# What was Michael Jackson's best song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 2, 2004, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240 "2004-01-02T06:10:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/21 "2004-01-02T20:17:20Z")
“Wanna Be Startin Somethin” and “Don’t Stop till You Get Enough”. I think Quincy Jones must deserve much of the credit for those songs as well, for it seems that after they parted ways, Michael became trapped in perpetual artistic mediocrity. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/22 "2004-01-02T20:19:40Z")
Definitely “Billie Jean”. Most underrated: “Human Nature” ---
**Author:** ![Live\_Better\_Electrically](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@Live\_Better\_Electrically](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Live_Better_Electrically)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/23 "2004-01-02T20:42:24Z")
“Human Nature” is my pick from his solo albums. From J5, maybe “I Want You Back.” ---
**Author:** ![noname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@noname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/noname)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/24 "2004-01-02T20:42:48Z")
**Billie Jean** seems to be the fav here. But my vote goes to **Beat it**. Also, **Remember the Time** , **Leave me Alone** , **Black or White** (great music, great video) and **They don’t really care about us** ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/25 "2004-01-02T21:20:57Z")
- She’s Out of My Life Beat It Billie Jean\* I miss _that_ Michael Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![superstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@superstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superstar)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/26 "2004-01-02T22:00:22Z")
Nothing from Mr. Jackson beats the funky grooves of the Jackson 5. My fav being ABC! Though I will admit the man(?) has talent, but I always prefer to listen to a Jackson CD over a MJ one. ---
**Author:** ![Patr100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Patr100](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patr100)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/27 "2004-01-02T22:55:55Z")
Yeah, Human nature is defintely the most under-rated. It is really sad what the uncanny talent of that little boy who sang " I want you back " with such sweet maturity has become, regardless of any court cases. He has become uncanny in another terrible way. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/28 "2004-01-02T23:35:32Z")
I’m partial to _Stranger in Moscow_ and _Earth Song_ only because you don’t hear them played every minute on the radio. Jackson 5 stuff…I gotta go with _Maybe Tomorrow_. I listen to it and tears well up in my eyes. I think _Beat It_ is superior to _Billie Jean_. And the video to the former is superior to everything (just about). ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/29 "2004-01-03T00:43:37Z")
I have to join in with the chorus and say Billie Jean. Remember the Time and Smooth Criminal are close seconds. Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, and Dangerous were great albums. It’s a shame what happened to the artist behind them. ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/30 "2004-01-03T00:44:16Z")
“Don’t Stop 'Til You Get Enough,” with the rest of **Off the Wall** behind it. Alas, that Michael Jackson is no more. ---
**Author:** ![Mazikeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9a28c/32.png) [@Mazikeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mazikeen)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/31 "2004-01-03T00:55:56Z")
Yet another vote for Billie Jean. _sigh_ I miss the old Michael Jackson… ---
**Author:** ![stylize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@stylize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stylize)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/32 "2004-01-03T01:19:01Z")
I think Dangerous is underappreciated. I love the title track. That was his last good CD. But I think my very favorite is “The Way You Make Me Feel” ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/33 "2004-01-03T01:56:16Z")
What was Michael Jackson’s best song? “Please Release Me, Let Me Go…” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/34 "2004-01-03T02:22:12Z")
I was in the perfect target demographic when the Thriller album came out, and loved pretty much every song in it. We even used “Beat it” in a school air guitar contest, lost out to the damn pretty boys singing “Jump” by Van Halen. Unfortunately, by the time Bad came out it was uncool to like him so I lost track after that. I also vote for “Billie Jean”, but the “Thriller” video was amazing for its time. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/35 "2004-01-03T06:05:55Z")
“Billie Jean” is my pick, too, just barely nosing out “Beat It.” Both are absolutely Grade A+ songs. You won’t find many albums with two better tracks. “Smooth Criminal” and “Don’t Stop” were great too. And if we can have Jackson 5 material, “ABC” is terrific. ---
**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:** [January 3, 2004, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/36 "2004-01-03T06:25:26Z")
As an aside, does anyone think that Michael Jackson still has a great album in his future? I would love it if he went away for about 15 years, regained some perspective a la Brian Wilson, and then returned at about 55 and cranked out a killer album. He has tremendous talent, and it would be a shame if we’ve seen the last of it. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/37 "2004-01-03T08:04:34Z")
Nice to see that some folks picked **Dirty Diana**. That’s my favorite too. **Thriller** great video and song - nice touch to have the late Vincent Price narrating the middle section. Slightly off-topic here but a great parody of the “Bad” album was Weird Al Yankovic’s “Even Worse”. [![](http://www.com-www.com/weirdal/pix/evenworse-front.jpg) ](http://www.com-www.com/weirdal/pix/evenworse-front.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/38 "2004-01-03T12:24:28Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by Sam Stone_ > As an aside, does anyone think that Michael Jackson still has a great album in his future? I would love it if he went away for about 15 years, regained some perspective a la Brian Wilson, and then returned at about 55 and cranked out a killer album. He has tremendous talent, and it would be a shame if we’ve seen the last of it. I do. Especially considering that many of the songs that appeared on Justin Timberlake’s solo album were originally written for Michael Jackson by the Neptunes. I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but there are some good single on Justin’s album, and if Michael Jackson had taken those songs, he would now be ‘that weird guy who’s still making good music,’ rather than ‘that weird guy who used to be big 20 years ago.’ And as for the poll, I hate Michael Jackon, but I can’t deny that _Billie Jean_ has a great groove. So sparse, yet so dancy and memorable. And for the Jackson 5 days, I really like _I Want You Back_. That bassline is fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/39 "2004-01-03T12:37:31Z")
The way things are going for him, he might just be “going away for about 15 years.” _ahem_ Sorry. :o Anyway… “Smooth Criminal” “She’s Out of My Life”–in fact, all the hits from _Off the Wall_ “Thriller” “Bad” And from the Jackson 5: “Dancing Machine” ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/40 "2004-01-03T20:45:37Z")
I cast a fourth vote (so far) for ‘Human Nature’ – even audiences who normally didn’t car.e for MJ liked it. The whole ‘Thriller’ album was an absolute force of nature. It’s _very_ sad what such a genius of a performer has turned into. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240.md?page=3)