(I Can't Make It) Another Day

Album: Michael (2010)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Recorded as a demo in 1999 at the legendary Marvin's Room Studio by singer-songwriter Lenny Kravitz and Michael Jackson, part of this uptempo number unexpectedly surfaced on YouTube in 2008, prompting Kravitz to complete the song. He invited Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters to play drums and put his own backing vocals and guitar solo on the track.
  • Kravitz explained in a short video that he didn't know how the unmixed snippet of the track had leaked adding that his copy of the song has been "locked up in a vault since we recorded it."
    He added: "The song was recorded by Michael and myself. I produced it for him, I wrote the song and played all the instruments on the track. It was one of the most amazing musical experiences I've ever had. It was done by two people who respect each other and love music. That was it."
  • A finished version of the track finally appeared on Jackson's first posthumous album, Michael.
  • Despite being credited on the track, Grohl denied to Q magazine that it actually features his stick work. Said the Foo Fighter frontman: "I'm not on that song, dude. Lenny Kravitz called me, he said, 'I got a project - you wanna play drums on a Michael Jackson track?' F---, yeah, He sends me a hard-drive, we get the track and spend an afternoon putting massive f---ing drums on it. We sent it back to Lenny and two months go by and I don't hear anything. Then I open up a magazine and it says, Michael Jackson record coming out next week and that song is on there. I'm like, 'Hold on a second, I haven't even f---ing heard it yet!' So I texted him, Dude, what's going on? I never f---ing heard from him again. Then when I heard the track it says: 'Featuring Dave Grohl on drums' - my drums aren't even on there. I think they sampled, like, my snare and that's it."
  • When Kravitz got the word that Jackson wanted to work with him, he only had two days to come up with a song to present to the King of Pop. He told Afropunk: "I'm thinking like uh, I don't have a song. I got quiet and I tried to really channel Michael's spirit and his vibe and I wrote 'I Can't Make It Another Day,' which talks about how amazing his life was and everything he's done in this world, but at the end of the day there's nothing that I can do without you. He's singing to God saying regardless of all that I have done, you are the greatest thing in my life and you are the one that has given me all these blessings."
  • Kravitz recalled how he nervously directed Jackson during the recording session: "I wrote out the lyrics on a piece of paper and I gave it to him. We started going over the melody together. We're singing it together and then he goes in the vocal booth and he says, OK, now I want to do it exactly how you want it, the second I make a mistake you stop me. He starts the track and the first line that comes in he doesn't quite do it right and I'm standing there next to the button and I'm like am I really gonna stop Michael Jackson?!.

    But he told me to, so I pushed the button, like, um, Michael stop it goes like this. He's like, OK, got it. First line he messes it up. I'm like damn. It took a few minutes cause he hadn't sang the song before, so he wasn't getting all the intervals as it was written and he wanted it as it was written so we worked on it. He got it after a few takes. He sang the lead and I sang the background and it was a great experience. An amazing experience."
  • Kravitz incorporated Jackson's unused vocals from the session into his 2018 track "Low."

Comments: 1

  • Terry from DoverOne of his calmest songs ever!

    Love this song!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.

Charlie Benante of Anthrax

Charlie Benante of AnthraxSongwriter Interviews

The drummer for Anthrax is also a key songwriter. He explains how the group puts their songs together and tells the stories behind some of their classics.

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.

Jules Shear - "All Through The Night"

Jules Shear - "All Through The Night"They're Playing My Song

Shears does very little promotion, which has kept him secluded from the spotlight. What changed when Cyndi Lauper had a hit with his song? Not much, really.

Francesca Battistelli

Francesca BattistelliSongwriter Interviews

The 2011 Artist of the Year at the Dove Awards isn't your typical gospel diva, and she thinks that's a good thing.

Who Wrote That Song?

Who Wrote That Song?Music Quiz

Do you know who wrote Patti Smith's biggest hit? How about the Grease theme song? See if you can match the song to the writer.