"Ain't No Sunshine", by Michael Jackson.
There are some storming versions of "Ain't No Sunshine" out there. I had no idea that Michael Jackson had turned his hand to it. And yet there it is, his fourth single, a minor UK hit in 1972, which means he must have been only 13 or 14 when it was recorded. (And the song itself would only have been a year old.)
It starts of with a nearly whispered spoken word intro, which is underpinned by some snaking, "Maggot Brain"-style lead guitar. The song proper is an exquisitely arranged combination of Motown rhythm section, funky drumming,strings and vocal harmonies. It oozes confidence and maturity. And then there's Michael's voice. Professional coaching alone, even if coupled with a tyrannical father leaning over one's shoulder, could not conjure a vocal performance of this level. Michael -- and remember, he is only a boy -- owns this song. He sings it from the inside out, even though he is singing about emotions and concepts he can only have been starting to become aware of.
It is moments like this that force me to re-think my own attitude to the sorry tale of Michael Jackson. We have been very hard on him. Here is one of the most exceptionally gifted singers, and performers, that we have ever seen or heard. He was on the stage at 11, and was never allowed to have a childhood of his own. His life has never been his own to live. No wonder he is so fucked up. Is it so wrong to suggest that we should be grateful for all that he has given us, rather than gaze, slack-jawed and full of tut-tutting disapproval, as his slow unravelling is paraded across the front page?
Our own 11-year-old has been a big Michael Jackson fan for some years. He either doesn't know, or doesn't comprehend, the story of Michael's latter years of tragic fall and public laughing stock. He is lucky enough to be able to appreciate the entirety of "Thriller", and assorted hit singles, at their magnificent face value. I played him "Ain't No Sunshine" this morning, and he instantly took to it.
We are, truly, not worthy.
