“Do You Know Where Your Children Are” is a previously unreleased song written and produced by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released as the sixth track on his second posthumous album, Xscape. The demo was also released as the fourteenth track from the deluxe edition.
Background[]
"Do You Know Where Your Children Are" was first recorded on May 9, 1986, during the Bad sessions at Hayvenhurst. It was made with John Barnes and Bill Bottrell. The guitar was provided by Jackson's guitarist from Thriller, David Williams. According to Bottrell, "a whole track" was made with a "test vocal on verse".[1][2]
"Do You Know Where Your Children Are" was further developed in 1990 for Dangerous, but was shelved as Jackson decided to focus on the new jack swing genre after being introduced to Teddy Riley. In 1994, Jackson revisited it for the final time while working on HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I at The Hit Factory in New York. Engineer Brian Vibberts was asked to make minor drum programming edits, but beyond that, not much more was done.[3]
In 2010, following Jackson's passing, "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" was contemporized for the posthumous Michael album. This version was produced by Tricky Stewart and features guitar by Steve Lukather. It also samples the 1991 hip-hop song by Naughty by Nature, "O.P.P.", which coincidentally samples "ABC" by The Jackson 5, his former brother band. The mix ultimately didn't end up on the record, but was revisited in 2013 by Timbaland and J-Roc for Xscape, bringing a completely fresh take on the song, relying heavily on modern synthesizers.
Audio[]
Leaks[]
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
Hee, hee
Hee, hee, hee
Hee, hee, hee
Hee, hee, oh
[Verse 1]
Father comes home from work
And he's scared to death
Mother cries for the kid, and the note she read
Father runs to the table, he said, "What's goin' on?"
Mother cries desperately, "Our little baby's gone!"
[Chorus]
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
[Verse 2]
She wrote that she is tired of stepdaddy using her
Sayin' that he'll buy her things, while sexually abusing her
Just think that she's all alone, somewhere out on the street
How will this girl survive?
She ain't got nothin' to eat
[Chorus]
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00, yeah
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are, oh
[Bridge]
Save me (from this living hell)
Save me ('cause I, I wanna help)
Save me (I'm tired and I'm mad)
Save me ('cause this, it ain't no joke)
Save me ('cause I'm out for blood)
Save me ('cause I don't wanna ignore)
Save me (it's time I replied)
Save me ('cause I, I wanna defeat)
Save me
[Post-Chorus]
Hee, hee
Hoo, hoo
[Verse 3]
Now, she's on the move, she's off to Hollywood
She says she wanna be a star, she heard the money's good
She gets off from the train station, the man is waitin' there
"I'll show you where the money is, girl, just let down your hair"
He's taking her on the streets of Sunset Boulevard
She's selling her body hot, girl, that will take you far
The police come 'round the corner, somebody there, they told
He's arresting this little girl
Who's only 12 years old
[Chorus]
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Do you know where your children are? (because it's now 12:00)
Do you know where's your baby? (if they're somewhere out on the street)
Where's your baby?
Where's your baby? (just imagine how scared they are)
[Post-Chorus]
Hee, hee (do you know where your children are?)
Hee, hee, hee (because it's now 12:00)
Hee, hee, hee
Hee, hee, hee (if they're somewhere out on the street)
Hee, hee, hee (just imagine how scared they are)
Where's your baby?
Where's your baby?
Where's your baby?
Hee, hee, oh
Children are
Where's your baby?
Hee, hee, hee, oh
[Chorus]
Do you know where your children are? (Where your children are)
Because it's now 12:00 (where your children are)
If they're somewhere out on the street (where's your baby?)
Just imagine how scared they are (it's your baby, little girl)
Hee, hee, oh
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are (yeah)
[Outro]
Hee, hee, hee
She's your baby
Know where your children are?
Do you know where your children
She's just a baby
She's just a baby
She's just a baby
She's just a baby
Hee, hee, oh
[Verse 1]
Father comes home from work, and he's scared to death
Mother cries for the kid, and the note she read
Father runs to the table, he says "What's going on?"
Mother cries desperately, "Our little baby's gone!"
[Chorus]
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
[Verse 2]
She wrote that she is tired of step daddy using her
Saying that he'll buy 'er things, while sexually abusin' 'er
Just think that she's all alone somewhere out on the street
How will this girl survive? She ain't got nothin' to eat
[Chorus]
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00 (yeah)
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
[Bridge]
Save me (from this living hell)
Save me ('cause I, I wanna help)
Save me (I'm tired and I'm mad)
Save me ('cause this, it ain't no joke)
Save me ('cause I'm out for blood)
Save me ('cause I don't wanna ignore)
Save me (it's time I replied)
Save me
Ooh!
[Verse 3]
Now she's on the move, she's off ta Hollywood
She says she wanna be a star, she heard the money's good
She gets off from the train station, a man is waiting there
"I'll show you where the money is, girl just let down your hair"
He is takin' her on the streets, of Sunset Boulevard
She's sellin' her body, hah, girl that will take you far
The police come 'round the corner, somebody there told
He's arresting this little girl, she's only 12 years old
[Chorus]
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12 o'clock
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
[Verse 1]
Father comes home from work, and he's scared to death
Mother cries for the kid, and the note she read
Father runs to the table, he says "What's going on?"
Mother cries desperately, "Our little baby's gone!"
[Chorus]
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
[Verse 2]
She wrote that she is tired of stepdaddy using her
Saying that he'll buy her things while sexually abusin' her
Just think that she's all alone somewhere out on the street
How will this girl survive? She ain't got nothin' to eat
[Chorus]
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
[Bridge]
Save me (from this living hell)
Save me ('cause I, I wanna help)
Save me (I'm tired and I'm mad)
Save me ('cause this, it ain't no joke)
Save me ('cause I'm out for blood)
Save me ('cause I don't wanna ignore)
Save me (it's time I replied)
Save me (uh-uh)
Save me (hee-hee)
[Verse 3]
Now, she's on the move, she's off to Hollywood
She says she wanna be a star, she heard the money's good
She gets off from the train station, a man is waiting there
"I'll show you where the money is, girl, just let down your hair"
He is takin' her on the streets of Sunset Boulevard
She's sellin' her body, hah, girl, that will take you far
The police come 'round the corner, somebody there told
He's arresting this little girl, she's only 12 years old
[Chorus]
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Do you know where your children are?
Because it's now 12:00
If they're somewhere out on the street
Just imagine how scared they are
Trivia[]
- "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" is heavily debated within the fan community regarding whether the released demo originates from the Bad or Dangerous sessions. Multiple sources seem to contradict each other, as the Xscape booklet or Jackson's estate only confirms that the song was intended for the aforementioned albums, but doesn't give away specific dates. However, the version featured on Xscape is most likely the 1986 recording, as mentioned by Bill Bottrell.[4][5]
- The 2010 and 2014 versions of "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" seem to feature a different vocal take than the demo, as the delivery of the "she's only 12 years old" lyric differs.