"
D.S." is an album track by
Michael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson , known as the "King of Pop", was an American musician and one of the most commercially successful and influential entertainers of all time...
from his 1995 double disc record
HIStoryHIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I is a double album by Michael Jackson, released on June 16, 1995. The first disc is his first hits collection, whereas the second is his studio album. HIStory is the best-selling multiple disc album ever, with worldwide sales of over 20 million copies...
. It is track six on the second disc, one of the three songs from that disc whose lyrics are printed in the album booklet, and is four minutes and forty-nine seconds in length. The song is often cited as a derogatory reference to
Santa Barbara CountySanta Barbara County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, just west of Ventura County. As of 2000 the county had a population of 399,347. The estimated total population of Santa Barbara County as of January 2006 was 421,625, according to...
District AttorneyIn many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is the appointed public official who represents the government in the prosecution of alleged offense criminals. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
Tom Sneddon, whose name is similar to the subject of the song, Dom Sheldon.
When Jackson was
accused of child sexual abuse in 1993In 1993, Michael Jackson was accused of abuse by Evan Chandler, on behalf of his then-13-year-old child, Jordan Chandler. Jackson and Jordan had become friends in May 1992, to the father's disapproval and concern. The friendship became well known, as the tabloid media reported that Jackson became a...
, the investigation was controlled by Sneddon, who also ordered that Jackson be strip searched. The criminal investigation was subsequently closed due to lack of evidence and Jackson was not charged with a crime. Jackson was angered by the allegations, his perception of being mistreated by the police and media, and the negative effect on his health.
Shortly afterwards, he began work on
HIStory. The track "D.S." is written, composed and produced by Jackson and includes a guitar solo by
SlashSaul Hudson , better known by his stage name Slash, is an English musician. Originally from Stoke-on-Trent, he moved to Los Angeles, California as a child, where he began his career in the music industry. Slash is arguably best-known as the former lead guitarist of hard rock band Guns N' Roses,...
. It is a rock song that conveys themes such as bitterness, isolation and paranoia much like the rest of the album. There was no major critical analysis of the song from mainstream reviews when
HIStory was issued, but the song's connection to Tom Sneddon was widely reported in the media. Jackson was subsequently involved in projects that made coded references to Sneddon and the 1993 investigation.
Jackson was the subject of another child sexual abuse allegation in 2003, with the investigation and
2005 trialPeople v. Jackson was a 2005 child sexual abuse trial involving recording artist Michael Jackson. The accuser was a boy, Gavin Arvizo, who was 13 years old at the time of the alleged crimes...
prosecution again led by Sneddon. These repeated investigations and derogatory comments made against Jackson have led to allegations that Sneddon had, or appeared to have, a "
vendettaA feud is a long-running argument or fight between parties—often, through guilt by association, groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another...
" against the late singer. Fans of the entertainer sang "D.S." outside the court house of Jackson's 2005 trial every day.
Background
HIStoryHIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I is a double album by Michael Jackson, released on June 16, 1995. The first disc is his first hits collection, whereas the second is his studio album. HIStory is the best-selling multiple disc album ever, with worldwide sales of over 20 million copies...
, its album tracks such as "D.S." and corresponding music videos are heavily influenced by the
1993 child sexual abuse accusationsIn 1993, Michael Jackson was accused of abuse by Evan Chandler, on behalf of his then-13-year-old child, Jordan Chandler. Jackson and Jordan had become friends in May 1992, to the father's disapproval and concern. The friendship became well known, as the tabloid media reported that Jackson became a...
made against Jackson, the reaction to the allegations and the effect they had on the singer. The album acts as Jackson's response to the media and the public. In 1993, Evan Chandler and his son Jordan Chandler accused Jackson of child sexual abuse. Jackson agreed to a strip search of his body at
Neverland RanchNeverland Valley Ranch is a developed property in Santa Barbara County, California, most famous for being a home of American entertainer Michael Jackson from 1988 to 2005. It is named after Neverland, the fantasy island in the story of Peter Pan, a boy who never grows up...
; the strip search was ordered by Tom Sneddon, the district attorney of
Santa Barbara County, CaliforniaSanta Barbara County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, just west of Ventura County. As of 2000 the county had a population of 399,347. The estimated total population of Santa Barbara County as of January 2006 was 421,625, according to...
. Sneddon was in charge of the investigation as a whole. The accuser gave a detailed description of what he alleges were Jackson's genitals, also giving details on patches of
vitiligoVitiligo is a chronic disorder that causes depigmentation in patches of skin. It occurs when the melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation which are derived from the neural crest, die or are unable to function. The precise pathogenesis, or cause, of vitiligo is complex and not yet...
on the singer's body, an illness Jackson was diagnosed with in the mid 1980s. In an emotional state, Jackson stood on a platform in the middle of the room, took off all his clothes and was examined for approximately twenty-five minutes; he was never physically touched.
The media coverage of the allegations was criticized for using sensational headlines to draw in readers and viewers when the content itself did not support the headline, for accepting stories of Jackson's alleged criminal activity in return for money, for accepting confidential leaked material from the police investigation in return for money, for deliberately using pictures of Jackson's appearance at its worst, for a lack of objectivity and for using headlines that strongly implied Jackson's guilt. At the time, Jackson said of the media reaction, "I will say I am particularly upset by the handling of the matter by the incredible, terrible mass media. At every opportunity, the media has dissected and manipulated these allegations to reach their own conclusions".
The entertainer began taking painkillers, Valium, Xanax and Ativan to deal with the stress of the allegations made against him. A few months after the allegations became news, Jackson had lost approximately 10 pounds in weight and had stopped eating. Jackson's health had deteriorated to the extent that he canceled the remainder of his tour and went into rehabilitation. Jackson booked the whole fourth floor of the clinic, and was put on Valium IV to wean him from painkillers. The singer's spokesperson told reporters that Jackson was "barely able to function adequately on an intellectual level". While in the clinic, Jackson took part in group and one-on-one therapy sessions.
Jackson was not charged with a crime and the police closed their criminal investigation citing lack of evidence. With his health improving, Jackson then began work on a new album called
HIStory, and commenced recording in 1994. The song "D.S." included in the album contains lyrics about a cold man called Dom S. Sheldon, which, when sung, sounds similar to Thomas Sneddon. Some media sources, and Sneddon himself, believe the song is directed at him.
Themes and genre
"D.S." has very similar themes to the rest of
HIStory, creating an atmosphere of paranoia. The album's content focuses on the hardships and public struggles Jackson went through just prior to its production. In the new jack swing-funk-rock efforts "
Scream"Scream"/"Childhood" is the lead single from Michael Jackson's HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I album—where "Scream" is track one and "Childhood" is track ten. "Scream" is the A-side release and "Childhood" is the corresponding B-side...
" and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B ballad "
You Are Not Alone"You Are Not Alone", released in August 1995, is the second single from Michael Jackson's album HIStory. The R&B ballad was written by R. Kelly in response to difficult times in his personal life. He then forwarded a bare demo tape to Jackson, who liked the song and decided to co-produce it with...
", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs much of his anger at the media. In the introspective ballad "
Stranger in Moscow"Stranger in Moscow" is the fifth and final single from Michael Jackson's album HIStory. The song was released worldwide in November 1996 but was not released in the United States until August 1997. The track was written by Jackson in 1993, at the height of the highly publicized child abuse...
", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace". "D.S." contains an excerpt from the
YesYes are an English progressive rock band that was formed in London in 1968. Their music is marked by sharp dynamic contrasts, extended song lengths, abstract lyrics, and a general showcasing of instrumental prowess. Yes blends symphonic and other 'classical' structures with their own brand of...
hit singleA hit single is a recorded track or single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio airplay and/or significant...
"
Owner of a Lonely Heart"Owner of a Lonely Heart" is a song by the progressive rock band Yes. It is the opening track of their 1983 album 90125. Written primarily by Trevor Rabin , the song reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 — to date Yes' biggest chart success by far...
" composed by
Trevor RabinTrevor Charles Rabin is a South African-born musician, best known as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the British progressive rock band Yes from 1983–1994, and since then, as a film composer.- Early years :...
,
Jon AndersonJon Anderson, born John Roy Anderson on 25 October 1944, is an English musician, best known as the lead singer of the progressive rock band Yes...
,
Chris SquireChristopher Russell Edward "Chris" Squire , is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock group Yes...
and
Trevor HornTrevor Charles Horn is an English pop music record producer, songwriter and musician. He was born in Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham, England....
. The lyrics describe the subject of the song as a man who wants him "dead or alive" and "really tried to take me down/By surprise". The track ends with the sound of a gunshot.
The song has a distinct rock feel to it, with a guitar solo performed by former
Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band, led by frontman and co-founder Axl Rose, has gone through numerous line-up changes and controversies since its formation...
guitarist
SlashSaul Hudson , better known by his stage name Slash, is an English musician. Originally from Stoke-on-Trent, he moved to Los Angeles, California as a child, where he began his career in the music industry. Slash is arguably best-known as the former lead guitarist of hard rock band Guns N' Roses,...
, who had previously worked with Jackson on his
DangerousDangerous is a studio album by Michael Jackson, released on November 26, 1991. It became his second to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, where it spent the next four consecutive weeks...
album. Jackson screams the name "Slash!" immediately before Slash's part in the song. Jackson has previously made a number of successful rock songs, including; "
Beat It"Beat It" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Michael Jackson and co-produced by Quincy Jones for the singer's sixth solo album, Thriller . Eddie Van Halen was drafted to add the song's distinctive overdriven guitar solo...
", "
Dirty Diana"Dirty Diana" is a hit song by Michael Jackson, released on April 18, 1988. The song presented a harder rock sound similar to that of "Beat It" from the album Thriller...
", "Black or White", "
Give In to Me"Give In to Me" is the tenth track on Michael Jackson's 1991 studio album Dangerous. The single peaked at #1 in New Zealand for 4 consecutive weeks, and at #2 on the UK Singles Chart. It features former Guns N' Roses lead guitarist Slash...
" and "Scream". In his
HIStory album review,
Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books and popular culture. Unlike celebrity-focused publications US Weekly, People, and In Touch Weekly, EWs primary concentration is on entertainment...
s
Jackson BrowneA music critic is someone who reviews music and publishes writing on them in books or journals...
defines musically "D.S." as a
hard rockHard rock or heavy rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music...
song.
Critical reaction
The album received 5
Grammy AwardThe Grammy Awards —or Grammys—are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry...
nominations and won one:
Album of the YearThe Grammy Award for Album of the Year is one of the most prestigious award category at the Grammys. It has been awarded since 1959 and though it was originally presented to the artist alone, the award is now presented to the artist, the producer, the engineer and/or mixer and the mastering engineer...
(HIStory nominated),
Best Pop Collaboration with VocalsThe Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals has been awarded since 1995. In its first year, it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Collaboration....
("Scream" nominated),
Best Male Pop Vocal PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance has been awarded since 1966. The award had several minor name changes:*In 1966 the award was known as Best Contemporary Vocal Performance - Male...
("You Are Not Alone" nominated),
Best Music Video, Short FormThe Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video has been awarded since 1984. A similar award for Best Long Form Music Video has also been awarded since 1984. In 1988 and 1989 the award criteria were changed and the video awards were presented for Best Concept Music Video and Best Performance...
("Earth Song" nominated), and Best Music Video, Short Form ("Scream" nominated and won).
The vast majority of mainstream music reviewers did not provide a critical analysis of "D.S." in their reviews of HIStory
and any analysis only covered the connection to Tom Sneddon and the song's genre. This can be seen in reviews by TIMETime is an American newsmagazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong. As of 2009, Time no longer publishes a Canadian advertiser edition...
, Allmusic, Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, 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. Gleason.The magazine was named after the 1948 Muddy Waters song of the same...
and The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
. However, Fred Shuster of the Daily News of Los Angeles described "D.S." as a "superb [slice] of organic funk that will fuel many of the summer's busiest dance floors".
Many news organizations reviewed the piece in connection to Sneddon.
Fox News ChannelThe Fox News Channel , commonly referred to as Fox or Fox News, is a major American cable news and satellite channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation. As of April 2009, it is available to 102 million households in the U.S...
and
CNNCable News Network, almost always referred to by its initialism CNN, is an U.S. cable news network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first network to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television network in the United States...
expressed the opinion that the "cold man" of this song's lyrics is Sneddon, as when sung, "Dom S. Sheldon" sounds very close to "Thomas Sneddon". The BBC suggested that the lyric's reference to a "B.S.T.A." sounds similar to "S.B.D.A.", meaning "Santa Barbara District Attorney".
The GuardianThe Guardian is a British daily newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Founded in 1821, it is unique among major British newspapers in being owned by a foundation .The Guardian Weekly, which circulates worldwide, provides a compact digest of four newspapers...
and The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
expressed the view that Jackson suggests "Sheldon" has links to the CIA and the
Ku Klux KlanKu Klux Klan , informally known as The Klan, is the name of several past and present hate group organizations in the United States whose avowed purpose was to protect the rights of and further the interests of white Americans by violence and intimidation. The first such organizations originated in...
and he just "wants your vote". Sneddon's own work website indicates that he believes he is the subject of the song, stating, "He's the only DA in the nation to have an angry song written about him by pop megastar Michael Jackson". Of the song, he said, "I have not—shall we say—done him the honor of listening to it, but I’ve been told that it ends with the sound of a gunshot".
Other works and aftermath
Although there was no
music videoA music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music/song. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of music videos go back much further, they came into their own in the...
made for "D.S.", the song's subject was referenced in the short film Ghosts. Released in 1997 and premiering at the 1996
Cannes Film FestivalThe Cannes Film Festival , founded in 1946, is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious film festivals. The private festival is held annually at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, in the resort town of Cannes, in the south of France.The 62nd edition started 13 May and ended 24 May 2009...
, it was written by Jackson and
Stephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American writer of contemporary horror fiction, science fiction, fantasy literature, and screenplays. An estimated 300–350 million copies of King's novels and short story collections have been sold, and many of his stories have been adapted for film, television, and...
and directed by
Stan WinstonStanley Winston was an American visual effects supervisor, make-up artist, and film director. He was best known for his work in the Terminator series, the Jurassic Park series, Aliens, the Predator series, Iron Man and Edward Scissorhands...
. The story was based loosely on the events and isolation Jackson felt after he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993. In the plot, the
MaestroMaestro is a title of extreme respect given to a master musician. The term is most commonly used in the context of Western classical music and opera. This is associated with the ubiquitous use of Italian vocabulary for classical music terms...
(played by Jackson) is nearly chased out of his town by the mayor (who deliberately looks very similar to Sneddon) and the residents because they believe him to be a "freak". It features many special effects and dance moves to original music, composed and choreographed by Jackson. The film includes several songs and music videos from the albums HIStory
and Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix
. The video for Ghosts
is over thirty-eight minutes long and holds the Guinness World Record as the world's longest music video.
The child sexual abuse allegations of 2003
resulted in a long trial two years laterPeople v. Jackson was a 2005 child sexual abuse trial involving recording artist Michael Jackson. The accuser was a boy, Gavin Arvizo, who was 13 years old at the time of the alleged crimes...
. Sneddon was the lead investigator again, as well as the trial prosecutor. The trial ended with Jackson being acquitted on all counts. The two investigations being controlled by Sneddon have led to complaints that he was motivated by a "
vendettaA feud is a long-running argument or fight between parties—often, through guilt by association, groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another...
" against Jackson. Evidence to support these claims include Sneddon joking about Jackson's greatest hits album being released on the same day as his arrest and sarcastically saying, "Like the sheriff and I really are into that kind of music". He then preceded to call Jackson "Wacko Jacko" and shouting "we got him, we finally got him" to the media when he had only just begun an investigation and had gathered limited information or evidence. "D.S." was sung outside the courtroom by a group of Jackson's fans every day the trial took place.
Credits
- The song was written, composed and produced by Jackson.
- Lead and background vocals: Michael Jackson
- Arrangements by Michael Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
, Dallas AustinDallas Austin is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Some of his most notable clients include Michael Jackson ,TLC, Boyz II Men, Pink, Monica, Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Stacie Orrico, Another Bad Creation, Fishbone, Sugababes, Anastacia, Japanese singer...
.
- Vocal arrangements by Michael Jackson
- Keyboards and synthesizers: Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis
- Guitars: Slash