Michael Jackson - Beat It (Live 1996)

"Beat It" is a hit single from Michael Jackson's album Thriller, released in 1983 (see 1983 in music). It was the third single from the album, following "The Girl Is Mine" (a duet with Paul McCartney) and "Billie Jean". "Beat It" won Jackson two Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. It was also nominated for Song of the Year along with Jackson's "Billie Jean". Rolling Stone ranked it #337 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. "Beat It" is also notable for its guitar solo, a guest performance by Eddie Van Halen. In a reader's poll made by Guitar World magazine the solo was voted as the 67th greatest guitar solo of all time out of the 100. The lyrics are about life on the streets and gang fighting and killings. In 2008, the song was re-recorded by Jackson and R&B artist Fergie for Thriller 25, a special edition of the original album, commemorating the 25th anniversary of its release. Pop punk band Fall Out Boy also released a cover of the song which featured John Mayer playing the guitar solo. In the years directly preceding "Beat It", Jackson had already composed several of his own hit songs. His Off the Wall album, released in 1979 (see 1979 in music) and produced by Quincy Jones, featured two of his compositions -- "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Working Day and Night" -- as well as a third co-written with Louis Johnson, "Get on the Floor". (Similarly, The Jacksons' 1978 album Destiny showcased his hit song "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" and 1980's Triumph had the even more prescient "This Place Hotel"). In many respects the Off the Wall album served as a measure of things to come. Jackson and Jones had laid a foundation for putting songs appealing to different segments of their audience together on one seamless record. Jackson's loyal fan base amongst his R&B audience had spread into mainstream for more than a decade, and his songs displayed an uncanny ability to appeal to a fairly wide-ranging group of listeners: those who liked ballads, or dance tunes, or disco, or slightly funkier grooves, or even lighter fare could all find something to appreciate on Off the Wall. With Thriller, Jackson and Jones would attempt at once to hone, embellish, and surpass this feat. One of their ambitions was to include a rock song on the new album. They took partial inspiration from another chart-topping rock song by The Knack. According to Jones, "I said at the time, 'I need a song like "My Sharona"... A black version of a strong rock and roll thing, with the power of everything else he [wrote].' And [Jackson] hit it right on the head." Kicking off with an instantly recognizable gong (from a Synclavier) which quickly segues into an equally distinctive rapid fire drumbeat and then the ongoing guitar riff, "Beat It" speaks of urgency from the outset and indeed plays out like the urban cousin of "My Sharona". The lyrics to "Beat It" are an immediate, frightful warning to avoid fighting and violence at all costs, especially when honor seems to be at stake ("It doesn't matter who's wrong or right") and Jackson sings them forcefully, near the top of his register. Providing a dramatic electric guitar solo during the bridge of the song is Eddie Van Halen from the rock group Van Halen. According to Jones, when he first contacted the guitarist about appearing on the song, Eddie Van Halen didn't believe he was who he said he was, or that the offer was authentic. Nevertheless, he went on to provide the defining element that set the song apart from other Jackson tunes to date. Eddie Van Halen, famously, did not request payment for his performance. Steve Lukather, who played lead guitar on the track, stated: "Quincy Jones and Michael took a skeleton version of "Beat It" up to Eddie Van Halen's place as they wanted him to solo over the verse section. However, he played over a section that had more chord changes. So to fit his solo to where it went in the song, they had to cut the tape which took a lot of time to synchronise together." "After they had managed this, Jeff Porcaro and me were called in to bind Eddie's solo and some haphazard percussion which was a major headache. Initially, we rocked it out as Eddie had played a good solo but Quincy thought it too tough. So I had to reduce the