Home · Songs · Michael Jackson · Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
From album
Thriller
Michael Jackson · 1982 · Track 1
Details
TonalidadD
Compás4/4
Tempo70 BPM
Duración6:03
CompositorMichael Jackson
ÁlbumThriller
Año1982
ISRCUSSM18200005
Credits
Music Michael Jackson
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The story behind
When you dive into *Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’*, you encounter an energy that propels you from the very first moment. The song, with its nearly six minutes of duration, feels like a whirlwind that invites you to move. What's interesting is that this piece was born from an idea Michael Jackson had in 1979, after a trip to Africa, while he was working on his previous album, *Off the Wall*. However, it wasn't until 1982 that he revisited this composition to shape it into what would become his most successful album. A peculiarity is that, unlike other singles from *Thriller*, this song did not have its own music video, but it did become a cornerstone of his live performances, both with The Jacksons and in his solo career, often marking the beginning of his shows.
The recording of *Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’* took place in Los Angeles, California, between April and November 1982, as part of the creation process for the album *Thriller*. This album, produced by Quincy Jones in collaboration with Michael Jackson himself, sought a sound that moved away from disco and explored pop, post-disco, and R&B. The song was officially released on May 8, 1983, as the fourth single from *Thriller*, and quickly became Jackson's fifth consecutive single to reach the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. It's fascinating to note that, following Jackson's passing in June 2009, *Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’* experienced a resurgence on music charts worldwide, largely driven by digital downloads. Furthermore, in 2008, a new version titled *Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008* was released, in collaboration with Akon, as part of the reissue of the album *Thriller 25*. A curious detail is that the iconic chant at the end of the song, "Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa," has its roots in "Soul Makossa," a piece by Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango, a fragment that was also heard in Rihanna's "Don't Stop the Music," which led Dibango to initiate legal action against both artists in 2009.
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