"This Is It" Soundtrack Lyrics

“Michael Jackson’s This Is It — The Music That Inspired the Movie” – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Review

How do you review a rehearsal? By listening for intent. Michael Jackson’s This Is It captures a show that never opened, and a soundtrack built as a living setlist — hits arranged in the order the O2 residency would have played them. The film lets arrangements breathe: a cappella fragments, count-offs, and corrections, the bones of spectacle before the glitter.

What stands out is musical direction and economy. Michael Bearden’s band tucks under Jackson’s phrasing; grooves lean forward, never rushing him. Needle-drops aren’t the point — these are canonical recordings sequenced to mirror the film — but you hear fresh edges: sharper guitar bites for “Beat It,” orchestral swells readying “Earth Song,” a noir suite before “Smooth Criminal.” It’s rehearsal as revelation.

Genres & themes in phases — New jack swing & industrial stomp (“Jam,” “They Don’t Care About Us”) — precision and power; silky R&B (“Human Nature,” “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”) — vulnerability; classic pop/rock set-pieces (“Smooth Criminal,” “Beat It,” “Black or White”) — showmanship as story; gospel-tinged anthems (“Man in the Mirror,” “Earth Song”) — communal catharsis.

How It Was Made

Director Kenny Ortega shaped hundreds of hours of private rehearsal footage into a feature concert documentary. Michael Bearden served as music director for the O2 show and onscreen rehearsals, with a crack band (including guitarist Orianthi) executing updated arrangements. Columbia/Sony cut the film from multicam rehearsal and stage-screen content; the companion album — issued by Epic/MJJ — presents masters and previously unreleased material, including the posthumous single “This Is It.”

Tracks & Scenes

“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”

Where it plays:

Opening number in the film’s setlist flow. Jackson tests band dynamics, drops a quick a cappella “Speechless” tag, then rides the call-and-response. Camera alternates between stage wide shots and tight musical direction. Non-diegetic in the film (rehearsal performance audio).

Why it matters:

Establishes pace and authority; you hear the show’s pulse before the pyro.

“Jam” → “The Drill/They Don’t Care About Us”

Where it plays:

“Jam” slams into a militaristic “Drill” interlude — dancers pound out formations, then the snare cadence triggers “They Don’t Care About Us.” Split screens show precision choreography and MJ’s mic’d guidance. Rehearsal mid-early sequence. Non-diegetic performance audio.

Why it matters:

Frames Jackson as exacting bandleader; political edge meets metronomic stomp.

“Human Nature”

Where it plays:

MJ workshops phrasing from a stool, grows it with keys, then full band swells in. You can hear count-ins and breath — a masterclass in dynamic control. Early-mid film.

Why it matters:

Shows process: he builds intimacy first, spectacle second.

“Smooth Criminal” (film-noir short → stage)

Where it plays:

New black-and-white short drops Jackson into classic Hollywood — cut with Gilda footage — before the stage cue hits. Gloves fly, he “catches” Rita Hayworth’s tossed glove; then the band punches into the rehearsal arrangement.

Why it matters:

Cinema grafted onto concert: the noir insert sets up a hard-swinging stage routine.

“The Way You Make Me Feel”

Where it plays:

Outdoor backlot set: scaffolding, crane, and a walking groove. Jackson tweaks the tempo, asks for space around the beat, plays with staging marks.

Why it matters:

Shows his obsession with feel — the pocket is the scene partner.

“I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” (feat. Judith Hill)

Where it plays:

Onstage duet rehearsal — close mics, eye contact, minimal movement. Camera lingers on Hill and MJ smiling through phrasing adjustments.

Why it matters:

Intimacy amid spectacle; a rehearsal that already lands like show night.

“Thriller” (3D short → stage)

Where it plays:

Brand-new 3D cemetery short (planned for the O2 screens) rolls into updated choreography. Zombie lines hit, band punches stabs; lighting tests flicker.

Why it matters:

Nostalgia rebuilt with new tech — a legacy number reborn for arena scale.

“Beat It”

Where it plays:

Guitar army rehearsal — MJ cuts in to shape the stops, lets the solo breathe, then snaps the band back on the one. Camera favors Orianthi trading licks with the MD.

Why it matters:

Rock theatre, tightened. Arrangement polish is the star.

“Black or White” (feat. Orianthi)

Where it plays:

Late-set rocker. Jackson eggs Orianthi on — “this is your moment” — pushing the solo higher as the rhythm section locks into a halftime push.

Why it matters:

Mentorship on camera; MJ as coach, not just frontman.

“Earth Song” (environmental short → stage)

Where it plays:

Projected 3D short of planetary damage leads into the ballad turned anthem; wind cannons and rising platforms tested as MJ conducts the band’s crescendos.

Why it matters:

Activism as showpiece — the emotional apex planned for O2’s widest lens.

“Billie Jean”

Where it plays:

Spotlight, hat brim, low-glide footwork. He plays with silence — stretching the vamp until the room would have screamed.

Why it matters:

Pure iconography. Even in rehearsal, the silhouette sings.

“Man in the Mirror”

Where it plays:

Planned finale: gospel lift, full-band modulation, lights to audience. In-film, it serves as a curtain call and benediction.

Why it matters:

Closes the circle — individual change as mass chorus.

“This Is It” (posthumous single)

Where it plays:

Used over closing sequences/promotional materials rather than a rehearsal number. Studio recording with the Jacksons on backing harmonies.

Why it matters:

New old song — a 1980s collaboration finished and issued to frame the film.

Notes & Trivia

• The film lists Michael Bearden as music lead; the soundtrack album was issued by Epic/MJJ to coincide with the theatrical run and mirrors the film’s show order.
• “This Is It” (song) stems from an ’80s Paul Anka–Michael Jackson demo; the Jacksons added harmonies for the 2009 release.
• Guitarist Orianthi is prominently featured — especially on “Beat It” and “Black or White.”
• “Smooth Criminal” integrates Jackson into a Gilda sequence with Rita Hayworth before the stage hit — a concert-with-cinema pivot.
• The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in the U.S., with first-week sales reported at ~373,000.

Reception & Quotes

Critics generally praised the film’s entertainment value and Jackson’s precision, while noting its origin as estate-approved rehearsal footage. Fans embraced the sequencing of the album as a de facto setlist souvenir.

“Packs more than enough entertainment value to live up to its ambitious title.” Rotten Tomatoes — Critics’ Consensus

“An extraordinary documentary… not a sick man forcing himself, but a spirit embodied by music.” Roger Ebert — Chicago Sun-Times

“Backstage glimpses reveal a perfectionist shaping every bar.” Setlist/album coverage — contemporary press

Interesting Facts

• Setlist logic: The film’s order flows from opener to encore — the album mirrors this sequence across Disc 1.
• 3D revival: “Thriller” and “Earth Song” featured new short films built for the O2 screens; footage later appeared at the Grammys tribute.
• Mentor moments: On camera, MJ urges Orianthi to “shine,” documenting his band-as-family ethos.
• Studio to stage: Subtle arrangement changes (extended vamps, re-harmonized links) prep classics for 2009 arena sonics.
• Single strategy: Digital bundles offered the six “new” tracks without forcing fans to repurchase the entire hits disc.

Technical Info

• Type: Soundtrack/companion album to concert-rehearsal documentary
• Title: Michael Jackson’s This Is It (The Music That Inspired the Movie)
• Year: 2009 (album streeted Oct 26–27, 2009; film opened Oct 28, 2009)
• Film: Michael Jackson’s This Is It (dir. Kenny Ortega; 113 min)
• Music direction (film/show): Michael Bearden
• Label (album): Epic / Sony / MJJ
• Notable placements (as filmed): “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” (opener); “Drill/They Don’t Care About Us” (formation set-piece); “Smooth Criminal” (noir short + stage); “The Way You Make Me Feel” (backlot staging); “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” (duet with Judith Hill); “Thriller” (new 3D short); “Beat It” (guitar feature); “Black or White” (solo spotlight); “Earth Song” (environmental short); “Billie Jean” (spotlight dance); “Man in the Mirror” (finale).
• Availability: Streaming (Apple Music/Spotify); physical CD/vinyl; digital bundles with unreleased material.
• Chart/awards notes: Debuted #1 on the Billboard 200 (U.S.); the title track later received a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

Questions & Answers

Is the soundtrack a live album?

No. It’s primarily studio masters sequenced like the film’s setlist, plus six previously unreleased recordings (including “This Is It”).

Who led the band in the film?

Music director Michael Bearden; the band features players like guitarist Orianthi, seen shaping parts with Jackson.

What new visuals were created for the show?

Fresh short films for “Smooth Criminal” (film noir mash-up) and “Thriller,” and a 3D environmental film for “Earth Song.”

Where does the single “This Is It” appear in the movie?

As a closing/credits-adjacent cue rather than a rehearsal performance; it frames the project thematically.

Did the album succeed commercially?

Yes — it opened at No. 1 in the U.S. and multiple countries and quickly went multi-platinum worldwide.

Key Contributors

Sources: Sony/YouTube trailer; Wikipedia (film & album); Billboard; Apple Music; Spotify; IMDb (soundtracks/credits); Setlist & film notes (This Is It Wiki/Fandom); Pitchfork news; contemporary review/feature notes on short-film inserts.

November, 29th 2025