The world celebrates what would have been the 66th birthday of The King Of Pop Michael Jackson.

In paying tribute to the legendary artist, fans everywhere post on social media their special connection to the star. One item that caught people’s attention is the unreleased 8 minute intro for the classic “The Way You Make Me Feel” music video.

The unreleased 8-minute intro for “The Way You Make Me Feel” was not officially released for several reasons, which are a mix of creative choices, practical considerations, and possibly internal decisions by Michael Jackson and his team.

THE CREATIVITY OF THE KING OF POP

Michael Jackson was known for his meticulous attention to detail and creative control over his projects. He may have felt that the extended intro did not match the pacing he wanted for the final cut. He often sought a balance between storytelling and maintaining the audience’s interest in the song itself. The shortened version likely focused more directly on the music and dance elements that he felt were key to the video’s impact.

I honestly don’t think i’ve EVER seen that before. As a fan of almost 40 years that’s a weird thing to say, right?

— ArcadeMan (@RetroArcadeMan) August 29, 2024

Unlike some of his other music videos that featured extended intros (like “Thriller” or “Bad”), “The Way You Make Me Feel” was primarily driven by its upbeat and romantic theme. The decision to keep the video more concise could have been to ensure that the focus remained on the song and its energetic choreography rather than on a longer narrative setup.

THE MTV EXPLOSION OF MICHAEL & MUSIC VIDEOS

During the late 1980s, music videos were an essential part of an artist’s marketing strategy, especially on platforms like MTV. A shorter, more focused video was more likely to receive frequent airplay, which would help promote the song and album better. An 8-minute intro could have made the full video lengthier and potentially reduced its broadcast time.

Music videos with longer runtimes were not always favored by TV networks, as they took up more programming space. This practical constraint could have influenced the decision to edit out the extended intro to make it more suitable for television broadcasts.

Written by Michael Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones as co-production was also by Michael Jackson. The song became a major hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and charting well internationally.

MICHAEL JACKSON & TATIANA THUMBZTEN REAL LIFE RELATIONSHIP

The music video depicts Michael Jackson trying to win over a woman (played by model Tatiana Thumbtzen) in a city setting. It starts with a gang of guys egging him on to approach her. Jackson then performs a mix of dance moves and vocals while following her down the street.

The music icon and Thumbzten actually ended up dating for a brief period of time afterwards. Here in her own words, Tatiana describes her intimate relationship with Jackson and the mark he left on her heart after his untimely death in 2009.