# Explain: "Thriller" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 3, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006 "2006-04-03T01:58:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/1 "2006-04-03T01:58:19Z")
After all these years, I should confess. You know, I never did get this title. Does something called “Thriller” sound so terrifying? I really am not quite sure what Michael Jackson’s lyrics are trying to depict happening. Maybe someone can enlighten me? Do others feel the same? - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/2 "2006-04-03T02:04:50Z")
It’s about horror movies and movie monsters. Not too complicated. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/3 "2006-04-03T02:07:03Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] It’s about horror movies and movie monsters. Not too complicated. [/QUOTE] Ok…then, maybe I never watched enough horror films to get it. I think the only good part is Vincent Price’s ending. - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/4 "2006-04-03T02:35:01Z")
[QUOTE=Jinx] After all these years, I should confess. You know, I never did get this title. Does something called “Thriller” sound so terrifying? I really am not quite sure what Michael Jackson’s lyrics are trying to depict happening. Maybe someone can enlighten me? Do others feel the same? - Jinx [/QUOTE] “Thriller” is an old word meaning “horror.” It’s fallen out of usage in the last few decades, for some reason. The title of the song is a double entendre. Jackson is singing to a date as they watch a horror (thriller) movie, describing the action on the screen, and he closes with: > [@](#): > > Now Is The Time For You And I To Cuddle Close Together > All Thru The Night I’ll Save You From The Terror On The Screen, > I’ll Make You See… > > That this is thriller, thriller night… So, it’s a thriller because it’s a horror movie, and it’s a thriller because they’re together and it’s exciting; two meanings, one word. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/5 "2006-04-03T03:07:37Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] So, it’s a thriller because it’s a horror movie, and it’s a thriller because they’re together and it’s exciting; two meanings, one word. [/QUOTE] Considering that one of the people in question is Michael Jackson, I’m not sure that there actually are two meanings here. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/6 "2006-04-03T03:33:08Z")
[QUOTE=Terrifel] Considering that one of the people in question is Michael Jackson, I’m not sure that there actually are two meanings here. [/QUOTE] Hey, this is back when he was semi-normal. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/7 "2006-04-03T03:45:44Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika] Hey, this is back when he was semi-normal. [/QUOTE] Semi being the operative word. The jacket he wears in the music video looks like it was kept from when he did _Captain EO_. Great song and video, though. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/8 "2006-04-03T03:48:27Z")
Great song and video? It’s the best freakin video of all freakin time. And it’s also a Playboy playmate as his girlfriend. That deserves an honorable mention. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/9 "2006-04-03T03:53:14Z")
The video was super cool for its time. Lots of money, great effects and a nice little story line. The song itself is pop fluffery at its finest and lasts about as long as cotton candy. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/10 "2006-04-03T04:38:21Z")
Note: The video came from before Captain Eo. And I think the girl _became_ a playmate because of the video. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/11 "2006-04-03T04:56:25Z")
[QUOTE=E-Sabbath] Note: The video came from before Captain Eo. And I think the girl _became_ a playmate because of the video. [/QUOTE] Ola Ray was a Playmate in 1980 and appeared in the video three years later. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/12 "2006-04-03T05:11:51Z")
Big deal. In his _Say, Say, Say_ video with Paul McCartney, we saw MJ hitting on his sister LaToya. Ewww. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/13 "2006-04-03T05:29:26Z")
Just… keep it in the closet. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/14 "2006-04-03T08:02:15Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] And it’s also a Playboy playmate as his girlfriend. [/QUOTE] Clearly a work of fiction. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/15 "2006-04-03T08:53:44Z")
What I always wondered: Why is that zombies can dance so well when normally they can barely walk? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/16 "2006-04-03T13:29:06Z")
[QUOTE=HPL] What I always wondered: Why is that zombies can dance so well when normally they can barely walk? [/QUOTE] Cuz MJ had the funk. And even Ninjas can’t defeat funk. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/17 "2006-04-03T13:42:21Z")
[QUOTE=HPL] What I always wondered: Why is that zombies can dance so well when normally they can barely walk? [/QUOTE] Normally, there isn’t any music. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/18 "2006-04-03T13:46:39Z")
[QUOTE=sturmhauke] Clearly a work of fiction. [/QUOTE] Hm. Maybe I didn’t enunciate… I meant PlayBOY . There, that should clear up any confusion. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/19 "2006-04-03T13:50:50Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Normally, there isn’t any music. [/QUOTE] See, there you go. If the folks in movies like “Dawn of the Dead” had just put on a little Michael Jackson, the zombies would have lost interest in consuming the living. And if they’d put on Michael’s “Beat It,” the zombies would have killed each other in knife fights. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006/20 "2006-04-03T14:00:53Z")
Yeah, but it turned Eddie Van Halen into a zombie. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-thriller/351006.md?page=2)