2022年11月12日,MJ当年合作创作《Chicago 1945》、《Human Nature》和《For All Time》等歌曲的Steve Porcaro来到了位于巴黎郊区的名不见经传的Abbey Road学院录音室,说这个录音室名不见经传不是因为名气小,而是藏的太深了,俨然在一片看上去怎么也不会有录音室的别墅区中藏着这间五脏俱全的录音室。很多和MJ有过合作的录音工程师、作曲家都来过这里和MJ歌迷见过面放过歌。

这次Steve Porcaro带着一电脑未发行歌曲的首战巴黎和歌迷见面,首先他先缅怀了MJ并且同时评价了MJ的王牌录音师Bruce Swedien,Steve说到MJ真的运气非常好遇到了Bruce,因为Bruce可谓音频工程师中的佼佼者、真天才!

为了切入话题Steve开始讲起了《Human Nature》,说起了Quincy、MJ的那首《Why Why》歌(这个故事有点长,哪天再讲),因为今天的主题是《Chicago 1945》:

Steve Porcaro 回忆说,MJ 是一位了不起的歌手,除了我们能听到的所有流言蜚语,有时甚至让我忘记了MJ是一位真正的歌唱艺术家。 “我从未见过有人如此专注于他的艺术。每天下午 3 点,他无一例外地和赛斯·里格斯一起上声乐课。”(MJ过世后泄漏的那个Yi~yi~yi~~的练声就从赛斯的声乐课中录下来的)

在 Thriller 专辑录音结束大约一个月后,MJ制作了另一首未发行的曲目《Chicago 1945》。Steve Poracro 当时给了MJ一盘仅有器乐的磁带,MJ便去图书馆翻阅了上世纪40年代芝加哥发生的事件。就这样MJ做了一首歌出来就是《Smooth Criminal》的最早原型《Chicago 1945》(有一些文献和早期资料中也管这首歌叫《Chicago Night》)。

随后Steve Porcaro 便放了这首时长 5:45 分钟(实际有MJ唱词部分为5:05秒,最后几秒,什么都没有哈)。它以警笛声开始,重复三遍“芝加哥”,然后音乐响起,MJ以神秘色彩的唱腔开启了Chicago~

歌曲冲击力极强、朗朗上口。和歌迷之前听过的的《Al Capone》不同MJ重复那句“芝加哥之夜”(Who solved the Mystery of Chicago Night),其实这句就是最早MJ想要的《Smooth Criminal》效果的那个点,让人欲罢不能的朗朗上口的魔法副歌歌词。

一位 Toto 粉丝指出,《Chicago 1945》 和弦让人想起 1982 年专辑 Toto IV 中的曲目 It’s A Feeling。

你觉得像吗?

《芝加哥 1945》 长期以来一直保存在Steve的档案中。他认为这首歌其实更适合放在《BAD 25》中。大卫威廉姆斯告诉 Steve,据他所知,这首歌MJ真的已经反复推敲调整了很久了,所以世界需要以他最正确的方式听到这首歌,不要有任何Remix的版本!

Steve回忆到:“你们知道MJ在录音室怎么录这首歌的吗?他自己恨不得包办一切甚至和声……他一口气唱了9遍Chicago 1945,从头到尾的9遍Take。九次完全录完后,他回家了。MJ他就是一位纯粹的天才!”

全曲:https://weibo.com/2051743530/MeZyCb5WX

(据说录制和泄漏这首歌的同学可能会被MJ遗产甚至Steve追责,因为毕竟Steve首战便遭泄漏,心痛Steve三秒中、也心痛泄漏的同学。。。)

Steve想向歌迷传递的一句话(他在当天开始就说了几遍):

The most important is not what you you hear, it’s what you feel.

(最重要的不是你听到了什么,而是你感受到了什么)

——Michael Jackson

完整版歌词:

《Chicago 1945》:
Chi-caaagooo x3
Chicago 1st verse:
It was Chicago 1945
Cubs lost that year
But Al Capone was found alive
The sewers for the days and the suburbs of the night
But they found him
Alive x2
Young Joe Dimaggio Hit his first home run
People gather round Ask him :
Bit. the. sun
Three girls disappeared
On a cold windy night
CHORUS :
Never to be found again x2
SO!
Who solved the mystery of Chicago Night
They can't hide the truth so won't you turn on the light
Who solved the mystery of Chicago Night
Never to be found again x2
Never found again
Never to be found again found again x2
2nd verse:
If you so windy
Your head be with air
People gather round
To see the world's fair
Who was so happy
But sad of the truth
So what was going on
They didn't know the girls were missing, missing
You can't do what they say
Nobody can (Hee-Hee x2)
Because undercover other Chicago tribunals
Beat you to the world's fair
They didn't bother
The know it's the truth
CHORUS "Break":
Never to be found again
found again x many times throught with some of the following ad libs
YOU CANT FIND ANYTHING
CHICAGOOOO LOVE YOUUU
YOU CANT FIND ANYTHING
CHICAGOOOO
LOVE YOUUU
(Small instrumental)
CHI-CAAAAAGO x4
3rd verse:
It was Chicago 1945
Cubs lost that year
But Al Capone was found alive
The sewers for the days and the suburbs of the night
So what was going on?
They didn't know the girls were missing, missing
Can't do what they say
Nobody can Because undercover other Chicago tribunals
Beat you to the world's fair
They didn't bother
Though it is a scene
CHORUS with ad libs such as:
TELL ME x3
YOU CAN'T HIDE THE TRUTH
TELL ME x2
HEE HEE X2
CHICAGOOOO DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING x2