BLOOD ON THE DANCEFLOOR
Let the interpretation begin. . .First a HIStory of the single.
April of 1997 clear through to May marked a HIStoric occasion for fans
of Michael JAckson. This was the time period that Michael Jackson's new song,
"Blood On The Dance Floor," along with the album as well, was released to the
public. After all, it had only been two years since any fans had ever heard any
new material from Michael Jackson, merely two. Usually it takes a total of four
at least. True, there were only going to be five of them & a bunch of
remixes, but still, that was nearly half an albums worth. This was great! It was
like receiving a good size portion of pie to tide yourself over until dinner. As
for the song itself, the first one to be released, it was an instant smash all
over Europe & Asia. In the states VH-1 & MTV were quick to air the
videos which soon became quickly requested & The New York Times praised
Michael for finally getting back to the music. The best reviews for the song
might have come from Billboard Magazine itself which ripped the song to pieces
up & down i order to fill the gaps they created with praise, then sewing the
whole thing back together in one glorious lump. This single was going to be the
bomb. Something however didn't go quite right in the US MTV & VH-1 quickly
stripped the song from the play list. DJs all over the country refused to play
the song. What's more, it seems a lot of fans of Michael Jackson, not realizing
what a blessing they had received, blasted Michael for releasing just a few key
songs. The song was bashed by critics along with the entire album. Stupid
accusations that Michael didn't allow Teddy Riley to work his magic were made
(for the record Teddy loved working with Michael Jackson, & calls him a
genius, except I heard they had a little falling out recently, whether it's true
or not, I don't know). "It's just more eighties stuff!" was an accusation heard
all over the place. Forget the fact that New Jack Swing style didn't even exhist
back then, people didn't care, all of it was old because Michael Jackson had
written it. Those many fans who called up radio stations were blasted by DJs,
some over the air, for the very idea of wanting to hear the song. Fortunately,
it was the dance halls & clubs that kept their heads on. It is them who
truly understandwhat good music is, & that it's not about popularity, or the
"newest" thing. In dance clubs the song went to #10, without any support from
the restof the US. & why shouldn't it? The song opens up with a hip
thrusting groove that just can't be ignored. Then an eerie voice, somehow
familiar, yet not quite jumps in with, "She got your #..." WHOA, the first
Michael Jackson horror song that actually makes you feel just a little scared.
The song actually seems to compose itself of two people telling the story.
Michael himself is always the two voices, but in order to create the feeling
that they are two separate people he changes his voice from a low Growl to a
desparate narrator running from a phycho bitch. The first voice heard is the
wise man, the one who knows what is happening to the young tike, & the one
who just sits back & watches with, "I told you so, look what's going to
happen." type attitude. His first part opens as stated earlier with, "She got
your #," & then follows with, "she know your game, she put you under, it's
so insane." A listener paying attention ( a male listener) might just drop his
fork from his Thanksgiving dinner upon hearing this & think to himself, "Did
I piss off my wife again?" The voice is that serious if one will listen. It
doesn't stop though. Quickly Michael continues with, " Since she seduced you,
how does it feel, to know that woman, is out to kill." Suddenly the man is
thinking "Oh THAT woman!" Well, okay, not all men are pigs, but it is true that
the listener is easily drawn into the story. By the third verse it becomes quite
apparent that the dark & sinister voice is referring to someone in
particular, someone who is gonna get it. In the background an eerie tune
suddenly jumps in amid the lip smacking & hard pulses & beats from the
song, & it sounds almost like the local mortuary might already be preparing
the coffin. Cut to the sixth verse of the song, & in jumps are scared little
friend. Who is he? A drinker? A gambler? A man low on his luck? Whatever the
case, he needed some escapism as he states, " To escape the world I've got to
enjoy this simple dance, & it seemed that everything was on my side."
Perhaps young, perhaps cocky, it appears as if he messed with the wrong girl.
The song has been called the sequel to Billie Jean, but if that is true, It's
Billie Jean with a Ginsu, & this time she really is carrying his son. Okay,
so now the listener is feeling a little aggravated, a little tense. That is, if
he's a man, if the he is a she, she might just be enjoying woman power, hell,
maybe even chasing her husband arounf the table with a knife. As for the man in
the stoly, he just can't seem to shake her & cries out, "& I just can't
take it, just can't break it." Perhaps they meet in a dark corner, perhaps she
tackles him in the mall. Whatever happens it is merely confined to the
listener's imagination. However, something terrifying happens, as a crowd of
people appear to be reveling in this man's misery. A chorus of human voices that
have perhaps seen this a million times jumps in eagerly devouring the emotions
of the tortured soul. They cry out, "Susie got your # & Susie ain't your
friend look who took you under with seven inches in..." THe god awful freaks are
cheering about a seven inch knife in his gut. The music itself at this point
jins in, & as two large crashes are heard in the background after "in" it
feels like the music, along with Susie, the apparent demon girl of the song, has
slapped th poor man twice in the face. The chorus continues, & even points
out that the whole time this going on "Susie" says it's right. Telling him not
to worry, women chopping men to pieces is the way of things. In comes our wise
man again asking quite apathetically to ur young friend, In fact, posing the
question just to pose it, "How does it feel to know the stranger is out to
kill?" Jeez, talk about not breaking it to the poor guy easy, he apparently just
wants to know what it feels like to die, & presses further asking him what
it's like for her to carry his baby, God knows what she'll do with it. In jumps
our young friend again stating his same old defense. So shook up & unable to
really say anything else, he jsut spouts the usual. It seems he has managed
toget away from Susie for a minute, but it is short lived. This man felt like
everything was aon his side but really only "blood" was. Then from out of the
shadows a raging behemoth of a woman we call Susie tackles him again. With the
wise man occasionally jumping in & the chorus of people feeding off what is
obviously an ensuing fight, it seems apparent who is going to win, & then we
find out. Out from the crowd struts the wise man, walking confidently &
proudly proclaiming, " It was blood on the dance floor!..." It appears that the
man who " danced on the floor in the round" In this on e was entirely wiped out
& is seeping all over the dance floor, & the crowd has had thier fill.
The happy souls in the background happily say after him, "Blood on the dance
floor..." This is absolutely sick, & the listener cannot pull away from it.
As if mocking our poor dead friend, he repeats the dead person's words, & so
does the giddy souls who fed of the woes of the dead as they all say, "The girl
won't break it, " along with " just can't take it." Suddenly our wise friend (
if friend is somethjng we actually feel like calling him) screams, "Whoo!" They
all dance, & within moments after a poor man was killed the crows starts
struttin their stuff. Life resumes. The listener however, depending on whether
or not the person is a he or she, has a somewhat different reaction. The man,
suddenly looking at his wife cutting that turkey just a little differently,
probably has a sudden need to excuse himself from the table, & doubtless
won't show up in bed for awhile. The woman, well...only God knows what the
weight of that knife is doing to her sense of true women's power. Or at least,
that's the how I heard it...yesterday.
