Michael Jackson and Madonna’s non-duet

Out Of The Closet
The could-have-been best song ever never was
Carolyn’s brilliant photo of Madonna and Michael Jackson at the Oscars in 1991 – as she said, one cannot underestimate how amazing the mere thought of them being in the same room was – brought memories flooding back. (I remember being home sick from school and getting the Smash Hits with the poster of them together in it)
As she pondered, we were all wondering if they would be doing “a duet of awesomeness”.
And little did we realise at the time, that was their plan!
Originally Michael wanted Madonna to duet with him on his song “In The Closet” from the Dangerous album.
The two met up, and after Madge stopped giggling about the title (she even asked him if he knew what it meant - HA!) she and MJ had a few disagreements – she wanted to make the song sexy and give him a makeover – and before you knew it, they were no longer doing a duet.
You can see her telling Jonathan Ross all about it below.

Instead the vocals intended for Madonna were performed by someone credited as “Mystery Girl”. It was later revealed that the voice was, somewhat bizarrely, provided by Princess Stephanie of Monaco.
When the song was made a single, MJ roped in Naomi Campbell to whisper the vocals ("sing") and dance around the desert pretending to find him attractive (“act”).

Unfortunately this gave Naomi the impression that she was a singer, and she later released her flop album Baby Woman.
Oh look! It’s the video for her single “Love and Tears” (which starts after two minutes of behind-the-scenes footage). Behold her “singing” (oh MY). Behold her nipples!

Oh MJ, you have so very much to answer for.
But this isn't the only amazing MJ hook-up we missed out on. Oh no. Previously Michael had also wanted to work with Prince. In fact “Bad” was intended to be a duet between the two. Producer Quincy Jones said Prince had declined the offer, politely telling Michael that the song “would be a hit without him” (i.e.: he thought it was crappy). The Purple One later joked that he refused to sing a song that featured the line “your butt is mine”. HA! Well dodged, Your Purpleness.
However given that Michael, Madonna and Prince were THE superstars of the ’80s and ’90s it does seem wrong that we were cheated out of these collaborations. (Although Prince and Madonna did work together on her Like A Prayer album, duetting on “Love Song” and Prince donating – uncredited – guitar bits to “Act of Contrition”, “Like A Prayer” and “Keep It Together”).
My new plan? For MJ’s family to chuck Prince and Madge an old demo and they can turn it into the best collaboration ever! It will be the new “Free As A Bird”!
DO IT!

Scott Keenan
Also never duetted with MJ o’clock