Released: September 18, 1978

Songwriter: Charlie Smalls

Producer: Tom Bahler Quincy Jones

[Verse 1]
You can't win, you can't break even
And you can't get out of the game
People keep saying things are going to change
But they look just like they're staying the same
You can't win, way over your head
And you only have yourself to blame

[Chorus: Michael Jackson]
You can't win, chile
You can’t break even
And you can't get out of the game

[Verse 2: Michael Jackson (The Crows)]
You can't win, the world keeps moving
And you're standing far behind
People keep saying, things will get better
(Just to ease your state of mind)
(So you lean back)(And you smoke that smoke)
(And you drink your glass of wine)

[Chorus]
Sayin' you can't win, chile
You can't break even
And you can't get out of the game

[Bridge: Michael Jackson (The Crows)]
You can't win, you can't win no way
If your story stays the same
(You ain’t winning) No, no
(But it's nice to see you, I'm awfully glad you came)
(Better cool it, cause it ain't about losin')
Then the world has got no shame

[Chorus]
You can't win, chile
You can't break even
And you can't get out of the game

[Verse 3: Michael Jackson (The Crows)]
You can't win, you can't break even
Ain’t the way it's supposed to be
(You'll be spending) No, no, oh
(Your little bit of money)
While someone else rides for free
(Learn your lesson) Hoo-hoo!
(Refuel your mind before some turkey blows out your flame)

[Outro: Michael Jackson (The Crows)]
You can't win, chile
(No, you can't win) [4x]

You can't win, chile
You can't break even
And you can't get out of the game
You can't get out of the game
You can't get out, A-Hoooooo!
You can't get out of the game now, hah!
No, no, ah, d'ah
You can't get out of the game
Alright, you can't get out of the game
You know, you can't get out, you can't
Get out of the game
Get out of the game
I can't, alright

(doo-doo-doo-doo doo)
Get out of the game
(doo-doo-doo)
(doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo)
(doo-doo oh)
(doo-doo-doo-dah, hah!)
(doo-doo doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, dee-dah)
Yeah!
(doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah)
Get out of the game

It's alright, alright (doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the game)
Alright now
Yeah, yeah, no, ooh, yeah, you know that I can't (doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo)
Hoo-hoo! Hoo-hoo! (doo-doo-doo-dah, hah! Doo-doo doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, dee-dah)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
You can't (doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, get out of the game)
But it's, but it's, but it's, it's alright (Hoo!)

Alright, alright, alright (doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the game)
Get out of the game! (doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo)
Yeah!
(doo-doo-doo-dah, hah! Doo-doo doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, dee-dah)
(doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, get out of the game) (Hoo!)

No, yeah! (doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the game)
I can't, get out of the game (doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo)
Hah! Hoo!
Hoo-hoo! Hoo!
(doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the game)
I can sing
Alright
(doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo)
(doo-doo oh)
(doo-doo-doo-dah, hah!)
(doo-doo doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, dee-dah) Ha! Hahahaha, hahaha!
(doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah) hahaha!
Get out of the game

It's alright, alright (doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the game)
Alright now
Yeah, yeah, no, ooh, yeah, you know that I can't (doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo)
Hoo-hoo! Hoo-hoo! (doo-doo-doo-dah, hah! Doo-doo doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, dee-dah)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
You can't (doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, get out of the game)
But it's, but it's, but it's, it's alright (Hoo!)

Alright, alright, alright (doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the game)
Get out of the game, yeah (doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the game)
(doo-doo-doo-dah, hah!)
(doo-doo doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah, dee-dah) Get out of the game
(doo-doo-doo-dah, dee-dah)
Get out of the game

No, yeah! (doo-doo-doo-doo doo, get out of the game)
I can't, get out of the game (doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo)
Hah! Hoo!
Hoo-hoo! Hoo!

Michael Jackson

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.