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Michael Jackson’s “new” single

Michael Jackson’s “new” single This Is It could more appropriately be called This Was It.

The single came out on Monday on Jackson’s site, but has been out at least since 1991, perhaps even before that.

Listen to it here (you must first endure an ad for the money-grabbing This Is It movie) and then follow along to the following.

If it sounds similar, it’s because it is. Almost exactly.

This Is It first began as demo written with (Ontario-born) Paul Anka in 1983 – pre-Thriller. (This is heard above. The single has much more production, including a lush orchestral version.)

After recording with Jacko, Anka took the demo version to a studio in Hollywood for inclusion on a since abandoned duets album.

The two began having “conflicts” (Anka’s words) and Jackson supposedly “stole the tapes” from Anka’s studio.

Anka eventually retrieved the song in some form and gave it to Puerto Rican singer Sa-Fire, who recorded a version called I Never Heard in 1991 (also streaming above).

Whether This Is It will make a lasting impression on MJ’s legacy or not is not quite the question here. The question is, who is in charge of MJ’s music? And, while checking on that, can someone please order a wake up call?

At least when the Beatles’ released their archive, including the posthumous Real Love, it was truly an unheard song. This has been recorded several times already. Surely there must be something else in Jackson’s vault?

That said, This Is It isn’t quite “it,” but it is a decent MJ ballad. Wonder what else is to come…

Download them both here.[rssbreak]

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