Michael Jackson Metaphors

The world mourned in 2009 when the King of Pop tragically died. Michael Jackson left a lasting legacy and has inspired millions around the globe. With iconic hits such as “Thriller” and “Billie Jean”, his musical repertoire contains feats that no other artists have accomplished. While he was beloved by many, his career was filled with controversies. He was under constant scrutiny from the media and his eccentric behavior only further alienated him from mainstream society. Two songs that he released for his 1997 remix album, Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, are different versions of one another – Is it Scary and Ghosts. Is It Scary, originally composed in 1993 to be a part of the movie Adam’s Family Values but was excluded of the controversies surrounding Jackson, was reworked for this mix tape and turned into a lyrical paraphrase of Ghosts (). The songs reminiscent of Jackson’s “Thriller” era, share a gothic-pop/rock vibe with Jackson’s vocal timbre prominent. Both of the songs use ghosts as metaphors in two different ways to convey how his fame had negatively affected him.
Is It Scary is about five minutes and thirty seconds long featuring Jackson’s voice and the piano prominently with background vocals and drum sets present in some parts. The song opens up with soft piano playing followed by an alto saxophone for the first 17 seconds, falsely giving the …show more content…
The tone here is reminiscent of the contempt of before. He continues this idea into the bridge of the song, explaining that he was backstabbed and hurt by this ghost, wanting answer if the reason he is subjected to this kind of treatment is because of jealously. By the end of the song he reaches the conclusion that it is because of