Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'

Album: Thriller (1982)
Charted: 8 5
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  • 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)
    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)
    Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
    You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
    And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

    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
    Someone's always tryin' to start my baby cryin'
    Talkin', squealin', lyin'
    Sayin' you just wanna be startin' somethin'

    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)
    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)
    Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
    You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
    And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

    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'

    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)
    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)
    Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
    You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
    And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
    You're a vegetable, you're a vegetable
    Still they hate you, you're a vegetable
    You're just a buffet, you're a vegetable
    They eat off of you, you're a vegetable

    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 wanna be startin' somethin'

    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)
    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)
    Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
    You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
    And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)
    You're a vegetable, you're a vegetable
    Still they hate you, you're a vegetable
    You're just a buffet, you're a vegetable
    They eat off of you, you're a vegetable

    If you cant 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'

    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)
    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)
    Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
    You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
    And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

    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
    Yes, I believe in me
    So do believe in you

    Help me sing it
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hoo-hoo)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hee-hee-hee)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hee-hee-hee)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (help me sing it, babe)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hee-hee-hee)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (yeah, sing it to the world)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (sing it out loud)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hoo-hoo)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (help me sing it)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hoo-hoo)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hee-hee-hee)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (help me sing it)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hoo-hoo)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hee-hee-hee)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (sing it to the world)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hoo-hoo)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hee-hee-hee)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hee-hee-hee)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (help me sing it, babe)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hee-hee-hee)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (yeah)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (sing it to the world)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (sing it out loud)
    Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa (hoo-hoo) Writer/s: Michael Jackson
    Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 23

  • Russel Fanta from EnglundI'm a big fat guy. I heard the original lyrics for the second verse was originally "shoe foot don't wanna call, lets break the fall with a Lumpkin" but La Toya said he didn't. do it. Oh well.
  • Chad Eicher from Apple Creek, OhioMichael did it on the Victory Tour, Bad Tour, Dangerous Tour and History Tour. However, if he were alive, he would've done it on the This Is It concert residency at the O2 in London from 2009 to 2010.
  • Caveman from TexasCould not have been his phone number. He never could retain the memory of his number. He never had a phone. Someone call him won't happen because someone else always screened the calls. Hell he would dance for 8 hours every day. And that was just exercise . It was in fort verse he talks about his mother. She was the main drive of this song. He was the baby that went to the hospital. Then he was referring to one particular woman in his life. Then he was referring to just people that were after him as a free ride.
  • Brovost81 from New Iberia, LaI thought the drums were played by Jonathan Sugarfoot Moffett
  • Powerboy from NycSo the mama say mama sah mama coo saa lyrics is not that due to manu dibanji Soul Makosa song... mj in an interview stated the actual lyrics are " IM A SAY IT ONE MORE TIME IM NOT GON STOP!!" *repeat
  • Kinkle Barry from Pathis song was originally for La Toya because of all the lies and everyone was accursing her of. then the lyrics "they said she had a breakdown" these lyrics was said by Michael when he went into la Toya's room and saw her crying then the lyrics "talking ,squealing ,lying" was about Michael's brother's wives going behind la Toya's back and having "meeting" just to lie about what "she" said this is where the lyrics " they eat off of u ur a vegetable" meaning they are putting words in la Toya's mouth saying stuff she never said and saying she said em. then the lyrics " lift ur head up high and scream out to the world i know i am someone and let the truth unfurl no one can hurt u because u know what's true yes i believe in me so u believe u" the meaning of these lyrics is basically Michael saying is for the brother's wives to tell the truth and that they know what's true and what's a lie and also that la Toya knows what is true and what is a lie. unfurl means make or become spread out from a rolled or folded state, especially in order to be open to the wind. so winding this all back this also follows behind Michael because there was also lies spread throughout the family so it was written for him and for la Toya mainly for la Toya.
  • Peggy from Dover , OhCan anyone tell me why he changed the lyrics from "Too high to get over to" to " Too hard to Too get over"? in concert.
  • Cathy from Boston, MaMichael wrote this song - at least in part - for his sister La Toya. His thought process when writing some of the lyrics incorporated the ongoing tension between La Toya and the Jackson sisters-in-law, who frequently called family meetings in which they falsely accused La Toya of spreading rumors about them in the press. Michael found La Toya crying in her room one night in the aftermath of one such meeting in which she was targeted by the brothers' wives. He comforted her, and lamented that she was "stuck in the middle" of such lies and nonsense. The next day, Michael approached his sister telling her, "I wrote a song for you."
  • Rhi from Kathmandu, Nepali really like the lyrics.. i always makes me crack..dont have a baby if you cant feed your baby dont think maybe if you cant feed your baby... Michael had a great sense of humor i suppose..
  • Jennifer Harris from Grand Blanc, MiI love this song,You can hear the chant and see MJ running on VH-1 or somthing,this was when the King Of Pop passed away, I mean just died,like in June.I Never heard the Eagles version.
  • Shauna from Atlatna, GaIf you have some old MJ concert footage or footage on DVD, her performs this song really good.
  • Anna from London, United KingdomMichael wrote this song for Latoya his sister as she states in her book Latoya: Living with the Jacksons. Aparently her brothers wifes didnt like her and made up lies and made her cry so mihcale wrote the song for her.
  • John from Nashville, TnThis song convey's Michael's feelings towards the press.
  • Sarah Floyd from Bloomingdale, Ili like this song because he is singing wanna be starting something tells me to start doing something. and i so love this song. and i hope he is cute to me!
  • Sam from Bright, InThriller is the greatest album EVER and never will be surpassed.
  • Joey from Boston, MaActually The Eagles Greatest Hits album only surpassed Thriller in US record sales, but internationally Thriller is way ahead in record sales.
  • Jolene from Melbourne, AustraliaLike the lyrics - if you can't feed your baby, then don't have a baby. Good advice!
  • Roger from Los Angeles, CaThis song almost made it onto the Off the Wall album, couldn't fit it on and fortunately made it onto Thriller.
  • Dawson from Draper, UtI loved watching Usher, Mya, and Whitney do it. It had such a good dancing in it.
  • Jam Kemal from Lindua, South AfricaI heard that it's his first that he wrote the lyrics first. He usually starts with bass and beats. Then chords, vocal melody and THEN the lyrics.
  • Jam Kemal from Lindua, South AfricaMy second favourite song on the album(second to Billie Jean)

    Live version at 1996/7 HIStory World Tour is amazing with extra funky acoustic guitars.
  • Tom from Trowbridge, EnglandThriller is the best selling album worldwide having sold 54 million. Runner-up, by a long way, is Back in Black by AC/DC, with 42 million sold.
  • Paul from Malibu, CaIt was the top selling album of all time until The Eagles passed it with their Greatest Hits album.
    I doubt the Eagle shave surpassed 50-60 Million worldwide
see more comments

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