Torture (4:53)

“Torture” is the second single released off the album Victory by The Jacksons. Written by Jackie Jackson and fellow Motown veteran Kathy Wakefield, the song is about someone ending a relationship, and the torture that a person can receive whilst trying to end it. Jackie was originally going to sing the song with his brother, Michael, but Jackie’s role instead went to Jermaine Jackson, whose availability for the album was in question until the last minute. The rest of the Jacksons sang the chorus along with Michael and Jermaine.

The song received a mixed reaction from critics. The music video was most well known for Michael not being available, in which case a dummy had to be put in his place throughout the video. Paula Abdul choreographed the video, in which various scenes of torture are displayed, with the Jacksons being on the receiving end of most of the torture. The song peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it the second best selling single on the album, behind “State of Shock”. It also peaked at #26 on the UK charts.