Oh, I LOVE Madonna. I LOVE her music in the Erotica period, but unfortunately everything visual she did around that period has become a bit trivialised and only associated with one thing.

In The Closet was a single in early 1992. If Madonna had been featured on the song or in the video, it would have been the stepping stone to everything to come of her career over the following 2 years.

Madonna's a good pop star. There's no argument there. However, she just doesn't move me. I gave all her albums away (apart from Ray Of Light and i don't even play that much anymore!) and i don't miss them at all.

Cloudbuster said:

I rate her as one of my fav artists of all time. I own every album but I actually haven't played any of them since I saw her in concert last year!!!

paisleypark4 said:

I've read several Madonna biogrpahies and there are conflicting tales about what really happened.I've always thought that Michael rejected the Madonna duet because she wanted it to be more risque,more controversial than he intended.She actually wanted the two of them to dress in drag in the video!

To this day,many people STILL assume that she is the "mystery woman" who speaks in the song.

Cloudbuster said:

I give Madonna much props Her Track Record doesn't Lie.say what you want but She hasn't been Around 20 years just on T&A alone.the Woman has connected with a Audience&She still moves alot of People IMHO.as for Her&Michael doing a Project together?anything is possible but it's hard too say what type of project they could do?

There have been claims and reports that there are recordings in existence of Madonna speaking parts of the song.

I don't think she rejected the song at all. I just think her own lyrics were a little too off track from what MJ was aiming for. I don't think anyone dumped the other.

The key to a lot of MJ's song successes in the past has been the subtelty, the imagination of interpretation. More about what he doesn't say than what he does. With Madonna it's mainly been BANG, in your face, no questions asked. Particularly in the early 90s.

Cloudbuster said:

I'll refrain from making a comment

VinnyM27 said:

i haven't scrolled to see if DavidEye answered this yet, but anyway, MJ asked Madonna to do a duet with him on Dangerous. the title he gave her was "In The Closet" and she jumped at the chance. they each wrote their own lyrics. when they got together to compare notes, he didn't like the route she went -- the one that the title obviously implies -- and he went the safe route. which I find very odd. he knew who he was asking to collaborate with. and HE came up with the title. just very strange to me that he decided to play it safe in the end. there was such promise for him to do something cool. i still really like the song, but... missed opportunities, i guess.

AaronUnlimited said:

He made the right choice IMHO.it was gonna be a One Off Song&I think Mike was thinking that He wanted a Full Project¬ just do something like that&have it be forgotten.Madonna for a while in the early 90's was doing One Off's Like "Vogue" didn't have anything too do with the Dick Tracy Soundtrack overall."Justify my Love" a One Off.I think that the thought of MJ&Madonna doing "In the Closet" was more of a One Off than something for a full project IMHO.

mistermaxxx said:

i think it would've been seen as more of a one-off. the 2 most famous pop stars in the world doing a duet together and dressing in drag in a Herb Ritts video. it could've been classic. instead, it's Naomi Campbell (please) lip-synching to Princess Stefani of Manaco's whispering (please).

ho hum. pretty video. but it could've gone somewhere if MJ wasn't always so safe in his music. coming on the heels of the Black Or White video controversy, and the great Remember The Time mini-movie, he could've had some edge. something interesting going on with his career. and maybe he wouldn't be in the situation he's in today

of course, i'm taking it a bit far, but still... he's a pussy.

AaronUnlimited said:

MJ Police goes Off: that was BullShit&a Cheap Shot at the end.if you don't like MJ that is cool but MJ Fans don't want or need too hear somebody Bitch&Moan with Cheap Shots that have nothing too do with the Music.

DavidEye said:

Make a comment if you wish. I know she's one of your favourite artists and each to their own. Madonna has done very well for herself and i respect her very much. I'm just not fond of her music, that's all. I'm sure there are artists i like that you don't. My comment above wasn't meant to offend. It's simply the truth.

Cloudbuster said:

Oh,no offense taken.I was really just being silly

But honestly,I feel that Madonna's last two albums ('Ray Of Light' and 'Music') are WAY more interesting than MJ's latest releases.I'm a fan of both artists,I just feel that Maddy makes more exciting music these days.Just my opinion.

DavidEye said:

This version is accurate. After several high-level meetings between the pair, Madonna said she would feature in the video on condition they both appear in drag - MJ as a woman, Madonna as a man. Jackson considered this concept but was still uncertain whether to go ahead and so asked his sister, Janet, to discover Madonna's true intentions. After an extremely terse phone call between the two ladies, Janet reported back to MJ stating Madonna's only objective was to humiliate him.

DavidEye said:

Yeah, that's a fair comment, as much as i love Invincible there were only 3/4 tracks on it that sounded different from what MJ had done before. The music on Heartbreaker/Invincible/2000 Watts/Heaven Can Wait was quite fresh for him but the rest of the album could been from any of his albums released in the last 10 years. I'm hoping his next album breaks new musical ground.

I like this song a lot. The cinematography in the video is nice too. Dangerous my favorite MJ album.

YES, I have a favorite MJ album, and so do you, don't lie!

Doves,
Mel!ssa

if it's with good intention I'd like too hear Madonna&MJ do a track together.as for Madonna: I prefer Her Older stuff far more overall.I haven't felt Her Last Efforts except for a few Songs here&there."Bedtime Stories" was my Last Favorite Madonna Effort.but I always keep a Eye on a Artist like Her because She keeps things interesting no matter what side of the fence you are on with Her.but for Me Personally:MJ has made Better Material than Madonna even over the past Decade but Madonna has been Able too Reinvent Herself Better Overall IMHO.but I haven't Heard Madonna come up with a "stranger in Moscow" type song over the past Decade.but aside form "dangerous" the Album&I'll say "Scream" Madonna has Kicked His Booty on Dance Material overall over the apst Decade IMHO.

That's probably because Madonna has always been tuned into the Dance market. The one popular genre than MJ has not really been interested in.

One thing that MJ doesn't get many props for is the sheer diversity of his work. If you look at just his last three albums, he covers an astonishing array of styles: Scream, Stranger In Moscow, This Time Around, Earth Song, Money, 2 Bad, Little Suzie, Morphine, Superfly Sister, Heartbreaker, Whatever Happens, 2000 Watts, Heaven Can Wait, etc...

People argue that his creativity has fallen off in the last decade, i say bollox!

Oh Yes!!! "In The Closet" is definetly a bangin song offa Dangerous! Mike did the work on this song...hothothot

mistermaxxx said:

it wasn't a cheap shot. and i AM a fan of the man's music. i just think he pussed out by taking the safe route lyrically for a song that had a controversial title.

CherrieMoonKisses said:

Are you schizophrenic? Sometimes you like the man and sometimes you consider him an embarassment!

Cloudbuster said:

if you pay close attention there are alot more people like that about MJ but are too afraid too come with which way they are on the subject of MJ honestly.

papaa said:

Okay, this explains a lot! During the time Janet Jackson was promoting her Janet album, she outwardly expressed animosity toward Madonna in interviews. I never really understood the source of the emotions...until now.

On the initial subject of this thread, I think Dangerous is one of Michael's best albums. My favorite song off the album is the title track -- hellafunky and lots of fun to dance to.

AaronUnlimited said:

see the video again; the woman's voice is definitly naomi campbell's in the vid. they re-recorded it..

purpleone said:

Indeed they did. Sounds quite obvious to me.

Cloudbuster said:

She almost sounds like Diana Ross in a Speaking tone IMHO.

purpleone said:

oh, well that makes it even better i guess...