What Paul McCartney Thought of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’
Paul McCartney appeared on a divisive track from Michael Jackson’s Thriller. In retrospect, Paul revealed his feelings on Thriller and some of Jackson’s other music. He also discussed one of the connections between the Fab Four and the King of Pop.
Paul McCartney was a huge fan of a genius behind Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’
During the early days of Jackson’s career, he worked with a variety of producers. He made the decision to collaborate with Quincy Jones for his 1979 disco album Off the Wall, which changed the entire trajectory of popular music. Jackson and Jones then teamed up for the two biggest records of the King of Pop’s career: Thriller and Bad. Paul played a memorable role in the rise of Thriller when he dueted with Jackson for the record’s first single: “The Girl Is Mine.”
In a 2024 post on PaulMcCartney.com, the former Beatle mourned Jones’ death. Paul seemed to have a favorable view of Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad. “Quincy, or ‘Quince’ or ‘Q’ as he was known, always had a twinkle in his eye and had a very positive, loving spirit which affected everyone who knew him,” he said. “His work with Michael Jackson is, of course, legendary, and he had so many other strings to his musical bow.”
Paul McCartney said Michael Jackson’s producer was friends with The Beatles’
Paul said Jones was more connected to The Beatles than one might think. “He was supremely talented, and I felt privileged to have known him for many years,” the “Silly Love Songs” star said. “He was friends with George Martin, The Beatles’ producer, and, between the two of them, produced some very fine music.”
Paul noted the breadth of Jones’ life. “His long career stretches back to the early days when he was a trumpet player, then a band leader, then a producer of many great records,” he said. “But it is as a friend I would like to remember him. We always had fun in his presence, and his legend will continue through the years, but it is those private moments we were lucky enough to have with the great man that I will always remember fondly.”
How ‘Thriller’ and ‘The Girl Is Mine’ performed
Thriller went on to become the biggest blockbuster album in the history of music. The record topped the Billboard 200 for 37 weeks, lasting on the chart for a whopping 659 weeks in total. “The Girl Is Mine” was also a hit. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, lasting on the chart for 18 weeks.
While “The Girls Is Mine” was a hit, it has developed a poor reputation. Many fans of Paul and the King of Pop feel that the track is dull or too jocular for its own good. Others think that a duet between two musical icons should have been far more impressive (although Paul’s 1980s output was far from impressive). On top of that, “The Girl Is Mine” doesn’t hold a candle to the pair’s dance duet “Say Say Say,” which isn’t a great song, but at least it has a decent beat.
Regardless of your thoughts on “The Girl Is Mine,” Thriller as a whole is a classic — and Paul agrees.
