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Beat It

"Beat It" is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson from his sixth studio album, Thriller (1982). It was written and composed by Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones and co-produced by Jackson. Jones encouraged Jackson to include a rock song on the album. Jackson later said: "I wanted to write a song, the type of song that I would buy if I were to buy a rock song... and I wanted the children to really enjoy it—the school children as well as the college students."[6] It includes a guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen.

For other uses, see Beat It (disambiguation).

"Beat It"

  • "Get on the Floor" (US)
  • "Burn This Disco Out" (UK)

February 14, 1983

1982

Westlake (Los Angeles, California)[1]

4:18

Following the successful Thriller singles "The Girl Is Mine" and "Billie Jean", "Beat It" was released on February 21, 1983, as the album's third single. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, staying there for three weeks.[7] It also charted at number one on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart.[8] Billboard ranked the song No. 5 for 1983.[9] It is certified 8× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). "Beat It" was a number one hit in Europe, reaching number one in Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands.[8]


The "Beat It" music video, which features Jackson bringing two gangs together through the power of music and dance, helped establish Jackson as an international pop icon.[10] The single, along with its music video, helped make Thriller the best-selling album of all time. "Beat It" has been cited as one of the most successful, recognized, awarded and celebrated songs in the history of popular music; both the song and video had a large impact on pop culture.[11]


"Beat It" received the 1984 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, as well as two American Music Awards. It was inducted into the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone ranked "Beat It" number 337 on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004, and at number 185 in its 2021 update of the list. The magazine also named it the 81st greatest guitar song of all time.[12] It was included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.[13]

Live performances[edit]

Jackson performed "Beat It" live with his brothers during the Jacksons' Victory Tour. On July 13, 1984, the brothers were joined on stage by Eddie Van Halen, who played the guitar in his solo spot. The song became one of Jackson's signature songs; he performed it on all of his world tours: Bad, Dangerous and HIStory.[58] The October 1, 1992 Dangerous Tour performance, including "Beat It", was included in the Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection box set. The DVD was later repackaged as Live in Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour.[58] Jackson also performed the song on the Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special, a concert celebrating the musician's thirtieth year as a solo performer. The performance featured Slash as the song's guest guitarist.[59]


A highlight of Jackson's solo concert tour performances of the song is that he would begin the song on a cherry picker (which he would also later use with "Earth Song" during the HIStory World Tour) after performing "Thriller". Another live version of the song is available on the DVD Live at Wembley July 16, 1988. The song would have also been performed as part of the This Is It concerts, which were canceled due to Jackson's death.

Legacy[edit]

Jackson's "Beat It" has been cited as one of the most successful, recognized, awarded, and celebrated songs in the history of pop music; both the song and video had a large impact on pop culture.[11] The song is said to be a "pioneer" in black rock music and is considered one of the cornerstones of the Thriller album.[11] Eddie Van Halen has been praised for adding "the greatest guitar solo", helping "Beat It" become one of the best-selling singles of all time.[11]


Shortly after its release, "Beat It" was included in the National Highway Safety Commission's anti-drunk driving campaign, "Drinking and Driving Can Kill a Friendship".[60][61][62][63] The song was also included on the accompanying album. Jackson collected an award from President Ronald Reagan at the White House, in recognition for his support of the campaign.[37] Reagan stated that Jackson was "proof of what a person can accomplish through a lifestyle free of alcohol or drug abuse. People young and old respect that. And if Americans follow his example, then we can face up to the problem of drinking and driving, and we can, in Michael's words, 'Beat It'."[64]


Frequently listed in greatest song polling lists, "Beat It" was ranked as the world's fourth favorite song in a 2005 poll conducted by Sony Ericsson.[59] Over 700,000 people in 60 countries cast their votes.[59] Voters from the UK placed "Billie Jean" at No. 1, ahead of "Thriller", with a further five of the top ten being solo recordings by Jackson.[59] Rolling Stone placed "Beat It" at number 337 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs in 2004,[65] and at number 185 in its 2021 update of the list.[66] The song was featured in the films Back to the Future Part II, Zoolander and Undercover Brother.[59] When re-released, as part of the Visionary campaign in 2006, "Beat It" charted at No. 15 in the UK.[59]


A remix of "2 Bad", is featured on Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix containing a sample of "Beat It" as well as a rap by John Forté and guitar solo by Wyclef Jean.[67]

– lead and backing vocals, drum case beater

Michael Jackson

– rhythm guitar

Paul Jackson Jr.

– lead guitar, bass guitar

Steve Lukather

– guitar solo

Eddie Van Halen

– synthesizer, synthesizer programming

Steve Porcaro

Rhodes, synthesizer

Greg Phillinganes

Bill Wolfer – keyboards

Synclavier

Tom Bahler

– drums

Jeff Porcaro

Greg Smith – synthesizer

Synergy

Chris Shepard -

vibraslap

Adapted from the Thriller 25 liner notes.[70]


Performers


Production

"Beat It 2008"

April 7, 2008[130]

4:12

Michael Jackson

March 25, 2008[143]

2008

3:48

Michael Jackson

"Eat It" parody[edit]

In 1984, American parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic released his parody song "Eat It".[173] Yankovic recorded the song with Jackson's permission.[174] The song's music video followed the "Beat It" short film scene-for-scene, with Yankovic mimicking Jackson's dance moves in a clumsy fashion.[175] Jackson received royalties as Jackson was listed as co-writer of "Eat It".[176]

List of best-selling singles in the United States

List of Top 25 singles for 1983 in Australia

List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1983

Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1983

List of number-one singles of 1983 (Canada)

List of Cash Box Top 100 number-one singles of 1983

List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1983

List of European number-one hits of 1983

List of number-one singles from the 1980s (New Zealand)

List of number-one R&B singles of 1983 (U.S.)

List of number-one singles of 2006 (Spain)

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Too Much Too Young