Prince and Michael Jackson were the quintessential pop stars of the 1980s. Both wrote hit after hit in the decade and both were often compared to one another, even if they were different in style and substance. As well as origin story.
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Prince, in purple, played guitar, often had live instrumentation as accompaniment and participated more in rock and blues. Though he was a wizard with the synth. Michael Jackson wrote his music but rarely if ever played instruments onstage. He was also a child star, coming up with his family band the Jackson 5.
[RELATED: The Story Behind the Other Prince Song Sinead O’Connor Covered]
Nevertheless, the two drove audiences wild with their charisma, dance moves and musical prowess. But the two never collaborated together. According to lore, they were going to perform on Jackson’s “Bad” but Prince didn’t want to sing or be sung the first line with Jackson (Your butt is mine). So, it never came to pass.
Until now! Kind of. Here, we asked ChatGPT for a little help, to write a song in the styles of the late all-time artists Jackson and Prince just to get a sense of what that might have been like had it ever come to fruition.
“Let’s Groove Together”
(Verse 1 – Prince style)
(Prince:)
In the purple moonlight, we dance so free,
Electric sparks between you and me.
My guitar strums, your hips sway,
Let’s groove together, let passion play.
(Chorus – Both styles)
(Prince:)
Ooh, baby, let’s get funky tonight,
(Michael:)
Shamone, it’s the way we ignite.
(Prince:)
In lace and leather, we’ll make history,
(Michael:)
With moonwalk moves, we’ll set hearts free.
(Verse 2 – Michael Jackson style)
(Michael:)
I’ll moonwalk ‘cross the floor, you spin around,
Together we’ll create a love so profound.
My falsetto voice, your sweet harmony,
We’re a musical blend, a symphony.
(Chorus – Both styles)
(Prince:)
Ooh, baby, let’s get funky tonight,
(Michael:)
Shamone, it’s the way we ignite.
(Prince:)
In lace and leather, we’ll make history,
(Michael:)
With moonwalk moves, we’ll set hearts free.
(Bridge – Both styles)
(Prince:)
I’ll play the chords that make you sigh,
(Michael:)
I’ll moonwalk till the morning light.
(Prince:)
Our styles may differ, but our hearts align,
(Michael:)
Together we’ll make this moment shine.
(Guitar Solo – Prince style)
(Dance Break – Michael Jackson style)
(Verse 3 – Both styles)
(Prince:)
In a world of rhythm and guitar,
(Michael:)
We’ll leave our mark, near and far.
(Prince:)
You’re the Purple Rain, my Billie Jean,
(Michael:)
Together we’ll conquer, be a dancing dream.
(Chorus – Both styles)
(Prince:)
Ooh, baby, let’s get funky tonight,
(Michael:)
Shamone, it’s the way we ignite.
(Prince:)
In lace and leather, we’ll make history,
(Michael:)
With moonwalk moves, we’ll set hearts free.
(Outro – Both styles)
(Prince:)
So, let’s duet forever, just you and me,
(Michael:)
Legends entwined, in harmony.
Final Thoughts
If Prince didn’t like the first line of “Bad” and bowed out of the duet because of that, it’s unclear whether the late singer would have dove into something like Electric sparks between you and me or In Lace and leather we’ll make history, but we’re not against the imagery!
It’s also a bit on the nose to have Jackson referencing moonwalking all the time. But, hey, sometimes you have the play the hits.
In the end, while this song is a bit too much of a caricature of the two artists, it is pleasant to feel a bit of their energy intertwining. Hey, they were like the two stands of pop culture DNA in the musical ’80s, after all. So, let them come together one more time here.
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images
