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"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. It is considered one of Jackson's biggest songs.

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

Background[]

The track was written and recorded in 1982. 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 Off the Wall's sound even more than the rest of 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 won two Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, and was inducted into the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame.

Recording Process[]

The song was initally recorded with Michael's lead vocal, Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo recorded 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 and was released on March 31, 1983. For it, actual Los Angeles street gangs, Crips and Bloods, were brought in. The video features Jackson contemplating about senseless violence, while dancing into a fight between the gangsters.

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.

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[]


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.

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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