Michael Jackson: “I don’t want to offend” post-abortive women
Jackson isn’t the first recording artist to explore the controversial subject of abortion in song. It has also surfaced in the work of Neil Young, Madonna, Sinead O’Connor, and Lauryn Hill, among others. In “Abortion Papers,” Jackson approaches the matter carefully (and ambiguously): rather than presenting a dogmatic political perspective, he personalizes it through the story of a conflicted girl raised in a deeply religious home and her Bible-admonishing father. In his notes for the track, Jackson wrote, “I have to do it in a way so I don’t offend girls who have gotten abortions or bring back guilt trips so it has to be done carefully…. I have to really think about it.”
Jackson narrates the track with a strong, passionate vocal. Ironically, the main drawback of the track is its catchiness. It feels a bit strange wanting to dance and sing along to a song about abortion, but that’s exactly what the addictive groove inspires.
Kudos to Jackson for attempting to tackle a sensitive issue in a thoughtful manner, though it appears even he wasn’t quite sure about how it would play to listeners.
~ Joseph Vogel reviewing a previously unreleased Michael Jackson demo titled “Abortion Papers”. This and other demos are featured in the soon-to-be-released Bad 25 box set, via The Atlantic, September 11
BONUS! The Abortioneers weigh in with their own Abortion Playlist.
[Photo via Urban Music HQ]

Danceable and guilt-free – so profitability is not only for abortionists.
I’m sure his music publishing companies will love it. It’s not like they are concerned with 53 million customers they never had, or the devastation of the fathers and mothers.
One man’s liberty is another man’s tyranny.
When righteousness disappears so does all morality.
“When you think it does, then you abuse yours and deserve to lose it. ”
Oh the irony. You’ve now placed “Christers'” lives under yours by dictatating what they may or may not define under penalty of death.
wow. The trolls are out in force today.
Congrats, Jill! You hit a nerve. :)
Even though Jackson was brilliant, just the sight of him still gives me the creeps. He was a self-hating pedophile.
It’s nice that he doesn’t want to ofend post abortive women, but if we don’t tell the truth about abortion, more women will have abortions and be damaged by them. Sometimes we have to offned people to tell the truth. Although the message of “you sinned” can be couched in polite, non-judgmental terms, since all of us sin, we have to call a sin a sin at some point. Pointing people to the Lord and His forgiveness helps to soften the blow of telling them they sinned. But to just gloss over the issue like it doesn’t exist isn’t a loving message.
Are these playlists preloaded onto the donated iPods at some TX planned parenthoods? Do they complement ignored heartbeats well?
I know this is changing the subject and might be removed but . . .
Don’t you think Michael Jackson looked a LOT BETTER prior to the cosmetic surgery?
In his case, I think all that work was for the worse.
Jill,
…went to youtube to listen…sounds like someone is pleading with the girl not to get the abortion…lyrics are kind of fuzzy with the noise of the music, but I keep hearing something that sounds like, “What about love? What about life?”…
Jackson may not be getting credit for what sounds like a song that needs to be played today, in spite of his commentary on thoughts while writing it… was unable to nail down the lyrics…
Jill,
I hope you are reading this…just listened again…heard what sounded like, “…those abortion papers, signing your name against the Word of God, those abortion papers…”
Has anyone else really listened to this song? It sounds like Jackson was against abortion…
I agree LS. I found these lyrics online:
Sister don’t read, she’ll never know
What about love, living a Christian soul
What do we get, she runs away
What about love, what about all I pray
Don’t know the worst, she knows a priest
What about God, living is all I see
What do you get, things she would say
What about love, that’s all I pray
Those abortion papers
Signed in your name against the words of God
Those abortion papers
Think about life, I’d like to have my child
Sister’s confused, she went alone
What about love, what about all I saw
Biding a life, reading the words
Singing a song, citing a Bible verse
Father’s confused, mother despair
Brother’s in curse, what about all I’ve seen
You know the lie, you keep it low
What about heart, that’s all I’ve known
Those abortion papers
Signed in your name against the words of God
Those abortion papers
Think about life, I’d like to have my child
Those abortion papers (whoo)
Signed in your name against the words of God
Those abortion papers
Think about life, I’d like to have my child
Look at my words, what do they say
Look at my heart, burning is all heartbreak
What do you get, what do you say
What about love, I feel my sin
Those abortion papers
Signed in your name against the words of God
Those abortion papers
Think about life, I’d like to have my child
Those abortion papers (whoo)
Think about life, I’d like to have my child (whoo)
Who have the grateful, where will she go
What will she do to see the world
Sister don’t know, where would she go
What about love, what about all I saw
What would you get, don’t get so confuse
Love all the things, it’s just the things I do
Those abortion papers
Signed in your name against the words of God
Those abortion papers
Think about life, I’d like to have my child
Those abortion papers (abortion paper, this paper, hee-hee)
Those abortion papers (hee-hee-hee, hee, hee-hee)
I’d like to have my child (hee-hee, hee, hee-hee)
Those abortion papers (hee-hee, hee, hee-hee, hee, hee-hee, hee, hee-hee)
Those abortion papers (hee-hee, hee, hee-hee
I’d like to have my child (hee-hee, hee, hee-hee, hee-hee, hee-hee)
Those abortion papers (hee-hee, hee, hee-hee)
Thank you, Lrning.
Thanks for sharing the background on this. God bless.
Jackson was a philosopher – not a preacher – and he used his music to explore emotions on all kinds of subjects. He also wrote songs about demons, werewolves and ghosts, but he wasn’t an Occultist. Music is meant to stimulate the mind alongside the senses – like a painting or a sculpture, one’s appreciation is subjective and it’s up to the individual to interpret what they see or hear, but not to second-guess the artist.
Regarding Abortion Papers – reading the liner notes Michael Jackson struggled with the message of this song . . as he did with most of his music that concentrated on social issues .. racism, adultery, greed, injustice … At the time of this song, he was a practicing Jehovah Witness which shaped much of his ideology. He later defellowed himself from JW and while he was a God fearing and spiritual man, as far as most reports go – he didn’t adhere to any one particular religious doctrine but rather to all of them. He used his world wide fame to be a messenger of change through is thought provoking lyrics …. And his fortune to change the lives of many undeserved and underprivileged children throughout the world.
Notice on your site DO NOT’s rules. it’s stated no inflammatory nor slanderous .. but a sept 14th comment which has nothing to do at all with the article calling him a pedophile remains. If you post rules it would behoove you to enforce them.
Michael didn’t care about controversy, he challenged it. This song speaks at a level of mildness where not even Tommy Matola could touch. Absolutely the best thing I’ve heard all week. (That and The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour)