She's Trouble Explained

She's Trouble
Type:Song
Artist:Michael Jackson
Album:Thriller 40
Recorded:1981
Genre:
Length:4:13
Label:Epic
Producer:Quincy Jones

"She's Trouble", also known as "Trouble", is a song by Michael Jackson, recorded in 1981 and originally written for his Thriller LP.[1] However, Jackson's original version was an outtake and therefore not released, either as a single or an album cut.[2] Two versions of Jackson's demo leaked online, a rough vocal version and a final version in low quality. On November 18, 2022, Jackson's version was released on Thriller 40.[3]

Musical Youth version

She's Trouble
Cover:She's Trouble - Musical Youth.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Musical Youth
Album:Different Style!
B-Side:
  • "Yard Stylee" (US)
  • "Tell Jack" (UK)
Released:November 1983 (US)
Recorded:1981
Genre:
Length:3:06
Label:MCA
Producer:Peter Collins
Prev Title:Sixteen
Prev Year:1983
Next Title:Whatcha Talking 'Bout
Next Year:1984

In 1983, the song was recorded by British reggae band Musical Youth (although Jackson is not credited).[5] [6] Musical Youth's rendition of the song was released as a single in November, reaching number 65 on the US Billboard Hot 100, their second and last single to chart, after "Pass the Dutchie", which reached number 10 in early 1983,[6] and number 56 on Cash Box in early 1984.[7] It also charted in Canada, peaking at number 43.[8] On the US R&B chart, "She's Trouble" reached number 25.[9]

In the UK, where "She's Trouble" wasn't released until May 1984, it charted very minorly. It was the third of five singles released from their album Different Style! in the UK, the first four of which charted. It was the only charting single from the album in North America.

Reception

Reviewing for Record Mirror, Jennet Dainty described "She's Trouble" as a "polished, well produced piece from the kids, who don't sound at all youth-ish on this single. Danceable, sing-along-able stuff that's a sure indication that the band have moved out of the nursery and are no longer going to irritate the punters with their high pitched squeaking".[10] For Number One, Maureen Rice wrote that "Musical Youth were in sore need of something more than youth, novelty and enthusiasm if they were to sustain their appeal. Here it is. More disco than dub and more polish than spit, this is very smooth and very danceable".[11]

Track listings

7": MCA / MCA-52312 (US)

  1. "She's Trouble" – 3:06
  2. "Yard Stylee" – 3:39

7": MCA / YOU 8 (UK)

  1. "She's Trouble" (Special New Mix) – 3:15
  2. "Tell Jack" – 3:20

12": MCA / MCA-13986 (US)

  1. "She's Trouble" (Extended Version) – 4:28
  2. "She's Trouble" – 3:06
  3. "Sixteen" – 3:49

12": MCA / YOUT 8 (UK)

  1. "She's Trouble" (Special Extended Mix) – 7:45
  2. "Tell Jack" (Extended Mix) – 5:45

Charts

Chart (1984)!scope="col"
Peak
position
US Cash Box Top 10056

Other cover versions

The song was also covered by Scott Baio, released on his second album The Boys Are Out Tonight in May/June 1983[12] and by Michael Lovesmith on his debut album I Can Make It Happen released in June 1983.[13] [14]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Collier, Aldore. Michael Jackson tries to keep career from crumbling as he fights addiction to painkiller drugs and charges of child molestation. Jet. March 12, 2017. 1993-12-06.
  2. Book: Halstead, Craig. Michael Jackson: For the Record. Authors OnLine. 2007. 978-0-7552-0267-6.
  3. Web site: Michael Jackson Thriller 40 - She's Trouble . 2022-11-04 . Michael Jackson Official Site . en-US.
  4. Web site: Musical Youth | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links. AllMusic.
  5. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 -
  6. http://song-database.com/artist.php?aid=1942
  7. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 Singles, February 18, 1984 . March 11, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150601184430/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/19840218.html . June 1, 2015 . dead .
  8. http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.4430&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.4430.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.4430 RPM 50 Singles, January 21, 1984
  9. Web site: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Billboard.com. 2 January 2013. 27 May 2023.
  10. 12 May 1984 . Singles . . 19 . 19 March 2022.
  11. 5 May 1984 . Singles . . 36 . 19 March 2022 . flickr.com.
  12. 11 June 1983 . New LP/Tape Releases . . 27 . 19 March 2022.
  13. 2 July 1983 . New LP/Tape Releases . . 27 . 19 March 2022.
  14. Web site: Musical Youth - She's Trouble. Discogs.