This Time Around (Michael Jackson song)

"This Time Around" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson from his ninth studio album, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, with a guest appearance by rapper the Notorious B.I.G. It was released as a promotional single in the US, and is the album's fourth single overall. The song, which details a musician's problems with being famous and dealing with stardom, was written by Jackson, while the music was composed by Dallas Austin, Bruce Swedien and René Moore.^[2] Austin and Jackson produced the song, while Swedien and Moore served as co-producers. In the United States, "This Time Around" entered three Billboard component charts, respectively peaking at numbers 18, 23, and 36 on the Dance Music/Club Play Singles, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, and Rhythmic Top 40, having charted solely due to radio airplay throughout the country. It received positive reviews from contemporary music critics.

"This Time Around"
Promotional single by Michael Jackson featuring the Notorious B.I.G.
from the album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
B-side	"Earth Song"
Released	December 26, 1995 (1995-12-26)
Recorded	1995[1]
Genre	New jack swing
Length	4:20
Label	Epic
Songwriter(s)	Michael Jackson Dallas Austin Bruce Swedien René Moore Christopher Wallace
Producer(s)	Michael Jackson Dallas Austin Bruce Swedien René Moore
Michael Jackson chronology
"Earth Song" (1995) "This Time Around" (1995) "Why" (1996)
The Notorious B.I.G. singles chronology
"The Points" (1995) "This Time Around" (1995) "Get Money" (1996)
Licensed audio
"This Time Around" on YouTube
Audio sample
"This Time Around" file help

Background and composition

The song and lyrics were written by Michael Jackson, while the music was composed by Dallas Austin, Bruce Swedien and René Moore. "This Time Around" is a song by Jackson that includes vocals by rapper the Notorious B.I.G. Austin and Jackson produced the song, while Swedien and Moore co-produced the song.^[3] It was recorded by both American musicians in 1995 for Jackson's ninth studio album, entitled HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, which was released in 1995 as a two-disc set.^[3]

"This Time Around" was written in common time,^[4] and was played in the key of D minor.^[4] The track's tempo is a moderate 106 beats per minute.^[4] The track has a basic sequence of Dm11–Dm9 as its chord progression.^[4] The song's lyrics are about Michael and Biggie's problems with being famous and dealing with stardom, and throughout the song Jackson asserts that he's been falsely accused as Biggie compares his issues and sympathizes with Jackson.^[5] On December 26, 1995, the track was released by Epic Records as a promotional single in the United States only. The promo was formatted in three different versions, which were as a standalone CD single with just the song, as a 12" single with remixes and as a maxi-single. The D.M. Radio Mix was released on the remix album Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix in May 1997.

Critical reception

The song received positive reviews from contemporary music critics in their review for the album. James Hunter of Rolling Stone described the song as being a "dynamite jam...done with Atlanta R&B hotshot Dallas Austin that's ripe for remixes".^[6] Jon Pareles of The New York Times believed that Jackson "muttered" lyrics such as "They thought they really had control of me".^[7] As a commercial single was not released for the song, "This Time Around" was inelligible to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time. The track appeared on Billboard component charts in the United States solely based on radio airplay throughout the country. It peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 chart in 1995.^[8] In 1996, the song peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart and at number 23 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.^[8][9]

Track listings

US CD promo

1. "This Time Around" – 4:21
2. "Earth Song" (Radio Edit) – 4:58
3. "Earth Song" – 6:46

US 12" promo

1. "This Time Around" (Dallas Main Extended Mix) – 7:15
2. "This Time Around" (Maurice's Hip Hop Around Mix) – 4:25
3. "This Time Around" (Maurice's Hip Hop Around Mix w/o Rap) – 4:25
4. "This Time Around" (Dallas Main Mix) – 6:40
5. "This Time Around" (Album Instrumental) – 4:12

Remixes

David Morales mixes "This Time Around" (D.M. Mad Club Mix) – 10:23 "This Time Around" (D.M. Mad Alternate Mix) – 10:36 [also known as "D.M. Mad Club Mix #2"] "This Time Around" (D.M. Mad Dub) – 8:00 "This Time Around" (D.M. Radio Mix) – 4:05 "This Time Around" (D.M. A.M. Mix) – 7:47 "This Time Around" (D.M. Bang Da Drums Mix) – 6:34 "This Time Around" (The Timeland Dub) – 7:22 "This Time Around" (The Neverland Dub) – 7:46 Maurice Joshua mixes "This Time Around" (Maurice's Club Around Mix) – 9:00 "This Time Around" (Maurice's Club Around Radio Mix) – 4:00 "This Time Around" (Maurice's Hip Hop Around Mix) – 4:25 "This Time Around" (Maurice's Hip Hop Around Mix w/ Drop) – 4:18 "This Time Around" (Maurice's Hip Hop Around Mix w/o Rap) – 4:25 Dallas Austin mixes "This Time Around" (Dallas Main Extended Mix) – 7:15 "This Time Around" (Dallas Main Mix) – 6:40 "This Time Around" (Dallas Main Mix w/o Rap) – 6:40 "This Time Around" (Dallas Radio Remix) – 4:31 "This Time Around" (Dallas Radio Remix w/o Rap) – 4:31 "This Time Around" (Dallas Clean Album Remix) – 4:21 "This Time Around" (Album Instrumental) – 4:12 Uno Clio mixes "This Time Around" (Uno Clio 12" Master Mix) – 9:25 "This Time Around" (Uno Clio Dub Mix) – 8:06 Georgie Porgie mixes "This Time Around" (Georgie's House N Around Mix) – 6:04 Joey "The Don" Donatello mixes "This Time Around" (The Don's Control This Dub) – 4:30 UBQ mix "This Time Around" (UBQ's Opera Vibe Dub) – 7:00 David Mitson mix "This Time Around" (David Mitson Clean Edit) – 4:21

Personnel

• Produced by Michael Jackson, Dallas Austin, Bruce Swedien and René Moore^[10]
• Recorded by Bruce Swedien and René Moore
• Mixed by Bruce Swedien
• Arranged by Michael Jackson, Dallas Austin, Bruce Swedien, and René Moore
• Michael Jackson – lead and backing vocals
• The Notorious B.I.G. – rap
• Dallas Austin – keyboards and synthesizers
• René Moore – percussion, keyboards, and synthesizers
• Bruce Swedien – percussion
• Michael Thompson – guitar
• Keith Rouster and Colin Wolfe – bass guitar^[1]

Charts

Chart performance for "This Time Around"

Chart (1995–1996)	Peak position
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[11]	18
US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[12]	23
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[13]	36

References

1. Lecocq, Richard; Allard, François (2018). "History". Michael Jackson All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London, England: Cassell. p. 464. ISBN 978-1-78840-057-2.
2. "BMI - Repertoire Search". BMI. Archived from the original on July 18, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
3. HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I liner notes Epic Records (1995).
4. "This Time Around - Michael Jackson Digital Sheet Music (Digital Download)". MusicNotes.com. Alfred Publishing Co. Inc. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
5. Reddy, Deepika (June 23, 1995). "Jackson's latest lives up to his character". The Daily Collegian. Archived from the original on February 26, 2001. Retrieved April 8, 2010.
6. Hunter, James (August 10, 1995). "Michael Jackson HIStory". Rolling Stone.
7. Pareles, Jon (June 18, 1995). "Pop View; Michael Jackson Is Angry, Understand?". The New York Times. Retrieved September 18, 2008.
8. "allmusic ((( Got to be There > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved April 8, 2010.
9. • George, Nelson (2004). Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection booklet p, 48. Sony BMG.
10. Vogel, Joseph (2019). Man in the Music. Knopf Doubleday. p. 312. ISBN 9780525566588.
11. "Michael Jackson Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
12. "Michael Jackson Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
13. "Michael Jackson Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved January 12, 2024.