Released: May 8, 1983
Songwriter: Michael Jackson
Producer: Quincy Jones Michael Jackson
[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'
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're 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 nothin' he found
By the time this hit the street
They said she had a breakdown
Someone's always tryin'
To start my baby cryin'
Talkin', squealin', lyin'
Sayin' you just want to 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'
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
[Verse 2]
You love to pretend that you're good
When you're always up to no good
You really can't make him hate her
So your tongue became a razor
Someone's always tryin'
To keep my baby cryin'
Treacherous, cunnin', declinin'
You got my baby cryin' (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'
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
[Bridge]
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
Still they hate you (Still they hate you)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
You're just a buffet (You're just a buffet) (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
They eat off of you (They eat off of you) (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable, aaow!
[Verse 3]
Billie Jean is always talkin' when nobody else is talkin'
Tellin' lies and rubbin' shoulders
So they called her mouth a motor
Someone's always tryin'
To start my baby cryin'
Talkin', squealin', spyin'
Sayin' you just want to 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'
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
[Bridge]
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
Still they hate you (Still they hate you)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
You're just a buffet (You're just a buffet) (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
They eat off of you (They eat off of you) (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable, aaow!
[Instrumental Interlude]
Aaow!
Hee-haw! (Ooh!)
[Verse 4]
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)
You'll be always tryin'
To stop that child from cryin'
Hustlin', stealin', lyin'
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'
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're 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 (Hee-haw!)
No one can hurt you now because you know what's true
Yes, I believe in me, so do believe in you
[Outro]
Help me sing it
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Hoo-hoo!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Hee-hee-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Hee-hee-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Help me sing it, babe)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Hee-hee-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Yeah, sing it to the world, sing it out loud, hoo-hoo!)
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
(Help me sing it)
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-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Help me sing it)
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
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
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
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-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Hee-hee-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Help me sing it, babe)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Hee-hee-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Yeah, sing it to the world, sing it out loud, hoo-hoo!)
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
(Help me sing it)
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'
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're 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 nothin' he found
By the time this hit the street
They said she had a breakdown
Someone's always tryin'
To start my baby cryin'
Talkin', squealin', lyin'
Sayin' you just want to 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'
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
[Verse 2]
You love to pretend that you're good
When you're always up to no good
You really can't make him hate her
So your tongue became a razor
Someone's always tryin'
To keep my baby cryin'
Treacherous, cunnin', declinin'
You got my baby cryin' (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'
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
[Bridge]
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
Still they hate you (Still they hate you)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
You're just a buffet (You're just a buffet) (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
They eat off of you (They eat off of you) (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable, aaow!
[Verse 3]
Billie Jean is always talkin' when nobody else is talkin'
Tellin' lies and rubbin' shoulders
So they called her mouth a motor
Someone's always tryin'
To start my baby cryin'
Talkin', squealin', spyin'
Sayin' you just want to 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'
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
[Bridge]
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
Still they hate you (Still they hate you)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
You're just a buffet (You're just a buffet) (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable (You're a vegetable)
They eat off of you (They eat off of you) (You're a vegetable)
You're a vegetable, aaow!
[Instrumental Interlude]
Aaow!
Hee-haw! (Ooh!)
[Verse 4]
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)
You'll be always tryin'
To stop that child from cryin'
Hustlin', stealin', lyin'
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'
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're too low to get under (Yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (Yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (Yeah, yeah)
It's too high to get over (Yeah, yeah)
You're 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 (Hee-haw!)
No one can hurt you now because you know what's true
Yes, I believe in me, so do believe in you
[Outro]
Help me sing it
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Hoo-hoo!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Hee-hee-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Hee-hee-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Help me sing it, babe)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Hee-hee-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Yeah, sing it to the world, sing it out loud, hoo-hoo!)
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
(Help me sing it)
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-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Help me sing it)
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
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
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
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-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Hee-hee-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Help me sing it, babe)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Hee-hee-hee!)
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa
(Yeah, sing it to the world, sing it out loud, hoo-hoo!)
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
(Help me sing it)
The Collection
- Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough (Original Home Demo)
- I Can’t Help It
- Girlfriend
- Get on the Floor
- Workin’ Day and Night
- Rock with You
- Leave Me Alone
- I Just Can’t Stop Loving You
- Another Part of Me
- Just Good Friends
- Liberian Girl
- Speed Demon
- Whatever Happens
- The Lost Children
- Don’t Walk Away
- It’s the Falling in Love
- Burn This Disco Out
- Workin’ Day and Night (Original Home Demo)
- Todo Mi Amor Eres Tu
- Gone Too Soon
- Keep the Faith
- Give In to Me
- Who Is It
- Heal the World
- Can’t Let Her Get Away
- Remember the Time
- In the Closet
- Why You Wanna Trip on Me
- Fly Away
- Streetwalker
- The Lady in My Life
- Privacy
- You Are My Life
- 2000 Watts
- The Girl Is Mine
- Unbreakable
- Threatened
- She Drives Me Wild
- Jam
- Invincible
- Heartbreaker
- Thriller
- P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
- Human Nature
- Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
- Dirty Diana
- Bad
- Man in the Mirror
- Beat It
- Smooth Criminal
- Speechless
- Butterflies
- You Rock My World
- Heaven Can Wait
- Break of Dawn
- Cry
- The Way You Make Me Feel
- Baby Be Mine
- Dangerous
- Off the Wall
- Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough
- Black or White
- She’s Out of My Life
- Will You Be There
- Billie Jean
- Thriller (1982)
- 9 Singles Pack (1983)
- Billie Jean - Single (1983)
- Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ - Single (1983)
- HIStory: Past, Present And Future - Book I (1995)
- Thriller (Special Edition) (2001)
- Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume l (2001)
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Official Soundtrack Box Set (2002)
- Hits 1971-2001 (2003)
- The Ultimate Collection (Sampler) (2004)
- The Ultimate Collection (2004)
- The Essential Michael Jackson (North American Version) (2005)
- The Essential Michael Jackson (European Version) (2005)
- Thriller 25 (2008)
- King Of Pop (German Edition) (2008)
- King Of Pop (The Belgian Edition) (2008)
- King Of Pop (The Hong Kong Collection) (2008)
- King Of Pop (The Greek Edition) (2008)
- King Of Pop (The Turkish Collection) (2008)
- King Of Pop (Korean Limited Edition) (2008)
- King of Pop - The French Fans Selection (Deluxe Box Set) (2008)
- King of Pop (Edición Exclusiva Para España) (2009)
- The Collection (2009)
- King Of Pop (The Indian Collection) (2009)
- King Of Pop (The Taiwan Collection) (2009)
- Michael Jackson’s This Is It (2009)
- King Of Pop (The China Collection) (2009)
- Michael Jackson: The Experience (2010)
- The Indispensable Collection (2013)
- Billie Jean
- Smooth Criminal
- They Don’t Care About Us
- Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
- Man in the Mirror
- Thriller
- Human Nature
- Beat It
- Dirty Diana
- Heal the World
- Bad
- Black or White
- Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough
- Earth Song
- P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
- Rock with You
- The Way You Make Me Feel
- You Are Not Alone
- Remember the Time
- You Rock My World
- Will You Be There
- Scream
- Off the Wall
- The Girl Is Mine