For Hugh’s 51 Weeks: 51 Songs from the Past: Week 7, I’m bringing you Michael Jackson’s, Thriller.
I remember the day that this music video debuted on MTV. (It was December 2, 1983- I don’t actually remember the date. I had to look that up… ) But I remember watching it because I knew it was going to happen and I had my VCR ready to record with a fresh video tape. And I still have that video tape! (And a VCR to play it on, if I really wanted to.)
Michael Jackson’s song, Thriller, was on his sixth album (by the same name) which was released on November 30, 1982. Over 34 years later, Thriller remains a best selling album. It won eight Grammy Awards in 1984 and all seven singles released from the album reached the top 10 on Billboard’s Top 100 chart.
The album also included- Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, Baby Be Mine, The Girl is Mine, Beat It, Billie Jean, Human Nature, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing), and The Lady in My Life.
Everything about this music video was amazing. I loved the story, with it’s little twists. Although it was creepy, I loved the humor that popped up, such as the zombie whose arm falls off and the three dead guys at the very end that do their own little dance sequence. Being a teenage girl at the time, I thought that Michael Jackson was just adorable! And I’ll admit to trying to learn the choreography- but I will also admit that I’m not a dancer AT ALL. It was just fun to try! Watching it just now, I kept finding myself shaking my head or hunching my shoulders along with the video and it occurred to me that I probably looked like I was having some strange attack sitting in my chair here. Not to mention the oh so perfectly haunting Vincent Price- “Darkness falls across the land. The midnight hour is close at hand. Creatures crawl in search of blood, To terrorize y’all’s neighborhood…”
Do you remember this song and its wildly popular video? For me, the song always brings the video to mind. That connection is so strong!
I need to run now! I know I have the CD laying around here somewhere and I have a sudden urge to listen to it!
Dandelion Fuzz 
Great song and video. I remember when it first came on, my girls were so excited to see it. 🙂
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🙂
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I remember when that video debuted, we were all gathered around the TV with great anticipation. Still love Thriller (the album) after all these years. As much as I loved the song back then, I find I don’t like it quite as much now. Maybe because it gets played to death every Halloween?!?
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The album is one of the best! So many of those songs are classics to me. (I’m probably aging myself here but…oh well!) I still have my first Thriller CD, which I do drag out and listen to from time to time. 🙂 I imagine the song- Thriller- is overplayed at Halloween- it’s too appropriate not to play, right? 🙂
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No worries about aging yourself…I do that on my blog on the regular!
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Happy to hear I’m not alone! 🙂
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I do remember the debut of this video. It was hotly awaited for and was talked about for months (if not years) after it was first aired. It has to be one of the best music videos of all time. And, of course, the song (and dancing) were just as good as the video. What I can’t remember is if it was only aired after the 9pm watershed that we have here in the UK. Anything considered not suitable for all family viewing usually has to wait until after 9pm before it’s allowed on our TV screens.
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Hmmm, I wonder! I know that it’s debut in the US was at midnight but I can’t remember past that. And of course I had my handy recording to watch whenever I wanted! 🙂
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Great song choice and yes, wasn’t the video brilliant. I remember my son’s class doing this at a school concert many years ago. So much fun.
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It’s a great song and a great dance! 🙂
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Sure is.
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