This Time Around

"This Time Around" is a song by American recording artist and song-writer Michael Jackson that features the vocals from rapper The Notorious B.I.G. The song appears on Jackson's ninth studio album, entitled HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, which was released in 1995 as a two-disc set. The song and lyrics were written by Michael Jackson, while the music was composed by Dallas Austin, Bruce Swedien and Rene Moore.[1] Dallas Austin and Michael Jackson produced the song, while Bruce Swedien and René Moore served as co-producers. The song's lyrics details a musician's problems with being famous and dealing with stardom. In December 1995, the track was released as a promotional single in the United States only, containing a radio edit and remixes. "This Time Around" had a good chart performance, having charted solely due to radio airplay throughout the country. The song received generally mixed to positive reviews from contemporary music critics.

Background and Composition


The song and lyrics were written by Michael Jackson, while the music was composed by Dallas Austin, Bruce Swedien and Rene Moore. "This Time Around" is a song by Jackson that features vocals rapper The Notorious B.I.G. Austin and Jackson produced the song, while Swedien and Moore co-produced the song.[2] It was recorded by both American musicians in 1994 and 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.[2]
"This Time Around" is credited as being a R&B, hip-hop and funk song. Written in common time,[3] and was played in the key of D minor.[3] The track's tempo is a moderate 108 beats per minute.[3] The track has a basic sequence of Dm11–Dm9 as its chord progression.[3] 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".[4] 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.

Release and Reception


"This Time Around" generally 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".[5] Jon Pareles of The New York Times believed that Jackson "muttered" lyrics such as "They thought they really had control of me".[6] Although "This Time Around" did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100, the track had a good chart performance on music component charts in the United States. The song charted on music charts based solely on radio airplay throughout the country. It charted within the top forty of the Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 chart in 1995, peaking at number thirty-six.[7] The song peaked at number eighteen on the Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles music charts 1996.[7] In 1996, the track also peaked at number twenty-three on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[8]

Track Listings and Formats



U.S. promo 2x12" (ES 7603/ES 7604)[9]
A1. D.M. Mad Club Mix (10:23)
A2. D.M. Radio Mix (4:05)
B1. Maurice's Club Around Mix (9:00)
B2. Georgie's House N Around Mix (6:04)
C1. The Timeland Dub (7:22)
C2. The Neverland Dub (Aftermath) (7:46)
D1. The Don's Control This Dub (4:30)
D2. UBQ's Opera Vibe Dub (7:00)
D3. D.M.'s Bang Da Drums Mix (6:34)
U.S. promo 12" (EAS 7606)[10]
A1. Dallas Main Extended Mix (7:15)
A2. Maurice's Hip Hop Around Mix (4:25)
A3. Maurice's Hip Hop Around Mix (w/o Rap) (4:25)
B1. Dallas Main Mix (6:40)
B2. Dallas Main Mix (w/o Rap) (6:40)
B3. Album Instrumental (4:12)
U.S. promo 12" (EAS 7607)[11]
A1. Uno Clio 12" Master Mix (9:25)
A2. D.M. AM Mix (7:47)
B1. D.M. Mad Dub (8:00)
B2. Uno Clio Dub Mix (8:06)
Europe promo CD (SAMPCD 3598)[12]
D.M. Radio Mix (4:05)
Dallas Radio Remix (4:31)
Maurice's Club Around Radio Mix (4:00)
Maurice's Hip Hop Around Mix (w/Drop) (4:18)
David Mitson Clean Edit (4:21)
"This Time Around"/"Earth Song" US Promo CD (ESK 7521)[13]
"This Time Around" (Dallas Clean Album Remix) (4:12)
"This Time Around" (David Mitson Clean Edit) (4:21)
"This Time Around" (Dallas Radio Remix) (4:31)
"This Time Around" (Dallas Radio Remix [w/o Rap]) (4:31)
"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)
"This Time Around" (Maurice's Club Around Radio Mix) (4:00)
"This Time Around" (D.M. Radio Mix) (4:05)
"Earth Song" (Radio Edit) (5:02)
"Earth Song" (Album Version) (6:46)
"Earth Song" (Hani's Radio Experience) (3:33)

Charts


Chart (1995/1996) Peak
position
Billboard's Dance Music/Club Play Singles[7] 18
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay[8] 23
Billboard Rhythmic Top 40[7] 36