the song create itself.”
MJ: *throwing right fist in air* *smile* “That’s my law….” *sipping tea*
L: “Let me…. let me back the tape up slightly….”
MJ: *moving hat* *clearing throat* *whispering to someone beside him* “that’s what I always say” *while pouring honey into tea* *laugh*
*Mj on tape: “and don’t write the song, don’t write anything…let the song create itself, let the strings tell you what to do, where they should come… let the piano tell you what chords to hit….”
MJ: *drinking water*
*Mj on tape: “Whatever it feels like…let the bass tell you whatever it should be doing, everything…. let it create itself… let it form…let it do what it wants to do, don’t force up on the song…”
MJ: *messing with drinks*
*Mj on tape: “let the song force up on you….”
MJ: *stirring* *SIGH* *clearing throat*
*Mj on tape: “Let the song tell you where to go.”
*tape stops*
L: “K… what did you mean by…what you said on the tape?”
MJ: “What I meant was, a song creates itself…. I’m just the source through which it comes… it are…it all creates itself. When a song comes to me I’m hearing the strings, I’m hearing the bass, I’m hearing the drums…. everything comes as a package…it’s like catching a leaf that falls from a tree, it’s the most spiritual, beautiful thing that can ever happen…. and…and sometime I just get on my knees and I pray to God out of thankfulness that it happened…. that it came to me…and that’s what I’m saying…. let it… let it create itself… because it’s trying to create itself.”
L: “I’ll continue with exhibit 489”
MJ: *drinking tea*
*Mj on tape talking about voice harmony*
MJ: *drinking tea*
L: “What did you say right there?”
MJ: “Some type of harmony part…. on *sings* the girl is mine…. *moves hat* doooo doooo… what I’m trying to do is… what I’m…. what I’m hearing in my head is some type of counter line to build the chorus… and when the chorus comes it should be like a flower blossoming in your face…so to build that and to make that happen you have to add in other *smile* sounds to make it refreshing and wonderful…so that’s all that is.”
L: “What’s the bridge of a song?”
MJ: *sings* “I love you more than he…..”
P: “Objection!”
L: “I was asking a more general question….what is a bridge?”
MJ: “What is a bridge?”
L: “Yes”
MJ: “A bridge…*clearing throat* what a bridge is…. is to take you from A to B *smile*…it is to take you from the verse to another part, it is escapism, from hearing the same mundane trivial…ordinary thing that you’ve been hearing all the time…because the ear gets tired of hearing the same words… so what a bridge does…it takes you away from all of that. Then when it finally comes back, to what you were doing before…it’s much stronger *smile* it’s much stronger. It has….”
L: “Does ‘The Girl…. I’m sorry, finish what you were….”
MJ: “It has a much stronger effect.” *half smile*
L: “Does the song, ‘The Girl is Mine’ have a bridge?”
MJ: “Yes it does.”
L: “Could you uh…sing that for us?”
MJ: “It goes…. *sings* I love you more than he…take you anywhere, well I love you endlessly, loving we will share so come and go with me out on the town… but we both cannot have her so it’s one or the other and one day you’ll discover is that she’s my girl forever and ever… Don’t build your hopes to be let down…. that type of thing.”
L: “Let me continue, Mr. Jackson….”
MJ: *clearing throat*
L: “…with exhibit 489 and at some point I will ask you a question.”
MJ: *drinking tea*
*Mj on tape: “Here’s another bridge part… *sings* do do do”
MJ: *nodding to music* *laugh* *moving hat* *nodding to music again* *leaning in to hear better* *laugh* *nodding* *humming along with tape* *nodding* *getting honey and starts pouring into tea* *continues to nod* *humming* *more honey* *laughs* *sigh* *scratch lip* *nodding* *swaying whole upper body to music*
L: “The segment I just played for you there…what were you doing?”
MJ: *sniff* “Creating…um or discovering I should say *stirring tea* because I try not to invent… I try to discover what’s there… and I’m discovering where the song wants to go…. and it’s the bridge… it’s the bridge of the song…it’s these changes…. that uh, it reminds me of a song that I just wrote recently um… called ‘Stranger In Moscow’ in Russia… and I went through the same thing, in trying to dictate into a microphone what your hearing in your head is very *laugh* difficult sometime because you… you only have one voice, but you’re hearing full chords, so it’s a very difficult thing to do, but you just do it your best.” *laugh* *drink tea* *laugh*
L: “What’s a chord, Mr. Jackson?”
MJ: “What’s a chord?”
L: “Yeah…. in music…”
MJ: “A chord is harmony… it’s sound… that’s pleasant, something that can be pleasant to the ear…music…”
L: “Let me just state for the record, I’m playing uh…exhibit 489.”
MJ: *SIGH*
L: “...and uh…at some point I will ask you a question about it, Mr. Jackson”
*tape plays*
MJ: *sips tea* *nodding and then smiling to someone off camera*
*Mj on tape: “The chords of the bridge is…*sings* duh de dum…”
L: “What…. what did you just say there?”
MJ: “I’m saying the chords to the bridge…I’m now just bringing out what I think the chords… just defining in my head, what the chords should do to accompany the melody…….so… which is…which is very important.” *drinking tea*
L: “I’ll play some more from exhibit 489.”
*tape starts*
MJ: *nodding to music* *humming* *closes eyes and rocks back and forth slightly faster than the rhythm on tape*
*Mj on tape: *sings* “Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”
L: “Mr. Jackson, what were you doing there?”
MJ: “I’m making uh…. *clearing throat* background sounds, which I did on the demo, which is just one of the notes *scratching chin* *sings high* Aaaaaaaa *sings a bit lower* Aaaaaaa just the harmony part…I think there is like six different harmony notes… that’s just one of six.”
L: “I’ll play further from exhibit 489”
MJ: *drinking tea*
*Mj on tape: *sings* “Aaaaaa Aaaaaa”
MJ: “Mmm Mmm” *drinking water*
L: “What were you doing there?”
MJ: “Same thing, it’s uh…. it’s a harmony part that goes against the other harmony, I’m creating different notes which are harmonies to go against the music, I’m creating all the harmonies and all the sounds, each individual sound which make up the whole of ‘The Girl Is Mine.’”
L: “Play further from exhibit 489”
MJ: *drinking tea*
*Mj on tape: “When the song first kicks off I can hear some horns in the song, for instance this is how the music goes” *beat boxes*
MJ: *nod*
*Mj on tape: *sings* “dododo, soft horns”
L: “What were you doing there?”
MJ: “Creating what I heard at the time, uh…French horns, which are soft horns which I felt should have gone…..uh…at the time….in the beginning of the song….um….bom bom bom….that type of thing.”
*tape begins again*
*Mj on tape singing “She can go with me out on the town… etc…”
MJ: *clearing throat* *drinking tea* *looks to be in some pain*
L: “What part of the song….uh….”
MJ: *touching side of face*
L: “…have we just heard?”
MJ: “Uh…. *still in pain* you just heard the bridge….”
*tape begins*
*Mj on tape: “She can go with me out on the town…etc… “ *when the bridge of the song comes he smiles, then punches the air.*
MJ: “There it is….” *smile*
L: “What did you just hear?”
MJ: “There it is… that’s what I was looking for, it’s the fire that builds, coming out of the…bridge… *sings while tapping foot* “but we *punch* both cannot have her so it’s *punch* one or the other and one *punch* day you’ll discover is that she’s *punch* my girl forever and *punch* ever. Don’t *punch* build your hopes to be let down… so it’s coming out of the bridge.”
*tape continues*
MJ: *seems to be in more pain*
L: “Are you okay, Mr. Jackson? You want to take a break?”
MJ: “No, my mouth hurts…” *voice cracking is obviously in a great deal of pain*
*Back from break*
L: “Mr. Jackson…”
MJ: *sipping tea*
L: “At the break did you find it necessary to take uh…. Uh pain medication?”
MJ: “Do I find it necessary?”
L: “Did you…at the break… did… did you…. Uh… did you have to take a pain medication for your pain?”
MJ: “Yes.”
L: “I real quickly want to ask you um… about a cassette tape that’s been previously marked as exhibit number 492…uh…”
MJ: *sniff*
L: “…an exhibit that I’ll give to the court reporter in completion of the deposition or a break…. uh… I just want to play a portion of it and ask you whether you recognize exhibit 492.”
*tape plays – it is the demo for the song, ‘The Girl is Mine’”
MJ: *nodding to music* *closes eyes* *nodding*
L: “I’ll stop it there, Mr. Jackson, do you uh…recognize exhibit 492?”
MJ: “Yes.”
L: “What is it?”
MJ: “That’s my original demo of ‘The Girl is Mine.’”
L: “Uh… does that demo use any of the material that you sung um… when you created the work tape?”
MJ: “Yes…..” *sigh*
L: “After you….”
MJ: *clearing throat*
L: “…did the demo for ‘The Girl Is Mine’, what happened next?”
MJ: *scratching back of head*
L: “...in connection with the song?”
MJ: “After that, I played it for Quincy, and he loved it, he thought it was perfect for Paul and I…and we let Paul hear it and Paul loved it and we recorded it.”
L: “Was it commercially released?”
MJ: *smile* “Yes.”
L: “Did anyone make any changes in the studio?”
MJ: “Were there any changes…from that?”
L: “Uh, yeah”
MJ: “Other than that? Uh…yes”
L: “What?”
MJ: “There was a guitar lick that was added…”
L: “Any changes to the bridge?”
MJ: “Yes, the bridge was extended a little.”
L: “Who suggested that?”
MJ: *scratching nose* “I think it was Quincy…I think….” *moving hair out of eyes only to put it back in eyes*
L: “Mr. Jackson, before this lawsuit was filed, did you ever hear of a song called, ‘Happy Go Lucky Girl’?”
MJ: “No”
L: “When you wrote ‘The Girl Is Mine’, did you copy from anyone else’s song?”
MJ: *laugh* “No” *drinking tea*
L: “Was ‘The Girl Is Mine’ written by you and you alone?”
MJ: *drinking tea* “Written by me and me alone.”
L: “Before we go into the next song that we’re going to talk about, I’d like to ask you some questions uh… do you know anybody by the name of Robert Smith?”
MJ: “I’ve heard of the name…”
L: “Where did you hear of the name?”
MJ: *shrug* “I don’t know…” *scratch lip*
L: “Uh… do you know anybody named Clifford Ruben?”
MJ: “…Doesn’t ring any bells…”
L: “Uh… do you know Raynard Jones?”
MJ: “Yes”
L: “How do you know Raynard Jones?”
MJ: “Friend of my brothers… I think, over the years…. Or something.”
L: “Do you consider him a friend of yours?”
MJ: “No.”
L: “Why not?”
MJ: “Well, a friend wouldn’t do this, would he?”
L: “How about in the early years, did you ever think he was a friend of yours?”
MJ: “Not really, he was…. he’s not my age, I mean he hung out with my brothers…he’s much older than I am.” *drinking tea*
L: “Over the years did Raynard Jones ever visit your family?”
MJ: “Yes”
L: “Under what circumstances?”
MJ: “Hello…. goodbye”
L: “Do you ever recall uh….Raynard Jones um.. playing you songs um… in your studio in Encino?”
MJ: “No”
L: “Did you ever copy any songs provided to you by Raynard Jones?”
MJ: *laugh* “No…”
L: “I’d like you to…uh talk now about the song ‘Thriller’. Uh… are you familiar with the song ‘Thriller’?”
MJ: “Yes.” *scratching lip*
L: “Who wrote ‘Thriller’, Mr. Jackson?”
MJ: “A guy named Rod Temperton.”
L: “Did you have any role in connection with the song ‘Thriller’ at all?”
MJ: “I sang ‘Thriller’.”
L: “Did you have an role in writing the song?”
MJ: “No.” *scratch lip*
L: “When did you first hear the song ‘Thriller’?”
MJ: “I first heard the song, it was called……….it was a different title… I heard it in Encino, at my house in Encino…. It was under a different title.”
L: “What was that title?”
MJ: “Starlight Sun”
L: “and…who brought you that song under a different name?”
MJ: “Rod Temperton”
L: “Did he come to your uh…studio, did he come to your house alone or was he with someone?”
MJ: “He came with Quincy.”
L: “Before uh…. Rod Temperton brought you this demo of ‘Starlight’ um…did you have any contact in connection with the song ‘Starlight’?”
MJ: “No”
L: “When he got to your house, what did Mr. Temperton do, in connection with the song ‘Thriller?’”
MJ: “He had…. He came with a keyboard machine…. and I kind of admired the way he worked… *scratch lip* he had all of the sounds already programmed inside the machine…so when he midid the sounds to another keyboard or to a main board that’s in the studio…which is the audio board *scratches chest* um…. They would play the sounds and the performance that he had performed somewhere else… it could have been Switzerland or Germany…so all the parts were there, inside that machine…. done and performed already.” *drink tea*
L: “At some point did…did you hear the song ‘Thriller?’” or ‘Starlight’ at the time? Let me withdraw that… At sometime did you learn the song ‘Starlight’?”
MJ: “Yes.”
L: “How did you learn it?”
MJ: “He just sang… well he… he sings on a tape and it’s his voice singing against uh… a demo.” *chews on fingernail*
L: “And again, what was the name of the song when it was on that demo?”
MJ: “’S…. Starlight Sun.’”
L: “Uh… in your performance of um….”
MJ: *chews on nail again*
L: “…. what would eventually become ‘Thriller’, did you make any changes in connection with your performance in the music?”
MJ: “…………………………………….(20 seconds)………………..Not that I can think of…”
L: “Did you play any role in writing the music underlying the lyrics that go “It’s close to midnight and something evil’s lurking in the dark?”
MJ: “No.”
L: “Who wrote the lyrics for ‘Thriller’?”
MJ: “Rod Temperton.”
L: “Who has writing credit for ‘Thriller?’”
MJ: “Rod Temperton.”
L: “Did you get any writing credit for ‘Thriller’’?
MJ: “No.”
L: “Before this…. before this lawsuit, before this lawsuit did you ever hear of a song entitled ‘Run On Man Child’?
MJ: “No.”
L: “Uh…at anytime, Mr. Jackson, did you give Rod Temperton music from someone else that Rod Temperton could put that music in ‘Thriller’”?
MJ: “Nooo.”
L: “Turning to another subject…do you realize that Joseph Jackson is one of the defendants in this case?”
MJ: “…. I heard…”
L: “Who’s Joseph Jackson?”
MJ: “…my father…”
L: “Uh…at anytime, in your professional career, has Joseph Jackson ever uh…provided music that uh…. you or your group um…. would perform for recording purposes?”
MJ: “Repeat your question?”
L: “Yeah…at anytime during your professional career, has Joseph Jackson had any role in selecting the songs that you or your group would perform?”
MJ: “No.”
L: “Did uh…Joseph Jackson ever give you music written by Raynard Jones?”
MJ: *laugh* “No…”
L: “Robert Smith?….or Clifford Ruben?”
MJ: *laugh* “No…”
L: “Joseph Jackson have any role in creating Rod Temperton’s ‘Thriller’?
MJ: *laugh* “No…”
L: “Finally I would like to turn to ‘We Are The World’, um who wrote the song, ‘We Are The World’, Mr. Jackson?”
MJ: “I wrote ‘We Are The World’…….and um…. Lionel Ritchie also helped.”
L: “Uh…”
MJ: *scratch lip*
L: “… How did you become involved with ‘We Are The World?’”
MJ: “Quincy Jones called me on the phone, I was in my bedroom in Encino….and he said ‘Smelly…’ he calls me Smelly….he said ‘Smelly we need a song….um… for the children of the world’ *scratch back of head* ‘there are a lot of children dying, and I want you….and Lionel Ritchie to go in and write a song… I asked Stevie Wonder to write a song but it’s taking him quite sometime, you know how Stevie is’ he said… *scratch lip* he said…’he’s brilliant but it takes him quite…..quite awhile to get going.’ I said *whiny voice* ‘Quincyyyy…I just finished Thriller….I just spent all that time in the studio, I don’t’ feeel like it.’ *scratch lip* and uh…. He said ‘but it would be very important for the children….’ As soon as he said that *smile* he know how I feel about children… and how important that is to me…so I said ‘I’ll do it.’ And uh…..so I uh….got together with Lionel……and uh…. We got together and goofed off for two days…. doing nothing, just making fun of each other and being silly *moves hair out of eyes* because we go way back *moves hair again* since I was like 8 years old or something.”
L: “How did you meet Lionel Ritchie?”
MJ: “He used to uh…open up for my group, The Jackson 5, on our early tours…. as The Commodores and then after he would….perform…. he would go out in front and hold the fans back…so he was like a bodyguard at the same time….in front of the stage, holding back all of the kids…so um… we had a pretty good relationship and we laugh about old times…so we had a lot of catching up to do…so we talked and laughed and threw things at each other and joked around….and uh… didn’t get anything done. Then on the third day…um I think it was the third day *scratch nose* I um…woke up with this melody in my head.”
L: “Did uh…Mr. Ritchie bring you any melody at any time?”
MJ: “Yes, Lionel brought something to me…he had something in his head that he had as well.”
L: “What was that?”
MJ: “um…”
L: “Can you sing it?”
MJ: “Yes he had…. *scratch lip* um… I think he played it on tape… and he sang it to me…. this is what he played…. he…. he…*scratching nose* he said ‘this is all I have and I hope you like it…’ it went *sings to the tune of we are the world, we are the children* da de da dum….da de da dum dum… and that was it..”
L: “Did you like it?”
MJ: “Yeah, I said, ‘that’s nice….’”
L: “...and then what happened?”
MJ: “I said ‘well listen to this…’ and…. and I played him uh…..what I uh…… no! That’s not what happened, I said ‘I have something in my head that I have as well’ – I said ‘but I want to go in the studio and put it all together first and then I’ll let you hear it’…so I went in the studio and put all the sounds down *sings* There comes a time…when we heed a certain call…da da dum… the whole thing…. the bridge and…”
L: “Could you briefly demonstrate how you went through that creative uh…. well let me back that up…did you ever put uh….what your ideas for ‘We Are The World’ into a tape recorder?”
MJ: “Yes… I did.” *scratching lip*
L: “Do you know where that tape is?”
MJ: *laugh* “No…I never keep up with my tapes…I’m not organized in that way…” *laugh*
L: “Can you demonstrate for us…. just briefly how you created uh… some of the…the music that uh… you created for ‘We Are The World?’”
MJ: *scratching lip* “Okay…. I…. I strongly remember getting on my knees…and praying to God thanking him, for the melody that came into my head because I was pleased with it, when I woke up the next morning, I said ‘this is so lovely’ and I went to the tape recorder and I put down… and it was *sings* Duh duh duh dum…. Duh duh duh duh duh duh duh *scratching head* *scratching lip* Da da da…da da da da da da da…. Beginning verse… *sings chorus* da dee da dum….. then I put that part in… da dee da da dum…”
L: “When you say that part… that part that…”
MJ: “Which is the part that…. that…that Lionel brought… *continues to sing on chorus* Da da da da… etc….*scratching lip* then I added again… *sings to beat of ‘there’s a choice we’re making..* da DA DA da da da….. *that was too high for his hoarse voice so he takes it down some* *pointing in different parts of the air for different notes* which is the part I added on… *sings* da da de da da dum… da da dum.. da de da da da da daaaa…”
L: “Did you also work on the harmony?”
MJ: “The harmonies… I…. I did…. Just the way I did ‘The Girl is Mine’ no different…I did the strings…and I did the bass…and I did the…the chords and the bridge…. the same way…. the same law…in letting it create itself.”
L: “Did you uh…. eventually make a demo of ‘We Are The World’?”
MJ: “Yes I did.”
L: “Do you remember where that was?”
MJ: “I can’t find that tape to this day… I wish I knew where it was… because I’d like to hear it…. *scratching nose* *smile* just to have some laughs….”
L: “Did you go to a studio to make the demo?”
MJ: “Yeah it was a studio in the valley…”
L: “Was there an engineer there? …..uh…if...if the uh……”
MJ: *smile* “Yes.”
L: “Was there uh…let me back up…what…. what was the name of the studio, do you recall?”
MJ: *looking at someone beside him* *smile* “Is this for you or for me?…..Thanks…. um… *drinking water* Red Wing….I think that was the name of it..”
L: “Do you recall what the engineer did? Wait… wait…. Let me back up…was there an engineer?”
MJ: *moving hair* “Yes.”
L: “What happened uh… next? Well, let me stop… let me play you…”
MJ: *drinking water*
L: “…um… just a brief portion of uh…um…”
MJ: *scratching nose*
L: “…a tape marked exhibit 486 previously identified….”
*tape plays*
*Mj on tape: *sings* “If you just believe there’s no where we can fall”
MJ: *closes eyes* “…that’s… that’s the bridge…”
*Mj and Lionel Ritchie are talking on the tape*
L: “Do you recognize exhibit 486, Mr. Jackson?”
MJ: “Yes.”
L: “What is it?”
MJ: “That’s the bridge to ‘We Are The World’”
L: “Do you hear anybody talking on the tape?”
MJ: *laugh* *scratching nose* “…Sounds like Lionel.”
L: “Let me play you a little bit…more… just a little bit more…”
*tape continues to play*
MJ: *drinking water* *stretching arms out in front of him* *looking at someone off camera* *smile*
*Mj on tape: *sings* “to know that someone cares…. and their life…”
MJ: *swaying head back and forth*
L: “You were also on that tape?”
MJ: “Yes”
L: “Uh… how did you um… you come to um… create exhibit 486... this tape?”
MJ: “How did I create it?”
L: “Yeah how did…how did it happen that what was going on…was being taped?”
MJ: *scratching lip* “By just…. Because at some point um… I said ‘I just want to tape some of what we’re doing…so we can just have it…’ you know…”
L: “What were you and Mr. Ritchie doing um… on that tape?”
MJ: “Singing… goofing off…”
L: “Were you writing any of the song at that time?”
MJ: “Not really, we kind…*scratching lip* *appears drowsy* we kind of goof off a lot.”
*tape begins*
L: “I’ll play you a little more.”
*On tape: Mj and Lionel singing ‘As God has shown us by turning stones to bread…”
MJ: *drinking water*
*On tape: “so we all must lend a helping hand… *mj sings* we are the world... we are the children *both sings* there’s a chance we’re taking…”
MJ: *closes eyes*
*On tape: “…we’re taking our on lives…”
MJ: *smile*
*On tape: Both: “… It’s true we make a brighter day, just you and me…” Lionel: “..2, 3, 4” Both: “When your down and out, there seems no hope at all…”
MJ: *blinking slowly*
*On tape: Both: “… but if you just believe there’s no where we can fall…”
MJ: *blinking even slower*
*On tape: Mj: “And the only way…. and the only….and….the only truth…..”
MJ: *stretches arms*
L: “We’re playing just a little more, does that refresh your recollection as to whether or not you and Mr. Ritchie were working on any part of the song?”
MJ: “Yes, *scratching lip* um… we were…I…I was reciting the bridge.”
L: “Let me play just a little bit more..”
MJ: *taking off jacket…looking at microphone man while realizing the microphone went with jacket…* *smile* *nod*
*On tape: *Lionel croaking out “Let us understand…”
MJ: *laugh*
*On tape: Mj: “Let us understand….”
MJ: *putting microphone on shirt – microphone is cracking as he tries to do it, turns to microphone man* “Is that right?” *nod* *piece of hair gets got in microphone…* *yanks hair out of microphone, makes loud scratching noises* *puts microphone on different part of shirt* “How about there….” *looks around room* *looks at microphone man* *nods* *smiles*
*tape is shut off*
L: “Can you tell me now, listening to more, whether you or Mr. Ritchie were working on….”
MJ: *scratching nose*
L: “…any part of ‘We Are The World?’”
MJ: “Yes um…working on um…. I don’t know if it was the lyrics or what…um… I think the lyrics we kind of fooled around with the lyrics afterward…we’re creating the melody.”
L: “k… umm…”
MJ: *drinking water*
L: “Mr. Jackson, before this lawsuit was filed… did you ever hear of a song called ‘What Will Become Of The Children’?”
MJ: *laugh* “No.”
L: “Did you uh... copy… uh anyone’s song in writing ‘We Are The World’?”
MJ: “No.”
L: “Did Mr. Ritchie?”
MJ: “No”
L: “Did you and Lionel Ritchie um… together and with no one else, write ‘We Are The World’?”
MJ: “Say that again…?”
L: “Yes, did you and Mr. Ritchie and only you and Mr. Ritchie um… write ‘We Are The World’?”
MJ: “That’s the truth…”
L: “I have no further questions.”
*Prosecutor comes to ask MJ some questions, they obviously don’t care too much for each other*
P: “Would you please state your name?”
MJ: “Michael Joseph Jackson.”
P: “Mr. Jackson, will you spell your last name?”
MJ: *doesn’t seem to be paying attention* “J………A………C……….K………S………O……….N.” *gives him enough time to write the full word ‘Jackson’ between each letter lol*
P: “Mr. Jackson, do you know a person by the name of Raynard Jones?”
MJ: “I’ve heard of the name, Raynard Jones….”
P: “Have you simply heard of it or do you know the person?”
MJ: “Do I know the person….I’ve met him….”
P: “When did you first meet him?”
MJ: “I don’t remember…” *drinking tea*
P: “How long have you known him?”
MJ: “I don’t remember…”
P: “Did you first meet him in California?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Did you first meet him in Detroit?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Did you first meet him in New York?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Where did you first meet him?”
MJ: “I think Indiana….”
P: “What part of Indiana?”
MJ: “I think Gary, Indiana...”
P: “Did you live in Gary, Indiana at one time?”
MJ: “Yes”
P: “Mk…were you in fact born in Gary, Indiana?”
MJ: “Yes.” *drinking tea*
P: “Under what circumstances did you meet Raynard Jones?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “But…. but you did meet him in Gary, Indiana…that’s your recollection, is that correct?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “Ok… but you don’t recall under what circumstances you met him…. is that correct?”
MJ: “I don’t know…”
P: “You don’t know what? You don’t know what Mr. Jackson?”
MJ: “Under what circumstances…”
P: “ok… have you ever discussed music and songs with Raynard Jones?”
MJ: “Not that I remember.” *drinking water*
P: “Is it that you have not discussed music or songs with Raynard Jones or is it that you don’t remember whether you discussed songs and music with Raynard Jones?”
MJ: “I don’t remember”
P: “ What? What is it that you don’t remember?”
MJ: *sigh* “Discussing music or songs with Raynard Jones…”
P: “Ok… do you recall…”
MJ: *drinking water*
P: “…ever having any conversations with Raynard Jones?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “ok...Approximately how many conversations do you recall, have you had with Raynard Jones?”
MJ: *laugh* “I don’t know.”
P: “Ok… are they too numerous to recall?”
MJ: “I don’t know.”
P: “So, they may be too numerous for you to recall, is that right?”
MJ: “No…”
P: “You just don’t recall?”
MJ: “I don’t recall.”
P: “Would it have been more than five?”
MJ: “…………………could be…”
P: “More than 10?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.” *drinking tea*
P: “More than 15?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.”
P: “More than 30?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.”
P: “Do you know where any of these conversations took place?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Do you know whether anyone else was present when these conversations took place?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Have you ever rehearsed any songs with Raynard Jones in any location?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “Where?”
MJ: “…………………I think…..um…at his house.”
P: “And where would that have been?”
MJ: “In Indiana.”
P: “At Gary, Indiana?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “About how many occasions did you rehearse songs with Raynard Jones at this house in Gary, Indiana?”
MJ: “I don’t remember…”
P: “On the occasions that you rehearsed songs with Raynard Jones at his house in Gary, Indiana, did you also discuss those songs with him?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “You just rehearsed…is that correct?”
MJ: “As I remember….”
P: “As….you remember what?”
MJ: “What you just said….”
P: “As you remember you just rehearsed and did not discuss songs?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “When you were growing up in Gary, Indiana, uh... did you ever perform at Roosevelt High School?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “Did you ever perform with Raynard Jones at Roosevelt High School?”
MJ: “Yes.” *starts fanning his face with left hand… then fans with both hands in large, obvious movements*
P: “Has Raynard Jones ever visited with you….”
MJ: *Mj stops fanning himself*
P: “… outside of Gary, Indiana?”
MJ: “I think he came to California.”
P: “K… and did he ever visit with you and or other members of your family at your resident on Hayvenhurst?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “Ok…”
MJ: *drinking water*
P: “Do you recall about how many times he did that?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “K… Mr. Jackson, do you ever recall whether Raynard Jones visited uh at your property on Hayvenhurst while you were there?”
MJ: “I’m not positive.”
P: “k… did he or did he not visit while you were there?”
MJ: “I’m not sure…”
P: “Do you recall Raynard Jones visiting the Hayvenhurst property accompanied by two other individuals?”
MJ: “I don’t know.”
P: “Is it your testimony that Mr. Jones never visited the Hayvenhurst property while you were present?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.”
P: “Alright…. Other than Motown…”
MJ: *sipping tea out of spoon*
P: “…did you sign with any other record company?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Is it your testimony today, that you didn’t sign a contract with CBS records?”
MJ: “Did I sign with CBS records, is that what you’re asking me?”
P: “That was the question.”
MJ: “……………………………………………………….yes.”
P: “When was that?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.” *sipping out of spoon again* *HUGE stretch*
P: “Did your father have anything to do with the signing of the contract with CBS records?”
MJ: “I’m not sure…”
P: “You’re not sure whether he was involved in any manner?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “ok…let me ask you this question….”
MJ: *sipping out of spoon again*
P: “Was your father, to your knowledge, involved in any manner or form in the…”
MJ: *sipping yet again*
P: “…signing of the contract between you, your brothers…. and CBS?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “Ok… in what way?”
MJ: *laugh* “I don’t know.” *sipping spoon*
P: “Now, you know that he was involved but you don’t know in what way he was involved?”
MJ: “Exactly…” *sipping spoon*
P: “Mr. Jackson, do you have or have you ever had a collection of musical materials?”
MJ: *drinking tea*”………………a collection of musical materials?”
P: “Yes…or a collection.”
MJ: *scratching hand* “…. I love going to the record store…buy records….”
P: “I’m sorry?”
MJ: “I love going to the record store, to buy records….”
P: “……..The question to you is… Did you at any time have a collection of musical materials?”
MJ: “…….… a collection that I buy from the music store……”
P: “ok…did that collection include material from any other source other than the material that you purchased…..”
MJ: *laugh*
P: “…from a music store?”
MJ: “No…” *smile *drinking tea*
P: “When did you first begin keeping this collection?”
MJ: *moving hair* *getting ready to clasp fingers* *claps hands once* *then clasps fingers* “I don’t remember.” *drinking tea*
P: “Mr. Jackson…. the collection….”
MJ: *pouring honey into spoon*
P: “…….have you ever maintained a collection….of musical materials….that included… unreleased songs?”
MJ: …..*puts spoonful of honey into tea*…..”That I’ve written...”
P: “Have you ever maintained a musical collection….”
MJ: *stirring tea with spoon*
P: “…. that contained unreleased songs…written by anyone else?”
MJ: “No.” *putting spoon down* *drinking tea*
P: “In 1977….”
MJ: *drinking tea*
P: “…. did you maintain a collection of musical materials?”
MJ: “…….my favorite record store is Tower Records……*licking honey from thumb*….I collect cassettes and Cds….from Tower Records……………………………………………….”*looks over at Prosecutor*
P: *talking to the court reporter* “Could you read back my last question please?”
Reporter: “Question: In 1977, did you maintain a collection of musical materials?”
MJ: *drinking tea* *sigh* “Same answer…..” *sigh*
P: “Yes or No, did you or didn’t you? Did you?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “You didn’t maintain a collection in 1977?”
MJ: *drinking tea*
P: “Is that right?”
MJ: *small smile* “Music that I buy from the record store….” *drinking tea*
P: “So you…..in 1977….you maintain a collection of music which you purchased from a record store? Is that right?”
MJ: “…..seventy-seven, seventy-eight….seventy-nine….*looks at prosecutor* seventy-six….it’s part of….I love music….I buy records.”
P: “So… you did maintain a collection of….”
MJ: *drinking tea*
P: “….songs that you purchased from a music… from a music store, right?”
MJ: *playing with sunglasses in hands* *smile* “Yes.”
P: “ok….”
MJ: *drinking tea*
P: “Where did you keep your musical materials that you purchased….”
MJ: *laughing*
P: “…from the music store?”
MJ: *still laughing* *playing with sunglasses again* “Everywhere….”
P: “There’s no particular location?”
MJ: “No.” *smile*
P: “They was thrown everywhere, is that it?”
MJ: “Thrown about…” *smile*
P: “Did you ever receive in the mail…. cassettes…”
MJ: *pouring more tea into cup*
P: “…with songs on them…. from other people?”
MJ: “…No.” *pouring honey into tea*
P: “Is there anything in your musical collection which you did not create?”
MJ: *licking honey off thumb and pointer finger* “Of course.” *stirring tea* *looks at someone off camera and smiles*
P: “Is it your testimony Mr. Jackson that during the period of 1975 to 1985, that you never received cassettes with songs on them, through the mail from other people?”
MJ: “…..Not that I can remember…” *pours packet of sugar into tea – seems to be concentrating very hard…being very careful… looks at someone and laughs*
P: “Have you ever…. during the period in question, Mr. Jackson…. received cassettes and lead sheets, and or lead sheets from any other person?”
MJ: “…..repeat that question…” *stirring tea*
*prosecutor gives paper to reporter*
Reporter: “Have you ever, during the period in question, Mr. Jackson, received cassettes and lead sheets, and or lead sheets to any other person?”
MJ: “…….during what period?”
P: “1977 through 1985”
MJ: *moving hair* “No.” *sipping tea from spoon*
P: “Prior to 1977, did you receive cassettes or lead sheets in the mail from other persons?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Subsequent to 1985 have you received….”
MJ: *drinking tea*
P: “…. Cassettes and lead sheets from individuals through the mail?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “ok… Is it your testimony, Mr. Jackson, that you have never received cassettes and lead sheets through the mail from other individuals?”
MJ: *putting hand inside shirt to scratch chest* “No.”
P: “Is that your testimary?…mony?”
MJ: *nod* “That’s my testimony.”
P: “Your testimony is that you have not?”
MJ: “I have not…”*scratching chest again*
P: “ok…. Mr. Jackson…I will refer you once again…”
MJ: *laugh*
P: “…. to your deposition dated October 19, 1989…refer you to…um…. page 138.”
MJ: *moving hair* *drinking tea*
P: “Question in line 23: ‘Do you receive material from other songwriters?’ Answer at line 25: ‘Do I?’ continuing on 139, line 1, Question: ‘Yes’ line 2, ‘I used to.’”
MJ: “Songs that I’ve recorded….”
P: “The material that you received in the mail, cassettes or lead sheets…. what did you do with them?”
MJ: *moving hair* “I just don’t remember getting things in the mail….” *drinking tea* *playing with sunglasses*
P: “Draw your attention to page 139 of your deposition volume 1, line 25, Question: ‘Would….”
MJ: *drinking tea*
P: “….you receive tapes in the mail, or lead sheets in the mail, or lyric sheets in the mail or realer reel tapes in the mail?”
MJ: *drinking tea*
P: “…. Answer on page 140 line 3, ‘Yes, but no, I wouldn’t dare take the time to listen, I just throw them away.’”
MJ: *drinking tea*
P: “If that’s what you said, is that what you did?”
MJ: “Yes.” *drinking tea* *biting tip of thumb*
P: “So, you did receive cassettes and lead sheets in the mail from other people, is that correct?”
MJ: “I’m foggy on that, I don’t quite remember.”
P: “Now, when you would receive these materials in the mail, would you throw them away?”
MJ: “If I got any songs in the mail, I would never listen to them.”
P: “My question to you is, the songs that you receive in the mail, did you throw them away?”
MJ: “Absolutely.” *drinking tea*
P: “And how did you get rid of them?”
MJ: *laugh* “ I don’t remember.”
P: “Is it your testimony, that while you receive cassettes of songs in the mail, that you never listened to those cassettes?”
MJ: “……………………………repeat your question…”
*phone ringing*
MJ: *laugh* *drinking tea*
Reporter: “Question: Is it your testimony, that while you receive cassettes of songs in the mail, that you never listened to those cassettes?”
*someone answers phone, woman says something and they resume the tape about 10 minutes later*
P: “I believe I had a question before the witness, will the reporter read that question back please?”
MJ: *nodding and smiling to someone off camera*
Reporter: “Question: Is it your testimony, that while you receive cassettes of songs in the mail, that you never listened to those cassettes?”
MJ: *sigh* “Any cassettes that come to me personally in the mail…. Which is very rare…I throw them away… and our policy of tapes… that come to the office…that are songs, written by other people…we simply send them back. If I’m on the street, if I’m in a record store…. And somebody has a song and he comes up to me and says ‘Michael! I’m a songwriter; I want to make it…just like you! Listen to my song!’ I’d say, ‘I can’t take your tape….’ I simply do not take tapes…. I’m a songwriter myself, I write my own songs…. I don’t have to…. take other peoples songs.”
P: “My question to you is…. is it true that the songs…that you receive in the mail…that you…”
MJ: *clearing throat very loudly* “Sorry….”
P: “…. that you DID NOT listen to them?”
MJ: “I do not listen to them.” *clearing throat* *drinking water*
P: “Mr. Jackson, does the collection you have…. uh...consist of songs, that you’ve started, that you didn’t like…but you didn’t like…and you let them go, or you dropped them?”
MJ: “There are certain songs that I have, that I have written…that I just think…. aren’t good enough, or I like it at the time, then something will come along that’ll beat that song out *smile* that’ll be stronger…… to me……so….I’ll just *wiping chin*…leave that song there. It’s just there.”
P: “So, your answer is yes?”
MJ: “Yes to what?”
P: “To the question.”
MJ: “What’s the question?”
P: “Please read it back….”
MJ: “*clearing throat* “I’m sorry…..”
Reporter: “Question: Mr. Jackson, does the collection you have, consist of songs, that you’ve started, that you didn’t like, but you didn’t like, and you let them go, or you dropped them?”
MJ: “Let them go? I don’t understand the terminology your using. Can you rephrase it?”
P: “What does your collection consist of?”
MJ: “Songs that I’ve written?”
P: “My question is….what. does. your. collection consist of?”
MJ: “…I’m…....trying……..so hard to answer it….you mean, the songs that I’ve written…”
P: “No, my question…no...no… my question to you is…you have a collection…what does the collection consist of?”
MJ: *putting down spoon* “Glen Campbell….Jonny Mathis… The Carpenters…..The Eagles….um…who else do I like…. Stevie Wonder…. I love the Bee Gees, I love James Brown…*moving hat*…Aretha Franklin….all the old Motown stuff from the 60s……um…..do you want me to keep going?”
P: “Well, if you choose too.”
MJ: “Um…. *shrug* Okay…. *smacks lips*…what else……….uh……I love Herman’s Hermit’s, I love…..The Beatles, I love a lot…...uh……The Sherman Brothers who I think are very good…….um…….who else do I like…..um…..I said Stevie Wonder……...that’s all I can think of right now.”
P: “Are any of the songs that you worked on, your personal songs, included in your collection?”
MJ: “Now that’s what I was asking you before! *smile*………………………………………………………….now………could you repeat your question?” *smile*
P: “Read the question back….”
MJ: *still smiling*
*reporter is asking which question to read*
P: “My last question……..which is probably the one that you read previously……”
MJ: *moving hat*
Reporter: “………………………………………… Question: Mr. Jackson, does the collection you have, consist of songs, that you’ve started, that you didn’t like, but you didn’t like, and you let them go, or you dropped them?”
MJ: “Let them go…….. I just don’t understand what that means.”
P: “Mr. Jackson, I call your attention to Volume 1 of your deposition taken October, 19, 1989, page 129. Question at line 6, ‘What does your collection consist of?’ Answer line 7, ‘Songs that I work on, songs that I have started, and didn’t like it that much so I just let it go.”
MJ: *smile*
P: “…. and there is just classical music I buy like a great song that I enjoy listening to, show tunes, Rodgers and Hammerstien, Chuck Berry…..”
MJ: *smiling and nodding*
P: “Do you recall that question and giving that answer?”
MJ: “That sounds like me….”
P: “My question is…. do you recall that question and do you recall giving that answer?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “So, then…what is…the answer contained in your deposition, is that accurate or not?”
MJ: “It sounds accurate.”
P: “ok… and did you give that answer?”
MJ: *nodding* “It sounds like something I would have said….”
P: “My question to you is…did you give that answer?”
L: “Objection!”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “I’m sorry?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “So, you gave that answer?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “Alright.”
MJ: *drinking water* “…..I forgot Rodgers and Hammerstein, I love them…..”
P: “Now, with regard to your collection, other than what you’ve already testified to…. does that collection include…. the works of any other party or person?”
MJ: “The works of any other party or person? Yes, I like…..”
P: “No, I’m not asking about what you like, I’m asking you about what’s included in your collection.”
MJ: *stretching*
P: “You’ve told us a number…. You’ve mentioned a number of names, individuals, groups…”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “Including songs that you work on, that are included in your collection, is that right?”
MJ: “Yyyyeeees……”
P: “ok…. Are there any other persons…. who’s works that you have not mentioned are included in your collection?”
MJ: “No.” *drinking water*
P: “Ok…..Is it true, Mr. Jackson…that um…… you started to sing ‘The Girl Is Mine’ into a tape recorder?”
MJ: “…………….yes...”
P: “And have we heard that tape today?”
MJ: “…..Yes.”
*tape cuts two minutes later* *someone brought a fan to put beside Michael* *fan is now blowing on Michael*
MJ: *smile*
P: “Mr. Jackson….”
MJ: *scratches ear*
P: “…. you’ve indicated that…uh you started to sing ‘The Girl Is Mine’ into a tape recorder, is that correct?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “ok…and you have also testified that we have heard that tape today, is that correct?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “and is that exhibit 489?”
MJ: “I don’t know….”
P: “Now, Mr. Jackson, is that the original tape that you made for ‘The Girl is Mine’, exhibit 489…. that you’ve heard, is that uh…. an accurate description or depiction of the…. of the original tape that you made for ‘The Girl Is Mine’?
MJ: *scratching ear* “Sounds like it to me…”
P: “Ok…. how long have you had that tape?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you.”
MJ: *louder and faster* “I don’t’ remember.”
P: “Was there a time when that tape was lost?”
MJ: “I don’t remember…” *blinking slowly*
P: “Was there a time when you didn’t know where that tape was?”
MJ: “Don’t remember…”
P: “Sorry?”
MJ: “Don’t remember...”
P: “ok……Mr. Jackson… I call your attention to your deposition taken October 19, 1989, page 128, question, line 20: ‘When you say there it was, what do you mean by that?’ Answer at line 22…”
MJ: *closes eyes*
P: “…. I started to sing in a tape recorder…’ line 23 Question: ‘Do you still have that tape?’ line 24, Answer: ‘I don’t have it personally, it’s somewhere…’ to page 129…”
MJ: *opens eyes*
P: “…. Question: ‘Do you know where it is?’ line 2 Answer: ‘No.’ Do you recall those questions being asked and your giving those answers in your deposition taken on October 19, 1989?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Okay, do you recall the Question on page 129 ‘You don’t know who has it? Answer at line 4 ‘No, it must be in my collection somewhere at home’, do you recall and that question and that answer?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “What is it that you don’t remember?”
MJ: “What you just asked…”
P: “You don’t remember saying that you don’t know who has it?”
MJ: “Repeat your question…”
P: “You don’t remember saying you don’t know who has it?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “You don’t remember saying that?”
MJ “I don’t remember.”
P: “You don’t remember saying that?”
MJ: “That’s right…..”
P: “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you”
MJ: “Yes….”
P: “Do you remember saying in the answer to the question, ‘Do you know where it is’ ‘no’? Do you recall that answer?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Mr. Jackson, with regard to the songs that you received in the mail from other…people, did you return those songs?”
MJ: *scratch nose* “I answered that question….”
P: “My question to you is…. did you return the song, any of the songs that you receive in the mail?”
MJ: “I throw them away.”
P: “Did you keep a log of any kind or record of any of the tapes that you receive in the mail?”
MJ: “No…”
*tape cuts, 6 minutes later*
P: “Do you also consider Mr. Jones to be disloyal?”
MJ: “…………..yes.”
P: “Do you feel that Mr. Jones owes you some loyalty?”
MJ: “……………..I think he owes honesty.”
P: “k…. would you say that you also owe honesty?”
MJ: “I’m being very honest.”
P: “That’s not my question. Do you feel that you owe honesty?”
MJ: “I am honest.”
P: “So, then, when you say…. is it your….is it your testimony that Mr. Jones is dishonest?”
MJ: “Absolutely.”
P: “K…. why do you say that he is dishonest?”
MJ: “Because he knows in his heart that he didn’t write those songs.” *scratching neck*
P: “Which songs are you referring to?”
MJ: “The songs that you are referring to…”
P: “The question is, which songs are you referring to, Mr. Jackson?”
MJ: “…. *sigh*……’The Girl is Mine’………’We Are The World’……*clearing throat* and ‘Thriller’.”
P: “So, is it your testimony that Raynard Jones is claiming that he wrote ‘The Girl Is Mine?’”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “Is it your testimony that he is saying that he wrote ‘We Are The World’?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “Is it your testimony that Mr. Jones is saying that he wrote ‘Thriller’?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “And is it on that basis that you conclude that Mr. Jones is dishonest…. is that correct?”
MJ: “Absolutely.” *scratching arm*
P: “In October of 1989… did you discuss this lawsuit with Bill Bray?”
MJ: “…………I don’t remember…”
P: “By the way, who is Bill Bray?”
MJ: “He’s head of security.”
P: “For whom?”
MJ: “For MJJ Productions.”
P: “And who is MJJ Productions?”
MJ: “My company.”
P: “Ok…what does MJJ Productions do?”
MJ: “It’s an office that administrates my personal affairs.”
P: “How long…. and…and…. Mr. Bray is employed by…MJJ Productions?”
MJ: *scratching cheek* “Oh I wouldn’t know….”
P: “k… but he works for MJJ Productions?”
MJ: “Yes, he does.”
P: “k…and so…. he’s working for MJJ Productions…. is it your contention that that’s different from him being employed by MJJ Productions?”
MJ: “What’s your question?”
P: “You said he works for MJJ Productions, is that right?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “Previously I asked, was he employed by MJJ Productions…. do you recall that question?”
MJ: “…………………….Yes.”
P: “Do you recall what your answer was?”
MJ: “………………………………….what was the answer?”
P: “I’m asking you the question, do you recall?”
MJ: “Yes…”
P: “What was the answer?”
MJ: “…was he employed by MJJ Productions….”
P: “That was the question.”
MJ: “The answer is………….....yes.”
P: “How long has Mr. Bray been employed by MJJ Productions?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.”
P: “Prior to your move to California or after?”
MJ: “*smile* I’m really not sure…”
P: “Ok………is it your testimony that you don’t recall the conversation with Bill Bray concerning Raynard Jones and this particular lawsuit in October of 1989?”
MJ: “No…” *closing eyes* *putting left thumb and pointer finger on the corner of his eyeballs and pushing in towards his nose lol* *drinking water* *scratching lip*
P: “Did you ever talk to Bill Bray about the deposition that you gave on October the 19th, 1989?”
MJ: “…. I don’t remember.”
P: “Do you recall at the deposition on October 19, 1989 that this question, page 17, line 2 ‘Anybody else, other than your lawyers, that you talked to, about this deposition today’, Answer line 4, ‘Security’ Question line 5, ‘Who is that?’ ‘Bill Bray and some of the guys of studio.’ Question in line 7, ‘What did you talk to Bill Bray about?’ Do you recall those questions and giving those answers?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Did you answer the questions as I’ve read them to you on October 19, 1989?”
MJ: “I must have…”
P: “Do you recall the nature of your conversation with Bill Bray concerning this lawsuit in your deposition on October, 1989?”
MJ: “…….No”
P: “Do you recall this Question on page 17 of your deposition taken October, 1989….”
MJ: *blinking slowly*

*continued*
Re: The 1993 Deposition transcript!!
________________________________________
*continued*

P: “…..line 7, ‘What did you talk to Bill Bray about?’ Answer, line 8, ‘The nature of the conversation was Bill was very disappointed this is happening, so was I because it’s very sad because it’s not true.’ Do you recall those questions and those answers?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Did you give that answer citing at line 8, page 17, through line 10, at your deposition on October the 19th?”
MJ: *half laugh* “I must have…”*scratching nose*
P: “To your knowledge does Bill Bray know Raynard Jones?”
MJ: “Pardon?”
P: “To. Your. Knowledge……Does Bill. Bray. Know. Raynard. Jones?”
MJ: “Do I have knowledge that Bill knows Raynard Jones?”
P: “My question was…. to your knowledge……”
MJ: “oh…..”
P: “..does Bill Bray…”
MJ: “Ooohh….”
P: “...know Raynard Jones?”
MJ: “…I’m not sure.”
P: “mk… have you ever been in the presence of Bill Bray and Raynard Jones at the same time?”
MJ: “Not that I can remember...” *smiling at someone off camera*
P: “Do you recall testifying that the conversation with Bill Bray took place at the hideout?”
MJ: *wrinkles eyebrows* “No…” *scratching neck*
P: “Call your attention to your deposition on October 19, 1989, page 18, Question at line 2, ‘What did you say to Bill Bray?’…..”
MJ: *closes eyes*
P: “…Answer, line 3, ‘I’m not sure.’ Question on line 4, ‘Did you say anything to him?’ Answer line 5, ‘in agreement, it as some words in agreement.’ Line 7 ‘Was that in a face to face conversation?’ Answer line 8, ‘Yes’ Question ‘Where?’ Answer line 10, ‘At the hideout.’ Does that refresh your recollection as to where your conversation with Bill Bray took place?”
MJ: “Yes”
P: “ok… and did it take place at the hideout?”
MJ: “……it must have, if that’s what I said.”
P: “What did Bill Bray say to you about Raynard Jones in that conversation?”
MJ: “…………………………I don’t remember.”
P: “Same deposition, October 19, 1989, line 7… Question line 14, ‘What did you say to Bill and what did he say to you?’ Answer line 16, ‘Well, what Bill said…the nature of this…. he’s a guy who’s never had a hit record…and he’s trying to claim that he’s written a great song…that type of thing.’ Do you recall that question and giving that answer?”
MJ: “Kind of….” *nod*
P: “Did you agree with the statement made by Bill Bray?”
MJ: “…………………………..Absolutely.”
P: “Why did you agree with this statement?”
MJ: “……why do I agree with his statement?”
P: “Why do you agree with his statement?”
MJ: “Because it’s true…”
P: “What part was true?”
MJ: *rubbing chin* “…..He knows in his heart that he did not write those songs… he knows that.”
P: “Mr. Jackson you testified under direct examination that Lionel Ritchie uh... stated to you that you write songs quickly…..you could write an album in one week. Do you recall that?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “When did you first receive the call from Quincy Jones with regard to creating a song that would ultimately become ‘We Are The World’?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.” *straightens up in chair and clears throat*
P: “In the time that you received the request from Mr. Jones…”
MJ: *looks at someone off camera and laughs*
P: “ …Um...”
MJ: *laughing again*
P: “ When did you…”
MJ: *drinking tea*
P: “…. begin work on your part of the composition?”
MJ: “ I don’t remember working on it, really.”
MJ: *drinking tea*
P: “What was your response Mr. Jackson?”
MJ: “I don’t remember working…on it, really.”
P: “Did you work on…”
MJ: *pouring more tea*
P: “…music that ultimately became known as ‘We Are The World’?”
MJ: “Yes.” *stirring tea*
P: “So you…ok…how soon after you received the call from Mr. Quincy Jones was it that you began that work?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.” *still stirring tea*
P: “K…how long after the call from Mr. Quincy Jones did you contact anyone else concerning that work which would ultimately become known as “We Are The World’?”
MJ: “ I don’t remember.”
P: “ K…How soon after you received the call from Quincy Jones…”
MJ: *still stirring*
P: “*inaudible*…prior to working on the song that would ultimately be called “We Are The World’?”
MJ: *scratching head* *licking honey off of thumb*
MJ: “ Repeat…”
L: “I’m sorry, could you repeat the question?”
MJ: “ Really.” *drinking tea*
Reporter: “Question: How soon after you received the call from Quincy Jones *inaudible*…Lionel Ritchie with regard to working on a song that would ultimately be called ‘We Are The World’?”
MJ: *drinking tea* “I don’t think I called Lionel…” *drinking tea*
P: “Ok…so you didn’t call him, did he call you?”
MJ: “No, I think Quincy did.” *drinking tea*
P: “ Quincy called who?”
MJ: “ Lionel Ritchie.” *drinking tea*
P: “K…did there come a time when you and Mr. Ritchie talked on the telephone about ‘We Are The World’…a song that would ultimately become known as ‘We Are The World’?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”
MJ: “I don’t remember…sorry.” *drinking tea*
P: “Did there come a time when you and Mr. Ritchie met to work on a song that would ultimately become known as ‘We Are The World’?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “When was that?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.” *drinking tea*
P: “How many times did you and Mr. Ritchie work on a song that would ultimately become known as ‘We Are The World’?”
MJ: “I don’t remember for sure…I don’t remember.”
P: “ Ok…”
MJ: *clearing throat*
P: “ Where did you and Mr. Ritchie work on the song that would ultimately become known as ‘We Are The World’?”
MJ: “My house.”
P: “Any place else?”
MJ: “Well…when teaching everybody how to sing the parts…all the different celebrities…*painful looking swallow*…. A&M Studios, I think… *grimace in pain*…”
L: “Uh…Mr. Jackson…just to…how are you feeling?”
MJ: “Not good.”
L: “Take a break.”
*Deposition resumes November 10th* (after a two day break)
P: “Where did you reside in June of 1977, Mr. Jackson?”
MJ: “77…I’m not sure.”
P: “ Have you ever lived in Encino, California?”
MJ: “Yes.” *smile*
P: “Ok…when did you first begin living in Encino, California?”
MJ: “Gee…I’m not sure.”
P: “ Are you familiar with the residence in Encino, California on Hayvenhurst Avenue? “
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “Have you ever lived there?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “A…do you know whether…”
MJ: *clearing throat loudly*
P: “ …whether you lived there in June of 1977?”
MJ: “77…I’m not sure.”
P: “Ok…but you do recall living at the address at the Hayvenhurst address, is that right?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “When did you cease living at the Hayvenhurst address?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “Do you presently live at the Hayvenhurst address?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Ok…have you ever seen Raynard Jones at the house on Hayvenhurst Avenue?”
MJ: “I saw him at the gate one time…as I remember…trying to get in.”
P: “My question to you…Have you ever seen him in the house on Hayvenhurst Avenue?”
MJ: “I think one time he was inside, that I saw him.”
P: “Ok, so you’re answer is yes?”
MJ: “It’s foggy. I’m sorry.”
P: “So you’re answer is yes…you have seen him in your house on Hayvenhurst?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.”
P: “Mr. Jackson, do you recall your deposition being taken on October 19, 1989?”
MJ: “……….Yes.”
P: “K…page 29 I call your attention to this question, line 1 ‘Has Raynard ever visited you at your home’? And your answer at line 2 ‘He’s been there’. Do you recall that question and that answer?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “K…how many times have you seen Raynard Jones at your house on Hayvenhurst Avenue?”
MJ: “Gee…I wouldn’t remember.”
P: “Have you ever listened to an audio cassette tape in the presence of Raynard Jones in any location?”
MJ: “No, not that I remember.”
P: “Is it that you don’t remember or that you have not?”
MJ: *sign* “I have not.”
P: “Have you ever seen Raynard Jones in the studio of your house on Hayvenhurst Avenue?”
MJ: “I don’t remember, sir…”
*someone whistling in background*
MJ: *looking to see who is whistling*
P: “Is it that you don’t remember or that you have not seen him in your studio of your house at Hayvenhurst Avenue?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “Have you ever seen Raynard Jones at your home at Hayvenhurst Avenue accompanied by other people?”
MJ: “It’s foggy but I think he had a friend with him.”
P: “And when would that have been?”
MJ: *laugh* “I don’t remember.”
P: “Do you know whether that would have been in June of 1977? “
MJ: “I reeeeally don’t remember.”
P: “Have you and uh…the Jacksons ever conducted a musical tour called ‘The Victory Tour’?”
MJ: “….Yes.”
P: “In what year was that?”
MJ: “………80 something.”
P: “Did ‘The Victory Tour’ take place at any time during 1984?”
MJ: “I could have…”
P: “But is it your testimony that you do not know when ‘The Victory Tour’ began?”
MJ: “I’m not positive. I’m bad with dates.”
P: “Do you know of a person by the name of Johnny Ray Nelson?”
MJ: *smile* “Yes.”
P: “And how do you know him?”
MJ: “……I think…he….Johnny Ray….was my next door neighbor in Indiana.”
P: “Has Johnny Ray Nelson ever been an employer of yours?”
MJ: “No, not that I know of…” *moving hair* *sniff*
P: “Is it your testimony that Johnny Ray Nelson has never been employed by you or is it that you don’t remember whether he was employed by you?”
MJ: “I’m not sure, sir.”
P: “K…call your attention to page 83 of your deposition taken October 19, 1989 at line 25. Do you recall this question being asked…relative to Johnny Ray Nelson? ‘Has he ever worked for you?’ Line 25 page 83. Page 84 line 1 ‘Yes.’ Do you recall that question and do you recall giving that answer?”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Ok…. is it your testimony here today that the …the answer that you gave in response to that question on October 19, 89…1989 is not accurate?”
MJ: “I can’t remember what he did…”
P: “That’s not my question…my question to you is…are you contending that the answer you gave to the question in your deposition in October 1989, is that accurate?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.”
P: “Is it true that Johnny Ray Nelson traveled with ‘The Victory Tour’?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.”
P: “Is it true that during the period of 1983 through 1986, you received information that Raynard Jones was complaining that you and the Jacksons were copying his music, is that true?”
MJ: “Repeat your question.”
P: “Is it true that during the period of 1983 through 1986, you received information that Raynard Jones was complaining that you and the Jacksons were copying his music?”
MJ “I’m not sure of the dates.”
P: “Did there come a time that you received information that Raynard Jones was complaining that you and the Jacksons was copying his music?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “When was that?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.”
P: “Was that before or after your move to Los…California?”
MJ: “…………I think it was after we moved to California.”
P: “And from whom did you receive that information?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.”
P: “Did you ever receive that information from Johnny Ray Nelson?”
MJ: “What information?”
P: “That you and the Jacksons were copying Raynard Jones’ music?”
MJ: *smile* “Could you repeat your question, sir?”
P: “Did you receive information from Johnny Ray Nelson at any time during the period of 1983 to 1986 that Raynard Jones was complaining that you and the Jacksons was copying his music?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “Is it that you don’t remember or that you did not receive such information from Johnny Ray Nelson?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “So you don’t remember whether you received information from Johnny Ray Nelson during the period of 1983 to 1986 that Raynard Jones was complaining that you and the Jacksons was copying his music?”
MJ: “I don’t remember…the dates…I don’t remember.”
P: “I’m not asking you…. well, strike the dates…you said yourself that uh you had received information that Raynard Jones was complaining that you and the Jacksons were copying his music and I asked you what year was that. Do you recall that?”
MJ: “What’s your question?”
P: “My question to you is, you have testified here…that you received information that Raynard Jones was complaining that you and the Jacksons were copying his music, is that correct?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “My question to you is, When did you first, when did you receive that information?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “My question to you is from whom did you receive that information?”
MJ: “I don’t know.”
P: “My question to you is, did Johnny Ray Nelson ever convey information to you that Raynard Jones was complaining that you and the Jacksons were copying his music?”
MJ: “No. *scratching arm* Ray…Johnny Ray Nelson?”
P: “Yes.”
MJ: “No.”
P: “Ok…Mr. Jackson, I call your attention to page 82 of your deposition taken on October 19, 1989…question at page 8 ‘what people’? Answer beginning at line 9 ‘Well one of the friends, one of our next door neighbors, who’s a guy named Ray Nelson said once, we succeeded and left Gary, Indiana we had hit after hit records, and he said Raynard would come to him and say don’t that sound like my sound? Don’t this part sound like the song I wrote?…..”
MJ: *nodding*
P: “…..and he would try to say that we stole his song….”
MJ: *smile*
P: “….we didn’t even write the songs, let alone take them.’ Do you recall that question?”
L: *says something that is inaudible*
MJ: *moving hat*
P: “Now, my question to you is, do you recall…”
MJ: *drinking water*
P: “…giving that question and responding as I have read to you at your deposition on October 19, 1989?”
MJ: “I do remember Johnny Ray Nelson being angry at Raynard…um….Johnny Ray saying something of the sort that Raynard is trying to take advantage of us because we became very successful and he didn’t…..and we took off….into super stardom….and he didn’t and so he was trying to find any excuse……anything……to……. *laugh* to get back at us.”
P: “When did Mr. Johnny Ray Nelson tell you that?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “K…my question to you was…Did you…do you recall the question that I asked relative to your deposition and the answer that I read to you, do you recall that question and giving the answer that I read to you?”
MJ: “Could you repeat that again?”
P: “The question at page 82, line 8 ‘what people’ Answer beginning at line 9 ‘Well one of the friends, one of our next door neighbors, who’s a guy named Ray Nelson said once, we succeeded and left Gary, Indiana we had hit after hit records, and he said Raynard would come to him and say ‘Don’t that sound like my sound? Don’t this part sound like the song I wrote…and he would try to say that we stole his song…we didn’t even write the songs, let alone take them.’ Do you recall that question and your…and that part of your answer?”
MJ: *nod* “I remember.”
P: “K…. was that which I’ve read to you as part of your answer, accurate at the time you gave it?”
MJ: *nod* “If I said it, it must be accurate.”
P: “Alright….”
MJ: *scratching lip*
P: “Now, during ‘The Victory Tour’, Mr. Jackson….”
MJ: *drinking water*
P: “…Did you and Johnny ray Nelson discuss Raynard Jones?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “Is it that you don’t remember whether you discussed him or that you did not discuss Raynard Jones with Johnny Ray Nelson?”
MJ: “I don’t remember……..if his name was brought up or not.”
P: “Ok…..did you ever talk with Johnny Ray Nelson about Raynard Jones at the property on Hayvenhurst?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “Do you recall in your deposition on October 19, 1989 at page 83, Line 7, the question ‘Have you ever talked with Ray Nelson about Raynard Jones?’ your answer at line 9, answer, ‘Yeah’ question at page 12 ‘Do you know where?’ Answer ‘No, could have been Hayvenhurst” could you have talked with Johnny Ray Nelson about Raynard Jones at the Hayvenhurst property?”
MJ: “………..I don’t remember.”
P: “So, that your answer that you gave me in your deposition, when you say could have been Hayvenhurst is…. was that accurate then, when you gave that answer?”
MJ: “It could have been….”
P: “ok…”
MJ: *drinking water*
P: “Now, after moving to California, did you and your brothers perform in the Chicago area? At any time?”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “Ok….”
MJ: *moving hair*
P: “Now…when you performed in the Chicago area…. would Raynard Jones visit you and or your brothers after your performance?”
MJ: “No…. I just remember my security saying he would always try to get back stage…..and hassle the security to try to get in…..that type of thing….”
P: “K….”
MJ: *moving hair*
P: “On occasions that you and your brothers performed in the Chicago area…. did you ever see Mr. Jones after any of your concert sessions?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
P: “On the occasions that you performed in the Chicago area after your concert sessions, did Mr. Jones ever attempt to get you to listen to music?”
MJ: “Did he ever get me to listen to music?”
P: “Attempt or try to get you to listen to music….”
MJ: “…..not that I know of…”
P: “When you would see Raynard Jones…. strike that… you did see Raynard Jones in California, after moving there, is that correct?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.”
P: “Now, when you would see him, that is after you moved to California…. would he try to get you and your brothers to listen to music that he had written or that others had written?”
MJ: “I’m not positive.”
P: “Ok…. Mr. Jackson when did you….”
*my tape cuts off… this is tape number 2*
P: “Mr. Jackson, taking you back to your deposition of October 19, 1989…. question at line 16, ‘Mr. Jackson, I’m going to how you what has been marked for purpose of identification…”
MJ: *drinking water*
P: “…. exhibit 215 and ask you if you can identify that, answer….”
MJ: “Yes.”
P: “…. question at line 21 ‘Can you identify the person in that photograph?’ Answer line 23, ‘It’s me.’ Do you recall those questions and your giving those answers at your deposition on October 19, 1989?”
MJ: “If I said it, it must be accurate but it…it had to be a better picture than that………..you can’t see that…” *smile* *drinking water* *smiling bigger at someone off camera* *still smiling – about to laugh*
P: “Mr. Jackson, I’m going to show you what has been marked as the plaintiff exhibit number 216 which I a photo copy of a photograph and ask you if you can identify it….”
MJ: *looking at picture* “………….well to me it looks like……..uh…………………the great Al Green…..and uh…..Raynard Jones…I think.” *giving paper back*
P: “Is it that you think that the other person in the photograph is Raynard Jones or is the other person in the photograph, plaintiff’s exhibit 216, Raynard Jones?”
M: “It looks more like Raynard Jones…. *scratching lip* it’s hard to tell on the Al Green……because………again your pictures…….”
P: “Does it appear to be a photograph including…. which includes Raynard Jones?”
M: “Y…yes”
P: “K…”
*tape cuts to almost an hour later*
*Another guy is interviewing Michael now, I’m not sure who he is so I’m just going to label him A for attorney*
A: “Mr. Jackson, can you tell me uh… in the context of, of the uh…. the ‘Thriller’ project, ‘We Are The World’ project…the…what these various entities do, or whether they were involved in those projects…. at all…uh… MJJ Productions…. uh…. what is MJJ Productions?”
MJ: “It’s my…..it’s my office…where they work with CBS records…or um…. Packaging, art design, answering letters…..um, dealing with the fan clubs….it’s um…….our way of working with the world from inside…outside.”
A: “So then…MJJ Productions really uh…promotes and distributes…and has something to do with the product that you record, is that correct?”
MJ: “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand you?”
A: “MJJ Productions has something to do with your services…. as…as a recording artist, and the product that you record and sell, is that right?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Warner Brothers Publications Inc…do… have you…do you know what that company is?”
MJ: “…….it’s a movie company…and a record company…like CBS/Sony…”
A: So, did Warner Brothers Publications Inc have something to do with uh…the projects ‘Thriller’, and uh…’We Are The World’?”
MJ: “…. Not that I know of….”
A: “Ok…and what about Warner Tamerling(?) Publishing Corporation?”
MJ: “…..I’m not sure on that…”
A: “ok…. And USA for Africa Foundation, do you know what that is?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Can you tell us what that is?”
MJ: “It was a organization… *when saying organization something in his mouth got in the way and it was all mumbled up lol – I think it is a Ricola for his voice* …that was set up to uh…distribute funds…uh relief funds to Africa for the project of ‘We Are The World’…. which is a song….. *still having problems with Ricola, keeps coming in the way of his words* which myself and Lionel Ritchie wrote….for…..Africa….”
A: “So when…”
MJ: “We…..”
A: “I’m sorry, go ahead...”
MJ: *slight smile* “We organized all the celebrities together… *tongue pushing Ricola into side of mouth again* and sang the song…… for Africa…..USA….United States for Africa…..” *tongue pushing Ricola down*
A: “So, then the foundation really was the beneficiary of the proceeds of the sale of the product, ‘We Are…..We Are The World.’”
MJ: “That…” *nodding*
A: “Is that a fair statement?”
MJ: “…. is the idea…..”
A: “And how about Mijac music?”
MJ: “I’m not sure if Mijac exists anymore… it’s a publishing company…. It was a publishing company.” *tongue pushing candy down*
A: “But you’re not sure if it exists now?”
MJ: “I’m not positive.”
A: “Did it exist the time that uh… Thriller was uh…distributed as an album?”
MJ: “I think so…..”
A: “And the same is true when ‘We Are The World’ was distributed?”
MJ: “I’m not sure sir…” *the word sir was slurred because Ricola got in the way*
A: “Is…..is…..is mijac or was mijac your publishing company? Is it your pblishing company?”
MJ: “….is it my publishing company?”
A: “Wa…. was it when it was in existence?”
MJ: “Oh… *nodding* yes.” *smile*
A: “or whether it still is in existence…”
MJ: “Yes.” *smile*
A: “Your publishing company?”
MJ: “Yes.” *nodding and smiling*
A: “Ok…and you don’t know whether it still exists?”
MJ: “I’m not sure…”
A: “Mmm…do…..do you know when mijac music was formed?”
MJ: “No.”
A: “Bout when it was in existence, it was wholly owned by you?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Did you have a publishing company before mijac?”
MJ: “Uuummmm…. *nod* I think mijac was the first one.”
A: “ok…do you have another publishing company now?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “What is the name of that publishing company?”
MJ: “Well there is ATV music.” *because of the Ricola it sounds like he said AJV*
A: “ATV music?”
MJ: “Yes”
A: “Ok………and it’s a publishing company?”
MJ: “Yes.” *sniff*
A: “I’ll try not to repeat uh…some of the things that have been sked to you…um…. Was there a time that you were the lead singer of the Jackson 5?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “…and was that during the time that the Jackson 5 was under a recording contract to Motown?”
MJ: “….We were the Jackson 5….before signing with Motown…”
A: “But you were the lead singer during the time that the Jackson 5 was signed to Motown?”
MJ: “………………………………….yes.”
A: “And then, was there a time that the Jackson 5 became The Jacksons?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Were you the lead singer of the group known as The Jacksons?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Would the time when the Jackson 5 became known as the Jacksons…would that have been around…nineteen seventy……….six? 77?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.”
A: “Was there a time when The Jacksons’ were signed uh…under a recording agreement with CBS?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “And were you still a member of the Jacksons at that time?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Was there a time when you became a uh…just strike that, was there a time when you recorded separately from The Jacksons? Uh…. Under contract with CBS?”
MJ: *moving hair* “Yes.”
A: “Let me show you a document and ask you if you’ve ever seen it before…”
MJ: *moving hair*
A: “…show it to uh….thank you”
MJ: “looking at paper”
A: “Could you tell us what that document is?”
MJ: “reading*…………………………………....*exactly 96 seconds later*………………………… “….looks like a recording contract..” *crunching on Ricola*
A: “Would you uh…what is the date in the right hand corner page 1?”
MJ: “November 1st, 1978.”
A: “ok…would it be fair, would it be fair to say that that’s an agreement between The Jackson 5 Inc and Quincy Jones Productions?”
MJ: “No…”
A: “Have you ever seen that before?”
MJ: “I probably have but I don’t remember, I sign a million papers…”
A: “I’m sure…let me ask you to turn to the last page….”
MJ: *turning papers over to last page*
A: “Do you recognize the signatures on the right side underneath the Jackson 5 Inc?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Can you tell us what, who signature those are?”
MJ: “The first……....the first one look like…………………Joseph……..Jackson……..….it’s kinda hard to see..the second one looks like Michael Jackson…”
A: “Does that look like your signature?”
MJ: *laugh* “Yes….”
A: “Ok...now...”
MJ: “the other one looks like Quincy Jones.”
A: “Ok, thank you. Go back to page 1, paragraph number 1…. could you read the last sentence in that paragraph please?”
MJ: “…….’We shall provide that Epic shall not have any other person remix or…”
A: “No, I’m sorry page 1, paragraph 1…. number 1, last sentence.”
MJ: “Paragraph 1, number 1, the last sentence?”
A: “Right.”
MJ: “It’s right here, shouldn’t it?”
A: “Starts out ‘The time’…”
MJ: “The ti….oh paragraph… I’m sorry. ‘The time and place of recording such masters the selections of compositions to be embodied thereon, and all individuals rendering services in connection with the recording of the masters, should be mutually *scratching nose* agreed upon by you and artist.”
A: “ok…. now… was this the agreement that was signed with Quincy Jones Productions for the production of your first solo album…uh…do you recall, Mr. Jackson…that this was the…and I’m…I’m interested in refreshing your recollection about the time….”
MJ: “Ok...”
A: “…when the first 1978…”
MJ: “Ok...”
A: “…would this have been about the time when you signed to do your first solo album?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.”
A: “You’re not sure?”
MJ: “No.”
A: “ok….Do you remember what year it was that your brothers and you signed with CBS as The Jacksons?”
MJ: “No.”
A: “Now, pick up that agreement again, and…and I want to look at uh…par…..you’ve been in the record business for quite sometime…”
MJ: *sniff* *picking up paper*
A: “….have you not?”
MJ: “Quite some time……” *sounds annoyed*
A: “…and you understand par…. that second sentence in paragraph 1 to say, that when it says selection of compositions…Do you know what that means?”
MJ: “Sure.”
A: “What does that mean?”
MJ: “The selections…. choosing the songs.”
A: “Right…. then that means… Does that mean that…. that this agreement says that the choice of…. of the right to choose the songs is between you and Quincy Jones…”
MJ: *nodding*
A: “…mutually?”
MJ: “Mutual agreement *nod* yes.”
A: “Right…. ok...”
MJ: “We do it together….”
A: “Alright…now, I’m going to ask you to do one more thing with this document then we, we can leave it alone…look down at the bottom of the first page…. it’s par…paragraph 2…”
MJ: *looking*
A: “…the last sentence…right after the…part that’s been inked out…”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Could you read that please?”
MJ: “’ We shall provide that epic shall not have any other person remix or reedit any masters produced by you here under without first providing with a reasonable opportunity…to perform such remixing and or reediting as epic shall require.’”
A: “Alright, now what do you understand that to mean?”
MJ: “…………*lips making a smacking noise*………let me…read it again…. *whispering the first few words*……….*reading*…………………………………………………………………………oh… it…. says without providing a reasonable opportunity to perform *scratching cheek* such remixing and or reediting as epic shall require…it’s just saying……….um…..…that Epic um…....that…...that it’s between Quincy and myself to remix or reedit the songs on the album..….and if any other outside person..….comes in and wants to work on the album……it has to be an agreement with us.”
A: “Alright, now, in your experience in the record business, would it be fair to say that, that under the agreement, Epic would have final approval on the mix? On the edit?”
L: “Objection!”
MJ: *laugh*
*Seems like 20 men are talking at the same time*
MJ: *laughs again*
A: “Doesn’t the record company always have the right to approve the mix and the edit?”
L: “Objection!”
A: “Final master?”
MJ: “Not the final….”
A: “When you deliver a master to a record company, can they reject it?”
MJ: “Can they what?”
A: “Reject it….”
MJ: “…. They can reject it….”
A: “That’s fine, that’s all I wanted to know…”
MJ: *looks confused* “…....I don’t…..*raising eyebrows* *talking to self*…I don’t get what this has to do with…….”
A: “Now under the….”
MJ: *drinking water*
A: “...the first…the first…The Jacksons’ first contract with uh…CBS as recording artists, do you recall whether or not the Jacksons had the right to…under that contract…to provide or to supply music or to produce music a certain number of songs per album?”
MJ: “On the Epic contract?”
A: “Yes.”
MJ: “I’m not positive but I think…*sniff*…. we had the right to…..…three songs….per album.”
A: “Do you recall who produced the first C…. uh CBS album on…on…on the Jacksons?
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Who was that?”
MJ: “Gamble and Huff.” *licking lips them wiping corners of mouth with fingers*
A: “And you recall how many tunes, your saying 3…. that you, that uh…The Jacksons had the right to provide on that album…”
MJ: “I sang 3 that The Jacksons…”
A: “Did you just say 3 or….”
MJ: “In writing...”
A: “Yes.”
MJ: “In writing 3, yes that, me and my brothers…..I’m not positive but as I think….”
A: “Mm Mm…alright, you say in writing but is there a difference then…you’re saying that the contract provided that you had 3…but in reality you only had uh…. you had another number? Is that what your saying now?”
MJ: “No, it was the way you worded it…”
A: “Uh…”
MJ: “…that confused me…”
A: “Well, what I’m trying to find out is…. on the first album of The Jacksons, under the……CBS contract….how many tunes did you have the right to provide…on that album? Do you remember?”
MJ: “I think it was 3…” *nodding*”
A: “You think it was 3? Now….”
MJ: *scratching lip*
A: “…did that mean that you had the right write 3 turns, find 3 tunes from somebody else…”
MJ: *laughing*
A: “…or…. what does that mean?”
MJ: *smile* “Write 3 tunes….”
A: “ok…. and did The Jacksons write 3 tunes on that album?”
MJ: “Yes we did.”
A: “Do you recall the name of that album? The first album?”
MJ: “I think………………….I’m not sure…..De…..”
A: “Would it have been Goin Places?”
MJ: “It could have been.”
A: “Is that the first name?”
MJ: “…or Destiny…I’m not sure..”
A: “Now, how did…if you had the contractual right…... to uh…to have so…so many songs on the album…let’s say 2 or 3…. do you recall how many songs that you guys wrote for that uh album?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
A: “You don’t remember…normally in, in your experience in the business…if your going to have so many tunes on an album….how many album…how many songs would you put together for the final selection?”
MJ: “How many songs would we write for the album?”
A: “If you had the right to provide 2 or 3, how many songs do you think you would have normally put together..?”
MJ: “Oh gee…..15….” *sniff*
A: “Now….did……of those….let’s assume 15 were all those written by the Jacksons?”
MJ: “Yes.”
L: “Objection!”
A: “And no outside writers?”
MJ: *shaking head* “No outside writers…”
A: “Do you recall a tune called ‘Blues Away’?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Who wrote that?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Was that…. solely, by yourself or with your brother Randy?”
MJ: “Solely by myself as I remember…”
A: “How about a song called ‘Different Kind Of Lady’?”
MJ: *smile*”…………..what about it?”
A: “Do you recall that song?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Who wrote it?”
MJ: “Uh…. I think it was credited as The Jacksons…”
A: “Who wrote it?”
MJ: “Uh……gee…..Jackie, myself, Randy, Tito… I think we all wrote it…. we all wrote it.”
A: “By the way, did you guys have a publishing company at that time?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “What was the name of that publishing company?”
MJ: “I’m not sure…”
A: “Was the publishing company owned by the Jackson 5?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Was ‘Blues Away’ the first song that you had ever recorded…written that was recorded?”
MJ: “…….No…”
A: “Had you uh…written songs previ…. previously that were recorded? Before ‘Blues Away’?”
MJ: “Ooh yes…”
A: “Can you name some of those song that you had written, and were recorded?…………….and released!”
MJ: *smile* *pointing* “That’s different…. that’s different,”
A: “Well, let me go back then…was ‘Blues Away’ the first song that you had written, that was recorded and released?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Well, we saved ourselves a lot of time….”
MJ: *smile* “We sure did!”
A: “Now, do you recall the name of the second album that was recorded by the Jacksons under CBS agreement?”
MJ: “Gee…..I’m not positive, I don’t know if it was Triumph or Destiny or Goin Places…I’m not sure what order…”*laugh*
A: “Do you recall that uh…. were all the songs um…provided for the album by the Jacksons? I mean the second CBS album…do you understand what, my question?”
MJ: “What’s the name of the album?”
A: “Well, what if I told you it was Destiny…..would that uh…sound inaccurate?”
MJ: “I’m not positive…”
A: “Alright…. for the Destiny album…and do you recall how many songs were uh…were there any songs provided by outside writers on Destiny?”
MJ: “I’m not sure.”
A: “Do you recall who produced Desinty?”
MJ: “The Jacksons produced Destiny.”
A: “Would it be safe to assume that if The Jacksons produced…then they had a right to provide all the songs on the album?”
MJ: “I’m not sure…”
A: “Do you know a woman named Regina Hooks?”
MJ: “I’ve heard of the name…*wrinkling forehead*…but I can’t place the face…”
A: “Did she provide any songs for the Destiny album?”
MJ: “Not that I know of….”
A: “Did she provide any songs for any of the Jacksons albums?”
MJ: “I don’t even know who she is….”
A: “If she had provided a song that was used on one of the albums and it was released, would she have been given credit? Is it speculation, Mr. Jackson, to assume that if someone wrote a song…for one of your albums, that they would get credit?”
MJ: “Of course they would get credit.”
A: “Then it’s not speculation then is it…”
MJ: “If someone wrote a song, we would be honest and give them credit.”
A: “Now, infact, it’s your policy, right? That, Mr. Jackson, whenever a musician or someone uh…provides uh…help on a song…. uh a bridge or something like that in the arrangement, they get credit on it, don’t they?”
L: “Objection!”
MJ: *nodding*
A: “Now, the other day you testified that you’ve written 30…. you… you… you…you written 30…. written, published 30 to 40 tunes as a songwriter, is that right?”
MJ: “………..something like that……..I don’t know the exact number…*smile* *laugh* I’ve never counted….”
A: “ok…”
MJ: “I don’t count them….”
A: “Now, when you write a song…. that song is….and it’s not co-written by anybody else, with anyone else or collaborated with….it’s written solely by you, your independent work….”
MJ: “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand…”
A: “Is a song that you write…that you take sole credit for…”
MJ: “Yes...”
A: “…your independent creation…by you and you only….”
MJ: “Yes…”
A: “…and you don’t uh…do you include common musical phrases in your songs that you write?”
MJ: *scratching back of neck* “Common musical phrases…”
A: “Do you know what that is?”
MJ: “Yeah, but I don’t know if you know what that means…”*smile*
A: “Well, let me ask you, why don’t you tell us what it is...”
MJ: “I don’t know, I….”
A: “What’s a common musical phrase?”
MJ: “A common musical phrase….”
A: “Yes.”
MJ: “A musical phrase could mean…a note… *smile* a tone…”*shrug*
A: “Have you ever heard of the term a common musical phrase before?”
MJ: “Yes, but the way you put it in your question………it was different…. so I wasn’t sure if I understood what you meant….”
A: “ok…well then let me ask you, could you tell us what a common musical phrase is?”
MJ: *laugh* “A common musical phrase…. *sings* Heeeeeeeeee.”
A: “……..That’s a common musical phrase….”
MJ: *nod* ‘That can be a common musical phrase...”
A: “Did you ever hear of the term scenes afaire?”
MJ: “Pardon?”
A: “Scenes afaire. Have you ever heard of that term before?”
MJ: “Scenes…. spell it.”
A: “S. C. E. N. E. S….”
MJ: “Yeah...”
A: “little line…”
MJ: “Right…”
A: “Afaire….”
MJ: “Spell it…”
A: “A. F. A. I. R. E… Have you ever heard of that term before?”
MJ: “Scenes afaire…....no I never heard that.” *scratching cheek*
A: “Ok…. Now, let me ask you this question again, I’m….I’m not sure your answer was…was clear to me…maybe, maybe I missed it…when you write a song, that’s your sole song, that you take credit for, by yourself…”
MJ: “Yes…”
A: “Do you use, is that song independently created by you?”
MJ: “All the…”
A: “Do you understand my question?”
MJ: “Absolutely...”
A: “ok...”
MJ: “… songs that I take credit for, on my albums, that say written by Michael Jackson, are written by Michael Jackson.”
A: “And Michael Jackson alone, right?”
MJ: *laugh* “Michael Jackson alone, I wouldn’t cheat anybody out of credit.”
A: “I’m not suggesting that you cheated anything out of anybody, sir.”
MJ: “I’m an honest person.”
A: “I’m just asking you a question……uh….I’m going to ask you a question…uh give you a list of uh…songs….and I’m going to ask you some questions about each one of them.”
MJ: *nodding* “ok….”
A: “Have you ever heard of a song called ‘She’s Not A Girl?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Who wrote it?”
MJ: “I wrote it.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Pardon?”
A: “Was it recorded and released?”
MJ: “It was recorded but never released……………………….its uh……its…..*scratching cheek*….a demo……..” *sniff*
A: “Pardon?”
MJ: “It’s a demo that I did…..I think at the Encino house…”
A: “Do you know what year?”
MJ: “No.”
A: “How about the song called ‘You Aint Gonna Change Nothin’?”
MJ: “I wrote that.” *nodding*
A: “Was that released?”
MJ: “No.” *wiping corner of mouth with finger*
A: “How about ‘Lucy Is In Love With Linus’?”
MJ: “I wrote that.” *licking corner of mouth*
A: “Released?”
MJ: “……Never released.”
A: “’Who’s The Girl With Her Hair Down’?”
MJ: “I wrote that.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Lonely Man?”
MJ: “I wrote that.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Going To Rio?”
MJ: “Going where?”
A: “Going To Rio.”
MJ: “Going To Rio, I wrote that.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Do you recall when you wrote it?”
MJ: “No, but it was…. before uh…. Thriller, before Off The Wall……”
A: “Tomboy.”
MJ: *starts bobbin’ his head to some beat, I’m assuming to the beat of ‘Tomboy’* “I wrote that.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Know when you wrote it?”
MJ: “I wrote Tomboy for…….the Bad album…..that was after Thriller……so….I don’t know the dates.”
A: “Buffalo Bill?”
MJ: “Buffalo Bill was written after….I wrote….uh….Billie Jean….so that was written after….the Thriller album…*nodding*…yes.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released”
A: “Al Capone?”
MJ: “Al Capone was written after the Thriller album…never released…I wrote that.”
A: “Michael McCeller?”
MJ: “…………………Michael McCeller?”
A: “Yes.”
MJ: *smile*
*guy laughs*
MJ: “How do you know about Michael McCeller? *laugh* I wrote Michael McCeller…..”
A: “You wrote it?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.” *laugh*
A: “Thank You For Life?”
MJ: “Thank You For Life’….I wrote that.”
A: “Do you know when?”
MJ: “’Thank You For Life’ was written………boy…….way before Off The Wall…………………..I don’t know the date but it had to be around………if I could guess…..would you like for me to guess?”
A: “No, we don’t want you to guess.”
MJ: “Well…*shrug*…I can’t say then.”
A: “Was it ever released?”
MJ: “Never released.” *sniff*
A: “Much Too Soon?”
MJ: “………….I wrote ‘Much Too Soon’.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.” *drinking water*
A: “What A Lonely Way To Go?”
MJ: “…I wrote…that one.”
A: “Do you know when?”
MJ: ……….*humming some tune*….. “Before Off The Wall.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: *sigh* *getting bored* “Never released.”
A: “Who Do You Know?”
MJ: “I wrote ‘Who Do You Know’.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: You Are A Liar?”
MJ: “I wrote…’You Are A Liar’.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Cry?”
MJ: “I wrote ‘Cry’
”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Make A Wish?”
MJ: …….I can’t recall that one….Just give me a minute……..I can’t recall that one.”
A: “Crack Kills?”
MJ: “ I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Free?”
MJ: ….I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Fly Away?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Children’s Hour… *he pronounced it like are*…Would that be ‘Children’s Hour?’” *pronounces it right*
MJ: *smiles* I wrote that one.”
A: “Is that one released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Baby Smiles?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “A Baby Smiles?”
MJ: “I wrote that one…same one.”
A: “Sister Sue?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.” *smile*
A: “Little Susie?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Tragedy Of A Tee…cheerleader?”
MJ: “’Tragedy of A Cheerleader’…I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Get Around?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Little Girls?”
MJ: “……………………………….I can’t recall that one.”
A: “In The Valley?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: Released?”
MJ: “…..*holds a finger up* can…can you hold on a second?………..the ‘Little Girls’ I do remember. Yes, I wrote that one. Never released.”
A: “And ‘In The Valley’?”
MJ: I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Red Eye?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “I Forgive You?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: *drinking water* “Never released.”
A: “Why Shy?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “I Have This Love Of Me?”
MJ: “……I wrote that one.”
A: “Was it released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Llama Lola?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “California Grass.”
MJ: I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Kentucky?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Do you know when you wrote that one?”
MJ: “Gosh……………..*moving head*……70 something but I don’t remember exactly.”
A: “Someone Put Your Hand Down?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: Released?”
MJ: “That was has an interesting story…. uh……..I wrote the original and then it was changed in which I *scratching lip* co- wrote it with Teddy Riley…..and it was released but….through some type of Pepsi contest….uh…a limited edition of it was released.”
A: “Do you know what year that was?”
MJ: “……..Think it was last year, wasn’t it ? *turns to someone beside him*….I think.”
A: “…..K….’Do You Know Where Your Children Are’?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Was that released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Bad Girl?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Lonely Bird?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Smooth Criminal?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “What album?”
MJ: “The Bad album.”
A: “’PYT’, the original version?”
MJ: *laughs* “I wrote that one with uh Greg Philliganes.”
A: “Do you know what year that was?”
MJ: “No.” *moves his hair*
A: “Cheater?”
MJ: *bobbing head* “I wrote that one……I wrote that one….*points* I co-wrote that one.” *drinking water*
A: “Was it released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “People Have To Make Some Kind Of Joke?”
MJ: “I wrote that one.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Was that co-written?”
MJ: “I don’t think so. *pointing* I’m not positive. It could have been…..co-written with my brother but I’m not positive. I think I wrote that one myself.”
A: “Love Never Felt So Good?”
MJ: “…..I wrote that.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Did you have a co-writer?”
MJ: “……..Give me a minute to think. *pointing* ……………………………..I’m not positive on that. There could have been a co-writer on that.”
A: “Would it have been Paul Lankin?”
MJ: “Could have been, yes.”
A: “Alright Now?”
MJ: “I wrote that.”
A: “Solely or co-written?”
MJ: “…………….I think I wrote that with my brother.”
A: “Was it ever released?”
MJ: “No”
A: “Scared Of The Moon?”
MJ: “……Yes.”
A: “Scared Of The Moon?”
MJ: “Uh…never been released…co-written.”
A: “With Buzz Cohen?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Neverland’s Landing?”
MJ: “Co-written.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “We Are The Ones?”
MJ: “…I wrote that one.”
A: “Co-written or written solely?”
MJ: “Solely.” *scratches back of head*
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “What Was Your Life?”
MJ: “…’What’s Your Life’?….*scratching back of head* It’s called ‘What’s Your Life’.”
A: “Ok.”
MJ: “………..I wrote that with my brother Jermaine.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Fantasy?”
MJ: “……*scratching cheek*.. co-written with my brother.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “The Sky Is The Limit?”
MJ: “…..Co-written.”
A: “With whom?”
MJ: “My brother.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Saved By The Bell?”
MJ: “Co-written with my brother.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Chicago 1945?”
MJ: “Co-written.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Make Or Break?”
MJ: “Co-written.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Turning Me Off?”
MJ: “I wrote that uh….co-written.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Sunset Driver?”
MJ: “Co-written.”
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Far Far Away?”
MJ: “I wrote that…” *scratching lip*
A: “Released?”
MJ: “Never released.”
A: “Did you have a co-writer on that one?”
MJ: “Not that I can remember.”
A: “State Of Shock?”
MJ: “Released…co-written.”
A: “Get On The Floor?”
MJ: “Released…co-written” *sniffs* *smiles at someone*
A: “Let me ask you about .’PYT’…well, before I ask you that, of these songs that I’ve just asked you about that have never been released…do you recall…when…how far back they go in terms of time, when you wrote them?”
MJ: “Some of them.”
A: “What would you say is the furthest one that goes…the one that goes back the furthest?”
MJ: “Thank You For Life.”
A: “What year?”
MJ: “……………..73…. 74 something like that.”
A: “Now…where these songs…when you wrote them…when you go back from them time to time? Do you understand my question, Mr. Jackson?”
MJ: “When I wrote them…. would I go back to them from time to time…”
A: “Yeah, let me ask you this…what form would they…when you write them…what form would they be in? Would they be in the form of lead sheets? Would they be in the form of notes, or would they…would they be on a cassette?”
MJ: “In writing, do you mean pen to paper?”
A: “Right.”
MJ: “Um…….God, I’ve written things on toilet paper……It could be…anything.”
A: “Alright.”
MJ: “Whatever’s the closest…around.”
A: “Alright now…”
MJ: “I’ve written on walls.”
A: “The other day you testified that you…when you write you…hum…hum songs…”
MJ: *nodding*
A: “…or the rhythms into a tape.”
MJ: “That’s right.”
A: “I’m asking you how, the songs that I’ve just read to you, that have been not…that are not released…have not been released…”
MJ: *nodding* “That’s right.”
A: “Um…do those…are those maintained in the form of a cassette?”
MJ: “Sometimes.”
A: “Sometimes…. uh, of the songs I just read to you, that were unreleased…how many of those would you say that are on cassette form?”
MJ: “…Most of them are on cassettes.”
A: “And where are those maintained? Are those maintained in your collection?”
MJ: “Yes.” *laugh*
A: “Now, the one song that I, we just talked about, that was just uh done last year…if you recalled…for a Pepsi project, or somebody’s project…if I could lay my hands on it…” *madly flipping through papers*
MJ: ……*smile*…………………..”Someone Put Your Hand Out.”
A: *whispering* “’Someone Put Your Hand Out’…Mmm….”
MJ: *sniff*
A: *still flipping papers* “I believe its called ‘Someone Put Your Hand Down’…”
MJ: “Hand OUT.” *picking corner of mouth* *drinking water*
A: “Right…and that was…original was changed you say, it was co-written, it was co-written with Teddy Riley?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Was it originally co-written with Teddy Riley?”
MJ: “No.”
A: “So then…was it…was it in that form…of cassette form and you went back and you pulled it out and you dressed it up with Teddy and you just did things to it?”
MJ: “Yes…I wrote it originally, years ago…then uh…pulled it out and uh…Teddy loved it…I loved it and we made some changes…just changed the first verse…”
A: “Mmm.”
MJ: “…and I gave him co-writers credit.” *shrug*
A: “Ok…now…we’ve talked a lot about your collection…let’s try to nail this down…”
MJ: *laughing*
A: “…is that the collection that you’ve maintained at your home…for a very long time? Do you understand my question?”
MJ: “Collection I’ve maintained a long time…”
A: “Yeah, do you understand my question?”
MJ: “Repeat your question?”
A: “This…the collection that we’ve talked about…ah…”
MJ: “These songs…”
A: “Right…these songs.”
MJ: “These songs.”
A: “Right…and the cassettes that you’ve written that you go back to from time to time…we loosely called it a collection…it was your choice of words, a collection…I’m asking you, where these songs maintained at your home? One central location?”
MJ: “Yes.” *moving hair*
A: “Mr. Jackson, let me read you another list of songs and ask you, pretty much the same kind of questions…whether they were released and what other issues may come upon each one of them. The song, ‘Blues Away’ we just covered but just for the sake of putting in its own little pigeonhole with the others. Do you recall when ‘Blues Away’ was released?”
MJ: “No.”
A: “You…don’t recall when ‘Blues Away’ was released?”
MJ: “No, I don’t.”
A: “But that was the first song that you had written that was released, right? Is that correct?”
MJ: “…Yes.”
A: “’Don’t Stop Til’ You Get Enough’….was that too released?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Do you recall what year?”
MJ: “It was…it was on the Off The Wall Album…so……….s….seventy-nine? Was it?” *shrug* *smile*
A: “Did Greg Philliganes do something on that song?”
MJ: “Yes……the bridge…duh duh duh…duh duh duh…duh duh duh, duh duh duh, duh duh duh…he created that.” *scratching lip*
A: “Now…ok…was he given credit for that on that…on that album…on that, that song?”
MJ: “Yes he was.”
A: “What was that, co arranging, arranging, co-written?”
MJ: *sniff* “Arranging, just arranging.”
A: “Working Day And Night…and night…”
MJ: “………Wha…what about it?”
A: “When was that released?”
MJ: *sigh* ………..”That’s…the… Off The Wall album again….I think 79…I’m not sure.” *bouncing leg or tapping foot*
A: “’Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, was that written by you?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “What year…was that released?”
MJ: “That was for the Thriller album…so that would be…I think 83.” *still tapping something*
A: “’Billie Jean’, was that written by you?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “And was that released?”
MJ: “Yes, ‘Billie Jean’ was released.”
A: “What album was that?”
MJ: “ Thriller album.”
A: “’Beat It’…is that released?”
MJ: “That was released.”
A: “Written by you?”
MJ: “I wrote ‘Beat It’ also, yes.”
A: “What album was that?”
MJ: “That was the Thriller album.”
A: “The Girl Is Mine?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “You wrote that?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “And was that released?”
MJ: “That was released.”
A: “Which album?”
MJ: “ Thriller album, first single….*scratching cheek*……….duet…….”
A: “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You?”
MJ: “…..Yes.”
A: “Was that released?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Was it written by you?”
MJ: “Yes.” *sniff* *tapping something again*
A: “What album?”
MJ: “ Bad album.”
A: “And ‘Bad’? Was that written by you?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “What album?”
MJ: “ Bad album.” *scratching lip*
A: “Do you recall the year?”
MJ: “No.”
A: “Beg your pardon?”
MJ: “No…….no.”
A: “’The Way You Make Me Feel’, did you write that?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Was that released?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “What album?”
MJ: “ Bad.”
A: “Dirty Diana?”
MJ: “I wrote ‘Dirty Diana’.”
A: “Was that released?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “On what album?”
MJ: “ Bad.”
A: “’Speed Demon’, did you write that?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “What album did that appear on?”
MJ: “ Bad album.”
A: “’Liberian Girl’…..did you write that?”
MJ: “Yes.” *scratching lip*
A: “Was that released?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “What album?”
MJ: “ Bad album.”
A: “’Muscles’, did you write that?”
MJ: *laugh* “Yes.”
A: “Was that released?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “By whom?”
MJ: “Diana Ross.”
A: “What year, do you know?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
A: “Another Part Of Me?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Did you write that?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “And was that released?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “What album, do you recall?”
MJ: “…………….it……..was first released for Captain EO….which was a short film…..um……I think it….I think it was for the Bad album….”*sniff*
A: “Was there a later version of ‘P.Y.T’?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Do you know who wrote that?”
MJ: “James Ingram…..and Quincy Jones.”
A: “Did you get co-writers credit on that one?”
MJ: “No, because I didn’t write that one….I wrote the oiginal…with uh…..Greg Philliganes ……”
A: “What happened to the original?”
MJ: *scratching cheek* “Quincy wanted a fast song, mine was mid tempo.”
A: “Now, I’m going to ask you…. From the following songs…. and I’ll read them rather quickly…I’ll ask you one question about them…let me read them first. ‘Cheater’, ‘People Have To Make Some Kind Of Joke’, ‘Love Never Felt So Good’, ‘Alright Now’, ‘Scared Of The Moon’, Never…..’Neverland Landing’, ‘We Are The Ones’, ‘What’s Your Life’, ‘Fantasy’, ‘The Sky Is The Limit’, ‘Saved By The Bell’, ‘Chicago 145’….”
MJ: “1945.”
A: “….1945….I was gonna say, 145?”
MJ: “Mm Mm.”
A: “1945, of those songs….and, and excuse me, let me add ‘Sunset Driver’, ‘Far Far Away’, and ‘State of Shock’…are those songs…………..in the portfolio of a publishing company? Do you understand….”
MJ: “The first time you asked me about ‘Far Far Away’, did I tell you I didn’t remember it?”
A: “You said you couldn’t remember whether you wrote that yourself or if it was co-written……”
MJ: “I remember it now………………….it was co-written.”
A: “Do you know the publishing company who has those songs?”
MJ: “No.”
A: “Is it your publishing company?”
MJ: “……………….Yes, but I don’t know the name….”
A: “Have you ever written a song called ‘Centipede’?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Do you know when?”
MJ: “I don’t remember.”
A: “You don’t remember what year?”
MJ: “No…..I co-wrote it.”
A: “With whom?”
MJ: “With whom?”
A: “Yes.”
MJ: “John Barnes.”
A: “Was it released?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Did your sister, Maurine sing it?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Do you know a woman named Joyce McRay?”
MJ: “Joyce McRay………………….I think so…”
A: “Did she ever work for you?”
MJ: “I don’t think so…..”
A: “Did she ever work for Motown?”
MJ “I don’t think so.”
A: “Pardon me?”
MJ: “I don’t think so…”
A: “Do you have a song in your collection, about that time, by Sam and Dave called ‘I’m A Soul Man’?”
MJ: *moving hair* “I don’t know if I bought that or not….I buy a lot of records but I don’t know if *scratching nose* that was one of the ones or not….”
A: “Do you know whether you bought ‘I’m A Soul….”
MJ: *scratching lip*
A: “….Man’, about the time when you wrote ‘Centipede’ or not?”
MJ: “Gee……..*smile* I wouldn’t know..”
A: “I beg your pardon?”
MJ: *smile* “I wouldn’t know….”
A: “Ok…”
MJ: *sniff*
A: “…You ever hear of a song called ‘You Were There?’”
MJ: ………’You Were There’? Sure, I wrote it with uh…Buzz Cohen…for Sammy Davis Jr.”
A: “Was that for the 60th Anniversary Celebration for Sammy Davis?
MJ: “Yes.” *scratching lip*
A: “Do you remember when you and Buzz Cohen wrote it?”
MJ: “No.”
A: “Was the answer…was that no?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “You don’t remember?”
MJ: “No, I don’t.”
A: “You don’t remember what year?”
MJ: “No.”
A: “Do you remember where you……you and he were, when you wrote that song?”
MJ: “Yes um………….I don’t know the exact location…*smile* it was a place like the Shrine Auditorium…*gesturing with hand*… could have been the Shrine, I’m not sure.” *scratching lip*
A: “You wrote it with him, at the Shrine?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Is that also in the portfolio of your publishing company?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Now, when you began work on your first solo album…..first solo album….which was later to be called Off The Wall….”
MJ: *blinking slowly*
A: “….did you have a stock pile of songs that you had written…uh….to be submitted for that album?”
MJ: “For the album, Off The Wall? Did I have a stock pile of songs that I’ve written for the album Off The Wall?”
A: “That you were…. had written…. that you were….”
MJ: *moving hair*
A: “…. submitting for the album…”
MJ: “When I, when I write songs for an album…. uh……..for instance……I’ll write 50 to 60 songs…….for just……………..one album……just for 9 songs, you know……and I’ll pick from those…..so…”
A: “Did you write 50 to 60 songs…for Off The Wall?”
MJ: “Yes, a lot of songs…….”
A: “Can you think of any?”
MJ: “You named a lot of them……”
A: “A lot of them were on the list that I named?”
MJ: “Some.”
A: “Some of them?”
MJ: “Some of them were.”
A: “How many of those uh….what was the procedure that you and Quincy Jones employed to select out uh…….songs for that album?”
MJ: “I’d…..I’d write the song, do a demo and play it for him… he’d say if he’d like it or not….and most likely he’d love it…and we would record it.”
A: “How many songs did you have on the album, Off The Wall?”
MJ: “I’m not sure, but I think just 9.”
A: “How many of those were yours, that you wrote?”
MJ: “…….*sigh*……’Don’t Stop Til you Get Enough’………………………………..uh…..’Get On The Floor’………………………………………….uh…….’Working Day And Night’…..3 or 4. I….I’m not sure.”
A: “How many did….of, of 3 or 4…..strike that…..4 on the Off The Wall album, how many of your songs did Quincy…that….that you had written…did you and Quincy consider?”
MJ: “For that album?…………………………………………….I don’t remember.”
A: “A moment ago you said you’d write 50 songs…….about 50 songs…….for…”
MJ: *nodding*
A: “…uh, on…on a 9 song album?”
MJ: “That’s right.”
A: “Did you…did you uh…present or con…consider uh…. with Quincy, 50 songs for that album?”
MJ: “No.”
*tape goes black*
MJ: *smiling when comes back on*
A: “K…Did you and Quincy consider songs by outside writers on the Off The Wall album?”
MJ: “…………oh boy…um……. ‘She’s Out Of My Life’ was written by……..Tom Bahler…..who I’ve known for years and years…….it’s an old friend…………”
A: “Any other outside writers?”
MJ: *scratching lip* “Paul McCartney…………………………………………that’s all I can think of….”
A: “Did Rod Temperton submit some tunes for that album?”
MJ: “Oh yeah……….uh…..he wrote ‘Off The Wall’, ‘Rock With You’, um……….’Burn This Disco Out’…..something like that…I can’t think of any others…….”
A: “When did you first meet Rod Temperton?”
MJ: “I don’t remember…..”
A: “You don’t remember?”
MJ: “No…….I meet soooo many people…..”
A: “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you?”
MJ: “I meet sooo many people.” *laughing*
A: “Was….well you did meet Rod Temperrrrrrton…*messes up his name lol* ..Temperton during the course of the Off The Wall project, did you no?”
MJ: *nodding* “Yes.”
A: “Was that the first time you met him?”
MJ: “……………….Yes.” *Nodding and smiling at someone off camera* *stretching, making his leather coat crack in the micrphone* *sniff* *rolling shoulders*
A: “Would that have been um..sometime in 1978, 79?”
MJ: “…………..I’m not sure.”
*tape cuts to almost an hour later*
A: “Mr. Jackson um……between the Off The Wall album and the Thriller album….did you meet with Rod Temperton in a hotel in London?”
MJ: “……Hotel in London???……………………….Sorry, I don’t remember that….” *sipping tea*
A: “Now…..Rod Temperton submitted some songs for the Thriller album, is that correct?”
MJ: “Yes he did.”
A: “Do you remember how many?”
MJ: “Oh gosh………….’Thriller’………….’Baby Be Mine’………’Lady In My Life’……………………………………………………………………………………I think jut those three………………..unless there is something I’m leaving out…”
A: “Was there a song called ‘Rolling In the Dice?”
MJ: “Yes. Roll In The Dice……….that…we did a demo on……..at Hayvenhurst but we…..we never……..released it…….we didn’t think it……we didn’t think it was strong enough.”
A: “Was there another song called ‘Hot Street’?”
MJ: “Yeah….*smile* I like Hot Street, I love that one! But they didn’t………Quincy and Rod didn’t think it was good enough……I thought it was wonderful.”
A: “Now then…..”
MJ: *drinking tea*
A: “…..do you recall when Mr. Temperton first played the songs for you, that he had brought for the album….tem….the Thriller album?”
MJ: “Do I what?”
A: “Do you recall when…..uh….the year that Mr. Temperton presented the songs to you? For the Thriller album?”
MJ: “No, I don’t.”
A: “Do you recall where it was that he brought the songs for the Thriller album?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “Where were you?”
MJ: “Encino house.”
A: “At your residence?”
MJ: “Yes, my studio.” *drinking tea* *drinking tea again*”
A: “And…..who was present?”
MJ: *wiping tea off lip with finger* “Quincy Jones…….Rod Temperton……………….Bruce Swedien…….and myself.”
A: “Who’s Bruce Swedien?”
MJ: “Bruce Swedien is um…..the engineer, the technician who runs the, the audio system….the board.” *drinking tea*
A: “And do you recall how long this process took?”
MJ: “Gee…………several hours.”
A: “Could the whole process have taken about two days? Now, let me rephrase that….let me rephrase that……what did…what did Mr. Temperton do when he and Quincy came to your studio to present the song?”
MJ: “……..He played…….on cassette……which we went into my um……I think it was Quincy’s car..*scratching top of head*….or….my van…and….because we don’t have a cassette machine system in my studio….but um……he came with a keyboard….and in the keyboard….it’s his performances….of the different sounds…..he can midi those sounds…*scratching cheek*….and um…put them up on tape, on the 24 track….and uh…..put them on tape…..and it was a way of testing….to see if I liked the songs or not, with my voice trying different harmonies…trying the songs…….like I said we did Thriller which was um….called ‘Gimme Some Starlight, Starlight Sun’…..*sings to the tune of thriller, thriller night…* Starlight……starlight sun…that’s how it went, so, it was a way of just testing you know, what I wanted to do.”
A: “Alright, now…ok now, he laid the structure of the very songs out in front of you…and you recorded…you sung each one of them, is that correct?”
MJ: “Yes.”
A: “And…. among the songs you sang…was the one ‘Starlight’…”
MJ: “Right.”
A: “Did you make any changes to that… ‘Starlight’?”
MJ: “Yeah…. *scratching chin* the lyrics and the title and we added Vincent Price’s voice……we changed it into ‘Thriller’….well he did ask me, which would I like better…..to be a song about…you know let the sunshine in type of thing….or ‘Thriller’…and I thought, kids would enjoy something more fun like ‘Thriller’….so, we went with the ‘Thriller’ idea.” *drinking tea*
A: “Did you change…..did you change ‘Starlight’ musically?”
MJ: “Um…….yeah somewhat…….m…musically it was the same but we added other songs and things like that.” *drinking tea*
A: “After you made the changes, do you know whether or not Mr. Temperton created a lead sheet for what was now ‘Thriller’?”
MJ: *clearing throat* “I don’t think he reads music…*closing jacket*…he doesn’t…”
A: “Did..”
MJ: “He doesn’t use a lead sheet….” *scratching chin*
A: “Did Quincy Jones create a lead sheet for what was now ‘Thriller’?”
MJ: “I don’t……..I don’t think so….at least I didn’t see one….”
A: “Alright, did you, you sang the other songs as well? In addition to ‘Starlight’?”
*Tape stops there*

chris das is ja hammer vielen dank

und vielen dank an geli fürs uploaden