Is It Scary
Encyclopedia
"Is It Scary" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson
. The song was originally written to have been featured in the 1993 film Addams Family Values
, but the plans were canceled after contract conflicts. The song was recorded for Jackson's 1997 remix album, Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix. "Is It Scary" was written and produced by Jackson, Jimmy Jam (James Harris III) and Terry Lewis
.
"Is It Scary" received mixed reviews from contemporary music critics. Musically, the song was viewed by music critics as showing a "darker side" of Jackson, and compared the songs composition to material from Marilyn Manson
. In November 1997, a radio edit version of the song was released as a promotional single in the Netherlands
, while promo singles containing remixes were released in the United States
and the United Kingdom
.
for the 1993 film Addams Family Values
. Paramount Pictures
had signed Jackson to record a horror-themed song for the film (which became "Is It Scary") and to promote it with a video, but the song was dropped from the soundtrack
due to contractual difficulties. The song was among those considered for inclusion on Jackson's 1995 double album
, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, but it was not chosen as it did not complement the other tracks on the album. Jackson subsequently wrote the song into his 1997 short film, Ghosts. Jackson reused lyrics from "Is It Scary" for the film's title track, which is also included on his Blood on the Dance Floor album. Jackson, Harris and Lewis were given producing credit for the song on Blood on the Dance Floor.
A remix of "Is It Scary", called "DJ Greek's Scary Mix", was included on a three-track 'minimax' CD single that was released as part of the Ghosts Deluxe Collector Box Set. Remixes of "Is It Scary" were also included on Jackson's canceled single, "Smile". The radio edit for "Is It Scary" was later included on the third disc of the deluxe edition of Jackson's greatest hits album King of Pop in 2008 in the United Kingdom. "Is It Scary" was also featured on the deluxe edition of King of Pop in France. Samples of "Is It Scary" and "Threatened" (from Jackson's tenth studio album Invincible) are featured in the "Thriller
" segment of the concert documentary film, Michael Jackson's This Is It
(2009). Tommy D. also produced a remix of the song, but this mix never officially released. However, this mix leaked in the internet in November 2010.
containing three remixes of the song were released to the Netherlands. The United States and the United Kingdom received 12" promo singles containing remixes of the song by Deep Dish
, while the UK also received 12" promos with remixes of the song by Eddie Arroyo known as "Eddie's Love Mixes". Due to lack of promotion and radio airplay, "Is It Scary" did not chart on any music charts worldwide.
, commented that "Is It Scary' boasts a few innovative sounds but no real melodies". Roger Catlin of The Hartford Courant
stated that "the most intriguing pairing" was "Ghosts" and "Is It Scary" because Jackson "asks those who've only read about him in tabloids if he seems monstrous". Anthony Violanti, a writer for The Buffalo News
, remarked that Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mixs songs "Superfly Sister", "Ghosts" and "Is It Scary" were "programmed plastic soul that makes you wonder how someone as talented as Jackson can churn out such tracks".
Jae-Ha Kim, a writer for Chicago Sun-Times
, noted, that "Is It Scary" shows a "darker side of Jackson than even the tabloids would have you believe". Neil Strauss, a writer for The New York Times
, described "Is It Scary" as "sounding more like the ghoulish rocker Marilyn Manson
than the Motown prodigy that he is." A long time commentator on Jackson's public life, J. Randy Taraborrelli
, gave a retrospective analysis on Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mixs critical reviews in the biography, The Magic & the Madness (2004). Taraborrelli argued that certain sections of the world took interest in tabloid stories about Jackson's personal life over his musical career.
UK promo 12" single (XPR 3168)
Netherlands CD promo single (SAMPCS 4562)
Netherlands promo 12" single (SAMPMS 4674)
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...
. The song was originally written to have been featured in the 1993 film Addams Family Values
Addams Family Values
Addams Family Values is a 1993 sequel to the 1991 comedy The Addams Family. The film was written by Paul Rudnick and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, and many cast members from the original returned for the sequel, including Raúl Juliá, Anjelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd, and Christina Ricci...
, but the plans were canceled after contract conflicts. The song was recorded for Jackson's 1997 remix album, Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix. "Is It Scary" was written and produced by Jackson, Jimmy Jam (James Harris III) and Terry Lewis
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...
.
"Is It Scary" received mixed reviews from contemporary music critics. Musically, the song was viewed by music critics as showing a "darker side" of Jackson, and compared the songs composition to material from Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
. In November 1997, a radio edit version of the song was released as a promotional single in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, while promo singles containing remixes were released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Background
"Is It Scary" was originally written by Michael Jackson, James Harris III and Terry LewisJimmy 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...
for the 1993 film Addams Family Values
Addams Family Values
Addams Family Values is a 1993 sequel to the 1991 comedy The Addams Family. The film was written by Paul Rudnick and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, and many cast members from the original returned for the sequel, including Raúl Juliá, Anjelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd, and Christina Ricci...
. Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
had signed Jackson to record a horror-themed song for the film (which became "Is It Scary") and to promote it with a video, but the song was dropped from the soundtrack
Addams Family Values: Music from the Motion Picture
The Addams Family Values: Music from the Motion Picture album was released on Atlas Records in late 1993 to promote Addams Family Values, a sequel to the 1991 film The Addams Family.- Overview :...
due to contractual difficulties. The song was among those considered for inclusion on Jackson's 1995 double album
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, but it was not chosen as it did not complement the other tracks on the album. Jackson subsequently wrote the song into his 1997 short film, Ghosts. Jackson reused lyrics from "Is It Scary" for the film's title track, which is also included on his Blood on the Dance Floor album. Jackson, Harris and Lewis were given producing credit for the song on Blood on the Dance Floor.
A remix of "Is It Scary", called "DJ Greek's Scary Mix", was included on a three-track 'minimax' CD single that was released as part of the Ghosts Deluxe Collector Box Set. Remixes of "Is It Scary" were also included on Jackson's canceled single, "Smile". The radio edit for "Is It Scary" was later included on the third disc of the deluxe edition of Jackson's greatest hits album King of Pop in 2008 in the United Kingdom. "Is It Scary" was also featured on the deluxe edition of King of Pop in France. Samples of "Is It Scary" and "Threatened" (from Jackson's tenth studio album Invincible) are featured in the "Thriller
Thriller (song)
"Thriller" is a song recorded by American recording artist Michael Jackson, composed by Rod Temperton, and produced by Quincy Jones. It is the seventh and final single from his sixth studio album Thriller. It was released on January 23, 1984 by Epic Records...
" segment of the concert documentary film, Michael Jackson's This Is It
Michael Jackson's This Is It
Michael Jackson's This Is It is a 2009 American documentary–concert film directed by Kenny Ortega that documents Michael Jackson's rehearsals and preparation for the concert series of the same name scheduled to start on July 13, 2009, but canceled due to his death eighteen days prior on June 25. It...
(2009). Tommy D. also produced a remix of the song, but this mix never officially released. However, this mix leaked in the internet in November 2010.
Composition
Is It Scary clocks in at 5:35 and is sorted into the categories of goth rock, soul, operatic pop, and funk rock. The song is performed in alternating keys of Ab and A major, at a tempo of 109 beats per minute. Jackson's vocal range on the song is Ab3-A5.Promotion
"Is It Scary" was never lifted as a commercial single, but it was given out to radio stations and dance clubs to promote Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix. Promo CD singles containing a radio edit and 12" promos12-inch single
The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality...
containing three remixes of the song were released to the Netherlands. The United States and the United Kingdom received 12" promo singles containing remixes of the song by Deep Dish
Deep Dish
Deep Dish is a duo of DJs and house-music producers consisting of Iranian-American members Ali "Dubfire" Shirazinia and Sharam Tayebi. Based in Washington, D.C., Shirazinia and Tayebi are well known for providing house or dance remixes of tracks of famous stars such as Madonna, Cher and Gabrielle,...
, while the UK also received 12" promos with remixes of the song by Eddie Arroyo known as "Eddie's Love Mixes". Due to lack of promotion and radio airplay, "Is It Scary" did not chart on any music charts worldwide.
Critical reception
"Is It Scary" generally received positive to mixed reviews from contemporary music critics. Jim Farber, writer for the New York Daily NewsNew York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
, commented that "Is It Scary' boasts a few innovative sounds but no real melodies". Roger Catlin of The Hartford Courant
The Hartford Courant
The Hartford Courant is the largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is a morning newspaper for most of the state north of New Haven and east of Waterbury...
stated that "the most intriguing pairing" was "Ghosts" and "Is It Scary" because Jackson "asks those who've only read about him in tabloids if he seems monstrous". Anthony Violanti, a writer for The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News is the primary newspaper of the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area, and the area's only daily newspaper. It is the only newspaper owned by Berkshire Hathaway.-History:...
, remarked that Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mixs songs "Superfly Sister", "Ghosts" and "Is It Scary" were "programmed plastic soul that makes you wonder how someone as talented as Jackson can churn out such tracks".
Jae-Ha Kim, a writer for Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, noted, that "Is It Scary" shows a "darker side of Jackson than even the tabloids would have you believe". Neil Strauss, a writer for 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...
, described "Is It Scary" as "sounding more like the ghoulish rocker Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
than the Motown prodigy that he is." A long time commentator on Jackson's public life, J. Randy Taraborrelli
J. Randy Taraborrelli
John Randall Taraborrelli is an American journalist and biographer.Taraborrelli is an author known for biographies of contemporary entertainers and political figures. He is a featured writer in several entertainment magazines in Canada, England, and Australia...
, gave a retrospective analysis on Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mixs critical reviews in the biography, The Magic & the Madness (2004). Taraborrelli argued that certain sections of the world took interest in tabloid stories about Jackson's personal life over his musical career.
Track listings and formats
UK promo 12" single (XPR 3195)- A. "Is It Scary" (Deep Dish Dark & Scary Remix) – 12:10)
- B1. "Is It Scary" (Deep Dish Double-O-Jazz Dub) – 8:35)
- B2. "Is It Scary" (Deep Dish Dark & Scary Remix (Radio Edit)) – 4:38
UK promo 12" single (XPR 3168)
- A. "Is It Scary" (Eddie's Love Mix) – 8:00
- B1. "Is It Scary" (Eddie's Rub-A-Dub Mix) – 4:33
- B2. "Is It Scary" (Eddie's Love Mix Radio Edit) – 3:50
Netherlands CD promo single (SAMPCS 4562)
- "Is It Scary" (Radio Edit) – 4:11
Netherlands promo 12" single (SAMPMS 4674)
- A1. "Is It Scary" (Deep Dish Dark And Scary Remix) – 12:07
- A2. "Is It Scary" (Eddie's Rub-A-Dub Mix) – 5:00
- B1. "Is It Scary" (Eddie's Love Mix) – 8:00
- B2. "Off The Wall" (Junior Vasquez Remix) – 4:57
Official Remixes
- Album Version - 5:36
- Radio Edit - 4:11
- Deep Dish Dark & Scary Remix - 12:07
- Deep Dish Dark & Scary Remix (Radio Edit) - 4:38
- Deep Dish Double O-Jazz Dub - 8:35
- Eddie's Love Mix - 8:00
- Eddie's Love Mix (Radio Edit) - 3:50
- Eddie's Rub-A-Dub Mix - 4:33
- Downtempo Groove Mix - 4:50
- DJ Greek Scary Remix - 7:11
- Tommy D's Death Row Mix (Unreleased) - 4:15
Personnel
- Written and composed by Michael Jackson, James Harris III and Terry Lewis
- Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and Michael Jackson
- Arranged by Michael Jackson, and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
- Recorded and mixed by Steve Hodge
- Solo and background vocals, vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson
- Keyboard programming by Andrew Scheps
- Drum programming by Jeff Taylor
- Additional programming by Rob Hoffman
- All instruments performed by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
- Assistant engineers by Brad Yost, Xavier Smoth, Ryan Arnold, Steve Baughman and Steve Durkee