When I saw the Victory Tour there were a few of these slower songs. Do you remember, "She's Out of My Life"? He sang it to a girl from the audience, and there were some great show business aspects, including a bit I've seen Prince do as well, where Michael pretended to be too upset to continue. Very entertaining and from a long tradition of working over a crowd.

Of course, the perfection was just startling. Not even the hint of a possibility of anything going wrong musically. In fact, if you listen closely to most records you can hear all kinds of minor imperfections. But those Quincy Jones records with Michael are perfect. If they hadn't been so soulful they would have sounded other-worldly like they weren't made by mere mortals. Every track on them gets a 100% grade from an execution standpoint.

Prince has this too, by the way, with his own performance live, although I've heard his band screw up - though not often. Actually, one time in Seattle, Prince was playing a soulful blues guitar solo and he made a rather ugly mistake. It was so unexpected that it was almost reassuring: "I see, the little guy is human after all." But other than that I've never seen Prince stray from being perfect. It's really freaky - and has the effect of transporting you somewhere else. I've also heard vocal perfection live from Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles, and several others but it is extremely rare.

So one day I was watching a special on "We Are the World". Many musicians like John Lennon, etc...often double track their vocals. They sing exactly what they just sang and when it's in perfect sync it just sounds so much richer. But most times it's a little off, and you can hear that. It still sounds great - like two people singing together - instead of one extra full voice. This is apparent on many albums.

Qunicy Jones has a recording technique where he does the double-track vocals but he moves the singer around 6-feet away from the microphone the second time just to get a different sound.

So Michael's in there recording his solo parts to "We Are the World" - not the part where each singer takes a line but later in the song where he does the chorus by himself.

Anyway, the singing is like this song you've posted here - lots of vibrato and expression. Little bends and flutters.

So Michael steps up and crushes the original vocals. I mean he just shreds them. Then it's time to double-track and he proceeds to do a PERFECT SYNC. Not just good enough, or acceptable like most records, but PERFECT. Every note, every rhythm, every bend, every vibrato, everything.

That's one reason why you can't really call this mere talent. This is where you drift into the area of genius.

What Q did with "Thriller" was fit for a king. But then, he had the king to give it to.

As for the ballads, "I Just Can't Stop Lovin' You" -- that would have been a career moment for many other performers. Just another track from MJ.

What's with the three taped fingers?

Perfectly done. I forgot the perfection in his voice.
Sammy could dance. Michael too.

What a moment!! Perfection!

"She's Out of My Life" is my favorite MJ song because the incredible emotion in his voice.