Released: January 23, 1984

Songwriter: Rod Temperton

Producer: Quincy Jones

[Verse 1: Michael Jackson]
It's close to midnight
Something evil's lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight
You see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream
But terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze
As horror looks you right between your eyes
You're paralyzed

[Chorus 1: Michael Jackson]
'Cause this is thriller
Thriller night
And no one's gonna save you
From the beast about to strike
You know it's thriller
Thriller night
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer
Thriller tonight, yeah, ooh

[Verse 2: Michael Jackson]
You hear the door slam
And realize there's nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand
And wonder if you'll ever see the sun
You close your eyes
And hope that this is just imagination
Girl, but all the while
You hear a creature creeping up behind
You're out of time

[Chorus 2: Michael Jackson]
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
There ain't no second chance
Against the thing with forty eyes, girl
Thriller (Woo-hoo), thriller night
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer, thriller tonight

[Bridge: Michael Jackson]
Night creatures call
And the dead start to walk in their masquerade
There's no escaping the jaws of the alien this time
They're open wide
This is the end of your life, ooh

[Verse 3: Michael Jackson]
They're out to get you
There's demons closing in on every side, ooh
They will possess you
Unless you change that number on your dial
Now is the time
For you and I to cuddle close together, yeah
All through the night
I'll save you from the terror on the screen
I'll make you see

[Chorus 3: Michael Jackson]
That this is thriller, thriller night
'Cause I can thrill you more
Than any ghoul would ever dare try
Thriller (Woo-hoo), thriller night
So let me hold you tight
And share a killer, thriller, chiller
Thriller here tonight
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
Girl, I can thrill you more
Than any ghoul would ever dare try
Thriller (Woo-hoo), thriller night
So let me hold you tight
And share a killer, thriller, OW

[Outro: Michael Jackson & Vincent Price]
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
Thriller, ooh, thriller
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
Oh darlin, I'm gonna thrill you tonight
Ooh baby, I'm gonna thrill you tonight
Oh darlin', thriller night, baby, ooh
The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years (Thriller night, thriller)
And grisly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver (I'm gonna thrill you tonight)
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller

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.