"This is it, here I stand. I'm the light of the world, I feel grand."
So blissfully opens the mid-tempo ballad "This Is It," Michael Jackson's first single since his untimely death this past June. The love song, originally written by Michael and Paul Anka and recorded by Safire in the early '90s, has a classic Michael sound and, with the simplicity of snapping fingers and tender backing vocals by all five of his brothers, sounds timeless. It will have its critics--it's almost a certainty Michael actually recorded his version during the Dangerous days--but it does prove one thing: that beautiful singing voice is forever.
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After the bounce
Released at midnight on MichaelJackson.com,
"This Is It" will play during the closing sequence of the upcoming film Michael Jackson's This is It. The documentary contains
behind-the-scenes footage of rehearsals for the tour that would have
taken place this past summer in London. It will also be included on the
upcoming two-disc album, also entitled This Is It, which will feature original masters as well as early demos of Michael's biggest hits.
Michael Jackson's This Is It, the motion picture, opens nationwide October 28th. This Is It the album will be released one day earlier, on October 27th. Until then, we have "This Is It" the song to tide us over. We miss you, Michael!
