This is an Incredible Song by Michael Jackson.."Beat It" is a 1983 hit single from Michael Jackson's multi-platinum selling album Thriller. It was the third song from the album that was released as a single, following "The Girl is Mine" (a duet with Paul McCartney) and "Billie Jean".
"Beat It" won Jackson two Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. It was also nominated for Song of the Year along with Jackson's "Billie Jean". Rolling Stone ranked it #337 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
"Beat It" is also notable for its guitar solo, a guest performance by Eddie Van Halen. He did the solo for the song in one take
Chart Info and Chart Run
UK: #3 USA: #1
UK top 75 chart run: 30,5,3,3,4,11,16,26,38,52,72,72,out
USA top 100 chart run: 78,65,44,24,15,14,10,5,2,1,1,1,2,3,6,6,11,11,16,24,33,53,74,87,99,out
History
n the years directly preceding "Beat It", Jackson had already composed several of his own hit songs. His Off the Wall album, released in 1979 and produced by Quincy Jones, featured two of his compositions – "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Working Day and Night" – as well as a third co-written with Louis Johnson, "Get On the Floor". (Similarly, the Jacksons 1978 album Destiny showcased his hit song "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" and 1980's Triumph had the even more prescient "This Place Hotel".) In many respects the Off the Wall album served as a measure of things to come. Jackson and Jones had laid a foundation for putting songs appealing to different segments of their audience together on one seamless record. Jackson's loyal fan base amongst his R&B audience had spread into mainstream pop for more than a decade, and his songs displayed an uncanny ability to appeal to a fairly wide-ranging group of listeners: those who liked ballads, or dance tunes, or disco, or slightly funkier grooves, or even lighter fare could all find something to appreciate on Off the Wall.
With Thriller, Jackson and Jones would attempt at once to hone, embellish, and surpass this feat. One of their ambitions was to include a rock song on the new album. They took partial inspiration from another chart-topping rock song by The Knack. According to Jones, "I said at the time, 'I need a song like "My Sharona"... A black version of a strong rock and roll thing, with the power of everything else he wrote.' And Jackson hit it right on the head."
Kicking off with an instantly recognizable gong (from a synclavier) which quickly segues into an equally distinctive rapid fire drumbeat and then the ongoing guitar riff, "Beat It" speaks of urgency from the outset and indeed plays out like the urban cousin of "My Sharona". The lyrics to "Beat It" are an immediate, frightful warning to avoid fighting and violence at all costs, especially when honor seems to be at stake ("It doesn't matter who's wrong or right") and Jackson sings them forcefully, near the top of his register.
Providing a dramatic electric guitar solo during the bridge of the song is Eddie Van Halen from the rock group Van Halen. According to Jones, when he first contacted the guitarist about appearing on the song, Van Halen didn’t believe he was who he said he was, or that the offer was authentic. Nevertheless, he went on to provide the defining element that set the song apart from other Jackson tunes to date. Van Halen famously did not request payment for his performance.[
Van Halen recorded his part while Jackson was in another nearby studio recording overdubs on “Billie Jean”. According to one story, a technician who was unaware Van Halen was beginning a take knocked on the studio door, entered and quickly closed it when he realized his error. Afterwards, it was jointly decided to leave this mistake in; the knock on the door is clearly audible just prior to the launch of Van Halen's guitar solo.
According to another story; It was common practice during the time to knock on ones own guitar to signify you were ready to come in for your guitar solo. The knock that was heard in the song was Eddie Van Halen preparing to come in and rip out that amazing solo on only his second take.
Another story is that it was actually a musical element to simulate Eddie Van Halen knocking on the door, coming in, playing his solo and leaving. It was supposed to help the "urban" feel of the song.
Impact of the Song.
By all accounts, "Beat It" was an unqualified smash hit and is often heralded as the ultimate crossover hit. Not only did "Beat It" fare well with Jackson's R&B and pop fans, but it also did with rock and heavy metal fans because of Van Halen's contributions. Radio stations still playing the song's album-mate "Billie Jean" added the new one to their playlists, and it also rapidly advanced to the top spot. Jackson and Jones had succeeded in getting R&B radio stations to play a song featuring hard rock elements, and rock stations to play a song delivered from a formidable R&B performer. Van Halen's legendary guitar solo became ubiquitous across radio dials around the world.
Future Jackson albums would similarly rely on the proven gambit of attempted broad-based appeal, to varying results, and each would include a rock-oriented song of its own. Most of these also featured superstar guest-guitarists providing solo performances in the Van Halen mold. These included:
* "Dirty Diana" featuring Steve Stevens (Bad, 1987)
* "Give in to Me" featuring Slash (Dangerous, 1991)
* "D.S." featuring Slash (HIStory, 1995)
* "Whatever Happens" featuring Carlos Santana (Invincible, 2001)
Michael Jackson's iconic Jheri curl, as seen in the "Beat It" video
Michael Jackson's iconic Jheri curl, as seen in the "Beat It" video
Also, as with its predecessor "Billie Jean", "Beat It" enjoyed unprecedented success on the still-growing cable network MTV. In fact, the music video for the new song was even granted an exclusive nighttime "World Premiere" on the channel, establishing a long-running tradition for top artists. Soon after it was also running on other cable networks and video programs including BET's Video Soul and WTBS's Night Tracks. "Beat It" was also the first video shown on NBC's offering in this new market, Friday Night Videos. Coupled with the success of the original song, the two fueled the ever-growing Jackson-mania that captivated millions around the world.
The video was directed by Bob Giraldi (who would go on to direct Jackson and his brothers in two Pepsi commercials) and choreographed by Michael Peters (who would later tackle the same task on Jackson's epic "Thriller" video). Many of the participants in the video's dance sequences were actual street gang members, brought in to authenticate the look and feel of the piece.
The multi-zippered red jacket worn by Jackson throughout the video would become iconic in its own right, and children and teenagers across the country of all races sported copies of the design. The jacket was seen in spot graphics in a TIME magazine article on Jackson that year, and was offered as an alternative outfit for the pop star’s action figure. In one of the two Pepsi commercials featuring the Jacksons, a young Alfonso Ribeiro (having recently starred in Broadway’s The Tap Dance Kid) wears a "Beat It" jacket as he dances in the street with other youths before literally moonwalking into his hero.
Credits
- Written, arranged and composed by Michael Jackson
- Produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson
- Lead and background vocals by Michael Jackson
- Guitar Solo by Eddie Van Halen
- Guitar by Paul Jackson
- Electric Bass & Guitar by Steve Lukather
- Drums by Jeff Porcaro
- Drum Case Beater by Michael Jackson
- Keyboards by Bill Wolfer
- Rhodes & Synthesizer by Greg Phillinganes
- Synthesizer & Synthesizer Programming by Steve Porcaro
- Vocal Arrangement by Michael Jackson
- Rhythm Arrangement by Michael Jackson & Quincy Jones
- Costume's Designed by Gordon Clarke
1st verse
They told him dont you ever come around here
Dont wanna see your face, you better disappear
The fires in their eyes and their words are really clear
So beat it, just beat it
2nd verse
You better run, you better do what you can
Dont wanna see no blood, dont be a macho man
You wanna be tough, better do what you can
So beat it, but you wanna be bad
Chorus
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin how funky strong is your fighter
It doesnt matter whos wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
3rd verse
Theyre out to get you, better leave while you can
Dont wanna be a boy, you wanna be a man
You wanna stay alive, better do what you can
So beat it, just beat it
4th verse
You have to show them that youre really not scared
Youre playin with your life, this aint no truth or dare
Theyll kick you, then they beat you,
Then theyll tell you its fair
So beat it, but you wanna be bad
Chorus
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin how funky strong is your fighter
It doesnt matter whos wrong or right
Chorus
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin how funky strong is your fighter
It doesnt matter whos wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
Chorus
Beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin how funky strong is your fighter
It doesnt matter whos wrong or right
Chorus
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin how funky strong is your fighter
It doesnt matter whos wrong or whos right
Chorus
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin how funky strong is your fighter
It doesnt matter whos wrong or right
Chorus
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin how funky strong is your fighter
It doesnt matter whos wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it
Beat it, beat it, beat it
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