Non dimenticherò mai, quando, nel novembre del 2004, entrai nel mio negozio di dischi di fiducia e spesi quasi 100€ per “The Ultimate Collection”. La gioia fu immensa. Finalmente, dopo oltre tre anni di quasi completo silenzio, potevo riascoltare la voce del mio beniamino. Solamente di lì a qualche mese sarebbe però iniziato il processo mediatico del secolo, che avrebbe messo in disparte il lato artistico più brillante di Michael. In Germania, ad esempio, il cofanetto venne ritirato dagli scaffali, così come in moltissimi paesi del mondo. Ed è veramente un peccato, poiché, a differenza di altre inefficaci raccolte come “The Essential”, questo cofanetto di 4 CD, 1 DVD ed 1 booklet di oltre 50 pagine, è un prodotto unico nella discografia di Michael Jackson, dato che raccoglie i più grandi successi dell’artista e regala ben 8 pezzi completamente inediti e diversi interessanti demo.
Si ripercorre tutta la trentennale carriera del Re del Pop: danno il via alle danze i grandi successi pop/soul dei Jackson 5, quali “I Want You Back” ed “ABC” (quest’ultimo singolo nel 1970 scalzò addirittura dalla vetta della Billboard Hot 100 “Let It Be” dei Beatles), ma non mancano nemmeno i primi innocenti lavori di Michael da solista, come “Got To Be There” e il pluripremiato singolo “Ben”. Si passa poi alla disco music, con i celeberrimi singoli rilasciati da “Off The Wall” e altre hits dei Jacksons. Da annoverare il simpatico demo “Sunset Driver”, che si accosta molto bene alle spensierate sonorità soul-dance degli ultimi anni ’70.
L’esplosiva era pop/rock di “Thriller” viene ripercorsa invece nel secondo disco, che vede anche la presenza di 5 tracce inedite, tra le quali risaltano la commovente versione solista di “We Are The World” e l’accattivante “We Are Here To Change The World”, già inserita nel mini-film Captain EO diretto da Francis Ford Coppola. Il terzo disco, oltre agli innumerevoli singoli funk estrapolati da “Bad”, conta anche “Chetater”, take-off registrato nel 1987 e scelto come singolo apripista del cofanetto. L’ultimo CD, oltre a riproporre classici come “You Are Not Alone” e “Blood On The Dance Floor”, include alcuni dei lavori più recenti di Michael Jackson. La struggente “We’ve Had Enough”, prodotta da Darkchild (che aveva già collaborato nell’LP “Invincible”), sottolinea un ulteriore cambio di stile ed una voce senza dubbio più matura e sofferente da parte di Michael. Il tutto è impreziosito dal DVD Live In Bucarest, probabilmente una delle migliori esibizioni dal vivo di Jackson.
“The Ultimate Collection” è quindi un progetto sublime, eccelso e, come suggerisce il titolo della raccolta, definitivo. Ogni fan di Michael Jackson e ogni amante della musica dovrebbero regalarsi il piacere di ascoltare questi quattro dischi, che, per l’ultima volta, mettono in risalto la genialità e la versatilità di uno dei più grandi intrattenitori che il mondo abbia mai visto.
Elenco tracce e testi
06 Ben (02:45)
Ben, the two of us need look no more
We both found what we were looking for
With a friend to call my own
I'll never be alone
And you my friend will see
You've got a friend in me
(You've got a friend in me)
Ben, you're always running here and there
(Here and there)
You feel you're not wanted anywhere
(Anywhere)
If you ever look behind
And don't like what you find
There's something you should know
You've got a place to go
(You've got a place to go)
I used to say "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we"
I used to say "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we"
Ben, most people would turn you away
I don't listen to a word they say
They don't see you as I do
I wish they would try to
I'm sure they'd think again
If they had a friend like Ben
(A friend)
Like Ben
(Like Ben)
Like Ben
13 Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough (06:03)
1st Verse
Lovely is the feelin' now
Fever, temperatures risin' now
Power (ah power) is the force the vow
That makes it happen
It asks no questions why (ooh)
So get closer (closer now) to my body now
Just love me 'til you don't know how (ooh)
Chorus
Keep on with the force, don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force, don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
2nd Verse
Touch me and I feel on fire
Ain't nothin' like a love desire (ooh)
I'm melting (I'm melting) like hot candle wax
Sensation (ah sensation) lovely where we're at (ooh)
So let love take us through the hours
I won't be complanin'
'Cause this is love power (ooh)
Chorus
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
(Ooh)
3rd Verse
Heartbreak enemy despise
Eternal (ah eternal) love shines in my eyes (ooh)
So let love (oh let love) take us through the hours
I won't be complanin' (no no)
'Cause your love is alright, alright
Chorus
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Refrain
Lovely is the feeling now
I won't be complanin' (ooh ooh)
The force is love power
Chorus
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
(ad-lib to fade)
14 Rock With You (03:40)
Girl, close your eyes
Let that rhythm get into you
Don't try to fight it
There ain't nothin' that you can do
Relax your mind
Lay back and groove with mine
You got to feel that heat
And we can ride the boogie
Share that beat of love
I wanna rock with you (all night)
Dance you into day (sunlight)
I wanna rock with you (all night)
We're gonna rock the night away
Out on the floor
There ain't nobody there but us
Girl, when you dance
There's a magic that must be love
Just take it slow
'Cause we got so far to go
When you feel that heat
And we're gonna ride the boogie
Share that beat of love
I wanna rock with you (all night)
Dance you into day (sunlight)
I wanna rock with you (all night)
We're gonna rock the night away
And when the groove is dead and gone... yeah
You know that love survives
So we can rock forever, on
I wanna rock with you
I wanna groove with you
I wanna rock with you
I wanna groove with you
I wanna rock (all night) with you girl (sunlight)
Rock with you, rock with you (yeah) (all night)
Dance the night away
I wanna rock with you (yeah) (all night)
Rock you into day (sunlight)
I wanna rock with you (all night)
Rock the night away
Feel the heat feel the beat (all night)
Rock you into day (sunlight)
I wanna rock (all night) - rock the night away
15 Off the Wall (04:06)
1st Verse
When the world is on your shoulder
Gotta straighten up your act and boogie down
If you can't hang with the feeling
Then there ain't no room for you this part of town
'Cause we're the party people night and day
Livin' crazy that's the only way
Chorus
So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf
And just enjoy yourself
Groove, let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall
Life ain't so bad at all (live life off the wall)
Live your life off the wall (live it off the wall)
2nd Verse
You can shout out all you want to
'Cause there ain't no sin in folks all getting loud
If you take the chance and do it
Then there ain't no one who's gonna put you down
'Cause we're the party people night and day
Livin' crazy that's the only way
Chorus
So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf
And just enjoy yourself
C'mon and groove, and let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall
Life ain't so bad at all (live life off the wall)
Live your life off the wall (live it off the wall)
Bridge
Do what you want to do
There ain't no rules it's up to you (ain't no rules it's all up to you)
It's time to come alive
And party on right through the night (all right)
3rd Verse
Gotta hide your inhibitions
Gotta let that fool loose deep inside your soul
Want to see an exhibition
Better do it now before you get to old
'Cause we're the party people night and day
Livin' crazy that's the only way
Chorus
So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf
And just enjoy ourselves/yourself
C'mon and groove (yeah) let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall
Life ain't so bad at all (live life off the wall)
Live your life off the wall (live it off the wall)
Chorus
So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf
And just enjoy yourself
C'mon and groove (yeah) let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall
Life ain't so bad at all (live life off the wall)
Live your life off the wall (live it off the wall)
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