來源：MJJCN.com / joevogel.net 翻譯：Badthriller
再一次遨遊在《無敵》（Invincible）專輯的海洋中吸收養分，真是一個美妙的天堂。當我放下這張專輯一段時間後，如飛蛾撲火般重溫時仍由太多新花樣跳進我的耳朵。
儘管我會對藝術大師邁克爾•傑克遜（Michael Jackson）對這張專輯的一些作法有不同的看法。
我知道每張專輯的歌曲排序背後都有好的科學根據，那得根據時長的考量決定，不可馬虎。確實，比起科學，這更藝術。
說來奇怪，我發現自己更喜歡“隨機”或“打亂了次序”來聽《無敵》專輯，而不是按照原本發行時的歌曲順序。
前三首歌【《堅不可摧》（Unbreakable） / 《心碎情人》（Heartbreaker） / 《天下無敵》（Invincible）】都是與羅德尼•詹金斯（Rodney Jerkins）一起製作，MJ和詹金斯團隊的成員一起創作的，都是非常強勁的歌曲 —— 彼此之間沒有太多時間差 —— 討人喜歡的節奏 / 速度 —— 唱段之間的聲音幾乎沒有變化，這是自從《密愛》（In The Closet）以來就沒聽過的 —— 有時覺得它們可以合為一體，成為一段經典串燒，就像一首歌。這奏效了。
但 —— 我發現它們各自更有趣。
所以我現在只要聽這張專輯就把它們拆開，我更喜歡。
但願大師別介意。
看看這張專輯上有多少人和MJ一起合寫歌曲！
這些名字的順序顯示了對歌曲貢獻的重要程度。
《無敵》專輯裏的一些歌詞讓我直起雞皮疙瘩（請看加粗部分）：
你可以試著阻止我，但那是白搭。（You can try to stop me, but it won’t do a thing）
不管你耍什麼花招，我依然屹立不倒。（No matter what you do, I’m still gonna be here）
受夠了你所有的謊言和愚蠢的把戲。（Through all your lies and silly games）
我還是我，我就是堅不可摧。（I’ma still remain the same, I’m unbreakable）
—— 《堅不可摧》
我一再告訴你，我願意赴湯蹈火。（Now many times I’ve told you of all the things I would do）
但任我百般嘗試，似乎都無法讓你滿意。（But I can’t seem to get through no matter how I try to）
告訴我，你為何還不讓我過關。（So tell me how does it seem that you ain’t checking for me）
我知道我可以超乎你的想像。（When I know that I could be more than you could ever dream）
—— 《天下無敵》
整首《天堂可待》（Heaven Can Wait）也讓我起雞皮疙瘩。
非同凡響的歌曲。開始像是一首R&B情歌，然後就深了許多，無法用風格限定。MJ在副歌嘶吼著藍調，從那【你真美麗（You’re beautiful）】開始，這是一首只有邁克爾•傑克遜才能唱好的歌，他的演繹和聲音天籟般地觸動了我。那是他的。
我不想看到任何其他人試這首歌。
《天旋地轉》（You Rock My World）可能是這張專輯上最具潛力並受歡迎的榜單熱曲—— 我不記得它在榜單上的最高位置，但我希望有人記得 —— 精彩的舞曲，真的讓人無法抗拒吸引力，不明白為什麼歌迷沒有讓它入選“就是這樣” （This Is It）演唱會。
我愛撫著你，讓你品位我倆，快樂地聆聽。（I caress you, let you taste us, just so blissful… listen）
我願意奉獻所有 只要能讓我的夢想成真。（I would give you anything baby, just to make my dreams come true）
哦，寶貝，你讓我意亂情迷。（Oh baby you give me butterflies）
—— 《意亂情迷》（Butterflies）
我知道他沒有寫那些歌詞，但他的演繹很熱切（“讓你品味我倆”，起初不同尋常的歌詞變得真實起來），這也是他的……你給我希望，當所有希望破滅時。（You gave me hope when all hope is lost）
你打開我的眼睛，當我看不到時。（You opened my eyes when I couldn’t see）
愛永遠在這兒等著我。（Love was always here waiting for me）
—— 《你是我的生命》（You Are My Life）
那最後一句充滿喜悅 —— 因為他的孩子 —— 他發現了把長久以來背負的愛放在何處，不用擔心其他的日程安排，意義重大。
《別走》（Don’t Walk Away）有誰能用語言更好地表達出深深愛過的感受嗎？
這可能是我最喜歡的MJ情歌。
在“當無可挽留，只能離開”（When there’s nothing left to do but walk away）和“難道你看不到，我不想離開”（Can’t you see, I don’t wanna walk away）之間痛苦的衝突。這兩段用音樂做了不同地渲染，可能在後一句暗示了最強烈的情感。
這似乎發自他的心底。
最後那句“別離開”未做修飾、盪氣迴腸，突然地就結束了歌曲。
你像他一樣呆呆立在那兒，無話可說。結束。
內頁上沒有關於這首歌的樂隊或管弦樂的介紹，但吉他彈得絕了。
這又是一首他與人合寫的歌。特迪•瑞利（Teddy Riley），你對MJ藝術的貢獻無法被量化或貶低。
不管發生什麼，不要放開我的手。（Whatever happens, don’t let go of my hand）
—— 《患難見真情》（Whatever Happens）
再次和特迪•瑞利以及其他幾人的合作，我再一次覺得這直接來源於MJ的生活，腦海中有了一副生動的畫面，想到那時和相關的人。
為了讓聽者立刻融入他的故事中，真正地走進去，分享生命的一刻，對他產生巨大影響的小小一刻，引出一首歌……那是一個偉大的講故事人的特點。他眾多畫面感十足的歌曲之一。又是雞皮疙瘩……和預兆。
每時每刻，你的女人都對我說，威脅臨近。（Every time your lady speaks she speaks to ME, threatened）
我的一半，你也達不到，你該是被我嚇到。（Half of me you’ll never be, so you should be threatened by me）
—— 《終極驚嚇》（Threatened）
一點更討人喜歡的音樂睾丸激素和大張聲勢。我還沒聽到過呢！
“終極驚嚇”！
噢，我的天哪。
諷刺、挖苦、刻薄、強大。獨特而驚人。
這首，最與眾不同的“邁克爾變身怪物”系列隨著《怕了嗎》（Is It Scary）開始。
每一句都諷刺味十足，MJ幾乎是厲聲地唱出來，他覺得真相在他說的話背後，而他讓這成為藝術，不是侮辱和挑釁回去。
他把自己無處不在的流浪漢形象拋到你面前，以斷音的方式一陣火力猛攻。
我戰戰兢兢地聽著他從對他生活的冷嘲熱諷和人性深處的愚昧無知中創作出的東西。
他的個人痛苦成為了“你懂的”笑話，成為了他能與你這個知情的聽者分享的私密時刻，因為你讀過那些新聞頭條。
這個概念真棒 —— 更妙的是，誰還能花時間精力做出開頭和結尾處羅德•瑟林（Rod Serling）的“說唱”？？
還有哪位表演者能花更多時間在《陰陽魔界》（Twilight Zone）上，知道這些？
（還記得《陰陽魔界》裏著名的那一集嗎？一個女人為了能融入到集體中而去整容，因為他們覺得她很可怕，不敢看她。結局是那群圍著她、盡了最後的努力還是沒能把她變得符合他們心意的醫生才是真正醜陋的，而她卻美麗無暇。我敢肯定，這其中蘊含的變得與眾不同的資訊和把美麗變得符合大眾口味的中心思想是不會被邁克爾•傑克遜那餓了很久的大腦錯過的。）
那首歌從頭到尾掉了一地的雞皮疙瘩。
其他我沒有提到的歌曲也很拔尖，繪製出一副有趣、動情和充滿創意的聲譜圖：
1、《破曉時分》（Break of Dawn），一首“冰凍博士”（Dr. Freeze）帶給MJ的美妙歌曲，我懷疑完全被“邁克爾化”了，被傑克遜通了電，會聽到你汗流浹背……
2、《無以言表》（Speechless）有勇氣和樸素的清唱讓傑克遜平衡，他用一把大刷子撫平一些複雜的動情歌詞……
3、《2000瓦特》（2000 Watts）有大膽的象徵主義手法，可能是一首電子頌歌，就像《速度之魔》（Speed Demon）的“男人歌” —— 或是一本隱秘的性福用戶指南！那是傑克遜和瑞利之間在使眼色嗎？那是加工過的MJ還是他的真聲？（我想是後者）
4、《隱私》（Privacy），不祥的細語可能是想掩蓋傑克遜對他一生被媒體不敬的待遇和打擾的挫敗的尖叫，是精彩漂亮的《小報迷》（Tabloid Junkie）的續曲，可現在更加憤怒……
5、《哭泣》（Cry）和《迷失的孩子》（The Lost Children）：傑克遜每張專輯都需要一首聖歌，這兩首都是。兩首歌都很可愛。R•凱利（R.Kelly）很傻很天真，可能是故意的，但輕輕觸碰著傑克遜爭議性的熱點話題【你可以改變世界（You can change the world）……你就是眾望所托（You’re the chosen one）】。我想像MJ在他的早餐桌旁，讀著牛奶盒或麥片盒上《你可曾見過我》（Have You Seen Me）的廣告，試著給他的孩子解釋其中的概念，安慰著他們。
《無敵》專輯和它的哥哥們比起來如何？
《瘋狂》（Off the Wall）是一張“成熟”的專輯。陽光明媚、春季色彩、荷爾蒙激素、初戀……我來了，注意啦！
《顫慄》（Thriller）是一張“假如你有點想念《瘋狂》，你好，這次我說真的，啪！”專輯。以為我只是R&B？再想想。
《真棒》（Bad）是一張“秀秀肌肉、暖暖腿部，測試一下我的牢房欄杆”的專輯。發動馬達，扣緊扣環和皮帶，準備好了。世界準備好了嗎？
《危險》（Dangerous）是一張“離開這個鬼地方”的專輯。猛接離合器。砰 —— 我上天了。選一支單曲，任何一支單曲，都很好。我只要站在這兒，就能讓你瘋狂。
《歷史》（History）專輯是一張“去你的，我還有很多招，如果你有能耐就接招”的專輯。以為我只是排名前40？再想想！我幹得很棒！
《赤色風暴》（Blood On The Dance Floor）是一張換速到低檔、有點驚慌失措的專輯。生活擋住了藝術之路。給你更多的藝術，可能用你之前沒有聽過的方式。重新混音是亮點 —— 《鬼怪》（Ghosts）原聲帶（美國觀眾幾乎就沒看到，可惜了）施了小小的魔法。它是不是像《嗎啡》（Morphine）一樣可怕？
但在2001年，一個奇跡悄悄誕生，它自信地大步向前，並著有5款收藏色。
《無敵》是張令人起雞皮疙瘩的專輯。
傑克遜畫板上的顏色變得複雜得多，畫像變化不大，但更有意義。有了陰影，被包圍其中。生命有了割傷、淤青和碎骨。
它的小標題可能是“無法抗拒”（Irresistible），因為傑克遜再一次展現了他與生俱來的把歡樂和悲傷、恐懼和勇氣、幽默和真相、激情和憎恨等生命中所有情感與痛苦合為一體的能力，無論我們選的是什麼級別。
《無敵》，我深深地愛著你。
你是最後一個才華橫溢的孩子，也許來的不是時候，但……又那麼到位。
祝你十周年快樂，《無敵》！
Revisiting Invincible by Chris Kohler (recommended by Joe Vogel)
Revisiting Invincible
An friend of mine, Chris Kohler, passed along this fantastic review of Michael Jackson’s Invincible album. I thought I would feature it here on my blog to generate some discussion since a) the ten-year anniversary is approaching, and b) I will be discussing the album on BlogTalkRadio with Reverend Gross this Sunday, September 25 at 12:00pm. Is Invincible MJ’s best album? Feel free to chime in on the comments below.
INVINCIBLE GOOSEBUMPS
Chris Kohler
Have been soaking in the waters of Invincible again, such a wonderful place to be – and so many new things pop into my ears when I leave an album for a while and return to it again, the moth after the flame…
I’m actually going to go against the Maestro Michael Jackson on something in reference to this album though…
I know there’s good science behind the order of the tracks on any album, and that issue is decided after lengthy consideration and taken very seriously. Indeed it’s more art than science.
Curiously, I find that I prefer listening to Invincible on “random” or “shuffle” if you will, rather than in the order it was originally released in.
The first three tracks (Unbreakable/Heartbreaker/Invincible), all co-produced by Rodney Jerkins and co-written by MJ and members of the Jerkins team, are all very strong songs – not much time gap in between – sympathetic rhythms/tempos – sharing an almost monotonic sound in the verses not heard since In The Closet – sometimes it feels like they can be strung together as a unit, a megamix, experienced as all one song. It works.
But – I find them to be even more interesting individually.
So I now break them up whenever I listen to this album and I like it better.
Hope the Master doesn’t mind.
Look at how many people co-wrote songs with MJ on this album!
The order of the names indicates the importance in the contribution to the song.
Some of the lyrics that give me goosepimples from Invincible: (italics mine)
You can try to stop me, but it won’t do a thing
No matter what you do, I’m still gonna be here
Through all your lies and silly games
I’m a still remain the same, I’m unbreakable
(Unbreakable)
Now many times I’ve told you of all the things I would do
But I can’t seem to get through no matter how I try to
So tell me how does it seem that you ain’t checking for me
When I know that I could be more than you could ever dream
(Invincible)
The entire song of “Heaven Can Wait” gives me goosepimples.
Extraordinary song. Starts out like an R&Bish love song, then goes so much deeper, can’t box it in genres, MJ is shoutin’ the blues on the chorus, getting into spirit, from that point on (“You’re beautiful”) it is a song that ONLY Michael Jackson could do and his delivery and personal vocal touches are –well– heavenly. He just owns it.
I’d hate to see anyone else try this song.
“You Rock My World” – probably the most potential of wide appeal chart-topper on this album – I don’t recall its highest chart position but I bet somebody does – wonderful hoppin’ song, irresistible really, can’t understand why the fans didn’t choose it for TII…
I caress you, let you taste us, just so blissful… listen
I would give you anything baby, just to make my dreams come true
Oh baby you give me butterflies
(Butterflies)
I know he didn’t write those lyrics but his delivery of them is so intense (let you taste us, an unusual lyric in the first place, becomes palpable) that as usual he just owns it…
You gave me hope when all hope is lost
You opened my eyes when I couldn’t see
Love was always here waiting for me
(You Are My Life)
That last line a triumphant release vocally – this one’s for his kids – great significance here in the discovery of where he could concentrate all that love he’d been carrying around for so long, without worrying about the agendas of others…
“Don’t Walk Away” – oh my – could anyone else do better at verbalizing the end of a deep love?
This may be my favorite MJ ballad.
The agonizing conflict here between “When there’s nothing left to do but walk away” and “Can’t you see, I don’t wanna walk away”, which are rendered differently in musical terms too, perhaps hinting that his strongest emotion lay in the latter sentiment.
This one seems straight from his heart.
The final phrase “Don’t walk away”, unembellished, echoing, abruptly ending the song…
You hang there as he does. Nothing left to say. Done.
Nothing in the liner notes about the band or orchestration on this track but the guitar work is excellent.
But again he had co-writers. Teddy Riley, your contributions to MJ’s art probably can’t be quantified or diminished.
Whatever happens, don’t let go of my hand
(Whatever Happens)
Again collaboration with Teddy Riley and several others, and again a feeling I get that this came straight out of MJ’s life and I get a vivid mental picture of the time period and person involved.
To suddenly drop the listener immediately into his story, literally mid-conversation, and vividly share a moment in time, just a small moment that made a big impact on him and triggered a song… that’s the mark of a great storyteller. One of his many cinematic songs. With goosepimples… and premonitions.
Every time your lady speaks she speaks to ME, threatened
Half of me you’ll never be, so you should be threatened by me
(Threatened)
A more delightful bit of musical testosterone and bravado, I have yet to hear!
“Threatened”!
Oh my gosh.
Sardonic, sarcastic, caustic, powerful. Unique and breathtaking.
This, the most unusual in the “Michael as Monster” series begun with “Is It Scary”.
Every line is satiric and MJ almost spits them out, he feels the truth behind what he says and yet he makes it art instead of insult and delight wrapped inside defiance.
He flings his omnipresent/outcast status in your face, firing in staccato bursts.
It thrills me to hear what he can create out of the irony of his life and the ignorance embedded in human nature.
His personal torture becomes an inside joke, an intimate moment he can share with you the listener who is privy to the point he’s making because you’ve read the headlines…
The concept is amazing – and to top it off, who else would invest in a “rapped” intro and outro by Rod Serling??
What other performer had more time spent in the Twilight Zone and knew it?
(Remember the infamous Twilight Zone episode where a woman is having her face surgically altered to fit into the general population, who find her horrifying to gaze upon? The denouement that shows you that the crowd of doctors around her, unwrapping their latest attempt and again failing to change her to their satisfaction, are themselves incredibly ugly and she is beautiful? I’m certain that its message about being different and what constitutes beauty to the mass mind was not missed by the ravenous mind of Michael Jackson.)
Goosebumps in that song from the first note to the last.
The other Invincible tracks I don’t quote here are also top-notch and cover an interesting emotional and creative spectrum:
•“Break of Dawn”, a gorgeous song brought to MJ by Dr. Freeze and I suspect totally Michaelized and energized by the singer, will make the sweat run down your body in anticipation…
•“Speechless” has the courage and simplicity of acapella bookends to balance the artist as he takes a broad brush to some complex emotional lyrics…
•“2000 Watts” has cheeky symbolism that may be an ode to electronics, a “guy song” like “Speed Demon” – or a hidden user’s manual for sexual satisfaction! Was that a wink between Jackson and Riley? Was that synthesized MJ or his real voice? (I think the latter)
•“Privacy”, with a sinister whisper perhaps belying the scream of frustration the artist truly felt at his lifelong disrespectful treatment and intrusion by media, a continuation of the wonderful and sassy “Tabloid Junkie” but now quietly more angry…
•“Cry” and “The Lost Children”: every Jackson album needs an anthem and these are them. Both are lovely. R. Kelly at his most obtuse, perhaps deliberately, but touching lightly upon the artist’s controversial hot buttons (“You can change the world…” “You’re the chosen one…” ) I visualize MJ reading a “Have You Seen Me” advert at his breakfast table, on a milk carton or cereal box, trying to explain the concept to one of his little ones and comfort them that children get lost.
What does Invincible feel like compared to its siblings?
Off the Wall was the “coming-of-age” album. Bright sunlight, springtime colors, hormones, first loves… I’m here, pay attention!
Thriller was the “In case you somehow missed Off The Wall, helloww, I really mean it this time, POW!” album. Think I’m just R&B? Think again.
Bad was the “Flexing my muscles, warming up the legs, testing the bars of my cell…” album.
Revving the engine. The buckles and belts are tight, the ‘tude is ready. Is the world?
Dangerous was the “Get-out-of-jail-free” album. The clutch pops. BAM – I’m jet-propelled.
Pick a single, any single, it’s all good. I can drive you wild just by standing here.
History was the “up yours, there’s a lot more to me, catch it if you’re capable of it” album. Think I’m just Top 40? Think yet again! I have shades and hues!
Blood On The Dance Floor was the down-shift, somewhat distracted album. Life was getting in the way of art. More art to give you though, and in ways you may not have heard me before. Remixes make the big-time – and the Ghosts soundtrack (almost invisible to American audiences, unfortunately) casts a small spell. Was it as scary as “Morphine”?
But then, in 2001, a quiet miracle emerges, in confident stride and five different collectible colors.
Invincible is the goosebumps album.
The colors of the artist’s palette become so much more complex, the images less distinct but more meaningful. Shadows appear and are embraced. Life has cuts and bruises and broken bones.
It might have been subtitled “Irresistible” because in it the artist once again showed his innate ability to combine joy and sorrow, fear and courage, humor and truth, passion and loathing — all the emotion and pain of his life into something that we can all share with him, at whatever level we choose.
Invincible, I love you so dearly.
You are the brilliant last child who somehow went wrong but oh… so right.
Happy Tenth Anniversary, Invincible!
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