On May 2010, I posted a question on MJJCommunity forum, trying to find out if a list of all of the official versions of Michael Jackson's songs existed. I was looking for a complete list. Few people were interested by this topic and there didn't exist a real complete list, so I decided to create one. I also decided to create complete lists of the official versions of Jackson 5 and Jacksons' songs.
The Problem is, there are errors and duplicates on the list I found on the internet, so my purpose was to make a list as complete and error free as possible. I began to group different lists that I found on websites such as Bubblesland, MJFC, MJJC (MJ Tempest's), MJDatabank and informations found on MJFrance. Then I highlighted versions according to the site where they were found. For example, when a version came from Bubblesland, I highlighted it with Yellow. So when a version was found on several lists, I highlighted it in several colours. On the other side, when the version had only one highlighted colour, that maybe meant it was either a mistake or a duplicate.
Then I looked all of the Discogs for checking each version. I have also listed all record releases for each version. This step took me a long time but I have done that just for Michael's solo songs list. I will not publish the full version of this list containing all discs. I simplified the list, summarizing the main disc. I listed all the records I've found, only when it was necessary for some versions. Then I also checked each release on "Michaeljacksondiscography.fr" web site.
Later, I also scanned several other sites, like Jackson5abc, (especially for Jackson 5 songs), MJstrangersite, Michaeljacksoncatalog, MJJVault, Jacksonstreet.nl, MJJCollectors.com, Korgnex's list, Steve Hoffman Forums, Top40musiconcd, among others.
For the last step, I used the book "Michael Jackson - For The Record" (2nd Edition) to record all relevant information and check the official versions that are listed. I did the same thing for making Jackson 5 and The Jacksons' lists.
I also added my knowledge and personal discoveries.
After collecting all those informations, I grouped them and worked on lists, trying to confirm the existence and authenticity of the versions, to avoid any errors or duplicates. I did not simply copy and paste lists that I found on the Internet. I did thorough research. I put a cross by each version that I was sure (or I believe it could be) about, for finding the versions for which I had no information or I was missing informations. This allowed me to then list all the questions I would have to ask.
This is the final step: Ask around various people, to hopefully find out informations that are missing from my lists. So I sent questions to some fans that I know to have much knowledge about Michael's music, but I also sent many private messages to member of Discogs. This final step was very long winded and it took a long just to find the littlest of information. For example, to know what were the correct durations of the remixes for "Is It Scary". Between the countless misprints on the discs and the fakes circulating on the internet, it was not so obvious.
Once obtained the latest information, my lists were complete. It has taken me 2 years. It's been hours and hours ! I can't even estimate the number of hours that I spent so much time on it. Obviously I have not spent 24h/24 on it, I did that when I had time.
Here are the sites I have visited to build my lists:
Billiejean.be
Bubblesland
Discogs
Encyclopediejacksonniene
Jackson Village
Jackson5abc (Site & Forum)
Jacksonstreet.nl
Korgnex's list (Unreleased Tracks / Non-Album-Tracks / Later-Released-Tracks)
Michael Jackson - For The Record (2nd Edition)
Michaeljacksoncatalog.com
MichaelJacksonDiscography
MJ Data Bank
MJ Stranger Site
MJ Street
MJCollectorland
MJFC
MJFrance
MJJCollection.unblog.fr
MJJCollectors
MJJCommunity Forum
MJJVault
Steve Hoffman Forums
Top 40 Music On CD
Wikipedia
And so many sites that I found during my searches.
I thank everyone who helped me directly or indirectly by the information they gave, by their websites and/or their posts on sites and forums, as well as their responses to my questions :
Aaronk, Bboy87, BottleOfSmoke, Brian W., Bubbles / Tdrcau, Chris Cadman, Dancing_fool, Dangerous Incorporated, Dave Seaman, DefMixFan, Disco-funk, DJGreek, DJMichaelAngelo, Forever_Young_1981, Franeck, Frekrueg, Funkylady, Gareth Cooke, Grant / The Hits Man, Jeff H., JohnC, JonathanRhodes, Korgnex, MaestroOne, MaJic, Marko, Michackson, MJ Tempest, MJBenito, Mjchris, Mjdestiny, MJJTradeFan, MJRemixed, Mjrico, Naz_mijac, Nick2341, Portishead, Richard Lecocq, RICKJANE, Roger Sanchez, Roll, Roscoe, Sebastien Caron, Slayd5000, Sunset And The Dawn, Szarkad, Tony Moran, Tristan, Waldo / JTJMM, Yiannis Elia, Yoann, Zoub52.
Thank you to everyone who responded on Discogs to my questions and everyone I may be forgetting.
Special thanks to:
DefMixFan, Grant / The Hits Man, Korgnex, Mjdestiny, Naz_mijac, Nick2341 and Waldo / JTJMM.
Thank you to Naz_mijac for his list of Motown alternate mixes which helped me.
I've grouped my work on a blog specially created for this purpose. The address is: http://mjofficialversions.blogspot.fr
The summarized and simplified lists are in the tabs at the top, and the details of each version are in posts. We can access each song directly via the right pane.
I tried (when I could) to list the correct durations of the songs. That is to say, the duration of the music only. The times do not include the silences at the beginning and end of a track.
Feel free to comment here or on blog, if you have any questions, comments, suggestions or anything else! The purpose is to have a list as complete and accurate as possible !
- Summarized and simplified list : Michael Jackson
- Summarized and simplified list : The Jackson 5
