Whose “Human Nature” song is better?

Michael Jackson and Madonna had so much in common during their heyday in the 1980s and 1990s, but their songs were different from each other. Interestingly, they had hits with the same title several years in a row. Of course, these two songs say very different things about the same topic.

One of Michael Jackson’s more sexual songs is a nice change

Jackson was the King of Pop, but he knew how to make good rock music. In 1982, he released his soft rock ballad “Human Nature,” which is probably the best ballad of his solo career. It sounds a bit like Toto’s “Africa,” which makes sense considering Toto’s Steve Porcaro co-wrote it. However, the King of Pop had a far better vice than any of Toto’s, so “Human Nature” is far better than “Africa.”

So what did Jackson have to say about human nature? The song’s lyrics are a little off-putting at first listen, but they tell a coherent story. “Human Nature” is about Jackson deciding to have some fun in New York City and find a woman to keep him company for the evening. For a singer who gave us sex-negative songs like “Billie Jean” and “Dirty Diana,” “Human Nature” is a warm and inviting change of pace.

Madonna has taken the concept of human nature in a more scandalous direction

In 1994, Madonna released an R&B song called “Human Nature.” She is not known for her R&B songs, but she has proven time and time again that she knows her way around the genre. “Take a Bow,” “Secret,” “Erotica,” “Justify My Love,” and “4 Minutes” are all R&B or R&B-like songs. “Human Nature” has one of the best synth riffs in her catalog.

In the second song, Madonna sings that she shouldn’t stop talking about sex because it’s just part of human nature. The tune was partly a response to the criticism Madonna received for her scandalous album. eroticism. However, the tune also serves as a mission statement for the Queen of Pop’s career. It’s also a nice nod to Madonna’s previous single “Express Yourself” with the line “Express yourself, don’t suppress yourself.”

Michael Jackson’s song landed much higher in the charts than Madonna’s

Jackson’s “Human Nature” was a significant hit. It reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the charts for seven weeks. His previous album, the incomparable thrillerwas number 1 on the Billboard 200 for 37 of the 630 weeks. “Human Nature” was not one of the album’s biggest hits, thrillerit gave the album structure and variety. The track gained even more attention when Chris Brown sampled it for “She Ain’t You”.

Madonna’s “Human Nature” was a much more modest hit. The single peaked at number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 15 weeks on the chart. It was a long time on the charts for a song that never reached the top 40. The track appeared on Good night storiesMadonna’s most comprehensive foray into contemporary R&B. The record peaked at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the charts for 48 weeks.

Jackson and Madonna had different views on human nature, but they were both great.