Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" cover by Amanda Palmer (live)

At the Troubadour Club, West Hollywood, CA - June 25, 2009. For those in a hurry slide the start point to 1:54, as this version has the full spoken intro, (and untidily, the first few seconds of the next song ...).

Michael Jackson had died, aged 50, of an apparent heart attack earlier the same day. Amanda rearranged Billie Jean, added it to the set and performed it as a form of remembrance.

Michael Jackson was never a big part of my life growing up and Billie Jean was not a song that I particulary loved but this take on it by Amanda made my hair stand on end and moved me like the original never did.

And Windy has posted the same piece but with much better video at : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnEpuYxYIVI Nice :) .

[Tech note: If you let Windy's run for 49 seconds then start mine and faff around with the pause/play to get them in sync you get the high end sound of Windy's combined with the low end sound of mine with the two views of Amanda and that is ... err ... interesting? Maybe. End tech note]

[Tech note: The video is dark because ... it was dark. End of tech note]

[Random note: Al Yankovic was in the audience, as was her beau Neil Gaiman]

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Amanda
• Palmer
• Dresden
• Dolls
• Michael
• Jackson
• Tribute
• 2009
• Billie
• Jean
• Neil
• Gaiman

[SimohammeD007]

thank you for posting that , but why you didn't delete the introduction ?? is so long

[DoktorMochaXYZ]

@SimohammeD007 I posted two versions. This is the long one, for Amanda Palmer completists and it captures how she felt about MJ, and why she even put this cover together, which is of interest to AFP devotees, but I'll admit probably not to anyone else. Also the description contains a link that takes you almost to the start of the song. The other version I posted is just the song.

[Johnny123456789x]

What is the song she begins at the end of the video?

[DoktorMochaXYZ]

@Johnny123456789x It's "Shores of California" - there's a cool official video for that song that you can probably find online

[Fentman34]

As a devoted MJ fan of 33 years who believes Billie Jean is the greatest song EVER (period), I love what she did with this version. And it only shows just how brilliant the song actually is on so many levels. It is a drama set to music and comes with the greatest single performance piece ever, as well. I'll put MJ performaing this live in concert up against any other artist in history.

[cheriebedee]

ah my gosh... that gives me goosebumps....

Amanda does the best covers...

[eponinesyndrome]

amazing.

[RayRayOfficial]

she's crap.

[springman23]

Why does everyone who covers the song sing it slower?It is an energic song and it sounds much better if you guys sing it so..

[idontam]

Crimen Sollicitationis

[BilliamXWeckett]

I was there at the show and everyone had this look on their faces that said "We've lost someone great, but we are still in this together". It was amazing to be there for that. Not one person didn't have tears in their eyes. Thanks for posting this.

[VulpesScabiosa]

though i'm not that of a devoted mj fanboy i really do appreciate the artistic value of his songs and his influence and impact he did have on today's popular culture. still this very special by afp is just so absolutely thrilling i can hardly describe it. don't know why every little thing she does is just so bloody awesome. brilliant piece here and great tribute to mj.

[CarojinWarrior]

It was very courageous to do this song at the time that she did, when everyone was SO sensitive to MJ covers, because apparently MJ was the only artist licensed to make music T__T

I think she did great, and I'm not a particular fan of either of them.

[ILoveYouOmerBhatti]

<3 . love mj

[ker246]

That piano intro is absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much for posting this video!!