HEAR IT: La Toya Jackson's Michael Jackson tribute single!

The Return Of La Toya

She’s back and she’s bringing a ghost with her

Following the death of Michael Jackson, the always entertaining (although very often for all the wrong reasons) Jackson family have been splashed across the media, with Jermaine, Tito and scary old Joseph all finding their ways back into the spotlight. It was only a matter of time before everybody’s secret favourite Jackson – La Toya of course! – did the same.

Of all the Jacksons, middle sister La Toya's career has been the most dubious. Despite releasing dozens of albums (actually 10) since 1980 and working with the likes of Full Force and Stock Aitken Waterman (and even Michael and Janet) she failed to ever deliver a single hit. Hell, even eldest Jackson sister Rebbie had a hit with "Centipede" (and what an awesome song that is).

"Hello boys!"

La Toya instead became infamous for her numerous Playboy shoots, her ill-fated marriage to her manager/dubious type Jack Gordon, writing her tell-all book La Toya: Growing Up In The Jackson Family (a New York Times #1 best seller, no less) holding a press conference to announce she thought Michael was possibly guilty of kiddie fiddling (oops!) and her subsequent estrangement from the Jackson clan. Given the competition, to be considered the Jackson family screw-up is quite the (somewhat undeserved) achievement.

Rather miraculously all was forgiven on the family front after La Toya split with Gordon, who has since died, in 1997. In fact she was considered the closest sibling to Michael when he died and even signed his death certificate.

A recent pic of La Toya and her late bro Michael

Unperturbed by her lack of musical success, La Toya has been hawking a "comeback" album, titled Startin' Over, since 2002. Despite the release of two singles (which her devout fans insist were "club hits"), numerous release dates and even the appearance of a media promo disc, the album has so far failed to materialise.

But then a strange thing happened: Michael died.

Suddenly La Toya is in the news, in demand for interviews and some clever clogs goes; "Remember that song 'Home' Toy-Toy recorded in 1943? That could almost be a tribute song to Michael!"

And so we have La Toya's "brand new" (seven years old) single - "Home".

An even more recent pic of La Toya and her late bro Michael

Lest she be charged with cashing-in on her brother's death, there is every chance the release is being spear-headed by her record company, who are no doubt keen to make some cash out of La Toya after years of recording and approximately no sales. Indeed La Toya will not be doing any promotion (just paid interviews about her belief that Michael was murdered) and has donated all proceeds to charity (AIDS Project Los Angeles, which was apparently one of MJ's favourites).

(Poor Jermaine, who I suggested should release a version of "Smile", which he performed at Michael's memorial service, has really missed the boat)

But, um, what about that single cover?

La Toya strikes an MJ-style move as his ghost looks down upon her from heaven…

Classy.

And what's the song like?

Well, it's schmaltzy American mid-tempo pop ... and it kinda doesn't suck. Even her voice - while not as strong as her brothers', but possibly more so than Janet's (come ya'll, you know it's true) - doesn't suck. In fact, Michael would probably even love it (although he'd no doubt find La Toya's performance a bit understated – she doesn’t do a single “sha-mon”).

The lyrics appear to be about her estrangement and subsequent reunion with the Jackson clan.

Ch-ch-check it out...

While we're feeling the La Toya love (are we?) why not have a look at/listen to her S/A/W produced non-hit "(Ain't Nobody Loves You) Like I Do". It's almost enough to make you think she could have been a proper pop star in the '80s if she'd got a decent song and if not for her dodgy husband.

Scott Keenan
The P.Y.Ts ain't so young nowadays o'clock