Recording sessions : January-March 1997
Studios : Montreux (Switzerland), Los Angeles
Label : Sony Music
Release date : May 20, 1997
Peak on Billboard 200 : 24
Original track listing
1. “Blood on the Dance Floor” Michael Jackson, Teddy Riley 4:13
2. “Morphine” Michael Jackson 6:29
3. “Superfly Sister” Michael Jackson, Bryan Loren 6:28
4. “Ghosts” Michael Jackson, Teddy Riley 5:14
5. “Is It Scary” Michael Jackson, James Harris III, Terry Lewis 5:36
6. “Scream Louder (Flyte Tyme Remix)” (duet with Janet Jackson) James Harris III, Terry Lewis, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson 5:27
7. “Money (Fire Island Radio Edit)” Michael Jackson 4:23
8. “2 Bad (Refugee Camp Mix)” (featuring John Forté) Michael Jackson, Bruce Swedien, René Moore, Dallas Austin 3:33
9. “Stranger in Moscow (Tee’s In-House Club Mix)” Michael Jackson 6:54
10. “This Time Around (D.M. Radio Mix)” Michael Jackson, Dallas Austin 4:05
11. “Earth Song (Hani’s Club Experience)” Michael Jackson 7:55
12. “You Are Not Alone (Classic Club Mix)” R. Kelly 7:37
13. “HIStory (Tony Moran’s HIStory Lesson)” Michael Jackson, James Harris III, Terry Lewis 8:01
“Morphine” is also titled “Just Say No” on some licensed editions of the album.
Both “Is It Scary” and “Ghosts” share certain lyrics.
The LP version replaces “This Time Around (D.M. Radio Mix)” and “You Are Not Alone (Classic Club Mix)” with “This Time Around (D.M. Mad Club Mix)” (the version on the LP is different from the mix of the same title on the single release of the song) and “You Are Not Alone (Classic Club Edit)”, respectively.
ALTERNATIVE VERSIONS*
*Worked by MJ during his lifetime. Covers and remixes by other artists are not included.
OUTTAKES FROM THE ALBUM RECORDING SESSIONS
OTHER SONGS FROM THIS ERA
Elizabeth I Love You : Recorded in January 1997 & used in February 1997 for a TV Show celebrating Elizabeth Taylor’s 65th birthday. A snippet from the studio version leaked in 2010. The full studio version remains unreleased.
Singles and short films
1st single : Blood On The Dance Floor : released on March 21, 1997
Short film directed by : Vincent Paterson
Date of shooting : February 10-15, 1997
Date of premiere : April 2, 1997
Official release : On DVD in 1997 (History on Film Vol 2) in 2003 (Number Ones) and in 2010 (Vision) and on Michael’ You Tube official page.
2nd single Ghosts : released on July 30, 1997
The short film for “Ghosts” is a five-minute cut-down of the short film of the same title directed by Stan Winston.
Date of shooting : April-May 1996
Dates of premiere : October 25, 1996 : Ghosts 1996 long version
May 8, 1997 : Ghosts 1997 long version
June 1997 : Ghosts 1997 short version
Official release : The 1997 long version of Ghosts was released on VHS/Laser Disc in 1997 (Deluxe Collector Box Set). The short film was never released on DVD and never released on Michael’s official You Tube page…
The short version was released on DVD in 2010 (Vision) and on Michael’ You Tube official page.
Short version
Promotion (TV performances/Award Shows/magazine covers etc.)
October 31 , 1996 : The short film “Ghosts” is premiered in 11 selected Sony cinemas in the US.
November 10, 1996 : Michael gives an interview to VH1 answering selected questions by viewers.
December 19, 1996 : Michael attends the Japonese premiere of “Ghosts” with Omer. Later he receives a platinum disc award from Sony Music Japon chairman.
February 16, 1997 : Michael attends a gala to celebrate Elizabeth Taylor’s 65th birthday in Los Angeles. For the occasion he performs a song that he just recorded in Montreux called “Elizabeth I Love You” and gets a standing ovation by the galaxy of stars attending the event.
March 21, 1997 : Michael attends a Sony Conclave in Marbella, Spain where he is presented with a special award from Sony Music, for 100 million singles sales internationally outside the USA, since his first solo career album with Epic Rec in 1979.
March 25, 1997 : British magazine OK gets a world exclusive by publishing the first ever official pictures of Michael & Debbie with their son Prince (at Neverland) accompanied by a candid interview of the couple.
April 20, 1997 : Michael attends the innauguration of his wax statue by french artist Mime Marceau at the Musée Grevin in Paris . He is accompanied by his new Manager Tarak Ben Ammar.
May 2, 1997 : Michael arrives in Munich, Germany with Tarak Ben Ammar. He is presented with a plaque from soccer club 1860 Munich, as well as a blue and white soccer-shirt saying ‘Michael Jackson’ on the back, at the Munich Olympic Stadium. MJ attends a press conference for the History Tour at the Munich stadium.
May 5, 1997 : Michael & Tarak Ben Ammar attend the Italian TV Award Ceremony Telegatti in Milano where Michael presents an award with Luciano Pavarotti.
May 6, 1997 : Michael flies to Cleveland, Ohio, to be inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in a special Presentation with His bothers by Diana Ross & Berry Gordy! Joe, Katherine & Barry Gibb are also present at the event. Randy does not attend the presentation.
May 8, 1997 : Michael flies back to Europe to attend a midnight private presentation of his “Ghosts” short film at the Cannes Film Festival with Stan Winston & Tarak Ben Ammar among others.
May 29, 1997 : Michael arrives in Bremen, Germany with Tarak Ben Ammar and they attend a press conference.
September 7, 1997 : Michael gives an interview for US TV show 20/20 with Barbara Walters from his Parisian hotel. The interview is aired a few days later on ABC.
Late November 1997 : Michael & Prince Michael Jr are on the cover of LIFE magazine with a special photo story at Neverland.
Concerts
Jackson Dynasty 