A Pair of Cool Characters

When Michael recorded ‘Just Good Friends’ with Stevie Wonder for the ‘Bad’ album, he promised his long-time friend he’d return the favour by recording another duet with him. In September of 1987, a few days after the release of ‘Bad’, Stevie Wonder send a demo version of a song called ‘Get It’ to Michael. They were supposed to sing that track together for Stevie’s new album, ‘Characters’.

However, when time came to record the song, Michael and Stevie could not get together. Stevie was on tour in Europe, and Michael was in Los Angeles, getting ready to leave for the kick off of the ‘Bad’ Tour in Japan. The timing was difficult.

In an interview with French magazine Top 50, Stevie Wonder told the incredible story behind the recording of ‘Get It’.

“I was on tour in England by that time. And I had recorded my vocals for that song in a studio, in London. Quincy and Michael needed those tapes urgently or we wouldn’t meet the deadline. But when I came out of the studio that day, it was too late to send the tapes with those express carriers. That same night, I was doing a show in London and I asked the audience if someone was willing to go to Los Angeles right away, all expenses paid, to deliver the tapes.

There was one guy that was ready to do it and he left right away, took the plane and gave the tapes to Michael and Quincy. That’s how they got them on time. Finally, Michael finished the song in Tokyo a few days later; he recorded his vocals there and we got the track on time to put it on the album.”

Source: Planet Jackson & MJWN