D.S. (song)
Encyclopedia
"D.S." is an album track by Michael Jackson
from his 1995 double disc record HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. 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 County
District Attorney
Tom Sneddon, whose name is similar to the subject of the song, Dom Sheldon. When Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993
, 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: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The track "D.S." is written, composed and produced by Jackson and includes a guitar solo by Slash
. 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: Past, Present and Future, Book I 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.
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 Ranch
; the strip search was ordered by Thomas W. Sneddon Jr.
, the district attorney of Santa Barbara County, California
. 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 vitiligo
on the singer's body, but eventually the description was proved wrong. 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 cancelled 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.
" and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone
", 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
", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace". "D.S." contains an excerpt from the Yes
hit single
"Owner of a Lonely Heart
" composed by Trevor Rabin
, Jon Anderson
, Chris Squire
and Trevor Horn
. 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 Guns N' Roses
guitarist Slash
, who had previously worked with Jackson on his Dangerous 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
", "Dirty Diana
", "Give In to Me
" and "Scream". In his HIStory album review, Entertainment Weekly
s Jackson Browne defines musically "D.S." as a hard rock
song.
and had additional related Grammy
nominations, hardly any mainstream music reviewers provided a critical analysis of "D.S." in their reviews of the album. Analysis of the song usually only covered the connection to Tom Sneddon and the song's genre. 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 Channel
and CNN
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 Guardian
and The New York Times
expressed the view that Jackson suggests "Sheldon" has links to the CIA and the Ku Klux Klan
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".
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 Festival
, it was written by Jackson and Stephen King
and directed by Stan Winston
. 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 Maestro
(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 later
. 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 "vendetta
" 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.
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...
from his 1995 double disc record HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. 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 County
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. 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 1993
1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
In 1993, Evan Chandler accused Michael Jackson of sexually abusing his thirteen-year-old son, Jordan. The relationship between Jackson and Jordan began in May 1992. Evan initially welcomed and encouraged the friendship, and bragged about his connection to a celebrity. The friendship became well...
, 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: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The track "D.S." is written, composed and produced by Jackson and includes a guitar solo by Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
. 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: Past, Present and Future, Book I 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.
Background
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, its album tracks such as "D.S." and corresponding music videos are heavily influenced by the 1993 child sexual abuse accusations1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
In 1993, Evan Chandler accused Michael Jackson of sexually abusing his thirteen-year-old son, Jordan. The relationship between Jackson and Jordan began in May 1992. Evan initially welcomed and encouraged the friendship, and bragged about his connection to a celebrity. The friendship became well...
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 Ranch
Neverland Ranch
Neverland 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. Jackson named the property after Neverland, the fantasy island in the story of Peter Pan, a boy who never grows up...
; the strip search was ordered by Thomas W. Sneddon Jr.
Thomas W. Sneddon Jr.
Thomas W. Sneddon Jr. was the district attorney of Santa Barbara County, California. He had 22 years experience as a District Attorney and 35 years experience in prosecution...
, the district attorney of Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
. 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 vitiligo
Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a condition that causes depigmentation of sections of skin. It occurs when melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation, die or are unable to function. The cause of vitiligo is unknown, but research suggests that it may arise from autoimmune, genetic, oxidative stress,...
on the singer's body, but eventually the description was proved wrong. 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 cancelled 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 "ScreamScream/Childhood
"Scream"/"Childhood" is the lead single from Michael Jackson's ninth studio album, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I where "Scream" is the first song and "Childhood" is the tenth song on the second disc of the album HIStory Continues. The A-side, "Scream", is a duet with his younger sister...
" and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone
You Are Not Alone
"You Are Not Alone", released on the 10th of August 1995, is the second single from Michael Jackson's album HIStory. The R&B ballad's composition has been attributed 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...
", 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
"Stranger in Moscow" is the fifth and final single from Michael Jackson's album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The song was released worldwide in November 1996 but was not released in the United States until August 1997...
", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace". "D.S." contains an excerpt from the Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a 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...
"Owner of a Lonely Heart
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 United States Billboard Hot 100 — to date Yes's biggest chart success...
" composed by Trevor Rabin
Trevor Rabin
Trevor 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 Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
, Chris Squire
Chris Squire
Christopher Russell Edward "Chris" Squire , is an English musician, known as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock group Yes. He is the only member of the group to appear on every album.-Before Yes:...
and Trevor Horn
Trevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east 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 Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
guitarist Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
, who had previously worked with Jackson on his Dangerous 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
"Beat It" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Michael Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones . It is the third single from the singer's sixth solo album, Thriller . Eddie Van Halen was hired to add the song's distinctive overdriven guitar solo, but was prevented by his...
", "Dirty Diana
Dirty Diana
"Dirty Diana" is a song by American songwriter and recording artist Michael Jackson that is featured on Jackson's seventh studio album, Bad. The song was released by Epic Records on April 18, 1988 as the fifth single from Bad. The song presented a harder rock sound similar to that of "Beat It" from...
", "Give In to Me
Give In To Me
"Give In to Me" is the tenth track on Michael Jackson's 1991 studio album Dangerous. The single peaked at number one in New Zealand for four consecutive weeks, and at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Stylistically, "Give In to Me" is a hard rock ballad which featured Guns N' Roses lead guitarist...
" and "Scream". In his HIStory album review, Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
s Jackson Browne defines musically "D.S." as a hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
song.
Critical reaction
Although the album HIStory was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the YearGrammy Award for Album of the Year
The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is 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...
and had additional related Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominations, hardly any mainstream music reviewers provided a critical analysis of "D.S." in their reviews of the album. Analysis of the song usually only covered the connection to Tom Sneddon and the song's genre. 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 Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
and CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel 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 Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
expressed the view that Jackson suggests "Sheldon" has links to the CIA and the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
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 videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
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 Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, it was written by Jackson and Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
and directed by Stan Winston
Stan Winston
Stanley Winston was an American visual effects supervisor, makeup 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, Edward Scissorhands, and Avatar...
. 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 Maestro
Maestro
Maestro 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 later
People v. Jackson
People vs. Jackson was a 2005 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 "vendetta
Feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight between parties—often 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.
Personnel
- Written, composed, produced, vocal arrangements, lead and background vocals by Michael Jackson
- Arrangements by Michael Jackson, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Dallas AustinDallas 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, Namie Amuro, Kim...
- Keyboards and synthesizers by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
- RhythmRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
and lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
s by Slash