Michael Jackson in studio "State Of Independence" (RARO)

[@melatomic]

This footage needs to be saved at all costs.

[@ordepm9868]

Wow Donna!! You had "The Cream of the Cream'' supporting you big time!! Hey you deserved it..QUEEN!!

[@BobNew-n5i]

Unbelievable...so many legends in one room

[@halerelic5169]

To bad they didn't invite Jon

[@Soundboy817]

Damn so many musical legends in one room

[@skatoad]

Never knew all these greats sang on this track as well! Very awesome find. RIP Donna!

[@TracyAdams-ry2fc]

They were also on the We are the world song.

[@davep8221]

Just a slight correction, the original song is by Jon Anderson of Yes and Vangelis from "The Friends of Mr Cairo." As good as these people are, Jon Anderson, as always, is transcendent.

[@MI-sm5ge]

Well i'm a huge Jon Anderson fan since 1970 but even i have to admit this version by Donna Summer is definitive, in large part thanks to Quincy Jones peerless arrangement. I heard that Jon thinks that too.Interestingly this song is one of Brian Enos favourite songs of all time. Only Jon could've written something as crazy yet as astonishingly beautiful as this. Bless him he is a one off! The ''YES i know why i am alive....'' section always moves me to tears -- its so moving and so poignant, particularly in this version by Donna RIP

[@jackgrant9301]

He does a lovely acoustic cover. I love all three versions of this song.

[@Andrewclovis]

Never knew this and it’s one of my all time greatest! Thanks for this

[@masomaf]

I was listening to this song and wondered why the back ground choir sounded so amazing. This is the answer.

[@e.romero9309]

Same

[@elove2.038]

That's Greg Philligaines hugging Michael Jackson ❤️❤️❤️💯💯💯

[@zentraveler1834]

It was this song that brought me to Donna Summer

[@Michelle_Schu-blacka]

I can't imagine having all those legends on my backing track. One day I'm going to write a song and have legends on the backing, regardless of the cost.

[@nellieprestwood8088]

On this casual Friday, I am changing the name to "Feel Good Friday." On that day, the studio's feeling was love, admiration, acknowledgment, and respect for each other gifts and talents. It felt spiritual. The studio day with Quincy Jones or "Q" his preference. With his skills and talents that I could only wish to accomplish such a great height in my career. I do not recall the studio's name, but what I will never forget was the incredible star power in the room on that day. Maybe I used the wrong words; it wasn't power isn't the right word? It's was a calling on the gifted and most prominent artists of my generation. I had the feel of being blessed to be there. Donna didn't have any vocals add recording on this day. They used Donna's tracks to lay down the backup singer's vocals. Greg Phillinganes, a gifted keyboardist, add a little sweetness at the end of the session with a gospel flare.

[@staplehill9489]

Nailed in one take, done! THIS is why the 80's was a better decade for pop music than now. IPerfection

[@MariaJuarez-oc7zq]

This song should have been a massive hit in the US. The American public didn't get its importance at the time. However, it was huge hit throughout Europe, Japan and Latin America.

[@phyphy1174]

3:04 - Michael Jackson practicing dance moves. Haha!

[@Itoldyouso15]

Yesss because his being was all about everything music

[@TryDiy]

came on!

[@mehuejael]

Amazing...so many voices....great song indeed.

[@davidevans7643]

I love both of them ❤

[@moisessan1]

I'm in love with this song

[@re.v.e]

Meuuu Deusss que raridades obrigada por compartilhar essa joia rara😭😭😭😭

[@fakahi]

Legends!!!

[@bradnobl]

Honestly never heard this song till a year ago.

[@Equality72521sr]

Covering Jon Anderson and Vangelis... RESPECT!

[@astridmurillo-h5t]

Que jóvenes bellos 😍❤️😍❤️ que voces hermosas.

[@kikecastillo2637]

Tremendos cantantes en coros!!!

[@gregdietz5183]

A great song written by the great Jon Anderson (and Vangelis).

[@mrprogrock1]

they would need more chops in that room to cover close to the edge

[@bb-boy4835]

that's the blooming start of the US richest ERA , black people giving the soul to music , enriching the land and flooding people lives with happyness.THIS ARTISTS DNA VIDEO IS SO PRECIOUS.

[@002lisamarie]

Love you Michael xx

[@Arthurpewdy]

Donna was awesome doing that song. Sad loss.

[@NN-fo1xo]

This video is amazing Thanks for posting

[@willymaiz5884]

Siempre pensé que esta es una de las mejores canciones de Donna Summer pero muy poca conocida y ahora veo este vídeo donde el coro de la canción es cantada por estos Fenómenos nunca me equivoque.

[@diegomar1000ify]

es de jon anderson y vangelis ,no es de donna, qeu hace una hermosa version, pero el original es maravilloso y superlativo por los creadores

[@kidmusic28]

Only Dionne can hold a pen like its a cigarette (2:45). 🤣. That woman is a class act

[@moniquemiller5536]

she was smoking fr lol

[@mcmaximon1]

I had no idea! AMAZING x

[@charlesdavis545]

This was the #Wearetheworld precursor; everybody in that room was in that session. #MichaelMcdonald #JamesIngram #Michael #Dionne #KennyLoggins #StevieWonder. Only Michael Mcdonald, Christopher Cross and Brenda Russel weren't in We are the World

[@harmono8766]

Wow. Thanks for posting. Jon and Vangelis must have been so happy.

[@pretzelberger2125]

Only Quincy Jones (RIP) could get together this frankly outrageous kind of lineup just for backing vocals! Btw: am I the only one having difficulty telling Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins apart? Just as well they had different shirts on.

[@BlackPrimeMinister]

They are white men with beards but aside from that look nothing alike.

[@hallson2917]

R:I:P MJ, DONNA , James Ingram and QUINCY!

[@euronick61]

Yes, This was recorded in late 81 early 82, Thriller was recorded later in 82.

[@daniellastuart3145]

the original was written & recorded in 1981 by Jon & Vangelis, D Summers version was 1982

[@nathanlopez5667]

Michael was already laying the foundation for Thriller down right after the Jacksons Triumph tour that ended in 1981 and was demoing for the album I believe work began the actual recording for The Girl is Mine sometime in April 1982

[@ericaedwards8386]

Wow and that song with Donna didn't even do all that great did it? Nice that she had all those great musicians doing the background thats dam awesome!!

[@Lemondoor]

Right. It would be 10 years before a cover of the song would become a major hit with the Moodswings and Christie Hynde from The Pretenders on lead vocals. That is the version people tend to know.

[@br377jono9]

....did well in the Netherland (No1), Luxembourg (No8), Australia (No10, Ireland (No10) and the UK (NO 14). No41 on the Billboard. chart!!!

[@BlackPrimeMinister]

@@br377jono9 Yes, it did well here in the UK and got plenty of radio play. I loved it as a kid. It's quite an experimental sounding song.

[@Raymond_Petit]

​@@Lemondoorthis version was the first cover. What ten years are you talking about! The original version and Donna's cover are the best known.

[@Fieldsfangirl28]

so awesome James Ingram and Michael McDonald also Christopher Cross all singing too awesome!!

[@WooBino.]

Jon Anderson from Yes and Vangelis wrote this.

[@MrYourekiddingme]

Did you notice he introduced James Ingram and Michael McDonald? Later they went on to record Ya Mo Be There.

[@zanohoriamazo1]

The woman in the control room dancing looked like Nancy Pelosi to me. When I checked the credits, it listed Peggy Lipton, Quincy’s wife who was an actor featured on the late ‘60’s early ‘70’s t.v. series, Mod Squad. She had been blond back then, but curious if that was her. Must be Greg Phillingaines playing piano at the end. He was the one who led Stevie into the room on his arm. Greg became MJ’s musical director on bad tour & played on much of Michael’s recordings like Off the Wall, & Thriller. At the end the blond lady walking through the studio is actress Dylan Cannon. This session was definitely a precursor to the We Are the World project.

[@dongray6834]

Wow .

[@abefinklestein711]

dizamn! i know donna aint make no money off this song! she had damn near everybody who was anybody in music!

[@steviec6295]

Put that damn cigarette out now Dionne! Damn!

[@liveandmore]

Thanks for sharing. Such a great moment in music!! There's a typo, though. It' Donna Summer without the S.

[@ladyofspa]

I want more😂😢🎉

[@halerelic5169]

Jon & Vangelis released "State of Independence" as a single in 1981

[@fodaktifur2086]

Nunca entendi porque a Donna Summer não participou do we are the world

[@Emanuel9991000]

Olha faltou gente: Barry White, Isaac Hayes, The Four Tops, Teddy Pendergrass, Peabo Bryson, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughn, Patti Labelle, Aretha Franklin.....

[@migueldelacruz5347]

All That talent

[@ThomasKelly669]

The Album it’s from The Friends of Mr Cairo, is outstanding

[@feanorian21maglor38]

A great cover of the Jon and Vangelis original... RIP Vangelis

[@marcellajacksonfan7]

Yes! :)

[@kalaika69]

Wow...they did this before we are the world.i had know Idea.

[@lisasolier504]

If you were signed with Quincey part of your contract is that you had to sing back up on other records if he called you in.

[@SynClaiRWest]

Anyone here pay attention to Michael Jackson's moves from 2:51-3:00.

[@MARCIE12ification]

Wow

[@Met_Ethio]

This session was like paying $500 for a 50 cent coffee.

[@ajs41]

This is around April 1982 I think. Can anyone confirm? Just before MJ started recording the Thriller album.

[@nathanlopez5667]

More like December 1981 January 1982 at latest he actually started demoing songs for Thriller right after The Jacksons Triumph tour but yes first actual recordings for the Thriller album were as early as April 1982 with the song The Girl is Mine

[@ajs41]

@@nathanlopez5667 Thanks.

[@meisterlymanu5214]

this will blow your mind too. Listen to that bass on the record, MJ stole it for Billie Jean, they sound almost identical. Quincy didnt want BJ on Thriller, but relented in the end, he just felt Michael had ripped off this record too much. Michael blended the bass of this, with Hall and Oates "I Cant Go Fot That", to which H and O understandable felt they couldnt hear any similarity to it. I agree.

[@bladebrown4191]

@@meisterlymanu5214 MJ had already recorded the Billie Jean demos in 1981, before working with Quincy again. This song was recorded in 82.

[@meisterlymanu5214]

@@bladebrown4191 wrong. MJ admitted he stole the bass from Independence.

[@jmartradio]

Quincy brought me here.....

[@SniffyPoo]

that is quite a lineup of backing singers

[@traceebclaybrook]

Well, since Quincy ahem "Two Faced Jones" is hell bent on calling MJ a thief, what does that say about him as the producer? I still cannot hear the Bellie Jean connection. This song has more of an Island feel to it, but I guess we all hear differently.

[@malekmo64]

Listen to the title track of The Friends Of Mr Cairo not State Of Independence Michael and Quincy listened to the entire album after being at this recording session.

[@karithema9ician657]

Quincy is a closet homosexual who was bitter He couldn’t do anything spectacular without Michael 🤷🏾‍♂️😂

[@EnronnSierra]

Michael was like Dionne, do you really have to smoke here and now?

[@loubamour]

is that Christopher Cross in the orange shirt ?

[@trekkie23]

Yes

[@oliverbendallcharles]

Kenny Loggins is adorable

[@thedarkstranger963]

So this is the actual beginnings of USA for AFRICA?

[@TheoriginalMach2000]

@Ford Torino nope - Baidn Aid was 2 years after this

[@RaulBillieJean]

this is before thriller, right?

[@DetroitLives313]

It was recorded around the same time they were recording Thriller in 1982.

[@fritzeberlin]

wow! and Donna was not there???

[@maatspear]

She likely was on maternity duty

[@biche447]

i likeeeeeeeeeeee

[@rickyparrilla2426]

Was this the actual recording???

[@themotownboy1]

This Donna Summer album should have been her "Thriller" equivalent.

[@rahulmoodgal7664]

Indeed!

[@michaelfan86]

Thriller was a vastly different album and sound than Donna Summers produced albums, not sure how she could pull off a Thriller album for herself.

[@TheoriginalMach2000]

@@michaelfan86 She kinda created the mixing rock with dance, so she could have easily done a Thriller styled album.

[@maatspear]

Her Thriller album was Bad Girls in 1979

[@themotownboy1]

The reason I called this album Donna Summer’s “Thriller” equivalent was that it was also produced by Quincy Jones, who produced “Thriller.”

[@TryDiy]

Good grief was there any 80's superstar not there!

[@BlackPrimeMinister]

It's ridiculous how stacked and deep that bench is. You just couldn't do that today, partly because the talent isn't there now. "Backing vocals", bloody hell.

[@kemataholt3204]

It's a dope musical moment...but how much did they spend for this? cause they sound exactly like any other random choir. lol

[@freetheworld2671]

they weren't paaid though!

[@BlackPrimeMinister]

This is a horrible comment. The choir makes the song. Perhaps your ears need cleaning?

[@meisterlymanu5214]

This will blow your mind. Listen to the bass on this record, MJ stole it for Billie Jean, they sound almost identical. Quincy J didnt want BJ on Thriller, but relented in the end, he just felt Michael had ripped off this record too much. Michael blended the bass of this, with Hall and Oates "I Cant Go For That", to which H and O understandable felt they couldnt hear any similarity to it. I agree.

[@carolinagonzalezs.]

Michael Jackson didn't steal any song.

[@meisterlymanu5214]

Q Jones has admitted Michael did. MJ himself admitted he used other songs and blended them. @@carolinagonzalezs.

[@akapam57]

You wouldn't have know anything if Quincy hadn't said anything. I see it now only after they broke it down. But they sound different to me.​@@meisterlymanu5214

[@HypnoticHollywood]

Why were all these legends there for this song, and what year is this?

[@TheoriginalMach2000]

This was in 1982 a few years before We Are The World. It's the song that gave Quincy and Michael the idea for it.

[@andrewgardner9615]

Was that Dyan Cannon?

[@phoenixforce6595]

Yes

[@lylepetrov6505]

Is that Dyan Cannon strolling at the end of the video? Whom are the other women besides Dionne Warwick and Brenda Russell? What is special about this track aside from the talents involved? Does this track signify something?

[@Pausa96]

thanks(;

[@issiewizzie]

Musicians without you egos

[@dongray6834]

Only Q could pull that off .

[@GregoryGLake]

Jealous Dionne Warwick Envy Glances to Michael Jackson on Her Right.

[@Mirror1973]

So this probably and very likely planted the seed for USA for Africa happenings three years later ❤

[@cijicampbell2097]

Quincy Brought me here...

[@sieteocho]

Quincy brought everybody here.... he's the producer.

[@angelsoul1974]

And he's a liar!

[@Mauro-fq5xm]

Donna Summer.

[@jman6208]

This is for we are the world not state of independents

[@rasul01]

Ma'am are you joking? You can clearly hear them singing State of Independence

[@DarrenGlen]

So Michael is taking notes here i guess and saying to himself "im gonna rip off that bassline...slow it down a bit and call it Billie Jean" then...

[@michaelfan86]

Darren Glen he never did that. The song sounds nothing like Billie Jean, not even the baseline is the same. Not sure where you got that. Oh I forgot you people get that crap from the internet bloggers and articles. Let me tell you something, most of those people don’t do any real investigation when writing their articles.

[@muvee69]

Quincy Jones was the producer on both this album and on the Thriller album

[@DarrenGlen]

@Erfan when you know so little and have no clue in your attempt to be smart that you erroneously call Michaels biggest song "Billy Jane"...#fail

[@naskray]

@@michaelfan86 Quincy Jones now talks this crap on every corner. Aging sometimes shows people’s real nature - narcissism and jealosy

[@joshepdanishevsky3045]

Stevie Wonder is G-d further

[@Bodyhealthsoul]

The DARK SKINNED, short-haired Michael Jackson [sans the RIDICULOUS/WEIRD make-up] will always have a special place in my heart. Now the one that PURPOSELY changed his normal & good looking appearance to a ghoulish space-alien-drag queen [who was also accused MULTIPLE times of molesting boys]...all I can say is Damn, WTF happened?

O Michael desde o primeiro dia de vida dele até o último dia, sempre estará em meu coração. Descanse em paz Rei do Pop!

[@BlackPrimeMinister]

While I also love dark-skinned Michael, he always loved his culture, said so on multiple occasions and you can see that on the "Remember The Time" video which remains the most important depiction about Black Africa in popular culture 30 years after it's release. No effort before or since has reconnected Ancient Egypt to the Black People who created it so successfully. The ALLEGATION WERE ENTIRELY FALSE. The FBI had a secret wire-tap on him for years and nothing came of it because Jackson was the VICTIM of several extortion and shake-down attempts. YOUR COMMENT IS DISGUSTING AND DISRESPECTFUL and you should be ashamed of yourself. You will never destroy his name. Have a nice week.

[@FallacyAsPraxis]

This was never a Donna Summer song. It wasn't even an original. She was used by Quincy Jones as a studio session singer just like everyone else in this room. It was all about Quincy Jones and his 'sound'. He did this same thing with James Ingram and a few others and stifled their careers. The DJs hated this song because it was too glossy and over-produced, and that's why it didn't get much airplay and never broke the Top 50.

[@mundann]

Prequel to We are the world

[@darrylmorrison6127]

Well that's just ridiculous. Dozens of Grammys between them, and they're singing 'Shablamidi, shablamida' as the most over-achieving backup group ever.

[@quazar912]

why is Michael black???

[@charlesdotson4766]

quazar912 Because he was black!!!! The lightening of his skin and pigmentation was due to what he said was caused by vitiligo. Have you not seen his mother and dad, and the rest of the family including Janet??

[@EmmettGlenn]

Michael began developing white spots on his skin all over his body right around this time. He used "black" makeup to cover the depigmented areas on his face and generally wore gloves to cover his hands. But as the disease spread and his skin became more and more covered with "white areas," (vitiligo is a disease in which the skin loses pigment cells, what we call melanin), it became more practical to cover the remaining dark areas with "white" makeup. The change in his outward appearance generated a lot of media buzz, which Michael liked, but pretended he hated.

[@swoodc]

michael stole this song and turned it into Billy JeaN!

[@daniellastuart3145]

ya it it a great song by two prog rockers called Jon (Anderson)and Vanglies for the 1982 album Friend's of Mr Cairo

[@83jdc1]

allegedly

[@jpvbs492]

But Michael made Billie Jean before this.... LOL

[@mrprogrock1]

i robot by alan parsons sounds like b j too