It had been barely a year since the Simpson family had entered each house. Also at Neverland Ranch. Michael Jackson has not missed a chapter. Above all, he loved Bart. Eager to be part of the phenomenon that was unfolding in 1990, he telephoned one night the father of the “yellow creatures”, Matt Groening himself. Among other things, he proposes to create a “number one“. In February 1991, Do the Bartman was an instant success and reached number one in several countries. Although the authorship of the ‘King of Pop’ is not entirely clear.
“Hello, I’m Michael Jackson”
By 1990, “Simpsons Mania” had spread everywhere. It had barely been a year since the series began airing and with just a dozen episodes, it was already one of the most popular television shows in the country. More than 30 million viewers had been trapped in the adventures of the yellow family… Michael Jackson too. I admired Homer, Marge, Lisa, Maggie, but mainly, he was a fan of Bart Simpson. Now well, the ‘King of Pop’ didn’t want to be just another spectator. I wanted to be part of the Fox phenomenon.
He didn’t think twice. A day, reached out to animated sitcom creator Matt Groening directly. The cartoonist himself explained the incredible call in Billboard: “I was sitting in the office late at night, the phone rang and I picked it up. A voice on the other end answered: “Hello, I’m Michael Jackson”. Matt assumed it was a joke: “the voice sounded like anyone doing a Michael Jackson impersonation.” He hung up the handset. Michael insisted. He called back, assuring that it was indeed him. He confessed that he was passionate about the show, and Bart in particular, and offered to write a “number one hit” about the character..
At that time, Michael Jackson was one of the biggest stars on the planet.. His connection to The Simpsons It was a very easy decision for the producers.
“The Ghost Songwriter”
Do the Bartman. It was the song that – supposedly – Michael Jackson had written. It was a rudimentary rap with an infectious rhythm that was included in the album The Simpsons sing the blues and which was released in November 1990. The theme is performed by Nancy Cartwright (the voice of Bart Simpson in the series) and Michael, also co-producer of the hit, participated in the backing vocals. However, in the credits of the singlereleased by Geffen Records, his name could not be found. who appeared was Bryan Loren, singer, songwriter and friend of Jackson. The rumors spread: Do the Bartman there was a “phantom songwriter” who was Michael Jackson. The producers denied..
Several years later, Groening cleared up the mystery and confessed that Jackson had actually co-written the song. And had kept his mouth shut because the singer was contractually prohibited from writing for any label other than Epic Records: “I always found it amazing that no one found out that Michael Jackson wrote that song.…I was a huge fan of the show.”
“I assure you he didn’t”
The case was not yet settled. In 2015, when the publishing and composition rights of Do the BartmanBryan Loren denied what the creator of The Simpsons said in an article published in Music Business Worldwide: “I am the sole composer of the song. It is true that with me, Michael Jackson did the backing vocals and It was his idea to call the song Do the Batman. And insisted that I include his name in the letter. That’s why I wrote the sentence: ‘If you can do the Bart, you’re bad like Michael Jackson’. Obviously, he was involved. Maybe what I’m telling you isn’t as sensational as saying that Michael Jackson co-wrote the song, but I assure you that he has not“. There is also another line in the final stanza in which it is mentioned: “Eat your heart, Michael! Whoops !”
The rights of Do the Bartman they sold for £25,000. They were bought by an anonymous buyer.
We may never know the truth
Anyway, the truth is that Do the Bartman it was an instant hit. In February 1991, it topped the charts in five countries around the world. In the UK, it stayed at number one for three weeks and was the fifth best-selling single of the year.. The Simpsons became the first animated series to top the charts after Sugar Sugar. from ‘The Archie Show’ in 1969.
While we may never know the full story or extent of Michael Jackson’s involvement in rap, what seems clear is that he did the backing vocals, he was the creator of the title Do the Bartmanco-produced it and emphasized his desire that his name appeared in the song. this last it’s obvious what happened: “If you can do the Bart, you’re bad like Michael Jackson” and when it ends with Bart saying “Suck that, Michael!”.