Michael Jackson

Released: July 16, 1988

Songwriter: Michael Jackson

Producer: Quincy Jones Michael Jackson

[Chorus]
Ooh, I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
Too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
And too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
Too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
And too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)

[Verse 1]
I took my baby to the doctor
With a fever, but nothing he found
By the time this hit the street
They said she had a breakdown

[Pre-Chorus]
Someone's always tryin'
To start my baby cryin'
Talkin', squealin', lyin'
Sayin' you just wanna be startin' somethin'

[Chorus]
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
Too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
And too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
Too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
And too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

[Verse 2]
Billie Jean is always talkin'
When nobody else is talkin'
Tellin' lies and rubbin' shoulders
So they called her mouth a motor

[Pre-Chorus]
Someone's always tryin'
To start my baby cryin'
Talkin', squealin', spyin'
Now baby's slowly dyin'

[Chorus]
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
(Yeah, yeah)
(Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
Too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)

[Refrain]
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable, (You're a vegetable)
Still they hate you (They hate you)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
You're a buffet (You're a buffet)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
They eat off of you (They eat off of you)
You're a vegetable, OW...

[Verse 3]
If you can't feed your baby (Yeah, yeah)
Then don't have a baby (Yeah, yeah)
And don't think maybe (Yeah, yeah)
If you can't feed your baby (Yeah, yeah)

[Pre-Chorus]
You'll be always tryin'
To stop that child from cryin'
Talkin', screalin', lyin'
Now baby's slowly dyin', hee

[Chorus]
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
Too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
Too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)

[Bridge]
Lift your head up high
And scream out to the world
I know I am someone
And let the truth unfurl
No one can hurt you now
Because you know what's true
I believe in me
You believe in you
Help me sing it
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Hee, hee, hee)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Yeah)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Oh)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Yeah)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Sing it to the world)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Sing it all night long)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Hee, hee)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Come on, baby)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Come on now)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Hee, hee)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (OW)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Hoo, hoo)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Hee, hee)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (HO)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Hee, hee, hee)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Yeah)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (OH)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa (Yeah)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa

[Outro]
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
Wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'

Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana. Jackson began his career when he was seven years old as the lead singer of the Jackson 5, breaking into stardom in 1969 after signing into Motown. The Jackson 5’s first four singles all peaked at number one on the Billboard 100, and soon after Michael pursued a solo career.

His breakthrough fifth album, 1979’s Off The Wall produced four top ten hits (including “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”) and sold 20 million copies, establishing him as a household name. The album was followed with 1982’s Thriller, which became the best selling album of all time, and was the first album to feature seven top 10 singles, including “Billie Jean” and “Beat It.”

In 1985, Michael contributed to the collaboration single “We Are The World”, which remains one of the best-selling singles of all time and raised nearly $65 million for famine relief.

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