Scream/Childhood
"Scream"/"Childhood" was a 1995 hit single for singer-songwriters Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson. "Scream" became the first song in Billboard history to debut in the top five of the pop chart.[1] It eventually peaked at number five on the pop chart, number two on the R&B chart, and number one on the dance chart.
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Song information
"Scream" was a duet between Michael and his sister Janet, written by both Jacksons and the production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It dealt with the mass media attention both siblings had received in their careers as well as the difficult relationship they shared with their father. The track is backed by a number of remixes by prolific artists including DJ David Morales, rap group Naughty by Nature and record producer Dave Hall. The duo received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Scream". "Scream", however, doesn't reappear in the track listing of Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection and The Essential Michael Jackson. Also, the video didn't reappear in Visionary: The Video Singles, as "Scream" was not released in the box set, and due to this, was not released as a single from it. The video did appear, however, as a "director's cut" in the DVD The Work of Director Mark Romanek. A remix of the song by Flyte Time is featured on Michael's 1997 album Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix. It is titled "Scream Louder (Flyte Time Remix)".
"Scream" is the one of only a few songs on which Michael uses vulgarity. In the second chorus, instead of "stop pressuring me," he says "stop fucking with me."
"Childhood" was a song written, produced and sung by Michael Jackson. It became the theme song for Free Willy 2. Michael Jackson has said that if one should want to know him, they should listen to "Childhood", saying, "It's the most honest song I've ever written." In the song Jackson expresses the pain he feels from his early memories. He asks not to be judged and shows us why he is trying to recapture his childhood.
Music video
Both songs were made into music videos. "Scream" remains as one of Michael's most well-received music videos. Directed by Mark Romanek, the video has a heavy sci-fi theme with features of anime and pop culture (such as Andy Warhol's self portrait). At $7,000,000 in expense, the video is the seond most expensive video of all time (First Being "From Yesterday" from 30 Seconds To Mars at $13,000,00). The "Scream" video went on to win several MTV Video Music Awards and a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.
The video for "Childhood", directed by Nick Brant, is of Michael in a forest as ships full of children float up in the air. Aside from its face value, the video has a distinct Peter Pan theme. The video was shot in 1995 in Sequoia National Park where Jackson and many children reenacted scenes from Peter Pan. The video was a short shoot and Michael Jackson's appearance seemed youthful and for the first time, Jackson's hair was short in a music video.[2] The video never caught on like its partner single "Scream" and was not in the track line-up of the HIStory World Tour. Jackson was supposed to perform the song at the Grammy Awards of 1996 where he was nominated for Album of the Year. However, the performance was canceled.
Charts
Chart (1995) | Peak position[1] |
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Denmark Single Chart | 2 |
Track listing
UK single #1
- "Scream" (Single edit) – 4:03
- "Scream" (Def Radio mix) – 3:20
- "Scream" (Naughty Radio edit with Rap) – 4:30
- "Scream" (Dave "Jam" Hall's Urban Remix edit) – 4:35
- "Childhood" – 4:27
UK single #2
- "Scream" (Classic Club mix) – 9:00
- "Scream" (Pressurized Dub Pt. 1) – 10:06
- "Scream" (D.M. R&B Extended mix) – 5:34
- "Scream" (Dave "Jam" Hall's Extended Remix edit) – 4:35
- "Scream" (Naughty Main mix) 5:42
- "Scream" (Single edit #2) – 4:04
U.S. single
- "Scream" (Single edit #2) – 4:04
- "Scream" (Def Radio mix) – 3:20
- "Scream" (Naughty Radio edit with Rap) – 4:30
- "Scream" (Dave "Jam" Hall's Extended Urban remix) – 5:09
- "Scream" (Classic Club mix) – 9:00
- "Childhood" – 4:27
Mixes
"Scream"
- Album version
- Clean album version
- Single edit #1
- Single edit #2
- Classic Club Mix
- David Morales R&B Extended Mix
- Dave "Jam" Hall's Extended Urban Remix
- Dave "Jam" Hall's Extended Urban Remix Edit
- Naughty Main Mix
- Naughty Main Mix with No Rap
- Naughty Radio edit with Rap
- Naughty Radio edit without Rap
- Naughty Pretty-Pella
- Naughty A Cappella
- Def Radio Mix
- Scream Louder (Flyte Tyme Remix)
- Scream Louder (Flyte Tyme Instrumental)
- Pressurized Dub Part 1
- Pressurized Dub Part 2
- New Jack Mix
- New Jack Dance Remix
"Childhood"
- Album version - 4:28
- Instrumental version - 4:28
Credits
- Written and composed by James Harris III and Terry Lewis, Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson
- Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson
External links
Michael Jackson singles |
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Got to Be There: "Got to Be There" • "Rockin' Robin" • "I Wanna Be Where You Are" • "Ain't No Sunshine" |