Some artists transcend seemingly all barriers to become known by so many people of so many walks of life. I mean, who hasn’t heard of Smash Mouth? Oh yeah, Michael Jackson was awesome back in the day, too!
Matt wrote a Morning Dump, and mentioned that he was listening to Michael Jackson classic ‘Beat It.’ FormerTXJeepGuy:
I still can’t believe Michael Jackson wrote a parody song of Weird Al’s Eat It.
Hoser68:
What I’m listening to.
Ironically, I was just listening to a cool story about Beat It.
Quincy Jones wanted a guitar solo for the song and asked Eddie Van Halen. Van Halen’s policy was that no band members did anything outside of the band, but Eddie was alone and figured why not? 20 minutes or so out of his time to record a solo.
Eddie did the solo for free, no acclaim, no royalties, no nothing. However, as he messed with the solo, he decided to do a key change in the middle of the solo. They recorded the solo, adjusted the track for the key change. MJ was a famous perfectionist and didn’t like people changing stuff that he had approved. However, as he heard the solo and the key change, he instantly approved.
Anyone from the era that heard the song absolutely knew that that guitar riff was not from MJ’s regular crew. Anyone that knew Van Halen knew exactly who was the guitarist. However, Eddie’s name isn’t on the record, Eddie didn’t get any money from it or anything. He just did it for fun.
Jack Trade told the same story!
Call me a heretic, but for me, the best part of Beat It is Eddie Van Halen’s righteous guitar solo.
Apparently, he actually made changes to what Jackson had in mind, and was worried Jackson would be furious; instead, Jackson loved it and thanked him for making the song better. Jackson was a complex guy with a lot of unsavoriness, but I love that tale for his recognizing craftsmanship for what it was.
ESO:
Steve Lukather from Toto plays all the rest of guitar on the track, including the bass.
He originally laid down a killer solo for it as well, but Quincy could tell that it was going to be huge hit and would be even bigger as a massive crossover hit if he could get the most famous and popular rock guitar player on the planet at that time to put his own solo in there instead of Lukather’s, who despite his incredible talent and achievements has never been really well known by his name alone.
He wasn’t wrong, and Lukather wasn’t mad. He and EVH were great, close friends.
Literally, everybody won on that that deal. Quincy really was a fucking genius.
Sid Bridge:
As a bass player, I highly recommend introducing your daughter to Billie Jean, which has one of the greatest bass lines of all time… in spite of the fact that it wasn’t actually played on a bass. Easy one of my favorite ones to jam.
These readers aren’t lying, Eddie Van Halen really did do the solo for free without any credit!
Antti wrote about Natalie Imbruglia’s Mercedes. Mechjaz:
All the fluid’s changed.
This is how shifts feel.
I am cold and I am shamed.
I think it is the heater core.
Ignition never changed.
Tires never squealed.
I’m wide awake and I can see.
That there never was much torque.
You’re a little late.
Headliner’s already torn.
Have a great evening, everyone!
Top graphic image: Screenshot: YouTube/Michael Jackson