Cover illustration from The Skipper comic book, November 1st, 1930
Would this song's existence be less confusing to me if I'd been a little older in 1984, when it was a hit? "State of Shock" was the only single from the Jacksons' Victory album that didn't have a video, and (non-coincidentally?) it was the only one that broke into the Top Ten. My mind just boggles at the idea of Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger hanging out in the studio in the early '80s! I don't consider Jagger to fall into the category of harmless/cuddly singers who would duet with Jackson, like Paul McCartney or Stevie Wonder.
The track isn't terrible for what it is, and it's impressive that it was written and produced by Michael himself. Also, it helps that Jagger is pretty anonymous for the bulk of the song, only becomes intrusive when he starts rambling in a creepy way toward the end. I guess "State of Shock" was originally conceived as a duet with Freddy Mercury (Wikipedia wouldn't lie to me about such things) - I'd like to have heard a full-blown collaboration between Mercury and Jackson from that period. Instead we're left with this decent (but not really an obvious hit) funk-pop track that fits well on the Victory album ... but has Mick Jagger on it for some reason.
"State of Shock" by the Jacksons (feat. Mick Jagger)
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