"Smooth Criminal" is a song written and produced by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released as the tenth track from the Bad album. It was released as a single on November 14, 1988, serving as the seventh single from the album. It is considered one of Jackson's best and biggest songs.[1]
Background[]
"Smooth Criminal" was co-produced with Quincy Jones and recorded on October 1, 1985, as a demo at Hayvenhurst. It was recorded between July 10, 1986–April 1987 at Westlake. Though worked on around the same time, "Al Capone" is generally considered as the predecessor of "Smooth Criminal", due to their similar melodies.
The basis of "Smooth Criminal" was 1940s–1950s mafia and criminal movies. "Annie, are you okay?", repeated in the song's refrain, references a "training practice used in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (commonly known as CPR) classes. Resusci Annie is a widely used practice mannequin throughout English-speaking countries, and students are taught to assess the condition of the recipient of CPR before performing the technique; this is commonly done by instructing trainees to ask the question, "Annie, are you okay?" before administering CPR to determine whether or not the patient is conscious and responsive. During the Bad sessions, Jackson was known to have taken a CPR class.
Jackson mentioned that the track almost didn't make it on Bad.
| “ | Every time I do an album, I write nearly 100 or over 100 songs so we have to cipher them down and Smooth Criminal almost did not make it on the album. | ” |
–Jackson for Michael Jackson's Private Home Movies, 2003[2] | ||
Music video[]
The music video, directed by Colin Chilvers, was released on October 13, 1988. It was filmed between February–April 1987, and features Jackson in a 1930s gangster club, wearing a Fred Astaire-inspired white suit and fedora. He performs the iconic "lean" dance move, which isn't physically possible; however, cables and a harness were used for the illusion. Originally, Jackson wanted to make the music video for "Smooth Criminal" Western-themed.
| “ | I went on the ranch, on the property, and I had a cameraman to pretty much shoot me coming up with ideas of how I wanted this thing to be. I wanted hats, I wanted the wind and I wanted just a lot of attitude. Some quick cuts, some big shot, long shot. At the last minute, I said: "nah, I don't wanna do it as a Western, it should be like hot summer night in Chicago, 1945 and underground kind of thing going on. | ” |
–Jackson for Michael Jackson's Private Home Movies, 2003[3] | ||
Live performances[]
"Smooth Criminal" was first performed during Jackson's Bad World Tour, going on to appear on the Dangerous and HIStory World Tours. It was also rehearsed during the This Is It rehearsals, with the last performance taking place on June 23, 2009, two days before Jackson's passing.
To perform the antigravity lean, specially designed shoes were used that hooked onto pegs that rose from the stage.
Audio[]
On January 27, 2023, the 1985 demo of "Smooth Criminal" leaked online after Brad Sundberg's laptop was stolen. The leak isn't complete, skips most of the pre-chorus, and cuts off a minute and a half in.
- Demo - (
listen)
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
Ow!
Cha!
Shoo-ca-choo-ca!
[Verse 1]
As he came into the window
Was a sound of a crescendo
He came into her apartment
He left the bloodstains on the carpet
She ran underneath the table
He could see she was unable
So she ran into the bedroom
She was struck down, it was her doom
[Pre-Chorus]
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
[Chorus]
Annie, are you okay?
Will you tell us that you're okay?
There's a sound at the window
Then he struck you, a crescendo, Annie
He came into your apartment
Left the bloodstains on the carpet
And then you ran into the bedroom
You were struck down
It was your doom
[Post-Chorus]
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
[Refrain]
You've been hit by—
You've been hit by—
A smooth criminal
Ow!
[Verse 2]
So they came into the outway
It was Sunday, what a black day
Every time I tried to find him
He's leaving no clues, left behind him
And they have no way of knowing
Of the suspect or what to expect
Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
Sounding heartbeats, intimidations
[Pre-Chorus]
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
Annie, are you okay? Are you okay?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
[Chorus]
Annie, are you okay?
Will you tell us that you're okay?
There's a sound at the window
Then he struck you, a crescendo, Annie
He came into your apartment
Left the bloodstains on the carpet
And then you ran into the bedroom
You were struck down
It was your doom
[Post-Chorus]
Annie, are you okay? Annie, are you okay?
Are you okay, Annie?
[Refrain]
You've been hit by—
You've been struck by—
A smooth criminal
[Interlude]
Choo-cha, choo-cha
Ow!
Okay, I want everybody to clear the area right now!
[Breakdown]
Ow!
Hoo!
Hoo!
Hoo!
Hoo!
Ow!
[Chorus]
Annie, are you okay? (I don't know)
Will you tell us that you're okay? (I don't know)
There's a sound at the window (I don't know)
Then he struck you, a crescendo, Annie (I don't know)
He came into your apartment (I don't know)
Left bloodstains on the carpet (I don't know why, baby)
And then you ran into the bedroom (Help me)
You were struck down
It was your doom, Annie (dag gone it)
Annie, are you okay? (dag gone it, baby)
Will you tell us that you're okay? (dag gone it, baby)
There's a sound at the window (dag gone it, baby)
Then he struck you, a crescendo Annie (hoo! Hoo!)
He came into your apartment (dag gone it)
Left bloodstains on the carpet (hoo!)
And then you ran into the bedroom (hoo! Hoo!)
You were struck down (dag gone it)
It was your doom, Annie (ow!)
[Outro]
Ow!
Ow!
Shoo-cha-choo, shoo-cha-choo!
Ow!
Ow!
[Verse 1]
As he came into the window
Was a sound of a crescendo
As he's leaving her apartment
He left the bloodstains on the carpet
She ran underneath the table
He could see that she's unable
[Pre-Chorus]
...Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
[Chorus]
Annie, are you okay?
Will you tell us if you're okay?
There's a sound at the window
Was the sound of, a crescendo, Annie
Na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na
It was your doom
[Post-Chorus]
Annie, are you okay?
Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?
[Refrain]
You've been hit by—
You've been struck by—
A smooth criminal, ooh!
Ow!
Gallery[]
![Vinyl back cover[4]](/wiki/File:Smoothcriminalvinylback.jpg "Smoothcriminalvinylback.jpg (83 KB)")
![Vinyl[4]](/wiki/File:Smoothcriminalvinyl.jpeg "Smoothcriminalvinyl.jpeg (100 KB)")
|
"Look deep within yourself, and you'll find something amazing." To view the Smooth Criminal gallery, click here. |
Trivia[]
- Among others, "Smooth Criminal" was famously covered by Alien Ant Farm in 2001, turning it into a metal track.[5] Before its release, the band sent the video to Jackson for his approval. He requested they reshoot some scenes, but Jackson ultimately decided he preferred how the video was originally. In 2022, vocalist Dryden Mitchell said, "We went through quite a bit of money and bullshit to make sure that we were appeasing Michael Jackson."
- "Smooth Criminal" made multiple appearances in pop culture and media over the years.