Michael listened to all types of music. For example, during the HIStory  sessions he was listening to two albums frequently, the first being “Ready to Die” by Biggie Smalls & the second (which he was a big fan of) “The Downward Spiral” by Nine Inch Nails.

Morphine the haunting and gritty masterpiece is basically Heavy Metal & deeply influenced by Nine Inch Nails, one of the most innovative acts of that time. Michael wrote the song discussing a very disturbing & personal subject, drug addiction.

The relentless funky beat crashing like metal waves and pressurized gas synthesizer sounds hissing with Slash’s & Michael’s aggressive guitar riffs (yea, MJ plays guitar on this) make this Gothic pop at it’s finest and one of Michael’s most experimental songs ever, lyrically and sonically. Something that would have made Nine Inch’s front man Trent Reznor proud. Michael even uses an audio clip from David Lynch’s “The Elephant Man” (who Michael related with on some level). “You heard what the doctor said….go on…take it and….” from Matron Mothershead to the Merrick character played by John Hurt.

But it’s not just the subject matter but how it was conveyed and expressed. Michael’s lashes out in anger and pain, almost screaming in the verses then transcending into a calm but creepy, paranoid state … “relax, this won’t hurt you” before switching back with a grunting “Ohhh!!!”, as if he’s experiencing violent mood swings of some kind and physiological reaction on and off drugs (Demerol and Morphine)

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