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"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" is a song by Michael Jackson, released as the first track from the Thriller album. It was released as a single on May 8, 1983, serving as the fourth single from the album. It's considered one of Jackson's most known and successful songs.

The 1979 demo was released as a bonus track to the posthumous Michael Jackson's This Is It compilation album.

Background[]

The track was written in 1979. It was originally meant for his sister, La Toya, as a response to reports about her relationship with her other sisters. The idea didn't come to fruition and Michael recorded it for Off the Wall. However, it was too late to include it as the album was ready for release. It didn't make the cut and was re-recorded in 1982 for Thriller.

Live performances[]

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" was first performed in the Victory Tour with his brothers. He'd then go on to perform it at all of Michael's solo concert tours. It was supposed to be performed for the This Is It concert residency in 2009. Unfortunately, due to Jackson's passing, what was rehearsed on June 23, 2009 would be the last performance of the song.

Charts[]

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" charted 9th place out of the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 2, 1983. On July 16, the song charted at it's peak at number 5. This song also placed number 5 on the top 10 Billboard R&B Singles Chart. In the United Kingdom, this song placed 38 in the top 40 charts on June 11, 1983. The following week the song moved up 24 positions to number 14. On June 25, the song finally made it to the top 10 at number 8.

2008 Remix[]

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" is a remix released as the second single and thirteenth track on Thriller 25. The rework got made with Akon and Giorgio Tuinfort in 2007. It was certified as Gold in Australia.[1] The track was made with Akon in 2007 during the same sessions, as "Hold My Hand" and other four/five tracks.[2] It would be the last song released by Michael during his lifetime to feature completely new vocals. Although Akon is presented as only a feature, he actually provides way more vocals for the entire track than Michael who sings for only a few seconds.

Lyrics[]

[Chorus]
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)

[Verse 1]
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'

[Chorus]
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)

[Verse 2]
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 keep my baby cryin'
Treacherous, cunnin', declinin'
You got my baby cryin' (Hee)

[Chorus]
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)

[Post-Chorus]
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 (You're a vegetable)
They eat off of you (They eat off of you) (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable, aaow!

[Verse 3]
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'

[Chorus]
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)

[Post-Chorus]
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 (You're a vegetable)
They eat off of you (They eat off of you) (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable, aaow!

[Instrumental Interlude]
Aaow!
Hee-haw! (Ooh!)

[Verse 4]
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'

[Chorus]
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)

[Bridge]
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 do believe in you

[Outro]
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 (Hee-hee-hee)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (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)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Help me 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 (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 (Help me sing it)
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)

[Chorus]
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)
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)

[Verse 1]
I took my mama to the doctor with a fever
Seen a ta-da
I've known damn space
She done on a second
Someone's always tryin'
To start my baby cryin'
Talkin', squealin', lyin'
Saying you just want to be startin' somethin'

[Chorus]
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)

[Verse 2]
So, Massa, she was stupid
With the seed that she was bathin'
When mama took the street
They said that she was sittin'
Someone's always tryin'
To start my baby cryin'
Hustlin', squealin', lyin'
Sayin' you just want to be startin' somethin'

[Chorus]
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)

[Bridge]
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, aaow!

[Instrumental Interlude]
Mama-say-mama

[Verse 3]
Billie Jean is always talkin'
But they think somebody's talkin'
Took her to the street
Now somebody always talkin'
She is always tryin'
To start my baby cryin'
Hustlin', squealin', lyin'
My baby's slowly dyin'

[Chorus]
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You just 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)

[Bridge]
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, aaow!

[Interlude]
Aaow!
Hee-haw! (Ooh!)
Mama-say

[Verse 4]
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'

[Chorus]
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You just 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)

[Bridge]
Lift your head up high and sing out to the world
Sing the, sing the song, do with you

[Outro]
Help me sing it
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
(Help me sing it)
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (Hee-hee)
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (Hee-hee-hee)
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
(Help me sing it)
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
(All right)
Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa

[Intro]
Konvict

[Verse 1]
I met her on the walkway
Staring as she walked pass
She looked back at me sideways and said
I can't help but to ask
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'"
We end up goin' back to her place
Wish I could tell you what I saw
The sexiest women in a negligee
We hit it off until the morning
You heard her say

[Hook]
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
(Why'd I make her say...)
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah

[Verse 2]
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', lyin'
Sayin' you just want to be startin' somethin'

[Chorus]
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'
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)
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)

[Verse 3]
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'
Talkin', squealin', lyin'
You got my baby cryin'

[Chorus]
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'
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)
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)

[Hook]
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
(Why'd I make her say...)
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah (Heeey)
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
(I shouldn't have made her say...)

[Verse 4]
It's gettin' a lil' crazy (It's gettin' a lil' crazy)
Always messin' with my baby (Messin' with my baby)
And that's the reason she cries
When I'm not by her side (By her side)
I have the loneliest night (Without my baby, so lonely)
But what I love 'bout you
Always pop up when I'm thinking about you (Ooh)
I want to bring back the night and share that look on your face (Ooh)
When you say...

[Hook]
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
(I'd like to make her say...)
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah
A-ma-say, ma-ma-sah, ma-ma-coo-sah

[Chorus]
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)
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)
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)
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)

Gallery[]


Trivia[]

  • "Billie Jean" is referenced in the lyrics of the second verse.
  • Michael never used playback for this song when performing it live.
  • The "ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa" parts were famously sampled for Rihanna's 2007 song, "Don't Stop the Music".[5]

References[]

Discography
Studio albums
Got to Be ThereBenMusic & MeForever, Michael Off the WallThrillerBadDangerousHIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book IInvincible
Other albums
Farewell My Summer LoveBlood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the MixThe Ultimate CollectionThriller 25MichaelBad 25XscapeScreamThriller 40
Singles
"Got to Be There" • "Rockin' Robin" • "I Wanna Be Where You Are" • "Ain't No Sunshine" • "Ben" • "With a Child's Heart" • "Music & Me" • "We're Almost There" • "Just a Little Bit of You" • "You Can't Win" • "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" • "Rock with You" • "Off the Wall" • "She's Out of My Life" • "Girlfriend" • "One Day in Your Life" • "The Girl is Mine" • "Billie Jean" • "Beat It" • "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" • "Human Nature" • "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" • "Thriller" • "Happy" • "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" • "Bad" • "The Way You Make Me Feel" • "Man in the Mirror" • "Dirty Diana" • "Another Part of Me" • "Smooth Criminal" • "Leave Me Alone" • "Liberian Girl" • "Black or White" • "Remember the Time" • "In the Closet" • "Jam" • "Who Is It" • "Heal the World" • "Give In to Me" • "Will You Be There" • "Gone Too Soon" • "Scream/Childhood" • "You Are Not Alone" • "Earth Song" • "They Don't Care About Us" • "Stranger in Moscow" • "Blood on the Dance Floor" • "HIStory/Ghosts" • "Smile" • "You Rock My World" • "Butterflies" • "Cry" • "What More Can I Give" • "One More Chance" • "The Girl is Mine 2008" • "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" • "Hold My Hand" • "Mind Is the Magic" • "Hollywood Tonight" • "Behind the Mask" • "(I Like) The Way You Love Me" • "Love Never Felt So Good" • "A Place with No Name" • "Blood on the Dance Floor X Dangerous (The White Panda Mash-Up)"
Promotional singles
"Speed Demon" • "Someone Put Your Hand Out" • "This Time Around" • "Is It Scary" • "Speechless" • "Unbreakable" • "Cheater" • "This Is It"
Non-single songs
"Girl Don't Take Your Love from Me" • "In Our Small Way" • "Wings of My Love" • "Maria (You Were the Only One)" • "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" • "You've Got a Friend" • "Greatest Show on Earth" • "People Make the World go Round" • "We've Got a Good Thing Going" • "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" • "My Girl" • "What Goes Around Comes Around" • "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" • "You Can Cry on My Shoulder" • "Up Again" • "All the Things You Are" • "Too Young" • "Doggin' Around" • "Euphoria" • "Morning Glow" • "Johnny Raven" • "Take Me Back" • "Cinderella Stay Awhile" • "We've Got Forever" • "You Are There" • "Dapper Dan" • "Dear Michael" • "I'll Come Home To You" • "Workin' Day and Night" • "Get on the Floor" • "I Can't Help It" • "It's The Falling In Love" • "Burn This Disco Out" • "Someone in the Dark" • "Baby Be Mine" • "The Lady In My Life" • "Just Good Friends" • "Why You Wanna Trip on Me" • "She Drives Me Wild" • "Can't Let Her Get Away" • "Keep the Faith" • "Dangerous" • "D.S." • "Money" • "Come Together" • "Tabloid Junkie" • "2 Bad" • "Little Susie / Pie Jesu" • "On the Line" • "Morphine" • "Superfly Sister" • "Carousel" • "Streetwalker" • "Fly Away" • "Heartbreaker" • "Invincible" • "Break of Dawn" • "Heaven Can Wait" • "2000 Watts" • "You Are My Life" • "Privacy" • "Don't Walk Away" • "The Lost Children" • "Whatever Happens" • "Threatened" • "Shout" • "Sunset Driver" • "Scared of the Moon" • "We Are Here to Change the World" • "Monkey Business" • "Fall Again" • "In the Back" • "Beautiful Girl" • "We've Had Enough" • "For All Time" • "Got the Hots" • "Best of Joy" • "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" • "Much Too Soon" • "Don't Be Messin' 'Round" • "I'm So Blue" • "Abortion Papers" • "Free" • "Price of Fame" • "Al Capone" • "Chicago" • "Loving You" • "Slave to the Rhythm" • "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" • "Blue Gangsta" • "Xscape" • "Starlight" • "Who Do You Know" • "The Toy" • "What a Lovely Way to Go" • "She's Trouble"
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