Taking sides: Ebony & Ivory vs The Girl Is Mine

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(alternatively: defend the indefensible)

― Jonathan Z., Monday, 10 November 2003 12:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Both are great. :-)

Anyway, "Ebony & Ivory" is really great, while "The Girl Is Mine" is among the weaker tracks on the "Thriller" album.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 10 November 2003 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Sub-thread: "The Girl Is Mine" vs "The Boy Is Mine".

― Nick H, Monday, 10 November 2003 12:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Lyrically, Ebony & Ivory is sappy and banal. Whereas The Girl Is Mine, I mean McCartney and Jackson fighting over a girl, it's strange and thus classic.

― Jonathan Z., Monday, 10 November 2003 12:59 (twenty-two years ago)

The Girl Is Mine is clearly superior for reasons that are self evident, apparently.

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 10 November 2003 12:59 (twenty-two years ago)

"I'm a lover, not a fighter."

― cis (cis), Monday, 10 November 2003 13:16 (twenty-two years ago)

ebony and ivory always seemed like an imperialist soap ad to me

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 10 November 2003 13:17 (twenty-two years ago)

i think they are both teh suck, but "the girl is mine" actually makes me feel physically bad, so that's the worse of the 2 for me.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Monday, 10 November 2003 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

luv 'the girl is mine', especially the talking bit and how macca ends it with the line: "I don't believe you!" which seems to flutter away like a light summer breeze.

ebony and ivory = pretentious song suite shite.

― Jay Kid (Jay K), Monday, 10 November 2003 15:10 (twenty-two years ago)

"Say Say Say" every single time. Beeyotch.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 10 November 2003 15:18 (twenty-two years ago)

"Ebony and Ivory" is one of the worst songs of all time. The punch-line in the chorus of "The Girl Is Mine" is kinda nice.

x-post Dan Perry so completely OTM

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Monday, 10 November 2003 15:19 (twenty-two years ago)

dan perry otm

I always picture that cartoon of paul and michael scrappin when I think of 'the girl is mine' so it I guess (plus it has "I'm a lover not a fighter")(and the notion of paul mccartney and michael jackson talking trash is pretty funny)

― cinniblount (James Blount), Monday, 10 November 2003 15:20 (twenty-two years ago)

"But Paul, I gave her seven pounds of diamonds"
"Yes Michael, but for her birthday I bought her the Hawaiian islands"

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Monday, 10 November 2003 15:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I listened to Thriller today and "The Girl Is Mine" is seriously fucked up. I'd be able to submit to the fact that Thriller is a classic if that song wasn't on there. I can't tell whether the use of the word "doggone" or that rising keyboard hook that comes right before it weirds me out more.

That said the Millar Momus Science Explosion should totally cover it.

Momus: "I'm afraid she's mine, Millar."
Millar: "STOP STARING AT MY GIRLFRIEND I KILL YOU"
both: "the doggone girl is mine...."

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:46 (twenty-two years ago)

haha

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:48 (twenty-two years ago)

oh I forgot the paul's protestations of "I don't belieeeve it!"

― cinniblount (James Blount), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:50 (twenty-two years ago)

god, why couldn't "Say Say Say" have been on Thriller instead? Like I'm gonna pick up Pipes Of Peace or whatever just for that song.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:52 (twenty-two years ago)

haha - a raging internal debate for young blount at the time!

― cinniblount (James Blount), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:53 (twenty-two years ago)

what's really wrong is that "the girl is mine" was thriller's leadoff single

― cinniblount (James Blount), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:55 (twenty-two years ago)

no fucking way

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I could have SWORN "Beat It" or "You Wanna Be Startin' Somthing" was the leadoff single.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:57 (twenty-two years ago)

nope - "the girl is mine", michael used the same model when he made "I just can't stop loving you" the leadoff no video single for Bad

― cinniblount (James Blount), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:57 (twenty-two years ago)

WOW My world has been shattered.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't even think You Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' was even a single, was it?

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

it was a single! every song cept one on thriller was a hit single

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 00:02 (twenty-two years ago)

cinniblount is correct. "The Girl Is Mine" then "Billie Jean." "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was a top 5 hit.

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 00:02 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, I just checked Billboard. jesus I didn't even REALIZE all those songs became singles!

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 00:04 (twenty-two years ago)

it was a huge hit

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 00:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I think only three songs on born in the usa weren't singles

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 00:06 (twenty-two years ago)

no, more like five. only two on Thriller weren't.

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 00:08 (twenty-two years ago)

two? I thought it was one!

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 00:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I just know what MTV tells me. Jesus I must have been five when my family got that album (probably in the mailbox with a free sample of Tide). I was totally scared shitless by Vincent Prince on the title track.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 00:11 (twenty-two years ago)

and the album was more than a year old when I heard it! kee-rist!

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 00:12 (twenty-two years ago)

oh you're right - it's two! I forgot about "baby be mine"

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 00:12 (twenty-two years ago)

A bit late, but yep, "The Girl is Mine" was the leadoff single and a pretty big hit and all, remember hearing on the radio and thinking, "Oh, okay, this is cool." Then "Billie Jean" surfaced and Jesus H. Christ, who needed the leadoff single anymore...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 05:42 (twenty-two years ago)

If you thing the song "The Girl is Mine" is fucked up, then may I refer you to the little caroon drawing (of Michael's?) in the liner notes where it looks like Paul and Jacko intend to split the anorexic-looking creature like a wishbone.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 06:33 (twenty-two years ago)

And which of the two of them goes into a profundo basso refrain of "yes she's mine" towards the end. It always freaked me a little because both are such tenors.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 06:35 (twenty-two years ago)

The entire "Thriller" album was one huge leadoff single anyway.. :)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 14:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Eric, that's DEFINITELY Paul who goes for that low note.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 14:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Definitely Paul, yes. He may be a tenor, but Michael Jackson is a soprano :-)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

"The Girl Is Mine" is moderately inoffensive whereas "Ebony And Ivory" must be a strong contender for the most appallingly cringe-worthy lyrics evah!

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 14:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Both have made for great sketch-comedy spoof fodder.

― da nza, Tuesday, 11 November 2003 14:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Joe Piscopo as Sinatra: "You are black and I am white"
Eddie Murphy as Stevie Wonder: "I'm as blind as a bat..."
JP: "...and I have sight."

― mike a (mike a), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 16:35 (twenty-two years ago)

mama say mama saw mama makosa

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 16:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Dude I was just having a conversation 10 minutes ago about the song I (and others) believe MJ ripped that off from - Manu Dibango's "Soul Makosa", which is like the funkiest groove that ever funked the funk.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 16:38 (twenty-two years ago)

The entire "Thriller" album was one huge leadoff single anyway.. :)

huh no michael jackson's "second career" really began with "off the wall"

and of course he had solo hits well before that on motown

― amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

which are awesome btw

― amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Also, the Jacksons c. Michael's-surely-gonna-solo-but-we'll-still-throw-together-a-few-disco-albums is surely the best period for the Jackson. (All apologies to those who really really like "ABC" and whatnot.)

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

"i wanna be where you are" is my fave michael song but that's earlier i think

― amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 18:33 (twenty-two years ago)

"The Girl Is Mine" is moderately inoffensive whereas "Ebony And Ivory" must be a strong contender for the most appallingly cringe-worthy lyrics evah.

thinking of women as objects to be squabbled over rather than human beings who can choose their lovers v banal trivializing of racial oppression.

it's about even i think.

― caroline, Tuesday, 11 November 2003 19:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Clearly, in any situation where a woman has told two men who love her that she loves them both, if the men confront each other over it at any point it is yet another example of the patriarchy exercising its ability to oppress the uterus.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 20:06 (twenty-two years ago)

(The preceding text is the refrain to my Christmas single.)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 20:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Sounds a bit like "Happy Xmas (Woman is the Nigger of the World)"

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

three months pass...

ask [john mountain goats darnielle] how much it would cost to get him to record a cover of "The Girl Is Mine" with Momus.
-- Anthony Miccio (anthonymicci...), March 1st, 2004.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 05:53 (twenty-two years ago)

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