News | Entertainment
4 Jul 2025 12:15
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Michael Jackson left Paul Anka "beyond" angry when he stole a recording of a song they worked on together on Anka's home studio

    The 80-year-old crooner and Michael - who died in June 2009 from acute Propofol intoxication at the age of 50 - became friends in the 1970s when the pop star and his family attended Anka's Las Vegas shows.


    Eventually, Anka and Michael discussed working together and the 'Beat It' hitmaker agreed to be a guest on his 1983 album 'Walk a Fine Line', but after being sent the tapes of their recording, Michael decided he wasn't going to record the track and never sent back the masters.

    Speaking to the New York Post newspaper's Page Six column, Anka said: "I got close to them.

    "I sent the tapes to Los Angeles for him to meet me there so we could put the rest of the band on. They called me from there a couple of days later and said, 'Mr. Jackson stole the tapes.'

    Recalling how he then contacted his lawyers - who also represented Michael - he added: "I said, 'Guys, am I missing something? We've got a contract.'

    "Well, Paul, you know he's got 'Thriller' out and it's taking off. He just doesn't want anything else out there, blah blah. And we can't find the contract.' I said 'What? OK, boys, I see who's more important. You're getting sued. I'm out of here.'"

    Anka did eventually get the tapes back and hired new lawyers, but he was left stunned in 2009 when Michael - just before his tragic passing - released the song 'This Is It' which he immediately recognised as the track the co-wrote back in the 1980s.

    The 'Diana' singer said: "I got a hold of the lawyers, who were the same two lawyers who screwed me in the beginning. I said, 'Hey guys, that's my song with Michael. We have a problem here, boys. This ain't going to fly; you've got about two, three hours to fix this.'

    "It was very simple. I said, 'I want half of everything or it's not coming out.' And we got what we wanted."

    The Michael Jackson Estate also later confirmed that 'This Is It' - which was the name of Michael's planned 50 concert residency at The O2 in London which never took place and the name given to the documentary about the rehearsals - had been "co-written by the legendary Paul Anka".

    Despite the legal wrangling, Anka holds no ill-feelings toward Michael as he deserved all his huge success.

    He said: "Michael went on to be what Michael is, deservedly so as an artist. He was a great artist."

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     04 Jul: Cardi B feels proud of her Whipshots success
     04 Jul: Liam Gallagher has no desire to perform on Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage
     04 Jul: Jake Paul wants the "challenge" of fighting Anthony Joshua
     04 Jul: Olivia Rodrigo expressed her "love" for England as she closed the Glastonbury Festival on Sunday
     04 Jul: Scarlett Johansson doesn't think AI can replicate the "soulfulness" of an actor or actress
     04 Jul: Rob McElhenney has filed to legally change his name to Rob Mac
     04 Jul: Danny O'Donoghue felt "too small for the stage" when he first performed at Glastonbury
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Fourth seed Jack Draper has been ousted by 2017 finalist Marin Cilic in the second round at Wimbledon More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Central Otago's Cardona Hotel is on the market for the first time in more than a decade More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Cardi B feels proud of her Whipshots success 12:06

    Rugby:
    Fourth seed Jack Draper has been ousted by 2017 finalist Marin Cilic in the second round at Wimbledon 11:57

    Entertainment:
    Liam Gallagher has no desire to perform on Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage 11:36

    National:
    NZ will soon have no real interisland rail-ferry link – why are we so bad at infrastructure planning? 11:17

    Cricket:
    England finishes day two of second Test at 3-77, India scores 587 in first innings 11:17

    Politics:
    The Pasifika Medical Association continues to refute allegations of impropriety, over its funding of Moana Pasifika 11:07

    Entertainment:
    Jake Paul wants the "challenge" of fighting Anthony Joshua 11:06

    Environment:
    More weather warnings today for the upper South Island - with a Heavy Rain Watch in effect until 2pm 10:47

    Politics:
    A West Coast Tasman MP wants a 'mini-version' of the Government's fast-track system, to speed up consent processing 10:47

    Entertainment:
    Olivia Rodrigo expressed her "love" for England as she closed the Glastonbury Festival on Sunday 10:36


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd