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Michael Jackson's "Bad 25" Album Package Arrives in Stores

Epic/Legacy RecordingsMichael Jackson's hit-packed album Bad turned 25 late last month, and to celebrate the anniversary, the late King of Pop's estate has re-released his 1987 album as a three-CD, one-DVD deluxe set called Bad 25.  The package arrived on shelves on Tuesday.

Fans will hear re-mastered versions of Jackson's singles "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," "Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man in the Mirror" and "Dirty Diana."  But what makes Bad 25 extra special is the inclusion of previously unreleased material and song demos recorded at Michael's personal studio.

Among the tracks is "Song Groove A/K/A Abortion Papers," which, according to the liner notes, is about "a girl whose father is a priest; she was raised in the Church and on the Bible.  She gets married in the Church but decides, against the Bible, to have an abortion and she wants 'Abortion Papers.'"  

Perhaps speaking in the voice of the girl, Jackson sings, "Those abortion papers/ Signing your name against the word of God."  According to the liner notes, Michael wrote in his personal notes that he wanted to be thoughtful about the song's lyrics, "'so I don't offend girls who have gotten abortions or bring back guilt trips...'"

Jackson, who had long drawn the attention of screaming teen girls, also reflects on living under the gaze of "over-obsessed" fans in the Bad 25 liner notes.  He wrote that his song "Price of Fame" tells the story of girls who "'follow me, who almost make me kill myself in my car... they'll do anything and it's breaking my heart.  It's running me crazy.  It's breaking up my relationship with my girl, with my family.  That's the 'Price of Fame.'"

"I want a face no one could recognize, in disguise...," Michael sings on "Price of Fame."  "Father always told me, you won't live a quiet life, if you're reaching for fortune and fame."

The deluxe edition of the Bad 25 set also includes both the audio and film footage of Jackson's 1988 concert at Wembley Stadium in London during the Bad tour.

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