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"Dirty Diana" is a song by Michael Jackson released as the ninth track from the Bad album. It was released as a single on April 18, 1988, serving as the fifth single from the album.

Background[]

The track was written and first recorded in 1983-1984 for the Jacksons' Victory album. Michael returned to working on "Dirty Diana" in 1986, this time with Quincy Jones behind the production.

There was a mystery for many years leading to some speculation as to what Jackson was talking about in the song. Some say he was talking about his former mentor Diana Ross, whom he had had a crush on as a child. Quincy Jones later confirmed that it was about groupies in an interview from the special edition of Bad.

Music video[]

The video was directed by Joe Pytka and released on April 14, 1988. It features Jackson performing the track onstage, with the titular Diana being played by the model, Lisa Dean.

Live performances[]

Ddbadtour

Bad World Tour (Madison Square Garden, 1988)

Michael performed "Dirty Diana" throughout the Bad World Tour. It wouldn't be brought back to the set list until the This Is It rehearsals. The last time it was performed would be on June 23, 2009. Bits of this rehearsal were put out in the Michael Jackson's This Is It movie and its behind-the-scenes.

Lyrics[]

[Verse 1]
You'll never make me stay
So take your weight off of me
I know your every move
So won't you just let me be?
I've been here times before
But I was too blind to see
That you seduce every man
This time, you won't seduce me

[Pre-Chorus]
She's saying "That's okay
Hey, baby, do what you please
I have the stuff that you want
I am the thing that you need"
She looked me deep in the eyes
She's touching me so to start
She says "There's no turning back"
She trapped me in her heart

[Chorus]
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana, let me be!
(Oh, no, oh, no, oh, no)

[Verse 2]
She likes the boys in the band
She knows when they come to town
Every musician's fan
After the curtain comes down
She waits at backstage doors
For those who have prestige
Who promise fortune and fame
A life that's so carefree

[Pre-Chorus]
She's saying "That's okay
Hey, baby, do what you want
I'll be your night-loving thing
I'll be the freak you can taunt
And I don't care what you say
I want to go too far
I'll be your everything
If you make me a star"

[Chorus]
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana

[Interlude]
Diana
Diana
Dirty Diana
It's Diana, -iana, -iana
C'mon!

[Verse 3]
She said "I have to go home
'Cause I'm real tired, you see
But I hate sleeping alone
Why don't you come with me?"
I said "My baby's at home
She's probably worried tonight
I didn't call on the phone
To say that I'm alright"

[Pre-Chorus]
Diana walked up to me
She said, "I'm all yours tonight"
At that, I ran to the phone
Saying, "Baby, I'm alright"
I said "But unlock the door
'Cause I forgot the key"
She said "He's not coming back
Because he's sleeping with me"

[Chorus]
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana, no
Dirty Diana

[Outro]
C'mon! (Dirty Diana, no)
C'mon! (Dirty Diana, no)
C'mon! (Dirty Diana, no)
C'mon! (Dirty Diana) (Hey, hey)
C'mon! (Dirty Diana, no) (Hey, baby, won't you-)
C'mon! (Dirty Diana, no) (Hey, baby, won't you-)
C'mon! (Dirty Diana, no) (Hey, baby, won't you-)
C'mon! (Dirty Diana) (Hey, baby, won't you-)
C'mon! Aaow! (Dirty Diana, no)
C'mon! (Dirty Diana, no)
C'mon! (Dirty Diana, no)
C'mon! (Dirty Diana)
C'mon! (Dirty Diana, no)
C'mon! (Dirty Diana, no)
C'mon! (Dirty Diana, no)

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Billy Idol's former guitarist, Steve Stevens, performs the guitar solo.[2]
  • During the July 16, 1988 show of the Bad World Tour at the Wembley Stadium, Jackson removed the song from the set list, due to Princess Diana attending the concert. Turned out the track was her favorite, but it was too late to add it back to the set list.
  • Among others, the song was famously covered by The Weeknd in 2011, under the title of "D.D.".[3]

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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