"Childhood" is a 1995 song composed and recorded by American singer Michael Jackson. It was released as a track on Jackson's 1995 studio album HIStory, and was released as a double A-side with Jackson's single "Scream".
"Childhood" is an autobiographical song written and composed by Michael Jackson. The theme of the track is his difficult childhood experiences. It would become the main theme song for Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home that centered on the character Elvis, continuing his association with the Free Willy series. The track appeared on several compilation albums, but was met with a mixed reception amongst critics. The song's music video, which had little in common with the supporting film, has been critically praised.
Background
"Childhood" is a biographical reference to Jackson's difficult years as a youngster, such as the relationship with his father Joseph and the pressures of being world-famous from such a young age as the lead singer of The Jackson 5. From a young age, Jackson and his siblings were allegedly physically and emotionally abused by their father through incessant rehearsals, whippings and derogatory name-calling. Jackson's abuse as a child had affected him throughout his later life. In one altercation—later recalled by Marlon Jackson—Joseph held Michael Jackson upside down by one leg and "pummelled him over and over again with his hand, hitting him on his back and buttocks". Joseph would allegedly often trip up or push his sons into walls. One night, while Jackson was asleep, Joseph climbed into his room through the bedroom window. Wearing a fright mask, he entered the room screaming and shouting. Joseph said he wanted to teach his children not to leave the window open when they went to sleep. For a number of years afterward, Jackson suffered nightmares about being kidnapped from his bedroom.
Although it had been reported for several years that Jackson had an abusive childhood, he first spoke openly about it in a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey. He grimaced when speaking of the childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he stated he had missed out on much of his childhood, admitting that he often cried from loneliness. In the same interview, speaking of his father, Jackson said, "There were times when he'd come to see me, I'd get sick...I'd start to regurgitate. I'm sorry...Please don't be mad at me...But I do love him". In Jackson's other high-profile interview Living with Michael Jackson (2003), he covered his face with his hand and began crying when talking about his childhood abuse. Jackson recalled that Joseph sat in a chair as the group rehearsed, saying, "He had this belt in his hand. If you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you. It was bad. Real bad". When Jackson received his Living Legend award—presented to him by Janet Jackson—at the 1993 Grammys, he said, "I don't read all the things written about me, I wasn't aware the world thought I was so weird and bizarre. But when you grow up like I did in front of 100 million people since the age of five, you're automatically different...My childhood was completely taken away from me. There was no Christmas, no birthdays. It was not a normal childhood, no normal pleasures of childhood. Those were exchanged for hard work, struggle and pain, and eventual material and professional success".
Both of Jackson's parents have denied the longstanding abuse allegations and Katherine acknowledges that although the whippings are viewed as child abuse by current generations, such disciplinary methods were normal back then. In an interview, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon have also denied that their father is abusive and according to Jermaine, he is, second to Michael, one of the most misunderstood people.
For its inclusion in Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home, despite being billed as the theme from the film, "Childhood" played a pivotal role in the scene where Elvis ran away after Jesse and the Greenwoods each denied his help which in-turn caused Annie to accidentally break her and Elvis' promise they made the previous day. An instrumental version of the song is also played when Elvis is all alone later that night.
Album booklet
In the HIStory album booklet there is a drawing of Jackson as a child. He is huddled in a corner of the room and looks scared; The electric cord of his microphone has snapped. On one corner wall are the lyrics to "Childhood", the other wall shows Jackson's signature.