"Threatened" is a song by Michael Jackson released as the sixteenth and final track on the Invincible album. The song is mistakenly viewed by a lot of fans as a sequel to Jackson's 1983 hit, "Thriller". Both tracks are written in a story telling/horror style but are thematically very different.
The track features Rod Sterling on a "rap verse". His lines are sampled from It's a Good Life, eighth episode from the third season of The Twilight Zone.[1]
Music video[]
The track was going to receive a music video as confirmed by Jackson himself during a 2001 interview with Rolling Stone.[2] The plans, however, were cancelled for unknown reasons, likely due to the Jackson-Sony feud.
Live performance[]
"Threatened" (This Is It)
The song wasn't exactly performed in its entirety, although a small part of it was featured in a "Thriller" medley featured in the This Is It rehearsals.[3]
Audio[]
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
Tonight's story is somewhat unique and calls for a different kind of introduction
A monster had arrived in the village
The major ingredient of any recipe for fear is the unknown
And this person or thing is soon to be met
He knows every thought, he can feel every emotion
Oh, yes, I did forget something, didn't I? I forgot to introduce you to the monster
[Verse 1]
You're fearing me 'cause you know I'm a beast
Watching you when you sleep, when you're in bed, I'm underneath
You're trapped in halls, and my face is the walls
I'm the floor when you fall, and when you scream, it's 'cause of me
I'm the living dead, the dark thoughts in your head
I heard just what you said
That's why you've got to be threatened by me
[Chorus]
You should be watching me, you should feel threatened
While you sleep, while you creep, you should be threatened
Every time your lady speaks, she speaks to me, threatened
Half of me, you'll never be, so you should feel threatened by me
[Verse 2]
You think you're by yourself, but it's my touch you felt
I'm not a ghost from Hell, but I've got a spell on you
Your worst nightmare, it's me, I'm everywhere (Everywhere)
In one blink, I'll disappear, and then, I'll come back to haunt you
I'm telling you, when you lie under tomb
I'm the one watching you
That's why you got to be threatened by me
(No, no)
[Chorus]
You should be watching me, you should feel threatened
While you sleep, while you creep, you should be threatened
Every time your lady speaks, she speaks to me, threatened
Half of me, you'll never be, so you should be threatened by me
[Verse 3]
The unknown monster is about to embark
From a far corner, out of the dark
A nightmare, that's the case
Never-Neverland, that's the place
This particular monster can read minds
Be in two places at the same time
This is judgment night, execution, slaughter
The devil, ghosts, this monster is torture
You can be sure of one thing, that's fate
A human presence that you feel is strange
A monster that you can see disappear
A monster, the worst thing to fear
[Chorus]
You should be watching me, you should feel threatened (No, no, baby)
While you sleep, while you creep, you should be threatened (Yeah)
Every time your lady speaks, she speaks to me, threatened
Half of me, you'll never be, so you should be threatened
[Break]
(You should be)
(E-e-e-e threatened)
(While you sleep)
(E-e-e-e threatened)
(Every time)
(You should feel)
(Threatened)
(Half of me-e-e-e)
(Threatened by me)
(So you should feel thre-e-e-eatened by me)
[Chorus]
You should be watching me, you should feel threatened (No, no, know it)
While you sleep, while you creep, you should be threatened (Yeah)
Every time your lady speaks, she speaks to me, threatened (She speaks to me)
Half of me, you'll never be, so you should feel threatened (And you, hoo-hoo!)
You should be watching me, you should feel threatened (C'mon, baby, yeah)
While you sleep, while you creep, you should be threatened (You should be, hoo-hoo!)
Every time your lady speaks, she speaks to me, threatened (I said threatened) (Hoo-hoo!)
Half of me, you'll never be, so you should be threatened by me
[Outro]
What you have just witnessed could be the end of a particularly terrifying nightmare
It isn't. It's the beginning