Watch kids groove to Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson ‘Say Say Say’ remix

In an effort to draw attention to the reissue of Paul McCartney’s “Pipes of Peace” album, the artist commissioned a new remix of “Say Say Say,” the dance-pop collaboration between the former Beatle and the self-proclaimed King of Pop, Michael Jackson. The track, originally released in 1983, further cemented Jackson’s reputation as a solo hitmaker while helping to reinvent McCartney for a new pop era. McCartney premiered the clip on his Facebook page on Tuesday morning.

According to McCartney, the original collaboration came with a phone call from Jackson. “He rang me up, and I didn’t believe it was him,” said McCartney on his website. “So I said, ‘Who's this?’ He said, ‘Michael.’ ‘Are you sure … Michael who?!’ … Anyway, we had a joke about that kind of thing, and he said, ‘Yeah, I'd like to come over and write with you,’ so I said great. So he came over to England, and we just sat down. I thought, well, it’s not easy to just sit down with anyone you don’t know and just write, start songwriting because you’ve got to get the chemistry right. But I thought, it is Michael — you know, I'll just try! If it doesn’t work, we’ll just throw it away … ”

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Better yet, try again in a few decades when you can remix it and resell it to a new generation.

Angelenos obsessed with either Sia’s “Chandelier” video or the Silver Lake workout institution “Sweaty Sundays” at the Sweat Shop might recognize the choreography: It’s courtesy of director Ryan Heffington, whose stylistic flourish infuses every step of the clip with joy.

The track was remixed by Mark “Spike” Stent, and includes a beefier rhythm, vocal outtakes from the original sessions mixed with the originals and an awesome Vocoder effect, the combination of which adds a modern sheen to what otherwise might be considered a footnote in two storied careers. (Granted, the track did spend six weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.)

Those hoping for a real MJ resurrection in the clip will have to settle for his spirit and the echoes of his influence. Heffington carries young dancers from back alleys and night time streetscapes of Los Angeles into a secret club where emotion erupts on the dance floor.

Follow Randall Roberts on Twitter: @liledit