"State of Shock" is a 1984 single by the Jacksons featuring frontman Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger. It was written by Jackson and guitarist Randy Hansen. "State of Shock" charted at number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 4 on the Billboard soul singles charts and number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. The track was originally sung with Freddie Mercury as a duet with Jackson, and was later slated for the Thriller album; however, due to differing time schedules, Jackson ended up recording it with his brothers and Jagger. A clip of the song was used on the Immortal album in 2011.
Song information
"State of Shock" was the biggest hit from the Jacksons' Victory album, reaching number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was originally recorded with Freddie Mercury, as Jackson and Mercury had been working on several tracks at that time, e.g. the unreleased title track "Victory" for the eponymous album and "There Must Be More to Life Than This" from Mr. Bad Guy. The final version featured lead vocals by Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger. In 2002, a demo of Mercury and Jackson singing "State of Shock" was leaked online. In his book Michael Jackson: Unauthorized, author Christopher P. Andersen described "State of Shock" as a hard rock song and commented on Mick Jagger, saying, "The lead singer of the Rolling Stones eyed the phenomenal success of Thriller with envy. As an artist he respected Jackson's work, adding that Arthur Collins, then president of Rolling Stones Records said, "Mick became obsessed with Michael Jackson" and explained it saying, "He wanted to know every detail about Jackson's life, his contract with Columbia, how the Thriller singles were selling,...". "State of Shock" was the last top ten hit for the Jacksons, as well as their last single to be certified gold. The song was later revived by Jagger when he performed it with Tina Turner during their 1985 performance at Live Aid.
used the song multiple times. It was featured in "Hooked on Polkas" on his Dare to be Stupid album. Also, "State of Shock"'s style was used for the song "UHF". The song is also performed, with comically cheap special effects, in the mockumentary The Compleat Al by industry veteran Harvey Leeds.
Later Versions
recorded the song as a tribute to Michael Jackson on their album Covered, Smothered, & Chunked, which is in the "Red Pop" version of The Mighty Death Pop! In 2012, Kelly Clarkson and Robin Thicke performed the song on the showDuets.
Personnel
Music written, composed and arranged by Michael Jackson
