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 Essential Michael Jackson (European Version)
- Billie Jean
- Another Part of Me
- I Just Can’t Stop Loving You
- Leave Me Alone
- Rock with You
- Got to Be There
- Rockin’ Robin
- Ben
- Remember the Time
- Heal the World
- Blame It on the Boogie
- Who Is It (7' Edit)
- You Are Not Alone (single Version)
- Can You Feel It
- ABC
- In the Closet (7" Edit)
- Earth Song (Radio Edit)
- The Love You Save (Stereo Single Version)
- You Rock My World
- The Way You Make Me Feel
- Man in the Mirror
- Bad
- Dirty Diana
- Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
- Human Nature
- P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
- Thriller
- They Don’t Care About Us
- The Girl Is Mine
- I Want You Back
- Beat It
- Smooth Criminal
- Will You Be There
- She’s Out of My Life
- Black or White
- Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough
- Off the Wall
- Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) [Single Edit]
- 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