# 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:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/41 "2004-01-03T21:03:25Z")
“Beat It,” “Billy Jean,” and “Smooth Criminal,” in that order. ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/42 "2004-01-03T21:50:10Z")
“Man in the Mirror” is the only song exclusively by him that I can say I like. “Say, Say, Say” with P. McCartney is good, as is “ABC” by J5. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/43 "2004-01-04T00:27:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*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. \*\* Sniffs\_Markers and I were discussing that about a year ago. IOHOs (at the time) we thought that if he shut up and completely shunned the spotlight, kinda like Prince, he could conceivably have a lucrative and respectable career as a producer. He’s meticulous enough in his arrangements and producing that he could be the next Quincy Jones. Alas, after a few interviews (circa dangling-baby episode) we decided that he’s too nuts. Can’t imagine he could understand the concept of “budget” and can’t imagine him working well with anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/44 "2004-01-04T01:38:43Z")
_Billie Jean_ has a great hook, but until I got the piano music for it, I had no clue what the lyrics were. It was incomprehensible - I kept wondering why he was singing about a chair. In chronological order: _A, B, C_ _Beat it_ _Smooth Criminal_ _Who is it?_ (Did it even make it on radio?) ---
**Author:** ![dancefan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@dancefan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dancefan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/45 "2004-01-04T05:54:43Z")
“Ben” is my favorite of MJ’s singles. It wasn’t a Jackson 5 release. “The Way You Make Me Feel” “Beat It” The Off the Wall album was terrific. He still can make good music but with his strange public persona and the direction of the music business today it won’t be heard. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/46 "2004-01-04T08:41:57Z")
What, no votes for _I’ll Be There_? That’s my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/47 "2004-01-05T00:08:49Z")
I’m kind of surprised at the number of votes for “Billy Jean,” even though it was my favorite, too. I guess that song really _is_ as good as I thought it was. And the video is still really cool, too. ---
**Author:** ![born\_too\_late](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba9def/32.png) [@born\_too\_late](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/born_too_late)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/48 "2004-01-05T00:21:34Z")
Yeah, I never knew Billie Jean was such a fav either… Having said that, I have to vote ‘Bad’ and ‘Smooth Criminal’ as really annoying - what the f@$# is a ‘shamaw’ anyway???! Such a talented artist, succumbing to an (allegedly) howard hughes - style madness. ---
**Author:** ![Nvme77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Nvme77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nvme77)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/49 "2004-01-05T00:31:26Z")
Human Nature- very tender song Jackson 5- Dancing Machine Don’t stop til you get enough Didnt the Jacksons have a song called" Can you feel it"? This was like from some reunion album, I think. The Jackson 5 was my first concert- I hope it counts- I was two years old- but I remember!!! ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240/50 "2004-01-05T01:21:59Z")
At least one of these will be controversial Beat It Smooth Criminal Earth Song ‘Billie Jean’ is a good song but overplayed as all get out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-michael-jacksons-best-song/222240.md?page=2)