This Emotional 1987 Pop No. 1, Initially Turned Down By Barbra Streisand, Topped The Charts 39 Years Ago Today

Michael Jackson's most popular chart-toppers, such as "Beat It," "Bad," and "Billie Jean," may all be subversive, uptempo numbers, but in 1987 he showed that he could also capture listeners' imaginations with a straightforward romantic ballad, performed as a duet. That song was "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September that year, staying on the chart for a total of 14 weeks.

Jackson originally hoped his duet partner would be Barbra Streisand, but she turned him down, reportedly citing their age difference and a lack of enthusiasm for the song. Whitney Houston also passed, so "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" was recorded with singer Siedah Garrett, who is a featured artist credited alongside Jackson on the release. The song proved to be a major stepping stone in her career, as well as one of Jackson's biggest-ever singles. It was the first song from Jackson's "Bad" album, his follow-up to the blockbuster 1982 album "Thriller." It marked the return of an artist whose creative and commercial powers remained undiminished, and nearly four decades on, the duet has lost none of its romantic charm.

Siedah Garrett had been a prolific backing singer in the years before she stepped into the public consciousness alongside her musical hero Michael Jackson. Working with Jackson's producer Quincy Jones, she had been informed that Jackson was on the lookout for new songs for his upcoming "Bad" album, and set to work with her songwriting partner Glen Ballard on the song "Man in the Mirror." Jones and Jackson accepted the song, inviting Garrett to supply a new demo for Jackson in the recording studio.

Jackson was impressed by Garrett's performance and energy, and she was invited to the studio again during the "Bad" sessions. This time, she saw that there were two microphones and music stands, and lyric sheets with both of their names. Garrett had assumed that she had been invited back to provide backing vocals, but in fact it was a full-blown duet with the biggest star in the world.

"I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is remembered as one of Michael Jackson's most unabashedly romantic songs, with its lush instrumentation and emotive vocal performances from the King of Pop and Siedah Garrett making it a long-term radio hit and a favorite of millions of fans. It was a bold choice as a lead single for the "Bad" album cycle, with Jackson giving up a portion of the spotlight to a relatively unknown singer, but it was a gamble that paid off.

Jackson and Garrett had undoubtable chemistry, and though the latter was initially offered the chance to tour with Jackson to support "Bad," it was only in the 1990s that she finally did, as her work on the single made her an in-demand artist in her own right. Garrett toured with Jackson for 16 months during the Dangerous World Tour, and has said of working with Jackson: "Whenever we were on-stage performing the duet 'I Just Can't Stop Loving You,' it was like Michael was singing it to me" (via True Michael Jackson). And their performances sound even more ardent today.