"Beat It" is a 1983 hit single from Michael Jackson's album Thriller. It was the third song from the album that was released as a single, following "The Girl Is Mine" (a duet with Paul McCartney) and "Billie Jean". Beat It is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... For other persons named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation). ... This article is about the album. ... is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Hard Rock redirects here. ... For other uses, see Pop rock (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Epic Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Sony BMG. // Epic was launched originally as a jazz and classical music label in 1953 by CBS. Its bright-yellow, black and blue logo became a familiar trademark for many jazz and classical releases. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... For other persons named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... For other persons named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation). ... This article is about the producer and songwriter. ... For other persons named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Michael Jackson song. ... Michael Jacksons Visionary chronology Beat It (2006) Bad (2006) The Way You Make Me Feel (2006) Bad track listing HIStory track listing Bad was a 1987 hit recording by American singer Michael Jackson. ... This article is about the album. ... This article is about the Thriller song. ... This article is about the Michael Jackson song. ... HIStory – Past, Present and Future, Book I is a double album by American singer Michael Jackson released in June 1995 and remains Jacksons most conflicting and controversial release. ... This article is about the Thriller song. ... The Girl Is Mine was a hit duet for singers Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney in 1982. ... See also: 1983 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1983 Record labels established in 1983 // Michael Jacksons Thriller, the most successful album not only of 1983, but of all time, was released in 1982 and began its epic domination of the music charts the following year, 1983. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... For other persons named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation). ... This article is about the album. ... The Girl Is Mine was a hit duet for singers Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney in 1982. ... Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, poet, entrepreneur, painter, record producer, film producer, and animal-rights activist. ... This article is about the Michael Jackson song. ...

"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 activity, something Jackson was very detached from. He was schooled by tutors his whole life and became a star at a young age. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For the UK music award, see The Record of the Year. ... The Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance has been awarded since 1980. ... The Song of the Year is one of the two most prestigious awards in the Grammies, if not in all of the American music industry. ... This article is about the magazine. ... ... Edward Lodewijk Eddie Van Halen (born January 26, 1955)[1], is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer most famous for being the lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Van Halen. ...

The song has recently been re-recorded by Jackson and R&B artist Fergie for Thriller 25 (a special edition of the original 1982 album). For other uses, see Fergie. ... This article is about the album. ...

The song was covered by the pop punk band Fall Out Boy with John Mayer playing the guitar solo. Pop punk is used for two separate subgenres of punk rock music: the kind typically found on Lookout! Records, which stray very little from the three-chord formula that The Ramones pioneered, as well as a newer subgenre of melodic, more emotional punk, which includes by bands like NOFX and... Fall Out Boy (commonly abbreviated as FOB) is an American band from Wilmette, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago) that formed in 2001. ... For other persons named John Mayer, see John Mayer (disambiguation). ...

History

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 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. For other uses, see Off the Wall (disambiguation). ... See also: Musical groups established in 1979 Record labels established in 1979 1979 in music (UK) // Stevie Wonder uses digital audio recording technology in recording his album Journey through the Secret Life of Plants. ... This article is about the producer and songwriter. ... Michael Jacksons Visionary chronology Thriller (2006) Dont Stop Til You Get Enough (2006) Rock with You (2006) Off the Wall track listing Dont Stop Til You Get Enough (1) Rock with You (2) HIStory track listing Remember the Time (12) Dont Stop Til You Get Enough... The Jackson 5 (also spelled The Jackson Five or The Jackson 5ive, abbreviated as J5, and later known as The Jacksons) was an American popular music quintet (and briefly a sextet and quartet) from Gary, Indiana. ... See also: 1970s in music. ... Destiny was a 1978 album by American band The Jacksons for CBS/Epic Records. ... Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) was a very popular hit record for American funk and soul quintet The Jacksons when it was released as a single in late-1978. ... // January 1 - The year starts off with a strong disco backlash, which causes the majority of musicians to abandon the use of real instruments in an attempt to distant themselves from anything associated with disco. ... Triumph was a 1980 album by The Jacksons for CBS/Epic Records. ... Originally named Heartbreak Hotel, This Place Hotel was a hit recording by The Jacksons when it was released in 1980. ...

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." This article is about the band. ... My Sharona is a 1979 song which was the debut single by and international hit for The Knack. ...

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. Synclavier I The Synclavier System was an early digital synthesizer and sampler, manufactured by New England Digital. ...

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.^{[citation needed]} Edward Lodewijk Eddie Van Halen (born January 26, 1955)[1], is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer most famous for being the lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Van Halen. ... This article is about the band Van Halen. ...

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 distorted guitar sound and this is what was released. It was a huge R&B/rock success for us all really and helped pave the way for the bands of today that fuse these styles." Steve Luke Lukather (born Steven Lee Lukather on October 21, 1957 in San Fernando Valley, California, USA) is an American Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter, arranger, producer and guitar player, best known for his work with the rock band Toto. ... Jeffrey Thomas Porcaro (April 1, 1954 – August 5, 1992) was a highly regarded session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. ...

Eddie Van Halen recorded his part while Jackson was in another nearby studio recording overdubs on "Billie Jean". According to one story, a technician who was unaware Eddie Van Halen was beginning a take knocked on the studio door, entered and quickly closed it when he realized his error. Afterwards, it was jointly decided to leave this mistake in; the knock on the door is clearly audible just prior to the launch of Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo, at approximately 2:45 into the song. Edward Lodewijk Eddie Van Halen (born January 26, 1955)[1], is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer most famous for being the lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Van Halen. ...

In 2001, during Michael's 30th Anniversary Special, he and guitarist Slash performed "Beat It" on stage, accompanied by dancers portraying gangsters. He ended the performance by recreating the dance scene from the video. See also: 2001 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2001 Record labels established in 2001 // January 1 Comeback of Guns N Roses in House of Blues Hum disbands. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Impact of song and music video

By all accounts, "Beat It" was an unqualified smash hit and is often heralded as the ultimate crossover hit. Not only did "Beat It" fare well with Jackson's R&B fans, but it also did with rock and heavy metal fans because of Eddie Van Halen's contributions. Radio stations still playing the song's album-mate "Billie Jean" added the new one to their playlists, and it also rapidly advanced to the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Jackson and Jones had succeeded in getting R&B radio stations to play a song featuring hard rock elements, and rock stations to play a song delivered from a formidable R&B performer. Van Halen's legendary guitar solo became ubiquitous across radio dials around the world. This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... R&B redirects here. ... This article is about the genre. ... Heavy metal redirects here. ... “Hot 100” redirects here. ...

Future Jackson albums would similarly rely on the proven gambit of attempted broad-based appeal, to varying results, and each would include a hard rock-oriented song of its own. Most of these also featured superstar guest-guitarists providing solo performances in the Van Halen mold. These included:

• "Dirty Diana" featuring Steve Stevens (Bad, 1987)
• "Black or White" featuring Slash (Dangerous, 1991)
• "Give in to Me" featuring Slash (Dangerous)
• "D.S." featuring Slash (HIStory, 1995)
• "Morphine" (Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, 1997)
• "Whatever Happens" featuring Carlos Santana (Invincible, 2001)
• "Privacy" featuring Michael Thompson (Invincible)

Also, as with its predecessor "Billie Jean", "Beat It" enjoyed unprecedented success on the still-growing cable network MTV. In fact, the music video for the new song was even granted an exclusive nighttime "World Premiere" on the channel, establishing a long-running tradition for top artists. Soon after it was also running on other cable networks and video programs including BET's Video Soul and WTBS's Night Tracks. "Beat It" was also the first video shown on NBC's offering in this new market, Friday Night Videos. Coupled with the success of the original song, the two fueled the ever-growing Jackson-mania that captivated millions around the world. Dirty Diana is a hit song by singer Michael Jackson. ... Steve Stevens (born as Steve Schneider on May 5, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American guitarist and songwriter. ... Bad is an album by pop singer Michael Jackson, released on August 25, 1987 by Epic/CBS Records. ... See also: Musical groups established in 1987 Record labels established in 1987 // January 3 - Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... Michael Jacksons Visionary chronology Leave Me Alone (2006) Black or White (2006) Remember the Time (2006) Dangerous track listing HIStory track listing Alternate cover Black or White (The Clivillés & Cole (C&C) Remixes) cover. ... Saul Hudson (born July 23, 1965), more widely known as Slash, is an English/American guitarist best known as the former lead guitarist of Guns N Roses and as the current lead guitarist of Velvet Revolver. ... Dangerous was the first album Michael Jackson released in the 1990s, on November 22, 1991. ... See also: 1991 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1991 Record labels established in 1991 // 1991 was the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. ... Give in to Me is the tenth track on Michael Jacksons 1991 studio album Dangerous. ... Saul Hudson (born July 23, 1965), more widely known as Slash, is an English/American guitarist best known as the former lead guitarist of Guns N Roses and as the current lead guitarist of Velvet Revolver. ... A song by Micheal Jackson from his HIStory album. ... HIStory – Past, Present and Future, Book I is a double album by American singer Michael Jackson released in June 1995 and remains Jacksons most conflicting and controversial release. ... See also: 1995 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1995 Record labels established in 1995 January 1 - Debut album Sixteen Stone by Bush hits #4 on the Billboard 200 a post grunge success January 18 - Jerry Garcia wrecks his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California. ... See also: 1997 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1997 Record labels established in 1997 // January 9 - David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert (the day after his birthday) at Madison Square Garden, with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou... For the Costa Rican soccer player, see Carlos Santana (footballer); for the Mexican academic, see Carlos Santana Morales. ... See also: 2001 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2001 Record labels established in 2001 // January 1 Comeback of Guns N Roses in House of Blues Hum disbands. ... This article is about the original U.S. music television channel. ... A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. ... BET redirects here. ... Video Soul (originally a half-hour long video show that premiere in June 1983) was a 2-hour long American music video program aired on BET. It was devoted to helping break and showcase new R&B/soul recording artists/performers. ... WTBS is an American TV station, broadcast on channel 17 (DTV channel 20) in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area. ... Night Tracks was an American television series which ran from 1983 to 1992 on WTBS (later known as TBS) on late night weekends. ... This article is about the television network. ... Friday Night Videos is a music video show broadcast on the American NBC television network from July 29, 1983 to May 24, 2002, and was considered network television’s answer to MTV. // In the beginning, MTV was still a phenomenon that very few people actually could see in their homes...

The video was directed by Bob Giraldi (who would go on to direct Jackson and his brothers in two Pepsi commercials) and choreographed by Michael Peters (who would later tackle the same task on Jackson's epic "Thriller" video). Many of the participants in the video's dance sequences were actual street gang members, brought in to authenticate the look and feel of the piece. Bob Giraldi (born January 17, 1939) is a film and television director who is probably best known for directing the video for Michael Jacksons song Beat It. ... Pepsi Cola is a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage produced and manufactured by PepsiCo. ... A television advertisement or television commercial (often just commercial) is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message. ... Michael Peters (August 6, 1948 - August 21, 1994) was an American choreographer. ... Michael Jacksons Thriller is a 14-minute music video for the song of the same name released on December 2, 1983 and directed by John Landis. ...

The multi-zippered red jacket worn by Jackson throughout the video would become iconic in its own right, and children and teenagers across the country of all races sported copies of the design. The jacket was seen in spot graphics in a TIME magazine article on Jackson that year, and was offered as an alternative outfit for the pop star's action figure. In one of the two Pepsi commercials featuring the Jacksons, a young Alfonso Ribeiro (having recently starred in Broadway's The Tap Dance Kid) wears a "Beat It" jacket as he dances in the street with other youths before literally moonwalking into his hero. TIME redirects here. ... Alfonso Lincoln Ribeiro (born September 21, 1971 in New York City) is an American actor, singer, and dancer of Dominican descent. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... A street dancer doing the moonwalk in Madrid. ...

Music video and choreography

The video for "Beat It" follows an uncomplicated narrative: it opens in a diner/pool hall, where two men walk outside (the music begins when the doors slam shut behind them) and then the members of two warring gangs gather and march to a "rumble" inspired by the film West Side Story, at a warehouse. Throughout, Jackson appears as a lone figure, dancing throughout the diner, eventually arriving at the warehouse just as the gang leaders (one of whom is portrayed in a white outfit and sunglasses by choreographer Peters) are engaged in a knife fight. Viewers watching closely can see elements of another early-to-mid 1980s phenomenon being performed by some of the cast - breakdancing. "Beat It" included real gang members from LA mixed in with experienced dancers. In the diner, the girl getting kissed has fake bullet holes complete with blood stains riddling her t-shirt, which adds to the violent atmosphere. West Side Story is a 1961 film directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. ... A boy hitting (holding) a pike Breakdance (media coined phrase), also known as breaking, b-girling or b-boying, is a street dance style that evolved as part of the hip hop movement that originated among African American youths in the South Bronx of New York City during the early...

The basic structure of "Beat It" was instantly and endlessly copied, which continues to this day. Pat Benatar's "Love is a Battlefield" – also directed by Giraldi and choreographed by Peters – could be viewed as the ultimate female counterpart to the video, so similar is its content, editing and theme. Other artists including Lionel Richie (who worked with the same director/choreographer team on his "Running with the Night" video), Janet Jackson, the Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Usher, Amy Winehouse and countless others all borrowed from the template of the winning video to craft their own entries into the medium — much to the delight of video stations everywhere. Even "Weird Al" Yankovic used the video (more specifically the entire video) for his parody "Eat It", which outperformed the original song in Australia, reaching the #1 spot in 1984. Pat Benatar (born Patricia Mae Andrzejewski on 10 January 1953) is an influential, four-time Grammy Award-winning US rock singer who has recorded several million- and multimillion-selling albums and singles. ... Love is a Battlefield was a single from Pat Benatars album Live From Earth, which was popular in 1983. ... Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. ... This article is about the singer. ... This article is about the band. ... For their self-titled album, see *NSYNC (album). ... Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is a Grammy Award-winning[1] American pop singer, dancer, actress, author and songwriter. ... This article is about the singer. ... Usher Raymond IV (born October 14, 1978), is an American R&B/pop singer and actor who rose to fame in the mid-late 1990s. ... Amy-Jade Winehouse (born 14 September 1983) is an English soul, jazz, R&B singer and songwriter. ... This article is about the musician. ... Weird Al Yankovic in 3-D track listing Eat It Midnight Star The Brady Bunch Buy Me A Condo I Lost on Jeopardy Polkas On 45 Mr. ... See also: // January 21 - Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart: it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40. ...

Such was the strength of Peters' choreographic skills that well over a decade after the release of the video, live Jackson performances of "Beat It" typically included many of the original arrangements and steps. These were however embellished for purposes of live theatricality.

Eddie Van Halen, who played the solo, was scheduled to have a spot in the music video. However, he decided not to show up to filming because he "didn't think it would be a hit."

Several recognizable actors and dancers appear as faux "gang-members" in the video, among them Stoney Jackson (no relation), Michael DeLorenzo, Tracii Guns, Peter Tramm (Kevin Bacon's dance double for "Footloose"), and Tony Fields (from the television show Solid Gold and the movie A Chorus Line). Eagle-eyed viewers can catch Fields (wearing a brown jacket, behind and to the left of Peters - from the viewer's perspective) flubbing steps in the background behind Jackson towards the video's close. Stonewall W. Jackson (February 27, 1961) is an African-American character actor. ... Michael DeLorenzo (born October 31, 1959 in The Bronx, New York) is an American actor. ... Tracii Guns (born January 20, 1966) is an iconic metal guitar slinger who has played with a number of well-known metal bands and solo artists over the years. ...

Chart performance

The Dutch Top 40 (Dutch: Nederlandse Top 40) is a weekly music chart, which started as the Veronica Top 40, because the pirate radio channel Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. ... “Hot 100” redirects here. ... Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, formerly known by various names including Hot Soul Singles, Hot Black Singles, and Hot R&B Singles (before the hip-hop term was added in the late 1990s), is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. ...

Track listings

Original release

U.S. single

1. "Beat It" – 4:17
2. "Burn this Disco Out" – 3:48

UK single

7" single

1. "Beat It" – 4:17
2. "Burn this Disco Out" – 3:48

12" single

1. "Beat It" – 4:17
2. "Get on the Floor" – 4:57
3. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (edit) – 4:22

Visionary single

CD side

1. "Beat It" - 4:18
2. "Beat It" (Moby's Sub Mix) - 6:11

DVD side

1. "Beat It" (Music video)

Official alternate versions

1. Album Version - 4:16
2. Radio Edit - 4:00
3. 7" Version - 4:11
4. Moby's Sub Mix - 6:11
5. "Beat It 2008" (with Fergie) - 4:10 (for Thriller 25)

For other uses, see Fergie. ... This article is about the album. ...

Credits

• Written, arranged and composed by Michael Jackson
• Produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson
• Lead and background vocals by Michael Jackson
• Guitar Solo by Eddie Van Halen
• Guitar by Paul Jackson
• Electric bass and guitar by Steve Lukather
• Drums by Jeff Porcaro
• Drum case beater by Michael Jackson
• Keyboards by Bill Wolfer
• Synclavier by Tom Bahler
• Rhodes and synthesizer by Greg Phillinganes
• Synthesizer and synthesizer programming by Steve Porcaro
• Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson
• Rhythm arrangement by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones
• Costumes designed by Gordon Clarke

Edward Lodewijk Eddie Van Halen (born January 26, 1955)[1], is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer most famous for being the lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Van Halen. ... Steve Luke Lukather (born Steven Lee Lukather on October 21, 1957 in San Fernando Valley, California, USA) is an American Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter, arranger, producer and guitar player, best known for his work with the rock band Toto. ... Jeffrey Thomas Porcaro (April 1, 1954 – August 5, 1992) was a highly regarded session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. ... Greg Phillinganes in 2007 Greg Phillinganes (born Gregory Arthur Phillinganes on May 12, 1956 in Detroit, Michigan) is an active session keyboardist in Los Angeles, California. ... Steve Porcaro is a keyboardist and composer who was an original member of the rock/pop band, Toto. ...

Thriller 25 version

A remix of "Beat It" featuring R&B artist Fergie, "Beat It 2008" was released on Thriller 25 in 2008. It mixed Jackson's original vocals with Fergie's new ones. This new song has charted from download sales, though it has not been released as a single. This article is about the musical composition. ... For other persons named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Fergie. ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... // A digital download (also known as a digital single or a paid digital download) is an official and legal music single available for purchase through an online store. ... See also: 2007 in country music 2007 in British music 2007 in hip hop 2007 in metal Albums released in 2007 Musical groups established in 2007 // January George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queens New Year Honours List. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Pop rock (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Epic Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Sony BMG. // Epic was launched originally as a jazz and classical music label in 1953 by CBS. Its bright-yellow, black and blue logo became a familiar trademark for many jazz and classical releases. ... Legacy Recordings is Sony BMG Music Entertainments catalog division. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... For other persons named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... William James Adams, Jr. ... For other persons named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation). ... This article is about the producer and songwriter. ... For other uses, see Fergie. ... This article is about the album. ...

Credits

• Original song written by Jackson
• Original recording produced by Jones/Jackson
• Remix drums: will.i.am
• Remix keyboards and synths: will.i.am
• Remix engineered by will.i.am and Kerin
• Remix produced and mixed by will.i.am
• Remix recorded in November 2007

Chart performance

Fall Out Boy version

“Beat It”
Single by Fall Out Boy featuring John Mayer from the album ****: Live in Phoenix
Released	March 25, 2008
Format	Digital download
Recorded	2008
Genre	Rock
Length	3:48
Label	Island
Producer	Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy singles chronology
"I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You off (Me & You)" (2007) "Beat It" (2008)
John Mayer singles chronology
"Say" (2007) "Beat It" (2008) Audio sample Info (help·info)

In 2007, Fall Out Boy began covering "Beat It" and performed the song during the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. The band also played it for the 2008 New Year's Party on the U.S. television network FOX. In February 2008, the band released a studio version of "Beat It" with John Mayer on guitar on their live album, ****: Live in Phoenix.^[10][11]. It made its debut as a single in early April 2008. The track has been a moderate success hitting as high as #8 in Canada. A video is currently in the works with director Shane Drake.^[12] A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... Fall Out Boy (commonly abbreviated as FOB) is an American band from Wilmette, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago) that formed in 2001. ... For other persons named John Mayer, see John Mayer (disambiguation). ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... // A digital download (also known as a digital single or a paid digital download) is an official and legal music single available for purchase through an online store. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the genre. ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Fall Out Boy (commonly abbreviated as FOB) is an American band from Wilmette, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago) that formed in 2001. ... Im Like a Lawyer with the Way Im Always Trying to Get You Off (Me & You) is the fourth track on rock band Fall Out Boys fourth LP, Infinity On High. ... For other persons named John Mayer, see John Mayer (disambiguation). ... Say is a song by John Mayer written for the Rob Reiner film The Bucket List in 2007. ... Fall Out Boy (commonly abbreviated as FOB) is an American band from Wilmette, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago) that formed in 2001. ... The 2007 MTV Video Music Awards took place September 9, in Las Vegas at The Palms. ... For other persons named John Mayer, see John Mayer (disambiguation). ... Shane Drake is a U.S. music video director from Thousand Oaks, California. ...

Track listing

iTunes single

1. "Beat It" (featuring John Mayer) - 3:48
2. "Beat It" (Live) - 2:36

Charts

The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. ... “Hot 100” redirects here. ... The Pop 100 is a songs chart created in February 2005 and released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. ... The United World Chart is a worldwide chart issued every week by Media Traffic, using both sales (digital and physical) and airplay to determine the most popular albums and singles worldwide. ...

Other notable covers

• "Weird Al" Yankovic parodied the song and video as "Eat It" in 1984.
• Wyclef Jean replays the main bass line on Guitar on The Refugee camp remix of "2bad" from Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix.
• Heavy metal band Metallica played an exerpt of this song at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.
• UK death metal band Ten Masked Men covered "Beat It" on their self-titled 1999 debut album Ten Masked Men.
• Richard Cheese covered the song as a lounge style version on his 2004 album I'd Like a Virgin.
• Italian melodic death metal band Raintime featured a cover of the song on their 2007 release Flies & Lies.
• Grerek melodic death metal band Inactive Messiah featured a cover of the song on their 2006 release Be My Drug
• Supergrass, included a cover as a B-side to their 2008 single "Bad Blood".
• Streetpunk band The Unseen cover this song on their 1999 album So This is Freedom?.
• Post-Hardcore band Pierce The Veil recorded a cover to this song which is only available on their myspace.
• In 2007, Chinese singer Gong Ge'er performed a Chinese parody of the song as "Forced" in Hu Ge's short film "007 and the Man in Black."

This article is about the musician. ... Weird Al Yankovic in 3-D track listing Eat It Midnight Star The Brady Bunch Buy Me A Condo I Lost on Jeopardy Polkas On 45 Mr. ... Nelust Wyclef Jean (IPA: ) (born October 17, 1972) is a Haitian-American rapper, guitarist, producer, and member of the hip hop trio The Fugees. ... Metallica is a Grammy Award-winning American heavy metal/thrash metal band formed in 1981[1] and has become one of the most commercially successful musical acts of recent decades. ... MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS 2003 NEW YORK CITY VIDEO OF THE YEAR Missy Elliot - Work it Justin Timberlake - Cry me a river Eminem - Lose yourself Johnny Cash - Hurt 50 Cent - In da club Best Male Eminem - Lose yourself Johnny Cash - Hurt Justin Timberlake - Cry me a river John Mayer - Your... This article is about the musical genre. ... Ten Masked Men are a British Death Metal covers band who specialize in destroying pop classics. ... Categories: Music stubs | American musical groups ... Lounge music refers to music played in the lounges and bars of hotels and casinos, or at standalone piano bars. ... See also: 2004 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2004 Record labels established in 2004 2000s in music. ... Id Like a Virgin is the third album from Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine, released April 20, 2004. ... Raintime is an Italian melodic death metal band which was originally assembled in 1999. ... Flies & Lies is the second release from the Italian melodic death metal band Raintime. ... For the witnesses who betray information about associated criminals, see Supergrass (informer). ... “B-Sides” redirects here. ... The Unseen is a hardcore punk rock band (with street punk leanings) that was formed in 1994 in Hingham, Massachusetts. ... Pierce the Veil is an emo/post-hardcore rock band from San Diego, formed in December 1998. ... An editor has expressed a concern that the subject of the article does not satisfy the notability guideline or one of the following guidelines for inclusion on Wikipedia: Biographies, Books, Companies, Fiction, Music, Neologisms, Numbers, Web content, or several proposals for new guidelines. ...

References

• Moonwalk — by Michael Jackson, edited by Jackie Onassis (Doubleday 1988, ISBN 0-385-24712-5)
• The Michael Jackson Story — by Nelson George (Dell 1983, ISBN 0-440-15592-4)
• Trapped: Michael Jackson and the Crossover Dream — by Dave Marsh (Bantam 1985, ISBN 0-553-34241-X)
• Thriller – Special Edition (Epic Records, 2001 — selected interviews)
• Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection (Epic Records, 2004 — liner notes)

Footnotes

2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... February 29 is a day added into a leap year of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 100th day of the year (101st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Music video for "Beat It" at YouTube
• Michael Jackson "Beat It" Collection