The context being “Wanna Be Startin’ Something.” WBSS ends with Jackson and backup band (the Waters) singing, roughly: “mama se, mama sa, ma makoosa.”
It’s actually an allegedly meaningless chant lifted from the early 1970s song, “Soul Makossa” by Manu Dibango. (“Makossa” is a style of Camaroonian music, heavy on drumbeats; Dibango’s song is often credited with being one of the first crossover disco songs.)
MJ was sued successfully by Dibango for plagiarism some years after Thriller.
A fair question. Had a few friends over, listened to a lot of music, and demolished a lot of drinks. We listened to - and discussed - Michael Jackson, among many many other things.
The very copious lake of alcohol that disappeared in my apartment last night was noteworthy, both for its own sake and as a crucial part of the context for the, umm, interpretation.
So, while two of my friends were crashing - one on the sofa, one on the floor, I staggered over to the computer and posted one of the more burning questions of the evening, along with a translation that made sense at the time. :o
I won’t drink and post, I won’t drink and post, I won’t drink and post… thanks for your insights on the song. Carry on…