Michael Jackson is an underappreciated songwriter and an underappreciated singer. I think the world only gives him the most recognition for his dancing. He was an awesome singer and an amazing songwriter.
Siedah GarrettWhat happened was I was a songwriter on Quincy Jones' publishing company, Qwest, for two and a half years before I gave him the song for Michael Jackson. He had a meeting with the songwriters. I think there were about six of us on the West Coast and we all had a meeting at his house where he sort of gave us an outline of what he wanted. To finish this BAD album Jones needed one more song to round out the album. I took notes and then I then took my notes to my writing partner Glen Ballard.
Siedah GarrettThe whole first two-thirds of the I Just Can't Stop Loving You song is just he and I. He's singing lead and I'm doing all the harmonies and we're both singing all the background. We're singing all the choruses until the choir comes in. We were the first two-thirds of the song.
Siedah GarrettWhen we recorded the song I Just Can't Stop Loving You, my vocal range is a little higher than Michael's range. He had me re-sing the demo in the new key. Then doing that he filmed me singing this demo in the new key. I actually said, "What are you doing? Why are you filming this?" He said to me, "Because I want to sing it like you. You sound so great and I want to sing it just like you." I said, "Oh, great, Mike, my friends are really going to believe me when I tell them that Michael Jackson wanted to sing this song just like me." We laughed about that.
Siedah GarrettMy whole childhood when I was growing up, Michael Jackson was my husband. My cousins had Jackie Jackson and my sister had Jermaine Jackson. We all had the brothers, but Michael was my husband. So, to me, in my little 6-year-old or 13-year-old brain I'm talking to my husband. I don't want to get over excited. I don't want to sound too much like a screaming fan.
Siedah Garrett