"Beat It" is a song by 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 on lead guitar. The single is generally considered to be one of Jackson's biggest songs.
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[]
The track was written and recorded in late October 1982 and finished in November 2 of the same year. According to the Thriller 40 film, Jackson wanted to make "Beat It" rock-oriented due to MTV's statement that "they only play rock" when asked why don't they play black artists' music videos. Additionally, he wanted it to differ from the sound of Off the Wall, Jackson's 1979 album, even more than the rest of the tracks from Thriller. Eddie Van Halen was asked to perform on the guitar after Michael stated he wanted a guitarist who would attract attention of white male audiences.
| “ | I wanted to write a song, the type of song that I would buy if I were to buy a rock song... and I wanted the children to really enjoy it—the school children as well as the college students. | ” |
–Michael Jackson for the Ebony magazine, May 1984[1] | ||
"Beat It" has since won two Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, and was inducted into the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame.
Recording Process[]
"Beat It" was initially recorded with Michael's lead vocal, Eddie's guitar solo at 5150 Studios, and Michael hitting a drum case and a screwdriver on beats two and four to act as a kick and snare pattern on two 24-track recorders via SMPTE code method. SMPTE code is where two 24-track machines come together to stay in time like a metronome will stay locked in place except for when the tape is cut. Michael's lead vocal was recorded five times. Eddie Van Halen had recorded the guitar solo alongside Michael's vocal and Quincy did not want to re-record Michael's vocal because of it being a first generation tape and being the master vocal track. When the tape of Michael's vocals and drum beat was sent to Eddie Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen had cut the tape, therefore causing not only the song to go out of time but also having the band (Steve Lukather and Jeff Porcaro) having to re-record the song "backwards." Jeff Porcaro first created a click track using drum sticks, proceeded by recording his drum parts, Steve Lukather then layed down the guitar tracks and bass tracks. [2]
Eddie Van Halen Involvement[]
In a later interview with Piers Morgan, Eddie Van Halen, the guitarist and composer for the American rock group Van Halen, opens up about working with Jackson on Beat It. Eddie Van Halen never got paid to do the solo on the track.
| “ | I did it as a favor. Well I didn't ask for anything. It was about 20 minutes out of my life. Quincy had called me up and asked me if I wanted to do it and the honest to God truth, the band's (Van Halen's) policy was "we don't do things outside of the band" at the time and everybody was out of town, so I had no one to ask. I swear to God, I figured who's gonna know if I play on this black kids record. | ” |
–Eddie Van Halen for Piers Morgan, May 3rd, 2013[3] | ||
Eddie Van Halen also rearranged the song, more specifically the solo section, to which Van Halen claimed had no chord changes underneath it. Steve Lukather, of Toto, also later confirmed this in an interview with Youtuber, Rick Beato. [2]
Music video[]
The video was directed by Bob Giraldi, filmed in January 1983, and released on March 31 of that same year. For it, actual Los Angeles street gangs, Crips and Bloods, were brought in. The video features Jackson contemplating about 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, Michael would 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 Michael Jackson's song "Beat It", released as the fourteenth track on Thriller 25. The rework got made with will.i.am in 2007 and features Fergie of Black Eyed Peas.
Audio[]
Lyrics[]
[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
Gallery[]
![Vinyl back cover[2]](/wiki/File:Beatitvinylback.jpg "Beatitvinylback.jpg (95 KB)")
![Vinyl[2]](/wiki/File:Beatitvinyl.jpg "Beatitvinyl.jpg (83 KB)")
|
"Look deep within yourself, and you'll find something amazing." To view the Beat It gallery, click here. |
Trivia[]
- The song made an appearance in Back to the Future Part II. It appears in the scene where Marty goes to Cafe 80's in 2015. In it, Michael Jackson (portrayed by E'Casanova Evans) asks for the order.
- Several alternate versions exist of the song. There's a demo version recorded at Hayvenhurst shortly before production began, a earlier version that sounded more like a dance song, and a different, more "heavy metal" version.
- The song was also later re-released as a B-side to the "Give In to Me" single, alongside "Dirty Diana".
References[]
- ↑ https://books.google.pl/books?id=eTVRByX_QAwC&pg=PA163&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Steve Lukather Talks About Recording "Beat It" Guitar Riff - YouTube Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name ":0" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKxKtqB6zAM