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"Stranger in Moscow" is a song by Michael Jackson released as the second track on the second disc of the HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I album. It was released as a single on November 4, 1996, serving as the fifth single from the album.

Background[]

Michael and Brad Buxer came up with the initial idea for the track in 1993 during the development for Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog 3.[1] While in Moscow during the Dangerous World Tour, Michael felt melancholic over accusations of child sexual abuse against him. He'd call up Brad Buxer at 10:30 AM one day in a hotel and tell the producer to "start playing something". Buxer and Jackson managed to finish the track in an hour and a half.[2]

The track would serve as the game's end credits cue. After Jackson left the production of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 due to an unknown reason, he finished "Stranger in Moscow" for the HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I album, although Brad was ultimately left uncredited for the production.

  • "Stranger in Moscow" Audio sample

  • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 End Credits Theme Audio sample

Music video[]

The music video had sequences in slow motion (coffee spilling, a baseball smashing a window, etcetera), but it was given good reviews. It became the sixth single off the HIStory album, and it was the third track on the CD.

The music video opens with Michael walking down the streets of a city (presumably Moscow) feeling sad, mainly because of the accusations made against him. Five other "strangers" are seen, feeling sad as well. The strangers are: a woman reading a newspaper, a teenaged boy watching other kids playing baseball, a man watching activity in the streets, a poor man who is shown lying down next to the dumpsters, and a business man. Halfway through the video, a rainstorm begins and several people flee to their homes to escape the rain. However, Michael and the five strangers decide to go outside and let the rain soak them. The video ends with a unseen man speaking Russian as Michael soaks himself in the rain.

Live performances[]

"Stranger in Moscow" was only performed during Michael's HIStory World Tour, as the fourth number in the set list.

Michael Bearden, the keyboard player for Michael's This Is It concerts, confirmed that the song was to be a part of the tour, replacing "Human Nature", but would only be performed on a few concerts, as Jackson himself pondered whether or not the fans would like it.

Tee's In-House Club Mix[]

"Stranger in Moscow (Tee's In-House Club Mix)" is a club remix of "Stranger in Moscow" done by Todd Terry and released as the ninth track on the Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix album.

Lyrics[]

[Verse 1]
I was wanderin' in the rain
(Mask of life feelin' insane)
Swift and sudden fall from grace
(Sunny days seem far away)
Kremlin's shadow belittlin' me
(Stalin's tomb won't let me be)
On and on and on, it came
(Wish the rain would just let me—)

[Chorus]
How does it feel (How does it feel?)
How does it feel
How does it feel
When you're alone and you're cold inside?

[Verse 2]
Here abandoned in my fame
(Armageddon of the brain)
KGB was doggin' me (Hee)
(Take my name and just let me be)
But then a beggar boy (Hee) called my name
(Happy days will drown the pain)
On and on and on, it came and the rain
And again, and again
(Take my name and just let me)

[Chorus]
How does it feel (How does it feel?)
How does it feel
How does it feel
How does it feel
How does it feel (How does it feel now?)
How does it feel
How does it feel
When you're alone and you're cold inside?

[Interlude]
(привет, Michael!)

[Chorus]
How does it feel (How does it feel?)
How does it feel
How does it feel
How does it feel
How does it feel (How does it feel now?)
How does it feel
How does it feel
When you're alone and you're cold inside?

[Breakdown]
Like a stranger in Moscow
Lord, have mercy
Like a stranger in Moscow (Hee)
Lord, have mercy
We're talkin' danger
We're talkin' danger, baby
Like a stranger in Moscow
We're talkin' danger
We're talkin' danger, baby
Like a stranger in Moscow
I'm livin' lonely
I'm livin' lonely, baby
Stranger in Moscow

[KGB interrogator - Russian to English Translation]
Why have you come from the West?
Confess, to steal the great achievements of the people
The accomplishments of the worker

[Intro]
Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy
We're talking danger
We're talking danger, baby
Like a stranger in Moscow
We're talking danger
We're talking danger, baby
Like a stranger in Moscow
I'm living lonely
I'm living lonely, baby

[Verse 1]
I was wandering in the rain
Mask of life, feeling insane
Swift and sudden fall from grace
Sunny days seem far away
Kremlin's shadow belittling me
Stalin's tomb won't let me be
On and on and on it came
Wish the rain would just let me

[Chorus]
How does it feel (How does it feel?)
How does it feel
How does it feel
When you're alone
And you're cold inside?

[Verse 2]
Here abandoned in my fame
Armageddon of the brain
KGB was dogging me
Take my name and just let me be
Then a beggar boy called my name
Happy days will drown the pain
On and on and on it came and again, and again, and again
Take my name and just let me

[Chorus]
How does it feel (How does it feel?)
How does it feel
How does it feel
How does it feel
How does it feel (How does it feel now?)
How does it feel
How does it feel
When you're alone
And you're cold inside?

[Instrumental Break]

[Chorus]
How does it feel (How does it feel?)
How does it feel
How does it feel
How does it feel
How does it feel (How does it feel now?)
How does it feel
How does it feel
When you're alone
And you're cold inside?

[Outro]
Like a stranger in Moscow
Lord have mercy
Like a stranger in Moscow
Lord have mercy
We're talking danger
We're talking danger, baby
Like a stranger in Moscow
We're talking danger
We're talking danger, baby
Like a stranger in Moscow
I'm living lonely
I'm living lonely, baby
Stranger in Moscow

[Instrumental Outro]

Gallery[]

References[]

Discography
Studio albums
Got to Be ThereBenMusic & MeForever, Michael Off the WallThrillerBadDangerousHIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book IInvincible
Other albums
Farewell My Summer LoveBlood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the MixThe Ultimate CollectionThriller 25MichaelBad 25XscapeScreamThriller 40
Singles
"Got to Be There" • "Rockin' Robin" • "I Wanna Be Where You Are" • "Ain't No Sunshine" • "Ben" • "With a Child's Heart" • "Music & Me" • "We're Almost There" • "Just a Little Bit of You" • "You Can't Win" • "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" • "Rock with You" • "Off the Wall" • "She's Out of My Life" • "Girlfriend" • "One Day in Your Life" • "The Girl is Mine" • "Billie Jean" • "Beat It" • "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" • "Human Nature" • "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" • "Thriller" • "Happy" • "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" • "Bad" • "The Way You Make Me Feel" • "Man in the Mirror" • "Dirty Diana" • "Another Part of Me" • "Smooth Criminal" • "Leave Me Alone" • "Liberian Girl" • "Black or White" • "Remember the Time" • "In the Closet" • "Jam" • "Who Is It" • "Heal the World" • "Give In to Me" • "Will You Be There" • "Gone Too Soon" • "Scream/Childhood" • "You Are Not Alone" • "Earth Song" • "They Don't Care About Us" • "Stranger in Moscow" • "Blood on the Dance Floor" • "HIStory/Ghosts" • "Smile" • "You Rock My World" • "Butterflies" • "Cry" • "What More Can I Give" • "One More Chance" • "The Girl is Mine 2008" • "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" • "Hold My Hand" • "Mind Is the Magic" • "Hollywood Tonight" • "Behind the Mask" • "(I Like) The Way You Love Me" • "Love Never Felt So Good" • "A Place with No Name" • "Blood on the Dance Floor X Dangerous (The White Panda Mash-Up)"
Promotional singles
"Speed Demon" • "Someone Put Your Hand Out" • "This Time Around" • "Is It Scary" • "Speechless" • "Unbreakable" • "Cheater" • "This Is It"
Non-single songs
"Girl Don't Take Your Love from Me" • "In Our Small Way" • "Wings of My Love" • "Maria (You Were the Only One)" • "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" • "You've Got a Friend" • "Greatest Show on Earth" • "People Make the World go Round" • "We've Got a Good Thing Going" • "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" • "My Girl" • "What Goes Around Comes Around" • "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" • "You Can Cry on My Shoulder" • "Up Again" • "All the Things You Are" • "Too Young" • "Doggin' Around" • "Euphoria" • "Morning Glow" • "Johnny Raven" • "Take Me Back" • "Cinderella Stay Awhile" • "We've Got Forever" • "You Are There" • "Dapper Dan" • "Dear Michael" • "I'll Come Home To You" • "Workin' Day and Night" • "Get on the Floor" • "I Can't Help It" • "It's The Falling In Love" • "Burn This Disco Out" • "Someone in the Dark" • "Baby Be Mine" • "The Lady In My Life" • "Just Good Friends" • "Why You Wanna Trip on Me" • "She Drives Me Wild" • "Can't Let Her Get Away" • "Keep the Faith" • "Dangerous" • "D.S." • "Money" • "Come Together" • "Tabloid Junkie" • "2 Bad" • "Little Susie / Pie Jesu" • "On the Line" • "Morphine" • "Superfly Sister" • "Carousel" • "Streetwalker" • "Fly Away" • "Heartbreaker" • "Invincible" • "Break of Dawn" • "Heaven Can Wait" • "2000 Watts" • "You Are My Life" • "Privacy" • "Don't Walk Away" • "The Lost Children" • "Whatever Happens" • "Threatened" • "Shout" • "Sunset Driver" • "Scared of the Moon" • "We Are Here to Change the World" • "Monkey Business" • "Fall Again" • "In the Back" • "Beautiful Girl" • "We've Had Enough" • "For All Time" • "Got the Hots" • "Best of Joy" • "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" • "Much Too Soon" • "Don't Be Messin' 'Round" • "I'm So Blue" • "Abortion Papers" • "Free" • "Price of Fame" • "Al Capone" • "Chicago" • "Loving You" • "Slave to the Rhythm" • "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" • "Blue Gangsta" • "Xscape" • "Starlight" • "Who Do You Know" • "The Toy" • "What a Lovely Way to Go" • "She's Trouble"
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