The deal may also have a payoff for Jackson fans. It includes two long-dormant vault tracks, “Chicago 1945” and “Dream Away,” that Porcaro wrote with the star in the aftermath of “Thriller.” Although versions of the songs have leaked online, he has rarely told the full stories behind them.
Their genesis goes back to the “Thriller” sessions, when Porcaro and other members of Toto — including his brother Jeff, the group’s super-virtuoso drummer — were part of the album’s small army of studio players. As work on the album neared its end, Porcaro said, Jackson asked him to collaborate on songs for his next project with his brothers, which became the Jacksons’ “Victory.”
“Of course I said yes,” Porcaro recalled. He handed Jackson a tape with an upbeat track he had been working on.
A couple of weeks later, Porcaro said, Jackson showed up unannounced at Paich’s home studio, where Porcaro was living. “I got a vocal idea I want to throw on our tune,” Jackson told him. He got on the mic and recorded nine vocal lines — lead parts, harmonies, backups — with lyrics referencing Chicago in the year 1945, like the Cubs losing the World Series. Jackson finished in about 40 minutes and abruptly left.
“Nine vocal passes, start to finish, and he splits,” Porcaro said, still in awe of Jackson at his peak. “It was sung perfectly. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life.”
Days later, at about 9 a.m., came another unexpected knock at the door. “Let’s do something,” Jackson said. This time they created a song from scratch: “Dream Away,” a soft ballad with “Human Nature” vibes. After sketching lyrics in a notebook and quickly recording his lead vocal, Jackson once again took off.
Read More: He Wrote Michael Jackson’s ‘Human Nature’ and Has 2 More in the Vault
