10 Incredible Michael Jackson Songs You've Probably Never Heard
2. Speed Demon - Bad
Bad doesn't usually get the same type of adulation as Thriller. Even at the low points of the previous album, Michael was still at the top of his game, using Quincy Jones almost like an instrument to achieve the pop perfection he was looking for. There was definitely some more musical territory, but Speed Demon takes all the wonder of Thriller and jam packs it into a single song.
Starting with a groove that sounds reminiscent of the more rock-influenced material like Beat It, the real magic comes in the chorus, where the entire track is elevated to the max. Even though Michael has been front and center on every single one of these cuts, it's not even his sultry voice that really lands the killing shot here. Blowing right past Jackson's vocal is the bass guitar, which is one of the funkiest things ever put to a Michael Jackson record.
Compared to the rest of the songs on Bad, this makes everything else feel tepid by comparison, with the main vocal hook line going by just in enough time for you to realize "Oh damn... Mike's actually singing." You can keep your Billie Jeans and your Beat Its, because this song alone is enough to make a die-hard Jackson fan for the rest of your life.