I Was the Loser

"I Was the Loser" (originally titled "I Am a Loser", also known as "The Loser") is an unreleased song written and produced by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson. ( listen)

Background[]

Jackson wrote the song with musician Brad Buxer in January 2003, after the latter went through a breakup. While staying at a hotel late at night, Jackson heard Buxer repeating, “I’m a loser, I’m just a loser.” After explaining the breakup to Jackson, he suggested making a song about it. They worked on composing "I Am a Loser" in the morning.^[1]

Jackson was very fond of the track, and he continued working on it in 2008. However, as the title suggested, he didn't want to be seen as a "loser", thus the song was re-titled to "I Was the Loser".^[2]

“	He was happy with the original I Am A Loser demo. But before we played it for anybody else we had a long talk, and Michael said: ‘I don’t want be a loser. I don’t mind if I was the loser, but I don’t want to say I am a loser.’ So we changed that.	”
–Michael Prince for Damien Shields, "PROCESSEXCLUSIVE: Origins of ‘The Loser’ by Michael Jackson", September 8, 2013^[3]

This version is known to sound nearly the same as the 2003 demo, aside from the lyric change. The song appears on Jackson's to-do lists found in his house following his passing.

"I Was the Loser" was at one point considered for the posthumous album Xscape, but it ultimately didn't make the final tracklist.

Leaks[]

The 2003 demo was leaked online on September 7, 2013. On September 7, 2025, a fan-remake of "I Was the Loser" was uploaded to YouTube by Beano Wild, which featured an instrumental recreation by Will', but with the original, newly leaked 2008 vocals. Notably, they feature autotune on Jackson's vocals, but apparently, it was a part of the original recording.^[4]

Lyrics[]

[Verse 1]
You laughed at me, you made me cry
You made a joke, then wonder why
I am a loser, I am a loser
I say hello, you say good-bye
I reach to you, you don't even try
I am a loser, I am a loser

[Refrain]
If losin' you makes me happy
Then why does it makes me cry
Losin' you makes you a winner
Then how did our love ever die?

[Verse 2]
I'm born to lose, you know it's true
And here I stand (Ooh-ooh), I'm losin' you
I am a loser, I am a loser
You are the one to let me know
You needed me, now I have to go
I am a loser (Alright), I am a loser

[Refrain]
If losin' you makes you happy
Then why does it makes me cry?
If losin' you makes you a winner
Then how did our love ever die? Ever die?

[Verse 3]
I am a fool, you know it's true
I believed in you (Ooh-ooh), now you don't even try
I am a loser (Alri-), I am a loser (Wh-what?)
What foolish kind of guy am I?
You break my heart, I wonder why
I am a loser (Alright), I am a loser (Ooh-ooh, alright)

[Chorus]
I am a loser (Baby), I am a loser (Ooh-ooh, alright)
I am a loser (Baby), I am a loser (Ooh-ooh, alright)
I am a loser, I am a loser (Ooh-ooh, alright! Alright!)
I am a loser (One more time, alright)
I am a loser (Ooh-ohh, let me win one time, alright)
I am a loser (I gotta win, gotta win, I can't lose)
I am a loser (Ooh-ooh, on my beggin' knees, on my beggin' knees)
I am a loser (Oh-ohh, alright), I am a loser (Ooh-ooh, hee, hee)
I am a loser (I am a loser, baby)
I am a loser (Ooh-ooh, I am a loser, baby)
I am a loser (I am a loser, uh)
I am a loser (Ooh-ooh, I am a loser, baby)
I am a loser (I am a loser, baby)
I am a loser (Ooh-ooh,I am a loser)
I am a loser (Let me win one time, let me win one time)
I am a loser (Ooh-ooh, Alright, hee)
I am a loser
I am a loser (Ooh-ooh, goodbye to you, goodbye to thee)
I am a loser (Goodbye to you, hello world)
I am a loser (Ooh-ooh, meet me tomorrow, meet me today)
I am a loser (Who knows who will win?)

Gallery[]

References[]

Navbox[]

Unreleased songs

Leaked/released

"After the Storm" • "Be My Girl" • "Buttercup" • "We Love You" • "Sunset Driver" • "What a Lonely Way to Go" • I Never Heard" • "It Don't Matter to Me" • "Love Never Felt So Good" • "Behind the Mask" • "Carousel" • "Don't Be Messin' 'Round" • "Got the Hots" • "Hot Street" • "Nite Line" • "She's Trouble" • "Slapstick" • "Starlight" • "The Toy" • "Who Do You Know" • "Chicago 1945" • "Dream Away" • "Scared of the Moon" • "State of Shock" (with Freddie Mercury) • "There Must Be More To Life Than This" (with Freddie Mercury)• "Abortion Papers" • "Al Capone" • "Bumper Snippet" • "Cheater" • "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" • "Fly Away" • "Free" • "I'm So Blue" • "Loving You" • "Price of Fame" • "Starlight Sun" • "Streetwalker" • "Throwin' Your Life Away" • "We Are Here to Change the World" • "Best of Joy" • "Bumper Snippet (Kid Part)" • "Deep in the Night" • "For All Time" • "Ghost of Another Lover" • "Happy Birthday Lisa" • "If You Don't Love Me" • "Jane Is a Groupie" • "Man in Black" • "Monkey Business" • "Serious Effect" • "She Got It" • "Slave to the Rhythm" • "Verdict" • "Work That Body" • "You Were There" • "Family Thing" • "Palestine, Don't Cry" • "Christmas Star" • "Faces" • "In the Back" • "Much Too Soon" • "Willing and Waiting" • "Elizabeth, I Love You" • "A Place with No Name" • "Another Day" • "Beautiful Girl" • "Blue Gangsta" • "Bump Like This" • "Fall Again" • "Get Your Weight Off of Me" • "Gone" • "Hollywood Tonight" • "I Have This Dream" • "People of the World" • "Seeing Voices" • "She Was Lovin' Me" • "Shout" • "The Way You Love Me" • "Twilight" • "Voodoo" • "We Be Ballin'" • "We've Had Enough" • "What More Can I Give" (solo version) • "What's a Guy Gotta Do" • "Xscape" • "All in Your Name" (with Barry Gibb) • "Days in Gloucestershire" • "I Am a Loser" • "Why Can't You Hear Me" • "Change" • "Hold My Hand" • "I Want You to Stay" • "Stop Playin'" • "What's Your Name" • "You Are" • "You Are My World" • "A Nice Day to Get Away" • "Climb the Highest" • "Don't Talk Behind My Back" • "Hey Girl" • "Hitch Hiker" • "I Love You (unrelated to the unreleased song written by Taryll Jackson) • "Looking Over the Rainbow" • "Unknown Heritage Auctions Song"

Snippets leaked

"I Can't Get You Off My Mind" • "I've Gotta Be Me" • "It Don't Matter to Me" • "Neverland Landing" • "Changes" • "Groove of Midnight" • "Turnin' Me Off" • "Don't Believe It" • "Dream Girl" • "Garbage" • "Seven Digits" • "Innocent Man" • "Jungle" • "Monster" • "Rampage" • "Thank Heaven" • "You Don't Love Me" • "Adore You" • "Boy No" • "Breed" • "Dark Lady" • "I Love You More" • "Light the Way" • "Remember What I Told You" • "Red Eye" • "Rocker" • "Shut Up and Dance" • "Still the King" • "Think Twice" • "Water" • "World of Candy" • "Unknown Neff-U Song"

Lost

"7 Rooms of Gloom" • "A Place in the Sun" • "A Pretty Face Is (with Stevie Wonder) • "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" • "Bad Company" • "Determination" • "Doing Dirty" • "Fantasy" • "Far, Far Away" • "Goin' to Rio" • "Holiday Inn" • "I'm in Love with You" • "I'm in Tears" • "Iowa" • "Kentucky" • "Nona" • "Ode to Sorrow" • "Power" • "She's Not a Girl" • "Slipped Away" • "Still in Love with You" • "Thank You for Life" • "That Girl" • "The Sky Is the Limit" • "Too Bad" • "What's Your Life" • "You Ain't Gonna Change Nothin'" • "Unknown Humanity Outtakes" • "A Baby Smiles" • "Boots Groove" • "Got to Find a Way Somehow" • "In the Life of Chico" • "Susie" • "Under Your Skin" • "We Are the Ones" • "You Told Me Your Lovin'" • "Somewhere in Time" • "Why Can't I Be?" • "You Not Me" • "Learned My Lesson" • "MJ Melody" • "Nymphette Lover" • "Rolling the Dice" • "Set It On Out" • "Spice of Life" • "Stand Tall" • "Where Is Love?" • "Alright Now" • "Buffalo Bill" • "Happy Song" • "Make a Wish" • "Peter Pan" • "Take My Time" • "Victory" (with Freddie Mercury) • "A Way with Words" • "Apocalypse Now" • "Bad Girl" • "Bill's African Groove" • "Crack Kills" • "Eaten Alive" (MJ & Barry Gibb version) • "Make or Break" • "New Song" • "Scream-o-Blaster" • "Song for Epic" • "The Choir Song" • "Tomboy" • "Trash Can Song" • "What You Do to Me" • "You're the One" • "Unknown Brian Malouf Song" • "All My Children" • "All the Truth" • "Ask Rene" • "Bubbles" • "Call It Off" • "Can't Come Back" • "Colorblind" • "Dreams" • "Get Up" • "Homeless Bound" • "House Groove" • "Janet and MJ Duet" • "Joy" (solo version) • "Killer Dance Teddy Riley groove" • "Pressure" (Dangerous outtake) • "Serious Moonlight" • "She's Got It Baby" • "Son of Thriller" • "Stay" • "The Choice" • "Truth on Youth" • "Ask DD" • "Fanfare 1992" • "Heal L.A." • "Rich Girl" • "Unknown Eddie Murphy Collaborations" • "Bombay Nights" • "Circles" • "D.N.A." • "Diana Ross" • "Evil Eye" • "New Jelly" • "Revenge" • "Sexy Love Song" • "The Best Thing" • "Why" (solo version) • "Unknown HIStory Outtake" • "Be Me 4 a Day" • "Bio" • "Children's Holiday" • "Craze" • "Ekam Satyam" • "Electricity" • "God Don't Love Us Anymore" • "Hot Fun in the Summertime" • "I Love You" • "Oh Yeah" • "Pressure" (Invincible outtake) • "Rise Above It All" • "That" • "The World Is No Church" • "You Are the One" • "Unknown Tim & Bob Collaborations" • "11 P.M." • "Bang Your Head" • "Beatbox 2010" • "Brad Loop" • "Breath" • "Broken Chair" • "Butter Funk" • "Can't Stop Lovin' You" • Children's Hour" • "Coco Butter" • "Come Back" • "D.I.E." • "Dance MJ McKellar" • "Dancing for Love" • "Don't Make Me Stay" • "Don't Walk Away" • "Dreaming" (with will.i.am) • "Earth Love" • "Endt It" • "Everybody Wants to Be a Movie Star" • "For the World" • "Frank Friday Night" • "Green Hornet Groove" • "He Who Makes the Sky Gray" • "Heaven with a Smile" • "I Am That One" • "I Will Miss You" (with will.i.am) • "If I Were to Wish" • "Is She Coming Back" • "King Tutankhamun" • "Lady of Summer" • "Leaving Today to Benin" • "Lonely Bird" • "Love Heals" • "Lovin' You" • "MJ / BB Orchestral Idea" • "Orchestral Holiday Songs" • "Pajamas" • "Pray for Peace" • "Rock Tonight" • "Ron great industrial age song" • "Saturday Woman" • "Seduction" • "She Don't Love Me" • "Silent Spring" • "Song 4" • "Too Late to Turn Back Now" • "Walk Away" • "You Are There" • "You Were There" (unrelated to the 1990 song) • "Unknown 2000s Songs" • "Unknown Akon Collaborations" • "Unknown Indian Ocean Tsunami Song" • "Unknown Jae-R Collaboration" • "Unknown Ne-Yo Collaborations" • "Unknown RedOne Collaborations" • "California Grass" • "Cry" • "Get Around" • "Granite" • "I Forgive You" • "I Have This Love of Me" • "In the Valley" • "Little Girls" • "Llama Lola" • "Lonely Man" • "Lucy Is in Love with Linus" • "Michael McKeller" • "People Have to Make Some Kind of Joke" • "Saved by the Bell" • "Sister Sue" • "Tragedy of a Cheerleader" • "Unknown" • "What's It Gonna Be" • "Who Is the Girl with Her Hair Down" • "Why Shy" • "You Are a Liar "

[1] ACSCAP: Michael Jackson - I Am a Loser

[2] ACSCAP: Michael Jackson - I Was the Loser

[3] EXCLUSIVE: Origins of ‘The Loser’ by Michael Jackson

[4] Michael Jackson - I Was the Loser (2008 Demo) - YouTube

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