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From album
Thriller
Michael Jackson · 1982 · Track 4
Details
TonalidadBm
Compás4/4
Tempo117 BPM
Duración13:33
CompositorRod Temperton / Jerry Hey
ÁlbumThriller
Año1982
Credits
Music Rod Temperton, Jerry Hey
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The story behind
When you encounter *Thriller*, it's easy to be drawn in by its dark atmosphere and that rhythm that invites you to move. The song, born from the mind of composer Rod Temperton, aimed to be something theatrical, conceived for Michael Jackson's love of cinema. Temperton envisioned a structure that would build, like stretching a rubber band to create tension, and thus constructed the bassline that runs through the entire track. The recording took place at Westlake Studios in Los Angeles between April and November 1982. To give it that distinctive touch, sound effects evoking horror films were added, such as creaking doors, thunder, and howls. And for the spoken part, the renowned horror film actor Vincent Price himself was enlisted, whose voice became a key element of the piece.
Originally, Temperton's idea was to title it *Starlight*, but the production team, led by Quincy Jones, was looking for something more mysterious that would fit the image Michael Jackson was building. After considering other options, *Thriller* emerged. Temperton confesses that at first, he found it a difficult word to sing, but after trying it several times in front of the microphone, the result was impactful. The song, released as the seventh and final single from its self-titled album, became a phenomenon. It reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the charts in countries like Belgium, France, Portugal, and Spain. In the week of Jackson's passing in 2009, it was his best-selling track in the United States, demonstrating its enduring popularity, especially around Halloween time.
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