Billie Jean (1983) – Michael Jackson

Ladies and gents, it’s time to warm-up that high-pitched “Woo!”, break out the ol’ white glove, black hat, and get those feet moonwalkin’ – because we’ve got one of the biggest hits of the ’80s from one of the greatest entertainers ever to step foot on the stage: Mr. Michael Jackson! For me, it’s a toss-up between Billie Jean and Black or White as my ultimate desert-island MJ track – what’s yours? Billie Jean is an electrifying dance anthem, and every time I hear it, I feel an uncontrollable urge to move. In fact, when it came on at the gym a few weeks back, my reaction wasn’t far off Brad Pitt’s below in Burn After Reading.

Billie Jean was written and composed by Jackson. It is about a woman who says the singer is the father of her child, but he insists she’s lying. The song tells a tense story about temptation, lies, and the trouble that comes with fame. Behind its catchy beat and famous bassline, it shows how rumors and obsession can turn someone’s life upside down. Jackson said the lyrics were based on groupies’ claims about his older brothers when he toured with them as the Jackson 5. It was the introduction of distrust and paranoia to Jackson’s music which later became a trademark to his later music.

Billie Jean was the second single from Michael Jackson’s sixth studio album, Thriller (1982), released in January 1983. Thriller went on to become the best selling album of all time, with over 70 million copies sold worldwide, turning Jackson into a global phenomenon. Remarkably, Michael also had two of the three highest-selling albums of the 1980s, with Bad taking third place at around 45 million copies sold. Billie Jean topped the Billboard Hot 100 and became Jackson’s fastest-rising number one single since “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There” in 1970.

Jackson’s performance of “Billie Jean” on the TV special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (at the bottom of this post) introduced a number of Jackson’s signatures, including the moonwalk, rhinestone glove, black sequined jacket, and high-water pants, and was widely imitated. 

[Verse 1]
She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene, uh
I said, “Don’t mind, but what do you mean, I am the one?
Who will dance on the floor in the round?”
She said I am the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round?
She told me her name was Billie Jean as she caused a scene
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of bein’ the one, uh
Who will dance on the floor in the round?

[Pre-Chorus]
People always told me, “Be careful of what you do,” uh
“And don’t go around breakin’ young girls’ hearts” (Hee-hee)
And mother always told me, “Be careful of who you love
And be careful of what you do (Oh, oh)
‘Cause the lie becomes the truth” (Oh, oh), hey

[Chorus]
Billie Jean is not my lover, uh
She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one (Oh, baby)
But the kid is not my son (Woo)
Uh, she says I am the one (Oh, baby)
But the kid is not my son (Hee-hee-hee; no, no)
(Hee-hee-hee, woo)

[Verse 2]
For forty days and for forty nights, the law was on her side
But who can stand when she’s in demand? Her schemes and plans
‘Cause we danced on the floor in the round (Hee, uh, uh)
So take my strong advice
Just remember to always think twice (Don’t think twice)
Do think twice (A-hoo)
She told my baby we danced ’til three, then she looked at me
Then showed a photo of a baby cryin’, his eyes were like mine (Oh, no)
‘Cause we danced on the floor in the round, baby (Ooh, hee-hee-hee)

[Pre-Chorus]
People always told me, “Be careful of what you do,” uh
“And don’t go around breakin’ young girls’ hearts” (Don’t break no hearts; hee-hee)
But she came and stood right by me
Just the smell of sweet perfume (Ha-oh)
This happened much too soon (Ha-oh, ha-ooh)
She called me to her room (Ha-oh, hoo), hey

[Chorus]

References:
1. Billie Jean – Wikipedia