A Place With No Name
Encyclopedia
"A Place with No Name" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson
. A 24—second snippet of the full song was released posthumously by website TMZ.com
in July 2009, three weeks after the singer's death
. The track resembles "A Horse with No Name
", a hit song by rock band America
. At the time of the leak, America stated that they were "honored" that Michael Jackson chose to sample their work. Dr. Freeze
has recently confirmed that "A Place with No Name" will soon be released on an upcoming album of unreleased Jackson music, but did not give a confirmed release date. It has been claimed that there are "dozens and dozens" of unreleased Jackson songs that could be issued for several years to come.
—dubbed the "King of Pop"—died
following a cardiac arrest
. Three weeks after the singer's death, celebrity news website TMZ.com
—who were the first media outlet to report the passing—obtained a 24-second snippet of a song entitled "A Place with No Name", and released it onto the Internet. The track is an unreleased Jackson song that has a melody and lyrics which resembles America
's "A Horse with No Name
", a single that became a number one hit upon its release in 1972 and helped the group's debut album America achieve multi-platinum status. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
stated that the two songs were "just about identical". Despite the similarities between "A Horse with No Name" and "A Place with No Name", it was revealed that Jackson had been given permission to record the latter composition. To date, it is not known what time period the recording of the track occurred in, although it has been reported that the singer and America shared a manager—believed to be Jim Morey—in the late 1980s and late 1990s.
Jackson's version of "A Place with No Name" is not the first song by a member of the musical Jackson family to sample the work of America. Janet Jackson
's hit Someone to Call My Lover
—from the 2001 album All for You—samples Ventura Highway
, a song from America's 1972 Homecoming album.
—two members of the three part band—conveyed their gratitude toward Jackson for choosing their song as a musical template for "A Place with No Name". In their statement to MTV, the musicians also expressed regret that the pop singer's fans did not get to hear the finished version of the track while Jackson was still alive:
Bunnell further commented that he was "very proud of the fact that [Jackson] recorded it. It's a good version and an interesting derivative of the original that I wrote." The songwriter stated that he and Beckley were "definitely in the dark" regarding the future of Jackson's unreleased material.
noted that no plans had been made for the release of a full or official version of "A Place with No Name"; currently, only the 24-second snippet is known to exist. In addition to the leaked Jackson song, there is a "vast vault" of the singer's other unreleased material, and some material will be released in the future.
At the time of "A Place with No Name" being leaked, the curator of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
, Jim Henke, noted that any future Jackson releases would garner significant attention. "What we have seen happen in the last three weeks is that the albums that are out here right now are selling in amazing numbers. I think we are going to see amazing interest in any released Michael Jackson material that will come out in the future or a year from now on."
Dr. Freeze
has claimed in a January 30, 2011 interview with MJFrance that "A Place with No Name" and "Blue Gangsta", another leaked song, were both slated to appear on Michael's next album of unreleased music.
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
. A 24—second snippet of the full song was released posthumously by website TMZ.com
TMZ.com
TMZ.com is a celebrity news website that debuted on November 8, 2005. It was a collaboration between America Online and Telepictures Productions, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. However, it is still affiliated with AOL News and has the AOL News logo affixed in...
in July 2009, three weeks after the singer's death
Death of Michael Jackson
On June 25, 2009, American singer Michael Jackson died of acute propofol intoxication after he suffered a respiratory arrest at his home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood in Los Angeles. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, said he found Jackson in his room, not breathing, but with a faint pulse,...
. The track resembles "A Horse with No Name
A Horse with No Name
“A Horse with No Name” is a song written by Dewey Bunnell and originally recorded by the band America. It was the band's first and most successful single, released in early 1972, topping the charts in several countries...
", a hit song by rock band America
America (band)
America is an English-American folk rock band that originally included members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek. The three members were barely out of their teens when they became a musical sensation during 1972, scoring #1 hits and winning a Grammy for best new musical artist...
. At the time of the leak, America stated that they were "honored" that Michael Jackson chose to sample their work. Dr. Freeze
Dr. Freeze
Elliot Straite also known by his pseudonym Dr. Freeze, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. His songs are mostly in New Jack Swing style...
has recently confirmed that "A Place with No Name" will soon be released on an upcoming album of unreleased Jackson music, but did not give a confirmed release date. It has been claimed that there are "dozens and dozens" of unreleased Jackson songs that could be issued for several years to come.
Background and leak
In June 2009, musician Michael JacksonMichael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
—dubbed the "King of Pop"—died
Death of Michael Jackson
On June 25, 2009, American singer Michael Jackson died of acute propofol intoxication after he suffered a respiratory arrest at his home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood in Los Angeles. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, said he found Jackson in his room, not breathing, but with a faint pulse,...
following a cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
. Three weeks after the singer's death, celebrity news website TMZ.com
TMZ.com
TMZ.com is a celebrity news website that debuted on November 8, 2005. It was a collaboration between America Online and Telepictures Productions, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. However, it is still affiliated with AOL News and has the AOL News logo affixed in...
—who were the first media outlet to report the passing—obtained a 24-second snippet of a song entitled "A Place with No Name", and released it onto the Internet. The track is an unreleased Jackson song that has a melody and lyrics which resembles America
America (band)
America is an English-American folk rock band that originally included members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek. The three members were barely out of their teens when they became a musical sensation during 1972, scoring #1 hits and winning a Grammy for best new musical artist...
's "A Horse with No Name
A Horse with No Name
“A Horse with No Name” is a song written by Dewey Bunnell and originally recorded by the band America. It was the band's first and most successful single, released in early 1972, topping the charts in several countries...
", a single that became a number one hit upon its release in 1972 and helped the group's debut album America achieve multi-platinum status. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the major city-wide newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. Although written to serve Greater St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch is one of the largest newspapers in the Midwestern United States, and is available and read as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, as far south as...
stated that the two songs were "just about identical". Despite the similarities between "A Horse with No Name" and "A Place with No Name", it was revealed that Jackson had been given permission to record the latter composition. To date, it is not known what time period the recording of the track occurred in, although it has been reported that the singer and America shared a manager—believed to be Jim Morey—in the late 1980s and late 1990s.
Jackson's version of "A Place with No Name" is not the first song by a member of the musical Jackson family to sample the work of America. Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
's hit Someone to Call My Lover
Someone to Call My Lover
"Someone to Call My Lover" is a song by American recording artist Janet Jackson from her seventh studio album, All for You. Written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the song was released as the album's second single on June 26, 2001....
—from the 2001 album All for You—samples Ventura Highway
Ventura Highway
"Ventura Highway" is a popular 1972 song by the rock 'n' roll band America from its album, Homecoming.-Background:The vocalist and writer of the song Dewey Bunnell has said that the lyric "alligator lizards in the air" in the song is a reference to the shapes of clouds in the sky...
, a song from America's 1972 Homecoming album.
Response from America
Dewey Bunnell and Gerry BeckleyGerry Beckley
Gerald Linford "Gerry" Beckley is a founding member of the band America.Beckley was born to an American father, and an English mother. He began playing the piano at the age of three and the guitar a few years later. By 1962, Beckley was playing guitar in The Vanguards, an instrumental surf music...
—two members of the three part band—conveyed their gratitude toward Jackson for choosing their song as a musical template for "A Place with No Name". In their statement to MTV, the musicians also expressed regret that the pop singer's fans did not get to hear the finished version of the track while Jackson was still alive:
We're honored that Michael Jackson chose to record it and we're impressed with the quality of the track. We're also hoping it will be released soon so that music listeners around the world can hear the whole song and once again experience the incomparable brilliance of Michael Jackson [...] Michael Jackson really did it justice and we truly hope his fans—and our fans—get to hear it in its entirety. It’s really poignant.
Bunnell further commented that he was "very proud of the fact that [Jackson] recorded it. It's a good version and an interesting derivative of the original that I wrote." The songwriter stated that he and Beckley were "definitely in the dark" regarding the future of Jackson's unreleased material.
Future release
In late August 2009, Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
noted that no plans had been made for the release of a full or official version of "A Place with No Name"; currently, only the 24-second snippet is known to exist. In addition to the leaked Jackson song, there is a "vast vault" of the singer's other unreleased material, and some material will be released in the future.
At the time of "A Place with No Name" being leaked, the curator of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
, Jim Henke, noted that any future Jackson releases would garner significant attention. "What we have seen happen in the last three weeks is that the albums that are out here right now are selling in amazing numbers. I think we are going to see amazing interest in any released Michael Jackson material that will come out in the future or a year from now on."
Dr. Freeze
Dr. Freeze
Elliot Straite also known by his pseudonym Dr. Freeze, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. His songs are mostly in New Jack Swing style...
has claimed in a January 30, 2011 interview with MJFrance that "A Place with No Name" and "Blue Gangsta", another leaked song, were both slated to appear on Michael's next album of unreleased music.