Michael Jackson – This Time Around

Written by Michael with Dallas Austin, Bruce Swedien and Rene, and
recorded for his HISTORY album, issued in June 1995.

Guest rapper: Notorious B.I.G.

‘I got off the airplane somewhere in Texas, and answered my pager,’
the late Notorious B.I.G. recalled in an interview in 1995. ‘They were
like, Michael Jackson called – he wants to do a song with you! I
laughed ‘cos I thought they were just frontin’… he wasn’t in the studio
when I did the song but when I was about to leave, he came through,
listened to the joint, said he loved it and I jetted.’

Several promo remixes released, with Earth Song, in the States in 1995
but no commercial single release.

Charted at no.23 on the R&B airplay chart in the States.

This Time Around – Lyrics

This time around I’ll never get bit
Though you really wanna fix me
This time around you’re making me sick
Though you really wanna get me
Somebody’s out
Somebody’s out to get me
They really wanna fix me, hit me
But this time around I’m taking no s…
Though you really wanna get me
You really wanna get me

He really thought he really had
Had a hold on me
He really thought he really had
They thought they really had control of me
He really thought he really had
Control of me
He really thought he really had
They thought they really could control me

This time around I’ll never get bit
Though you really wanna get me
This time around I’m taking no s…
Though you really wanna fix me
Somebody’s out
Somebody’s out to use me
They really want to use me
And then falsely accuse me
This time around
They’ll take it like spit
‘Cause you really can’t control me

You know you can’t control me
He really thought he really had
Had a hold on me
He really thought he really had
They thought they really had control of me
He really thought he really had
A hold on me
He really thought he really had
They thought they really had control of me
He really thought he really had
Had a hold on me
He really thought he really had
They thought they really had control of me
He really thought he really had
A hold on me
He really thought he really had
They thought they really had control of me

[Rap: The Notorious BIG]
Listen, I’ve got problems of my own
Flashin’ cameras, taps on my phone
Even in my home I ain’t safe as I should be
Things always missin’
Maybe it could be my friends
They ain’t friends if they robbin’ me
Stoppin’ me from makin’ a profit, see
Apology shallow like the ocean
I guess I’ll resort to gun totin’
If I was dead broke and smokin’
I’d probably be by my lonesome
I’m a killer nigga I ain’t jokin’
Endo smoke got me choked and I’m hopin’
The fool comes slippin’
So I could blow’em open
This time around
I changed up my flow
Got rid of the rocks
Got Pitts by the door
I’ve raised other peoples to watch my back
Stay away from strangers
So I won’t slack
And I know my nigga Mike like that
Baby
[Michael]
This time around yeah…
He really thought he really had
Control of meHe really thought he really had
They thought they really had control of me
He really thought he really had
A hold on me
He really thought he really had
They thought they really had control of me
He really thought he really had
Had a hold on me
He really thought he really had
They thought they really had control of me
He really thought he really had
Control of me
He really thought he really had
They thought they really had control of me
He really thought he really had
A hold on me
He really thought he really had
They thought they really had control of me
This time around yeah
He really thought