You know it's true.

This MJ and Sanatana jam is hotter than anything Prince has done in YEARS and he must've turned from purple to green, green with envy when he heard it.

r u sure?

Prince?!

Turn green at such overproduced, glossy crap?

I don't think so. He probably laughed when he heard it.

Have you even heard Prince and the band on the recent 'ONA' tour? That is REAL music.

Justin Timberlake wouldn't even be envious of that song ...

MattyJam said:

"Whatever Happens" is a kickass song,but I don't think Prince would have killed to have written it.Now,"Billie Jean",that's another matter...lol...

Matty Jam - interesting perception but, unfortunately, not without its flaws!

Taken from ASCAP;

3. WHATEVER HAPPENS (Title Code: 530564499)
Writers:
CANG GILBERT CYNBERG
QUAY JASMINE
RILEY EDWARD T
WILLIAMS GEOFFERY

Performers:
MICHAEL JACKSON


Variations:
(none found)

Publishers/Administrators:
Contact ASCAP Clearance representative at (212)621-6160
for other publisher information.

"Like a puppet on a string, I will dance and I will sing, I will do most anything..." hehe

Somehow, I don't think Prince is going to be that jealous that 4 songwriters and an army of around 40 production staff got together to produce this tune - how can you compare 40-odd people against one, singular talent (who, in hies time, has written far better tunes than this anyway)?

Mindflux said:

Regardless of who wrote it,it's still a kickass song.It's actually my favorite song from 'Invincible'.

Just listened to this track...

Mindflux - That information is incorrect. MJ is on both writing and production credits.

Oh, I might've known the musical snobs would come out in full force with the 'Prince is REAL music' arguement which is so lame and unfounded. I went to the ONA tour and yes I enjoyed it (in parts), but that doesn't take away from the fact that it's been years since Prince came out with anything half as good as Whatever Happens or Heaven Can Wait from MJ's Invincible album.

Excuse me, but that info is direct from ASCAP,the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, it is not incorrect. It is exactly the same as when people apply for patents when they invent something - it is so that you can prove beyond doubt who's the song is. MJ can lie about it on his album liner notes if he wants - Prince has done the same, some credits on albums not matching with what is stated in the notes.

How can the "Prince is REAL music" be lame and unfounded? Even if you considered just 10% of Prince's output over 25 years to be any good, that statement would still not be unfounded. And, considering just how much of Prince you hear in today's music, his legacy and impact is obvious. To deny that is nothing more than blind ignorance. If you took your head out of MJs ass for a second, you might catch on!

And next time you want to compare MJ and PRN, consdier this paragraph taken from Q magazine;

"Prince wears many faces, sings in many voices and is the seeming master of virtually every instrumental and production style on the postwar pop menu. Like Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and Michael Jackson, he is one of the few pop stars to attain true iconic significance in the '80s, but though Jackson has worked his particular magic by straddling (and annihilating) barriers between male/female, black/white and pop/soul dichotomies, Prince has turned those blends from milkshakes to cocktails with the 100-proof infusion of his furiously tender and endearingly narcissistic emphasis on sexuality. And - unlike Jackson - Prince is his own Quincy Jones, his own Greg Phillinganes, his own Rod Temperton and his own Eddie Van Halen. Whether fronting a live big band and out-JBing James Brown with every hot move in the book or holed up in his studio obsessively multi-tracking instruments and vocals into the night, Prince himself is the whole show."

Now, go and try and broaden your musical horizons Matty!

DavidEye said:

I Agree on that Man.I don't think Prince would go overboard for it but I believe He would Respect the Story-Telling Aspect&the Way MJ uses His Voice on the Song.IMHO it seems that MJ&Carlos Santana were long overdue too doing a Project together.that's my Main Knock on MJ after "Dangerous" while there have been Good too Great Songs I haven't always felt He is challenging Himself all the way.but you hear Songs like this&you go now if MJ channeled that for a Whole Album than the "HATERS" would be Speechless no pun intended.

Mindflux said:

Oh,I see you guys are having another silly "my artist is better than your artist" argument.GROW UP! Prince and Michael are both great in their own way,and it's stupid,childish and silly to compare them.That is like,so 1984! In actuality,BOTH of them are considered has-beens by most of the general public anyway!!

No, David, that's not it at all. I was simply responding to the usual MJ is better than Prince argument that so boringly and predictably occurs almost daily on this site.

The reason I put that quotation was to highlight exactly what you have just said - there is no point in comparing these two artists, they are too different. Prince and Stevie Wonder, now you have some level ground, but Prince and MJ, its just not the same.

I also find it ludicrous that people will argue with material facts (like who actually wrote the song) because of their blind love for the artist. I am trying to give a reasoned, coherent, balanced opinion.

I took exception to this thread as Matty was attempting to stimulate the "MJ is better than Prince" argument by mentioning a song that he didn't even write!! Matty then proliferates the debate by flying in the face of facts and then accusing those who disagree of nothing more than snobbery. Perhaps you should re-evaluate just who needs to do the growing-up here (and just for extra clarification, I am talking about Matty here, not your good self).

BTW, we used to speak quite a lot, my friend, but I used to go under a different tag back then. Nice to see you again, anyway!

DavidEye said:

Quite.


Whatever Happens would've made a cool summer hit this year. It was supposed to follow Unbreakable, which didn't surface either. With regards to the writing credits of the song, a lot of MJ's collaborators say that they insist his name is added to the album credits simply b'cos he contributes so much to the songs even if they were not his to begin with.

DavidEye said:

Right ON Man! they both are Great Artists Period&Have made alot of People Happy with there Gifts.but as DavidEye Pointed out this ain't 1982 or 1983 this is 2002 going on 2003 &unless you are a Fan of them sad too say not many People care about either one of them Beyond there Legacy nowadays.

Mindflux said:

It's ironic that,on this site,people always insist that Prince and MJ should never be compared to each other,but yet they go ahead and compare them anyway.I don't like the idea of putting down one artist just to make the other artist look superior.That's "musical snobbery",which I totally dislike.These days,I can name several other artists whose new music thrills me more than the latest CDs from Prince AND MJ.Music is music.I like to put it all in one big melting pot and enjoy it,instead of obsessing about irrelevent things like "Did he write the lyrics to this" or "Is he playing all the instruments on this?".Just listen to the freakin' CD and don't make things so complicated.

Mindflux said:

Michael Jackson is very much a Artist regardless how much He writes on His Albums or not.He had 4 Straight Albums that made Artistic&commerical Impact,His Youth as a Member of the Jackson 5 that counts His Albums with the Jacksons"Destiny"&"Triumph" Matter as well.I'm not into whose Better BS but you can't deny MJ's Musical Impact Period.Michael along time ago wrote a song called"Behind the Mask" for Greg Philliganis&He didn't Originally Have His name on it when Eric Clapton Re-Recorded it for His "August Album back in 1986 but then later MJ is Credited so you just never know what goes down?but I do know that MJ is a Very Hands on Cat in the Studio&Comes up with alot more things than People think he does.make no Mistake about it MJ is nobody's Puppet.BTW you can't name a Major Artist past or Present that hasn't gotten Credit on stuff regardless of what went down?Marvin Gaye got a Co-Written Credit for "Let's get it On" even though Ed Towensend had the song all Completed but He said&I quote Marvin Added so Much too it that I had too share out of the Vibe.I dig Sinatra&alot of Elvis Stuff&I don't sit around always wondering who did what.because the Material either moved me or it didn't.though I think Ottis Blackwell was a Helluva Writer.

David - I agree. For example, Squarepusher blows Prince's ass out of the water with innovation, but I ain't about to compare the two. There are similarities and differences but, as you say, the point is to enjoy the music for what it is.

I'm just happy that it now seems to be clear that I was not entering in to a comparison debate, merely trying to show that it is pointless and un-necessary.

DavidEye said:

Word Man!I already know&Feel that MJ&Prince are forever linked like Sly&Jimi or Stevie&Marvin&that is cool.as much as I dig MJ&Prince they had there time too Shine&had there Payola Glory Days on Radio&now it's a whole new World.I Like them both about the same overall because though I listen too MJ probably more overall I don't see neither one of them bringing the Heat Musically on the other.too be Honest the Buying Public out nowadays don't care about who Wrote what or who sung what.back in the 80's&before that it mattered nowadays it's all about the Song as Quincy Jones told David Foster once.no matter how talented you are it's all about the songs&who moves People.when a Artist can do that for 5 Years Plus&Beyond then they did there Job&I feel MJ&Prince have done there Job 10 FOld plus Change IMHO.

mistermaxx - I do not deny anything you have said there, neither have (I believe) said anything to provoke that response. Once again, I AM NOT COMPARING THESE ARTISTS, Matty did and I pointed out that they are too different to do so. Britney and Aguilera- there's a direct comparison, but even then, what the fuck would it prove?

Mindflux said:

In the fall of 2001,Prince,MJ and Jamiroquai all released new CDs.I actually like the Jamiroquai CD the best.But I still enjoy the Prince and MJ CDs too.I'm not gonna act as if one artist is better than the other.They're all great in their own way.

Ahhh come off it...
MJ is manufactured electro-pop for kids.
JK is great - but he is still just a Prince wannabe.

Mindflux said:

ok. someone please say what cd this track is on. thanks

IAM, 'Whatever Happens' is from Michael Jackson's 'Invincible' CD.

Off topic, Michael has good music like 'Whatever Happens', 'Who Is It' and 'Liberian Girl' just to name a few.

Um... In keeping with the original thread, I think it's simply true... Prince WOULD have loved to do this, or something comparable, with Santana. And I bet he WAS a little jealous, in fact.

Meanwhile, the whole MJ vs. Prince thing (WHOEVER the hell brought it up this time around) is a silly exchange. To me, it's a no-brainer as to who's the more talented between a genre-defying singer/multi-instrumentalist/composer/lyricist/producer/yada yada yada and a corporate-bastardized singer/dancer whose tragic greatest claim to fame after a nearly 40-year career is his attempt over the past 15 years to become Wynona Ryder.*oops* ...But to each his own.

Giftedness? Clearly they BOTH have it, but it's DAMNED clear to me whose "gifts" I'd want were I granted them by a genie. I suspect, though some of you may be loath to admit it, that's clear among you all too.

...Potshots aside, MJ & Prince both have greatly shaped what popular music has become -- for better or worse -- and they'll both deservedly go down as legends. Though I have to disagree with some of you who think it's blasphemy to compare the artistry of the two, I do agree that ultimately, spiritually, music is music. Art is art. And we should all just enjoy it.
[This message was edited Fri Dec 13 13:18:10 PST 2002 by Lammastide]

minneronto said:

thanx.

IAM said:

You ought to know, it's from Invincible. The album you must have listened to 'cos you said it was crap on another thread. Or did you just diss it without listening to it?
'Cos some folk do.
[This message was edited Fri Dec 13 13:22:08 PST 2002 by Cloudbuster]

MattyJam said:

You are high...can I have some of what you took? I need a headchange.