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"Liberian Girl"

Date range (Westlake Sessions for the “Bad” album) confirmed in Mike Smallcombe’s “Making Michael” (“In August 1986, after more than two years of on-off work, Michael was ready to join forces with the A-Team again, as he felt he had enough material to present to Quincy… In November 1986, Michael flew to New York to film a video for ‘Bad’. It was the first time he filmed a video while an album was still in production, keeping him out of the studio for many weeks… With the ‘Bad’ video complete and the Christmas break over, Michael and the A-Team resumed recording at Westlake in early January 1987… Final mixes were completed on July 9, and the next day Bruce Swedien took the tapes to Bernie Grundman’s for mastering.

 

“Ebony / Jet Showcase” interview (September 1, 1987)

I wrote that at my house, in a game, I guess I was playing some pinball or something and the song just popped in my head. And... I ran upstairs, put it on tape and... it became "Liberian Girl".

 

Bruce Swedien, studio engineer, “Gearspace” (October 12, 2021) (archived)

Gearspace (community user “RaGe”): Would you care to let us in on how you approached mixing “Liberian Girl”: 1. the background vocals (thick, present, powerful yet unobtrusive, not getting in the way) [and] 2. the many layers of synths and how you usually deal with those.

Bruce Swedien: I LOVE LIBERIAN GIRL!!! There is something very special about that song!!! “Liberian Girl” is one of my absolute favorites of all the music that I've done with Michael. Who could think of a thing like that, except Michael Jackson...it’s astounding...the imagery, and everything else in it, it’s just an amazing fantasy.

I love the intro...Quincy had Leta M’Bulu say, "NAKU PENDA PIYA - NAKU TAKA PIYA - MPENZIWE", in Zulu, in the intro and in every turn-around...I think that sexy, little speaking line gave the “Liberian Girl” an identity in this wonderful song...really nice...Michaels vocals on “Liberian Girl” are absolutely stellar! The lead, and the big, block background harmonies. Wow!!!

I am one lucky Dude!!!

Of all the music I have recorded, over the years, I am proudest of Michaels’ albums. Not only "Off The Wall", "Thriller" and "Bad", but “Dangerous”, “HIStory”, “Invincible”, and all the rest of the fantastic music that Michael, Quincy and I have recorded together. Am I a lucky dude, or what???