"Behind the Mask" | ||||
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Single by Yellow Magic Orchestra, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and various others | ||||
from the album Solid State Survivor and X∞Multiplies (International Versions) | ||||
Released | August 1980 | |||
Studio | Alfa Studio "A", Shibaura, Minato, Tokyo | |||
Genre | Synth-pop | |||
Length | 3:35 | |||
Label | Alfa | |||
Composer(s) | Ryuichi Sakamoto | |||
Lyricist(s) | Chris Mosdell | |||
Producer(s) | Haruomi Hosono | |||
Yellow Magic Orchestra, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and various others singles chronology | ||||
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"Behind the Mask" is a 1979 song by the Japanese synth-pop group Yellow Magic Orchestra. The composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto, wrote the first version for a television commercial. This was expanded with the band and the British lyricist Chris Mosdell for inclusion on the 1979 Yellow Magic Orchestra album Solid State Survivor . In the US and the UK, "Behind the Mask" was released as a single from the album X∞Multiplies in 1980.
In the early 1980s, the American pop singer Michael Jackson recorded a version with extra lyrics and melodies. It was omitted from his 1982 album Thriller as no royalty arrangement could be agreed. Jackson's demo was released on the album Thriller 40 in 2022.
In the 1980s, artists including Greg Phillinganes, Eric Clapton and the Human League recorded versions based on Jackson's demo. Clapton's version, released in 1987, was a top-20 single in some markets. An updated remix of Jackson's version was released on the 2010 album Michael.
The Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto wrote the first version of "Behind the Mask" for a 1978 television commercial for Seiko watches. [1] His band, Yellow Magic Orchestra, recorded a new version for their 1979 album Solid State Survivor . This featured English lyrics written by the British poet and lyricist Chris Mosdell, which Sakamoto sang using a vocoder.[ citation needed ]
Mosdell based his lyrics on the imagery of a traditional Japanese Noh mask and a poem by the Irish poet W. B. Yeats, "The Mask". [2] Mosdell said he was "talking about a very impersonal, socially controlled society, a future technological era, and the mask represented that immobile, unemotional state". [2]
In 1980, "Behind the Mask" was released as a single in the United States and the United Kingdom, where it was included on the third Yellow Magic Orchestra album, X∞Multiplies . [3] [4]
US promotional 7" single
US promotional 12" single
US 7" single
UK (yellow vinyl and promotional black vinyl) and Italy 7" single
UK 12" single
Argentina 7" single
The American singer Michael Jackson recorded a version of "Behind the Mask" during the recording of his sixth album, Thriller (1982). It was introduced to him by his producer, Quincy Jones, who had heard it on a visit to Japan. [2] Jackson added a melody and extra lyrics. [2] Mosdell said: "He made it into a love song about a woman. It was a completely different premise to me ... But hey, I let him have that one." [2]
"Behind the Mask" was not included on Thriller as Sakamoto, Mosdell and Jackson could not reach an agreement on royalties. [5] [2] On November 18, 2022, Jackson's demo was released on the anniversary album Thriller 40 as "Mike's Mix (Demo)". [6] [7] Jackson's demo was used to create versions by other artists.
"Behind the Mask" | |
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Single by Greg Phillinganes | |
from the album Pulse | |
B-side | "Only You" |
Released | 1985 |
Genre | |
Length | 4:07 |
Label | Planet |
Songwriter(s) | |
Producer(s) | Richard Perry |
Jackson's keyboardist Greg Phillinganes recorded a version of "Behind the Mask" for his 1984 album Pulse . [5] Phillinganes released his version as a single in 1985, and in the United States it reached number four on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and number 77 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. [8] [9]
7" single
12" single
Chart (1985) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Dance Club Songs ( Billboard ) [8] | 4 |
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [9] | 77 |
"Behind the Mask" | ||||
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Single by Eric Clapton | ||||
from the album August | ||||
B-side | "Grand Illusion" | |||
Released | January 1987 | |||
Recorded | 1986 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:47 (album version) 3:38 (single edit) | |||
Label | Warner Bros. | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | ||||
Eric Clapton singles chronology | ||||
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The English musician Eric Clapton recorded "Behind the Mask" for his 1986 album August . Greg Phillinganes brought the composition to Clapton's attention. Phillinganes played keyboards and performed background vocals on Clapton's recording. This version did not credit Jackson as one of the song's co-writers, but Mosdell confirmed that Jackson's estate took 50% of the songwriting royalties from the recording. [5]
Clapton's version of "Behind the Mask" was released as a single in January 1987. It reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart on February 21, 1987. [10]
UK 7" single (928461-7, W8461)
UK 12" single (W8461)
UK 2×7" single (928461-7, W8461F)
Chart (1987) | Peak position |
---|---|
Luxembourg Radio Singles ( Billboard ) [11] | 12 |
UK Singles (OCC) [10] | 15 |
Following the breakup of Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1983, Ryuichi Sakamoto re-recorded "Behind the Mask" in 1987 with Jackson's additional lyrics and lead vocals by Bernard Fowler. A similar arrangement had been performed (with Fowler) during Sakamoto's Media Bahn Live tour the previous year. A CD single with three tracks and a CD maxi single with six tracks entitled "Behind the Mask +3" were released.
Japan CD single
Japan CD maxi single ("Behind the Mask +3")
"Behind the Mask" | ||||
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Single by Michael Jackson | ||||
from the album Michael | ||||
B-side | "Hollywood Tonight" (vinyl) | |||
Released | February 21, 2011 | |||
Recorded |
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Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Michael Jackson singles chronology | ||||
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Music videos | ||||
"The Behind the Mask Project" on YouTube | ||||
"Behind the Mask" on YouTube |
Jackson's 1982 demo of "Behind the Mask" was used to create a remix by John McClain,released on the 2010 album Michael . McClain's additions include a saxophone solo,background vocals by Shanice,and crowd noise from the 1992 TV special Live in Bucharest:The Dangerous Tour . [14] [13]
On February 21,2011,the remix was released by Epic Records as the third single from Michael. It was released as a single to radio and as a limited 7" for Record Store Day,and a music video edited together from fan contributions was released under the title "The Behind the Mask Project".[ citation needed ]
Reviewing Michael,Jody Rosen from Rolling Stone called the remixed version of "Behind the Mask" "a fiercely funky cousin to 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' '." [15] Dan Martin from NME wrote that it was "an absolute revelation,a swirl of psychedelic,orchestra-twinged R&B. Jackson howls a solid-gold melody at his fearsome best,and blippy production and robotic backing vocals dancing behind it." [16] Writers from Billboard thought the song was among the album's "must-listen songs". [17] The journalist Joe Vogel found the remix skillful,making it sound brand new and retro at the same time,and that it was one of the album's highlights. [18] Leah Greenblatt from Entertainment Weekly felt the saxophone was dated. [19]
On February 28,2011,a project for this song's music video titled "Behind the Mask Project" was announced:"the Estate of Michael Jackson and Sony Music will provide everyone who likes music an opportunity to help create online a unique groundbreaking music video for the single 'Behind the Mask'." All the world can use a simple online tool to take part in making the music video since March 7,2011. [20] On March 30,2011,a 17-second video of what Sony Music had been doing with some of the thousands of submissions for the "Behind the Mask Project" was released. [21] [22]
On June 6,2011,was published the official trailer announcing when the final video would be published. On June 14,2011,the official and final video was posted on the official Michael Jackson's channel on YouTube,but only accessible on the King of Pop's page on social networking site Facebook. [23] In the 1600 clips that compose it can be seen people from the Sahara to the main cities of the world,
An alternative video was originally shot and completed,featuring masked dancers in a nightclub,but the "Behind the Mask Project" was released instead of this video. This alternate video directed by the Grammy-winning directing duo Aggressive leaked on July 31,2013. [24] [25] The video was eventually uploaded to Jackson's YouTube channel on August 3,2018. [26]
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Behind the Mask" (album version) | 5:01 |
Total length: | 5:01 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Behind the Mask" (radio edit) | 3:39 |
2. | "Hollywood Tonight" (Throwback mix) | 3:46 |
Total length: | 07:00 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Behind the Mask" (radio edit) | 3:39 |
Total length: | 3:39 |
Chart (2010–2011) | Peak position |
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Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) [30] | 24 |
Japan (Japan Hot 100) [31] | 71 |
UK Singles (OCC) | 191 |
Country | Date | Format |
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France | February 21, 2011 [32] | CD single (promo), radio airplay |
April 11, 2011 [33] | Vinyl single | |
Italy [34] | April 12, 2011 | |
Poland [29] | July 4, 2011 | Radio airplay |
A cover by the Human League in collaboration with Yellow Magic Orchestra was made in 1993 and included on the EP YMO Versus The Human League .
Señor Coconut had a cover version released in 2006.[ citation needed ]
Yellow Magic Orchestra was a Japanese electronic music band formed in Tokyo in 1978 by Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto. The group is considered influential and innovative in the field of popular electronic music. They were pioneers in their use of synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, drum machines, computers, and digital recording technology, and effectively anticipated the "electropop boom" of the 1980s. They are credited with playing a key role in the development of several electronic genres, including synthpop, J-pop, electro, and techno, while exploring subversive sociopolitical themes throughout their career.
August is the tenth solo studio album by Eric Clapton, released in 1986 by Duck Records/Warner Bros. Records. Described as a "hard R&B" album, it was primarily produced by Phil Collins, in association with longtime Clapton associate Tom Dowd.
Gregory Arthur Phillinganes is an American keyboardist and arranger. A prolific session musician, Phillinganes has contributed to numerous albums representing a broad array of artists and genres. He has toured with artists including Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour and Toto, was musical director for Michael Jackson, and has released two solo studio albums.
×∞Multiplies is a mini-album and the third studio album by Yellow Magic Orchestra released in 1980. It contains a mixture of songs and instrumentals by YMO, interspersed with comedy sketches. These sketches are performed by Snakeman Show in both Japanese and English, with YMO participating in some of them.
BGM is the fourth studio album by Yellow Magic Orchestra, released on March 21, 1981. The title stands for "Background music", though Japanese TV and press advertising alternately used "Beautiful Grotesque Music". This album was produced by Haruomi Hosono. Recording started on January 15, 1981, in an effort to release the album by March 21, 1981. The album was the first of any kind to feature the Roland TR-808, one of the earliest programmable drum machines; YMO had already been the first band to use the device, featuring it on-stage as early as 1980. In addition to the TR-808, this was also their first studio album recorded with the Roland MC-4 Microcomposer.
Yellow Magic Orchestra is the first official studio album by Japanese electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra, who were previously known as the Yellow Magic Band. Originally released by Alfa Records, in Japan in 1978, the album was released by A&M Records in Europe and the United States and Canada in early 1979, with the US version featuring new cover art but without the closing track of "Acrobat". Both versions would later be re-issued in 2003 as a double-disc format, with the American version as the first disc.
Solid State Survivor is the second album by Japanese electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra, released in 1979. Later, Solid State Survivor was released in 1982 in the UK on LP and cassette, also in 1992 in the United States on CD, but many of the songs from this album were compiled for release in the US as the US pressing of ×∞Multiplies (1980), including the tracks "Behind the Mask", "Rydeen", "Day Tripper", and "Technopolis". Solid State Survivor is only one of a handful of YMO albums in which the track titles do not have a Japanese equivalent.
"P.Y.T. " is a song by the American singer Michael Jackson. It is the sixth single from Jackson's sixth solo album, Thriller (1982). The song was written by James Ingram and Quincy Jones.
Behind the Sun is the ninth solo studio album by Eric Clapton, released on 11 March 1985 by Duck Records / Warner Bros. Records. It is Clapton's first collaborative project with Phil Collins who co-produced the album and played on some of the tracks. While recording the album Clapton temporarily split with his wife.
The Cream of Eric Clapton is a compilation DVD of live Eric Clapton performances. It is not to be confused with the CD The Cream of Eric Clapton.
Christopher John Mosdell is a British lyricist, poet, author, composer, vocalist and illustrator based in Tokyo, Japan, and New York City, United States.
"No Alibis" is a track from Eric Clapton's 1989 album Journeyman. It was released as a single in a shortened version, with "Running on Faith" as the B-side. The 12" single and CD maxi-singles, both released the following year, included the longer album version and also added live versions of "Behind the Mask" and "Cocaine", respectively. The live versions were recorded at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England in July 1986.
UC YMO: Ultimate Collection of Yellow Magic Orchestra is a compilation album by Yellow Magic Orchestra. The songs were selected by keyboardist and pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto. The album was also released as a premium edition. The premium edition came with a long-sleeved white shirt emblazed with the yMo logo as well as a yMo bandana that the band wore on the 1980 world tour 'From Tokio to Tokyo', along with a special Liner Notes Booklet and an autographed print by drummer and sometimes singer, Yukihiro Takahashi. It was cataloged as MHCL 291-4 and sold in Japan for 21,000 yen.
Pulse is the title of the second solo album from session keyboardist Greg Phillinganes. Released on July 17, 1984, the album included what is perhaps Phillinganes' best-known solo "hit," a cover of Japanese synthpop band Yellow Magic Orchestra's song, "Behind the Mask," with additional lyrics by Michael Jackson. The track "Countdown to Love" was also featured in the 1984 film, Streets of Fire, while both "Playin' with Fire" and "Signals" would later appear in the 1986 film, Touch and Go. In addition, the song "Lazy Nina" was written by Donald Fagen exclusively for Phillinganes, and has never been recorded by Fagen himself. The details of the release are below.
"Cheater" is a song written by Michael Jackson and Greg Phillinganes and was originally slated to appear on Jackson's seventh studio album, Bad (1987), but it was removed from the track listing for unknown reasons.
Michael is the first posthumous album by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson. It was released on December 10, 2010, by Epic Records and Sony Music Entertainment. Michael is the first release of all-new Michael Jackson material since Invincible in 2001 and the seventh overall release since Jackson's death in 2009. The album was produced by Theron "Neff-U" Feemster, John McClain, Giorgio Tuinfort, Teddy Riley, and Brad Buxer, among others, and features guest performances by Akon and Lenny Kravitz.
"Hollywood Tonight" is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, included on his posthumous album, Michael. The song was released by Epic Records on February 11, 2011, as the second single from Michael. The spoken parts were performed by Jackson's nephew, Taryll Jackson and written by Teddy Riley. An accompanying music video was released on March 10, 2011. It features Algerian dancer Sofia Boutella dressed in a Jackson-inspired outfit performing a routine with 60 dancers.
"(I Like) The Way You Love Me" is a song by American singer and recording artist Michael Jackson included on his posthumous album Michael, which was released in South Korea as a digital single on January 18, 2011, and released in Italian radio stations on July 8, 2011. The song previously appeared on The Ultimate Collection (2004) with the title "The Way You Love Me" as an unreleased track, with that version also appearing on the French edition of the compilation King of Pop. Shortly before Jackson’s death, the song was re-arranged and more vocals were added. A clip of the song was remixed and released on the 2 disc deluxe edition of the Immortal album on November 21, 2011.
WORLD TOUR 1980 is a live album by Yellow Magic Orchestra. It was recorded during the band's 1980 international tour. This is the only YMO live album to include songs originally released on X∞Multiplies; it also features six songs from YMO members made for other projects and two covers. It was released, with a book with photographs taken during the tour, as both a 2-CD set and a 3-LP set, which had a bonus track. "Jiseiki Hirake Kokoro" was originally made for a Fujifilm cassette commercial. It was included in Snakeman Show's self-titled album in mono so that the lyrics, which reference Fujifilm cassettes, could not be understood properly; it was presented here in stereo, and was included in the UC YMO compilation.
This is the discography of Japanese electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO).