What is "d.s."

abbr. (alternate form of lang=en DS)

"D.S." is an album track by Michael Jackson from his 1995 double disc record HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. It is track six on the second disc, one of the three songs from that disc whose lyrics are printed in the album booklet, and is four minutes and forty-nine seconds in length. The song is often cited as a derogatory reference to Santa Barbara County District Attorney Tom Sneddon, whose name is similar to the subject of the song, Dom Sheldon. When Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993, the investigation was controlled by Sneddon, who also ordered that Jackson be strip searched. The criminal investigation was subsequently closed when according to the New York Times, "the boy and his family announced that they would no longer cooperate. In an out-of-court settlement of a civil suit filed by the family, the boy was to receive a payment of more than $10 million, according to Mr. Jackson’s associates." Jackson was angered by the allegations, his perception of being mistreated by the police and media, and the negative effect on his health.

Shortly afterwards, he began work on HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The track "D.S." is written, composed and produced by Jackson and includes a guitar solo by Slash. It is a rock song that conveys themes such as bitterness, mistrust and corruption within law enforcement. There was no major critical analysis of the song from mainstream reviews when HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I was issued, but the song's connection to Tom Sneddon was widely reported in the media. Jackson was subsequently involved in projects that made coded references to Sneddon and the 1993 investigation.