About The Song
“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson recorded for his sixth studio album Thriller (1982). It is the opening track of the album and was released as its fourth single on May 9, 1983, by Epic Records. It was written and co-produced by Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones. The lyrics pertain to strangers spreading rumors to start an argument for no good reason. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” evokes the disco sound of Jackson’s previous studio album, Off the Wall, released in 1979. The song is characterized by a complex rhythm arrangement and a distinctive horn arrangement.
“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” became Jackson’s fourth consecutive top 10 single from Thriller on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number five. The song also topped the charts in Canada as well as the Netherlands and charted within the top 20 and top 30 in several countries. It was generally well received by contemporary music critics. As part of the release of Thriller 25, a remix of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'”, titled “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ 2008 with Akon”, was recorded with Akon, and released as the second single from the album. The remix was commercially successful, mainly charting within the top 10 in six countries, as well as the top 20 in several territories worldwide and top 40 in Canada. It was more successful internationally than in the United States, having peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 81, which was the song’s lowest charting position.
Unlike previous singles from Thriller, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” did not have a music video to accompany it but was performed by Jackson on world concert tours as both a member of The Jacksons and as a solo artist. Following Jackson’s death in June 2009, the song re-entered music charts worldwide. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” has been covered and sampled by multiple recording artists since its release, notably by Rihanna in her 2007 song “Don’t Stop the Music”, who was sued as a result. Aside from Thriller, the song appears on multiple compilation and greatest hits albums by Jackson.
“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” was written, composed and co-produced by Michael Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones. It was originally written for his sister La Toya Jackson about her troubled relationship with her sisters-in-law,[citation needed] but Michael ended up recording the song, and La Toya sometimes performs the song at her concerts. The song was originally recorded in 1978 for the inclusion on the Off the Wall album, but was later re-recorded in fall 1982, in Los Angeles, California. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” was one of the four songs that Jackson received writing credits on for his sixth studio album Thriller in 1982. The song was released by Epic Records as the fourth single from the album. Unlike Thriller’s previous singles, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” did not have a film or a music video released to promote it.
Aside from Thriller, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” has appeared on multiple compilation and greatest hits albums by Jackson since the song’s release. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” appeared on the first disc of Jackson’s two-disc compilation album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I in 1995 as well as the 25th anniversary edition of Thriller, titled Thriller 25, and the greatest hits album King of Pop; both albums were released in 2008.[4] The song is also included on the box set collection released in 2004, The Ultimate Collection, the greatest hits album The Essential Michael Jackson, the compilation album This Is It, and the special box set The Collection released days after Jackson’s death. Some versions of the 1995 Earth Song CD single included the Brothers in Rhythm Mix and Tommy D’s Main Mix as B-sides. The song was also remixed to the Immortal album in 2011. The demo version of the song was also released in This Is It (2009).
Video
Lyrics
I said you wanna be startin’ somethin’
You got to be startin’ somethin’
I said you wanna be startin’ somethin’
You got to be startin’ somethin’
It’s too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
You’re too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You’re stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
I took my baby to the doctor
With a fever, but nothin’ he found
By the time this hit the street
They said she had a breakdown
Someone’s always tryin’ to start my baby cryin’
Talkin’, squealin’, lyin’
Sayin’ you just want to be startin’ somethin’
I said you wanna be startin’ somethin’
You got to be startin’ somethin’
I said you wanna be startin’ somethin’
You got to be startin’ somethin’
It’s too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You’re stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
It’s too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
You’re too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You’re stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
You love to pretend that you’re good
When you’re always up to no good
You really can’t make him hate her
So your tongue became a razor
Someone’s always tryin’ to start my baby cryin’
Treacherous, cunnin’, declinin’
You got my baby cryin’ (hee)
I said you wanna be startin’ somethin’
You got to be startin’ somethin’
I said you wanna be startin’ somethin’
You got to be startin’ somethin’
It’s too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You’re stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
It’s too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
You’re too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You’re stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
You’re a vegetable (you’re a vegetable)
You’re a vegetable (you’re a vegetable)
Still, they hate you (still, they hate you)
You’re a vegetable (you’re a vegetable)
You’re just a buffet (you’re just a buffet)
You’re a vegetable (you’re a vegetable)
They eat off of you (they eat off of you)
You’re a vegetable, ow!
Hee, ha (ooh!)
Billie Jean is always talkin’ when nobody else is talkin’
Tellin’ lies and rubbin’ shoulders
So they called her mouth a motor
Someone’s always tryin’
To start my baby cryin’
Talkin’, squealin’, spyin’
Sayin’ you just want to be startin’ somethin’
I said you wanna be startin’ somethin’
You got to be startin’ somethin’
I said you wanna be startin’ somethin’
You got to be startin’ somethin’
It’s too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You’re stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
It’s too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You’re stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
You’re a vegetable (you’re a vegetable)
You’re a vegetable (you’re a vegetable)
Still, they hate you (still, they hate you)
You’re a vegetable (you’re a vegetable)
You’re just a buffet (you’re just a buffet)
You’re a vegetable (you’re a vegetable)
They eat off of you (they eat off of you)
You’re a vegetable, ow!
Ow!
Hee-haw! (Ooh!)
If you can’t feed your baby (yeah, yeah)
Then don’t have a baby (yeah, yeah)
And don’t think maybe (yeah, yeah)
If you can’t feed your baby (yeah, yeah)
You’ll be always tryin’
To stop that child from cryin’
Hustlin’, stealin’, lyin’
Now, baby’s slowly dyin’
I said you wanna be startin’ somethin’
You got to be startin’ somethin’
I said you wanna be startin’ somethin’
You got to be startin’ somethin’
It’s too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
You’re too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You’re stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
It’s too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
You’re too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You’re stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
Lift your head up high and scream out to the world
“I know I am someone, ” and let the truth unfurl (hee-ha)
No one can hurt you now, because you know what’s true
Yes, I believe in me, so you believe in you
Help me sing it
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (hoo-hoo)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (hee-hee-hee)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (hee-hee-hee)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (help me sing it, babe)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (hee-hee-hee)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (yeah, sing it to the world)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (sing it out loud)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (hoo-hoo)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (help me sing it)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (hoo-hoo)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (hee-hee)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (help me sing)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (sing it to the world)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (hoo-hoo)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (hoo-hoo)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (hee-hee-hee)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (help me sing, babe)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (hee-hee-hee)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (yeah)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (sing it to the world)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (sing it out loud)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (hoo-hoo)