Beat It

"Beat It"Single by Michael Jackson
General information
B-side	"Get on the Floor"
Released	February 14, 1983 (single) February 8, 2008 (2008 remix)
Recorded	October 1982 2007 (2008 remix)
Studio	Hayvenhurst (Encino, California) Westlake Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California)
Genre	Hard rock • dance rock • funk rock
Length	4:18
Album	Thriller
Label	Epic Records
Writer(s)	Michael Jackson
Producer(s)	Quincy Jones • Michael Jackson
Singles chronology
Previous	"Billie Jean"
Current	"Beat It"
Next	"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
Track list
Previous	"Thriller"
Current	"Beat It"
Next	"Billie Jean"
Music video

"Beat It" is a song written and produced by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released as the fifth track from the Thriller album. It was released as a single on February 14, 1983, serving as the third single from the album. The track features Eddie Van Halen, the guitarist and composer for the identically named American rock group Van Halen, on lead guitar. The single is generally considered to be one of Jackson's biggest songs. "Beat It" was later re-released as a B-side to the "Give In to Me" single, alongside "Dirty Diana".

A voice memo (referred to as a demo) of Jackson presenting the track's melodies was released on the second disc as a bonus track to the posthumous compilation album Michael Jackson's This Is It.

Background

"Beat It" started with a demo that Jackson worked on at Hayvenhurst, alongside other musicians. The drums were programmed on a drum machine, with the bass line being a combination of an electric bass guitar and a Bell Labs Digital Synthesizer Synergy keyboard. This hybrid bass style was retained for the main recording session.

When Quincy Jones first heard the vocals, he stated that it was exactly what he wanted. Toto co-founder Jeff Porcaro played the drums. Steve Porcaro, Jeff's brother, and Steve Lukather, both also Toto members, played synthesizers, guitar, and bass guitar, respectively.

Eddie's involvement

Eddie was asked to add a guitar solo. When Jones first contacted the guitarist, the latter thought he was receiving a prank call. Later, Van Halen realized that the call was genuine, so he used a rented Marshall amplifier, prepared to be used alongside his Frankenstrat guitar and an Echoplex. Van Halen then recorded two takes of the solo free of charge.

“	I did it as a favor. I was a complete fool, according to the rest of the band, our manager and everyone else. I was not used. I knew what I was doing—I don't do something unless I want to do it.	”
–Van Halen in Michael Jackson: For The Record, 2007

In 2015, Van Halen claimed that he helped rearrange the song: they wanted him to solo over the chorus, but he suggested doing the solo over the verse section instead with the chord change underneath, which he felt worked better. However, the edits based on this interfered with the SMPTE timecode on the multitrack reel, and needed to synchronize with other multitrack reels for the complete song.

As a result, Lukather and Jeff were essentially forced to completely re-cut the basic tracks to fit around Jackson's lead vocal and the guitar solo with the help of engineer Humberto Gatica. Jackson performed the knocking sounds himself by striking a drum case. In the credits, Jackson is listed as a "drum case beater". Following Jackson's death in 2009, Van Halen described working with him as "one of [the] fondest memories in [his] career".

Lyrics

• Beat It
• Demo
• 2008 Remix

[Verse 1]
They told him, "Don't you ever come around here
Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear"
The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear
So beat it, just beat it (Ooh!)
You better run, you better do what you can (Ooh!)
Don't wanna see no blood, don't be a macho man (Ooh!)
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 and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it (Beat it)
Just beat it (Beat it)
Just beat it (Beat it)
Just beat it (Beat it, uh)

[Verse 2]
They're out to get you, better leave while you can
Don't wanna be a boy, you wanna be a man
You wanna stay alive, better do what you can
So beat it, just beat it (Ooh!)
You have to show them that you're really not scared (Ooh!)
You're playin' with your life, this ain't no truth or dare (Ooh!)
They'll kick you, then they'll beat you, then they'll tell you it's 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 and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it (Beat it, beat it, beat it)
Beat it (Beat it, beat it, ha, ha, ha, ha)
Beat it (Beat it, beat it)
Beat it (Beat it, beat it)

[Guitar Solo]

[Chorus]
Beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right (Who's right)
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it (Hoo-hoo!)
No one wants to be defeated (Oh, lord)
Showin' how funky (Hee-hee!) and strong is your fight (Hee-hee-hee!)
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it (Beat it!)
No one wants to be defeated (Oh-no!)
Showin' how funky (Hoo-hoo!) and strong is your fight (Hee-hee! Hoo!)
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right (Who's right)
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it (Hoo-hoo!)
No one wants to be defeated

[Intro]
Okay, this is the harmonies and the vocal harmonies on the choruses of, uh, "Beat It"
Um, I'll do the verses, then, then I'll do the choruses
One, two, three, four

[Verse]
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Beat it (Beat it)
Da-da, beat it
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Beat it
But you're driving me mad

[Chorus]
So beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
Beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it

[Outro]
Alright, next track

[Verse 1]
They told him, "Don't you ever come around here
Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear"
The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear
So beat it, just beat it
You better run, you better do what you can
Don't wanna see no blood, don't 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 fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right

[Post-Chorus]
Just beat it (Beat it), just beat it (Beat it)
Just beat it (Beat it), just beat it (Beat it), ooh

[Verse 2]
They're out to get you, better leave while you can
Don't wanna be a boy, you wanna be a man
You wanna stay alive, better do what you can
So beat it, just beat it
You have to show them that you're really not scared
You're playin' with your life, this ain't no truth or dare
They'll kick you and they'll beat you and they'll tell you it's 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 fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right (Right)

[Post-Chorus]
Oh, no
Hoo-hoo, hee-hee, hoo-hoo

[Chorus]
Just beat it (Beat it), beat it (Beat it)
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right

[Post-Chorus]
Just beat it (Beat it)
Beat it (Beat it)
You want it, you want it, you want it (Beat it)
You want it, you want it, you want it (Beat it)
Come get it, come get it, come get it
You want it, come get it, come get it

[Guitar Solo]

[Chorus]
Beat it (Beat it), beat it (Beat it)
No one wants to be defeated (Uh)
Showin' how funky strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it (Hoo-hoo), beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated (No, no)
Showin' how funky strong is your fight (Hee-hee, hee-hee)
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it (Beat it), beat it (Beat it)
No one wants to be defeated (Oh, no)
Showin' how funky strong is your fight (Hoo-hoo, hee-hee)
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right

[Outro]
Just beat it, beat it
Beat it
Beat it
Beat it

Music video

The music video, directed by Bob Giraldi and filmed in January 1983, was released on March 31 of the same year. For it, actual Los Angeles street gangs, Crips and Bloods, were brought in. The video features Jackson contemplating senseless violence, and later breaking up the fight between the two gangs.

Live performances

Jackson began performing "Beat It" during the Victory Tour with the Jacksons. Soon after, it joined the set list of his solo tours and stayed on it for all his concerts. For each performance, he'd rock a red jacket. The last time "Beat It" was performed live took place on June 23, 2009, during the This Is It rehearsals.

2008 Remix

"Beat It 2008" is a remix of "Beat It", released as the fourteenth track from Thriller 25. The rework was made with will.i.am in 2007, and features Fergie of Black Eyed Peas.

Gallery

Vinyl back cover

Vinyl

"Look deep within yourself, and you'll find something amazing." To view the Beat It gallery, click here.

Trivia

• "Beat It" appeared in Back to the Future Part II. It is heard in the scene where Marty goes to Cafe 80's in 2015. In it, Jackson (portrayed by E'Casanova Evans) asks for the order.
• Several alternate versions of "Beat It" exist, including a version that sounds more like a dance song, and a different, more "heavy metal" version.
• Right before Van Halen's guitar solo for "Beat It" begins, a noise is heard that sounds like somebody knocking at a door. It is reported that the knock was a person walking into Van Halen's recording studio. Another story has claimed that the sound was simply him knocking on his guitar.
• There was an alleged incident, that during the mixing sessions, while working on Van Halen's solo, the engineers were shocked to discover that the sound of his guitar somehow caused the control room's monitor speaker to catch fire, leading to Rod Temperton to exclaim, "This must be really good!". In a 2016 interview, this was confirmed to be an urban legend.