I loved this song back in the day, and love this video montage of Michael and Jermaine...

Great pics!

i think I like Robert palmer's funky version alot better

This song is better than anything on 'Victory'

The funny thing about this track is Michael, did not want to record it. He hated it. Yes, Robert Palmer's version, is funkier,(but then again, his covers are almost always better than the original). Lastly, "Victory", was a good CD. Not great, but a good CD.
[Edited 12/6/08 17:22pm]

I like this song.

shorttrini said:

Really? I love this song.

paisleypark4 said:

I agree.

That was the jam. Still love that song. Never knew Robert Palmer rerecorded it. Obviously, wasn't released as a single. Like Robert but obviously his legacy would be built on a bunch or remakes. Sad!

This was a hot song. Too bad both record labels (CBS and Arista) wouldn't allow both brothers to release this as a single or make a video. I am glad I was able to see them perform this song together at the Victory Tour.
[Edited 12/7/08 14:22pm]

shorttrini said:

Key word. I'll take MJ's version, thank you. I used to really like this song too. I haven't heard it in years. Thanks June 7.

Musically Palmer's version may be better but it isn't good enough to overcome the difference in vocals (my opinion of course).
[Edited 12/7/08 14:40pm]

Imo,NONE of Robert Palmer's remakes are better than the original but I guess that's another thread,lol.

Anyway,I love this song.It appeared on Jermaine's album,but they really should have placed it on 'Victory',an album that was starving for a really good,standout track.It even puts "State Of Shock" to shame.

I dig the Jackson's version better.

LoDog said:

Wow. I *LOVED* the Michael and Jermaine song, but I never knew Robert Palmer re-recorded it. This was like a hidden treasure; it's nice to discover it after all these years and after RP's death.

Yeah, as the years go on, I've grown to appreciate RP more and more. At first I thought, "What? This guy can't write his own music? He's gotta steal from RNB musicians??" But 1) he was genuinely talented, 2) he brought that music to many people who never would have heard of it, otherwise, and 3) the man *did* have some style...

Thanks for the link...

Great song! Has an eerie vibe to it, I think. Of course Michael sounds great, but I gotta give it to Jermaine on this one. I like the way he does his little "growly-voice" thing on the "to good to be true" part! I really liked Jermaine's album back in the day. This song, "Do What You", and "Dynamite" were jams. I hated "Escape From the Planet of the Ant Men" though, featuring the Jacksons..(Stupid song).

average song in my opinion. got it on vinyl, not listened to it in about 15years. don't care to either.

mj being on it is probably the only reason why 'do what you do' made top ten in the uk. it sure wasn't the video to the a-side!

Love it!

love this one by Robert Palmer, who will be remembered for more than just good covers

http://jp.youtube.com/wat...1UBS5ZL7Hs

saw him live once and it was incredible

also like the Jacksons version

dannyd5050 said:

I personally think this song shows what a talented vocalist Michael is in comparison to his brother. I almost feel sorry for Jermaine. lol. But, that's not to say Jermaine doesn't sound good, coz he does. it definitely has an eerie vibe to it

Graycap23 said:

ditto

marnifrances said:

I agree.Jermaine sounds good,but Michael has that "extra something".You can hear it in "Torture" too.That song doesn't even catch fire until Michael comes in on the second verse.

SoulAlive said:

Yes. Michael Jackson's voice is just electrifying. He makes good singers sound ordinary and ordinary singers sound AWFUL.

I like the music to Robert Palmers better but I like the Jacksons vocals better. It would be cool to hear the Jacksons vocals over Roberts music

It's interesting even though it wasn't released as a single, it was still nominated for a Grammy

SoulAlive said:

Yea, Michael killed his verse.

totaldiva said:

This was released as a single, just not in the States. I don't think a video was made because of scheduling conflicts.

[Edited 12/10/08 12:24pm]

marnifrances said:

I agree. It shows that Michael's range, style, vibrato, ets. were better than Jermaine's.

daPrettyman said:

I just found this on another site. It claims something else:
http://www0.epinions.com/...5112766596

91. "Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming (Too Good To Be True)" by Jermaine and Michael Jackson
Released 1984
Chart Position: #1 Dance

So...um, yeah. At the height of little brother Michael's success with "Thriller", Jermaine Jackson left Motown Records and was signed to Arista by Clive Davis. He also rejoined his brothers in The Jacksons at this time. The first single from his self-titled Arista debut was supposed to be "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin'", a duet with Michael that was co-written by Donna Summer's husband, Bruce Sudano. The high-energy duet received tons of airplay right off the bat and even hit the summit of Billboard's club play-based Dance chart.

Despite the fact that Michael was at his career apex and that the song was (in my opinion) one of, if not his best vocal performance ever (he COMPLETELY upstages his big brother). This Grammy-nominated tune never scaled the pop or R&B charts. Why? Well, it wasn't released as a single until nearly a year after the album's release. And even then, it was relegated to a B-side, and Michael's vocals had been erased from the track. While at the time, Jermaine complained that it was Mike's record company that refused to allow the release, it later came to light that MJ sabotaged his big bro's release himself. Dirty pool, but still a great song. And since it charted somewhere, it's on my list! Yay!!

Alasseon said:

I seriously thought I'd be ripped up for this comment- I am glad so many agree.

Michael didn't sabotage the single release. His record company did.

By the way, Michael performed this every night on the Victory tour with Jermaine.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...53oEQgdMP0

Here are some direct quotes from Bruce Sudano and Jermaine about it:

‘I co-wrote it with Michael Omartian and Jake Ruska,’ said Bruce
Sudano. ‘We were working on Jermaine’s record. Michael Omartian
was producing the album for Jermaine. Michael and I became friends
when he produced Donna (Summer)’s album, SHE WORKS HARD
FOR THE MONEY, and we had co-written a couple of songs for that
album. Michael had a track that Jermaine liked, and if I wanted to write
something, it would probably get on the record.’

‘Jermaine took the song and played it for his brother, Michael Jackson,
who also liked it and it became a duet. Jermaine released it as his first
single, radio went nuts about the song, and then Jermaine’s record
company got a call from Michael Jackson’s record company, with a
"Sist and Desist" from playing the song. Michael’s BAD album was
coming out and the company thought it would hinder Michael’s new
release.’

Jermaine concurred: ‘A lack of communication between Clive Davis
and CBS meant Arista were forbidden to issue the track as a single,’
explained Jermaine. ‘Basically, CBS were saying, why should we help
you sell one of your albums?’ As it happened, Michael’s album BAD
wasn’t actually released until 1987.

marnifrances said:

Yep. That's basically the reason why Michael wasn't on The Secret Garden and Al B Sure replaced him on the song

SoulAlive said:

I agree w/all of that. Michael has such a nice tone to his voice and great control over it too. Jermaine is a very good singer too, but there's something about Mike's voice that stands out and makes me want to continue listening.