Covenger & Kester

“Don’t Be Messin’ ‘Round (Demo),” Michael Jackson (1986): 

It’s been 25 years since Michael Jackson was in Westlake Studio in Los Angeles putting the finishing touches on his classic 1987 album, Bad. Today, a demo of a never-before-heard song from those sessions will finally get an audience when Sony’s re-release of Bad’s original lead single, “I Can’t Just Stop Loving You,” hits Wal-Mart shelves. The B-side, an infectious rhythm track called “Don’t Be Messin’ ‘Round,” provides a glimpse into Jackson’s creative process—and to his incredible profligacy as a songwriter…

In the track, we can hear Jackson giving instructions, vocally dictating instrumental parts, mapping out where to accent words or add percussion, scatting and ad-libbing many of the unfinished lyrics. “One of the main intentions is to show that these are works in progress,” says Matt Forger, a sound engineer and longtime Jackson friend and collaborator. “To pull the curtain back. To actually see Michael in his natural work environment, how he directs, his sense of humor, his focus.” … 

Jackson first wrote and recorded “Don’t Be Messin’” during the Thriller sessions with engineer Brent Averill. Around this time he was working on a variety of musical ideas, including demos of “P.Y.T.” and “Billie Jean.” “Don’t Be Messin’” features Jackson himself playing piano (“He could do more than he ever really let people know,” Forger says.)

He also produced, arranged, and guided many of the instrumental parts, including the cinematic strings, Jonathan Maxey’s piano part in the bridge, and David Williams funky guitar licks. Ultimately, since “Don’t Be Messin’” wasn’t fully developed and so much other strong material was coming in for Thriller, Jackson decided to put the song on the back burner, having in mind to revisit it for his next album…

Jackson continued to work on “Don’t Be Messin’” into late 1986, at both his home studio and at Westlake. However, once Quincy Jones came on board, the serious paring began and “Don’t Be Messin’” was left on the cutting room floor. Jackson would pull out the song again during both the Dangerous sessions and HIStory sessions, updating its sound and adding new elements. Clearly, it was a song he liked. But ultimately it never found a home…

In a 2009 interview legendary recording engineer Bruce Swedien cited the track as one of his favorite unreleased Jackson songs. “It’s just beautiful,” he said . “Oh my God, there’s nothing like it.”