I am a big Michael Jackson fan and was lucky enough to see him on his Bad Tour in the UK in 1998. I was also lucky enough to see him perform “Billie Jean.” And, of course, do his iconic moonwalk. That one song alone, I can honestly say, was worth the ticket price.
Table of Contents
Most fans will probably already have a good idea of the meaning behind “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson. However, for those of you that are not, I will give my best interpretation. I have also included some facts about Michael Jackson’s life and career to add context.
Early Life
Most songs are best viewed from the context of a singer’s early life and career. However, as I write this, it occurs to me that Michael Jackson had very little, if any, life at all for most of his formative years.
He was born on August the 29th, 1958, in the town of Gary, Indiana. It is not an exaggeration to say that almost from the moment he was born, his father had aspirations for him to join the family business of singing and dancing.
Michael Jackson was taught the family trade and was singing and dancing just as naturally as he was talking whilst growing up. At six years old, he could pretty much kiss goodbye to his childhood forever. That’s when he was put to work in the family factory, or Jackson 5, as it was also known.
Only a year or two into his time with the band…
…Michael became the lead vocalist. On reflection, that cannot be healthy. And it kind of explains a lot of his subsequent behavior when he finally broke away from the confines of his family and became an adult.
During his time performing with his brothers, he was involved with so many amazing songs that tits hard to choose a few favorites. With the Jackson 5, I have always considered 1969’s “I Want You Back” to be their best song. However, from 1975-1979, after they changed their name to The Jacksons, 1978’s “Blame It on the Boogie” gets my vote for their best song.
At the end of the 70s, Michael Jackson finally broke free in more ways than one. It was then that he began his incredible solo career. But, before looking in more detail at the meaning behind “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson, let’s consider Michael’s amazing achievements.
Solo Career
Michael Jackson had one of the most successful solo music careers of all time. He sold over 400 million records. The only singer able to beat this staggering figure was “The King” himself, Elvis Presley. However, in time, Michael Jackson would also get his own royal title as he quickly established himself in everybody’s mind as the undisputed “King of Pop.”
So, how did it all start?
It began in 1979 with the release of Michael Jackson’s debut single, “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough,” which was followed later in the same year with “Rock with You.” Both were not only phenomenal pieces of music but also got to number one in the US. Additionally, they both went five times platinum in the US and platinum in the UK. What a way to start a solo career.
The singles were from the album, Off the Wall, which was similarly successful. It went nine times platinum in the US, six times platinum in the UK, and sold more than 20 million copies globally. Furthermore, Michael Jackson’s debut album surpassed the performance of his first two singles combined.
Three years later…
Michael Jackson would release an album that would secure his place in the history books forever. That, of course, was with the release of his second album, Thriller. The album sold over 70 million copies and remains the best-selling record in history. Given the digital age we live in, it is also not unreasonable to assume that it will never be beaten.
From Thriller, three of Michael Jackson’s best-ever singles were released. These included the lead single “Thriller,” “Beat It,” and the song we are now going to take a look at, “Bill Jean.”
Recording
The song is a Pop/Dance/Disco song that features a thumping bass line throughout. However, what sets the song apart from many others is that the bass line forms the first 30 seconds of the song before Michael Jackson even starts to sing.
Quincy Jones was the producer, as he was for most of Michael Jackson’s songs and albums. Despite his genius, he wanted to cut down the length of the intro. Thankfully, Michael Jackson stood his ground, and the lengthy intro stayed. It is honestly hard to think of the song without it now.
Michael Jackson laid down his lead vocals in just one take…
That is pretty much unheard of and is a testament to his ability and professionalism. Quincy Jones then teamed up with Jackson to overdub the backing vocals.
When it came to mixing, that was left to the insanely talented Bruce Swedien. Uncharacteristically, he mixed 91 different versions, which allegedly got progressively worse. Quincy Jones had to step in and listen back to them all before it was collectively decided that the second mix was the one to go with.
Video
Michael Jackson was producing some of his best videos around this time. However, MTV was slow to include videos from black artists and did not want to include Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” on their channel. This kind of attitude is unthinkable these days, and rightly so.
His record label was also less than impressed. They threatened to withdraw all their videos from the channel and also to inform the general public of what they were doing. Wisely, MTV relented. “Billie Jean” was included, which undoubtedly helped to push “Thriller” to dizzy heights.
The video showcased Michael Jackson’s dancing at his best…
It might not have been as epic as the one for “Thriller,” but I prefer it. Also, it is one of the last times we got to see Michael Jackson before he did all those stupid things with his face.
Other interesting facts about the song “Billie Jean” include that it was during a performance of “Billie Jean” that he first did his famous moonwalk. Another interesting fact is that during a rehearsal for the song for a commercial attached to the 1984 Grammys, his hair caught fire during a malfunction causing him multiple burns.
The burns led him to require reconstructive surgery and pushed him toward dependence on painkillers. But I think he was already well on the way to crazy town even before this.
Lyrics and Meaning
So, what is the meaning of “Billie Jean”? The main theme of “Billie Jean” is about a woman falsely accusing a man of being the father to her child. Despite his protestations to the contrary, she will not back down and continues to insist that the child is his.
As the song develops, it becomes clear that this has been a persistent problem for the narrator. He references his mother’s warning him to be careful of women and to treat them with caution. She warns her son that women scorned can be dangerous and that in matters of the heart, they can act unpredictably.
In interviews following the release of the song, Michael said that “Billie Jean” represented the groupies that he and his brothers encountered as performers. It is thought, although not confirmed, that Michael had big problems with a specific girl who allegedly obsessively claimed that he had a child with her.
In the last verse…
The song talks about the law being involved with the proceedings and that they were on the side of “Billie Jean.” This might be anecdotal, but it is just as likely to be something from his imagination.
Given that it was released around 40 years ago, it was, lyrically speaking, a song very much of its time. Whilst there are still undoubtedly plenty of women falsely claiming to have a child by a man, a simple DNA test these days would quickly put the whole thing to bed.
All I can say is thank goodness for the lack of widespread DNA tests back in the 80s. Otherwise, we would all have been deprived of one of the greatest Pop songs of all time.
Interested In More Information About Michael Jackson?
Well, then check out our thoughts on Who are Michael Jackson’s children and where are they now, How Did Michael Jackson Die, The Meaning Behind “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson, and the Top Michael Jackson Songs to learn more about Michael Jackson’s life and music.
The Meaning Behind “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson – Final Thoughts
It has been a while since I listened to “Billie Jean.” And I’m pleased to have taken the time to listen again and re-familiarize myself with this great song. It brought back a lot of fantastic memories. Although, I stopped short of trying to moonwalk around the house.
I hope you found my analysis of the meaning of “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson useful. However, if there is anything you disagree with or think I have omitted, then please let me know in the comments below. It would be great to hear from you.
Until next time, happy listening.
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