Sources : My personal research, Wikipedia, Michael Jackson: For The Record by Chris Cadman & Craig Halstead, Twitter account of Damien Shields and the amazing archives of the MJCast.
ERA
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1994-1996)
RECORDING DATE
Earth Song aka What About Us (1st demo) : Jackson wrote “Earth Song” under the working title “What About Us” at the Vienna Marriott hotel during the Bad World Tour on June 1, 1988. Jackson wanted to create a song that was lyrically deep with an emotional message, but was melodically simple, so the whole world, particularly non-English-speaking fans, could sing along.
Earth Song (2nd demo) aka What About Us : Recorded in 1989.
Bill Bottrell on Twitter (November 13, 2023) : I worked on Earth Song for a year. M. had a lot of songs to work on E.S. started to languish. I got my friends Steve Ferrone and Guy Pratt to play drums and bass. From then, M. seemed concerned but couldn’t describe. Still he sang it, got Andre Crouch and I got George del Barrio for strings. M. got David Paiche for more keyboards. M. was still concerned. mixed it anyway as the album was wrapping up M. never got used to something about the direction: too heavy? It didn’t make the album. Later, History sessions, M hired Foster. Worked and worked and by now M. was getting used to my version, Foster expressed his frustration to me at the grammys. My version and mix came out on History with only new vocals in the outro. Legal contract for Foster said he got first credit. These things happen all the time. That production, that song, was unique
In that M. was a bit skeptical of the path I took. But didn’t stop me. And he didn’t release it Until he was ok with it.. I am so proud of that song and of Michael’s wisdom. Way back in 1986 at Hayvenhurst he and I sat and he screened me “The Emerald Forest” in his theater. He handed me a vhs tape of it to take home. He was, even then, choosing me to work on “Earth Song”. I took that mission seriously, and so it was hard when he couldn’t quite accept the best version, 4 years later, that we two could come up with together.
And then it didn’t matter. Sometime, as we were no longer working together, he found it as it was, and received it, and released it. I am grateful for M’s patience on this. David Foster never had a chance against such History.
Earth Song (June 1991 mix) : Bill Bottrell on X (December 14, 2024) : “Each of these songs/releases/leaks has a story that I’ve told. There are dozens of day roughs done after any experiment or overdub. I’ve told the heartbreaking story of Earth Song. The only version I support is the one that went to NY where MJ had that jazz guy “work” on it, and apparently didn’t improve it because it’ released essentially the same.” “New outro vocals because the words weren’t finished That’s all I needed after 2 years of work.
Foster added that and a bit of blues guitar But the Orchestra was mine, from the stems. I knew MJ would come to accept ES eventually, and I made the most precise stems, faders flat, that you could ever hope for. I did the track sheets, went to the door of the control room, turned and made a little salute, and went home. The only one I considered “finished” was my final automated mix (with falsetto outro)6/91 from which the stems were made, and I’m fine with the NY/Foster release with gritty outro vocals as it is so close to the 6/91. I was stressed for weeks knowing the words weren’t there for the outro and I had to snag M just for a couple hours to do it. I’ve said how he was not on board with my “rock” production and I suspected ES was off the album.
So the History release had the new outro and I was happy with it. Grit and all. But mostly happy that my “rock” version was basically the same. I’m just glad it came out.”
Earth Song (History album final version) : Recorded from February 1994 to March 1995 with David Foster.
STUDIO(S)
Hit Factory in New York City
SONGWRITER(S)
Michael Jackson
PRODUCER(S)
Michael Jackson, Bill Bottrell & David Foster
RELEASE DATE :
June 20, 1995 (History)
November 07, 1995 (single)
LABEL
Sony Music
LENGTH
6:46 (album version)
5:02 (radio edit)
ALTERNATE VERSIONS RECORDED BY MJ (covers and remixes by other artists are not included)
Earth Song aka What About Uq (1st demo) : Demo recorded in 1988. Full demo leaked on January 28, 2023 but remains unreleased.
Earth Song (2nd demo) aka What About Us : Recorded in 1989 & leaked online in 2007 but remains unreleased.
MUSICIANS
Michael Jackson: lead vocals, backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, producer, vocal arrangements, rhythm arrangements
Andraé Crouch, Sandra Crouch, and Andraé Crouch Choir: backing vocals
David Foster: producer, keyboards, synthesizers, orchestral arrangements, vocal arrangements, rhythm arrangements
David Paich: piano, keyboards, synthesizers
Bill Bottrell: co-producer, guitar
Michael Thompson: guitar
Guy Pratt: bass guitar
Steve Ferrone: drums
Bruce Swedien: recording engineer, mixing
Bill Ross: orchestration
Steve Porcaro: synthesizer programming[48]
Co-performance by London Philharmonic Orchestra (orchestral mix only)
Orchestral arrangement by Elmer Bernstein (orchestral mix only)
PEAK ON HOT 100 BILLBOARD :
Not eligible (but number 1 in Europe)
SHORT FILM
Music video directed by : Nicolas Brandt
Date of shooting : August 17, 1995
Date of premiere : November, 1995
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
LIVE PERFORMANCES ON TV SHOWS
November 4, 1995 : Michael is in Munich, Germany where he performs “Dangerous” and “Earth Song” on Wetten Dass.
February 19, 1996 : Michael performs “Earth Song” at the Brit Awards in London and he is almost interrupted by Jarvis Cocker, the leader of the British Band Pulp and he also receives the award of Artist Of A Generation presented by Bob Geldof.
May 8, 1996 : Michael attends the World Music Awards in Monaco . He performs “Earth Song” and wins 5 awards.
LIVE PERFORMANCES IN CONCERTS
Royal Brunei Concert on July 16, 1996
History World Tour 1996-1997
June 25 + 27, 1999 : Michael performs two charity concerts “Michael Jackson & Friends” in Seoul which airs live on Korean TV and in Munich which airs live on German TV .
June 24, 2009 : Last day of rehearsals for “This Is It” at the Staples Center. “Earth Song”, “Thriller”” & “Dangerous” are the last songs that Michael rehearse.
