"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album Thriller
Released	May 1983
Recorded	1982
Genre	Disco
Length	4:05
Label	Epic Records
Writer(s)	Michael Jackson
Producer(s)	Quincy Jones
Peak chart positions
#1 (Denmark; Netherlands) #5 (U.S., U.S. R&B) #8 (UK) #16 (Germany) #25 (Australia)
Michael Jackson singles chronology
"Beat It" (1983) "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (1983) "Human Nature" (1983)
Thriller track listing
	"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" (1)	"Baby Be Mine" (2)
HIStory track listing
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (13)	"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (14)	"Heal the World" (15)

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" is a 1983 single released from Michael Jackson's multi-platinum selling 1982 album Thriller. It was the first track on the album, and the fourth song released as a single, following "The Girl Is Mine" (a duet with Paul McCartney), "Billie Jean", and "Beat It", the latter two songs having both achieved number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Image File history File linksMetadata WBSS.jpg Summary http://www. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958), commonly known as MJ as well as the King of Pop, is an American musician, entertainer, and pop icon whose successful career and controversial personal life have been a part of pop culture for the last three decades. ... Alternate cover Special Edition release cover. ... For other uses, see May (disambiguation). ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... See also: 1982 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1982 Record labels established in 1982 list of years in music // January 15 - K.C. and the Sunshine Bands Harry Wayne Casey is seriously injured in an automobile accident in Miami, Florida. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the music genre. ... In the music industry, a record label is 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. ... Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958), commonly known as MJ as well as the King of Pop, is an American musician, entertainer, and pop icon whose successful career and controversial personal life have been a part of pop culture for the last three decades. ... 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. ... This article is about the producer and songwriter. ... // A record chart, also known as a music chart, is a method of ranking music according to popularity during a given period of time. ... “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. ... Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958), commonly known as MJ as well as the King of Pop, is an American musician, entertainer, and pop icon whose successful career and controversial personal life have been a part of pop culture for the last three decades. ... Michael Jacksons Visionary chronology Thriller track listing Thriller (4) Beat It (5) Billie Jean (6) HIStory track listing Thriller (9) Thriller (10) The Girl Is Mine (11) Audio sample Beat It is a Grammy winning 1982 hit single from Michael Jacksons multi-platinum selling album Thriller. ... Thriller track listing Billie Jean (6) Human Nature (7) P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (8) Human Nature is a single released by Michael Jackson from his 1982 hit album, Thriller. ... Alternate cover Special Edition release cover. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... History studies time in human terms. ... 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... Michael Jacksons Visionary chronology Jam (2006) Heal the World (2006) You Are Not Alone (2006) Dangerous track listing Cant Let Her Get Away (6) Heal the World (7) Black or White (8) HIStory track listing Wanna Be Startin Somethin (14) Heal the World (15) Heal the World is... 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. ... Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958), commonly known as MJ as well as the King of Pop, is an American musician, entertainer, and pop icon whose successful career and controversial personal life have been a part of pop culture for the last three decades. ... See also: 1982 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1982 Record labels established in 1982 list of years in music // January 15 - K.C. and the Sunshine Bands Harry Wayne Casey is seriously injured in an automobile accident in Miami, Florida. ... Alternate cover Special Edition release cover. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... 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 iconic English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who first gained worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles. ... This article is about the Michael Jackson song. ... Michael Jacksons Visionary chronology Thriller track listing Thriller (4) Beat It (5) Billie Jean (6) HIStory track listing Thriller (9) Thriller (10) The Girl Is Mine (11) Audio sample Beat It is a Grammy winning 1982 hit single from Michael Jacksons multi-platinum selling album Thriller. ... It has been suggested that Billboard be merged into this article or section. ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the main singles chart used by Billboard magazine. ...

History

Probably most remembered is the chanted refrain "Mama-se, mama-sa, ma-ma-koo-sa", featured prominently during the song's final bridge. With regard to this chant, writer Mark Anthony Neal says: "The lyrics (utterings really) were taken directly from the music of Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango who broke into the American market in 1973 with his classic 'Soul Makossa'." Manu Dibango (born December 12, 1933) is a Cameroonian saxophonist and vibraphone player. ... Soul Makossa is a 1972 single by Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango. ...

At six minutes and three seconds, "Wanna Be Startin Somethin'" is also the longest song on Thriller, ushering in the album in a buoyantly accessible way, and cannily showcasing the pop and soul music sensibilities of Jackson and producer Jones. For other uses, see Pop music (disambiguation). ... This article is about the novel Soul Music. ...

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" continued the trend of hit singles for Jackson, eventually peaking at number five on the Pop and on the R&B charts, and gaining time on radio playlists across the country. The song was often not played at full length, however, due to industry format standards. The song was originally written in 1979 and intended for his Off the Wall album but was not recorded until the sessions for Thriller in 1982. See also: Musical groups established in 1979 Record labels established in 1979 1979 in music (UK) 1970s in music // Stevie Wonder uses digital audio recording technology in recording his album Journey through the Secret Life of Plants. ... For other uses, see Off the Wall (disambiguation). ...

Performance and choreography

One of the songs released as a single without an accompanying video, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" nonetheless has attained a popularity rivaling its sister compositions on the album, and has become Jackson's song of choice for opening live concerts. Not being as strictly associated with a specific dance routine as those others has arguably allowed for more flexibility in performances and staging.

Two notable occurrences during live performances are the "stop/start" choreography that brings Jackson and his dancers to a frozen stop several times, and the sing-along between performer and audience during the bridge.

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was also used on every set list of Jackson's tours, from the Victory Tour in 1984, right the way through to the HIStory Tour in 1997. The Victory Tour was a music tour of the United States and Canada by The Jacksons that started July 6, 1984 and ended December 9, 1984. ... 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. ... The HIStory World Tour was a music tour by Michael Jackson that started September 7, 1996 in Prague and ended October 15, 1997. ... See also: 1996 in music, other events of 1997, 1998 in music, 1990s in music and the list of years in music // Events 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...

The track is featured in Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the Fever 105 in-game radio station. “R*” redirects here. ... Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (released in October 2002) is the fourth video game in the hit Grand Theft Auto series. ...

A notable sampling of this song occurs on Rihanna's "Dont Stop the Music". The famous "mama-se, mama-sa, ma-ma-koo-sa" features on a break occurring at approximately 2.35.

Track listing

U.S. single

1. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" – 6:02
2. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (instrumental) – 6:02

UK single

1. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" – 6:02
2. "Rock with You" (live with The Jacksons) – 3:58

Michael Jacksons Visionary chronology Dont Stop Til You Get Enough (2006) Rock With You (2006) Billie Jean (2006) Off the Wall track listing Dont Stop Til You Get Enough (1) Rock with You (2) Working Day and Night (3) HIStory track listing Black or White (3) Rock... 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 from Gary, Indiana. ...

Mixes

1. Album version – 6:03
2. 12" version – 6:30
3. Instrumental – 6:30
4. 7" edit – 4:17

Credits

• Written, arranged, and composed by Michael Jackson
• Produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson
• Lead vocals by Michael Jackson
• Backing vocals by Michael Jackson, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Oren Waters, James Ingram, Bunny Hull, and Becky Lopez
• Rhodes and synthesizer by Greg Phillinganes
• Synthesizer by Michael Boddicker and Bill Wolfer
• Guitar by David Williams
• Bass by Louis Johnson
• Percussion by Paulinho da Costa
• Trumpets and flügelhorns by Jerry Hey and Gary Grant
• Sax and flute by Larry Williams
• Trombone by Bill Reichenbach
• Bathroom stomp board: Michael Jackson, Nelson Hayes, and Steven Ray
• Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson
• Rhythm arrangement by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones

James Ingram (born February 16, 1956 in Akron, Ohio) is an American soul musician, famous for his vocal performance. ... Greg Phillinganes (born Gregory Phillinganes in Detroit, Michigan) is an active session keyboardist in Los Angeles, California. ...

Pop culture

• Damon Wayans at one time included in his comedy routine a segment in which he was "speaking in tongues"; this segued into him performing the chant from the final bridge of the song. Wayans also included the gag in an episode of My Wife and Kids in a scene where a midwife tries to show his daughter-in-law (Brooklyn Sudano) birthing techniques, including a chant of "mama-se, mama-sa, mama-coosa".
• Similarly, on the sitcom The Wayans Bros., when Marlon joined a cult, he chanted "mama-se, mama-sa, mama-coo-sa", as the cult's phrase.
• In an episode of Martin entitled "The Night He Came Home", Martin Lawrence tries to undo a supposed demonic possession by chanting the words "mama-se, mama-sa, mama-coosa".
• In an episode of The Steve Harvey Show entitled "Nightmare on Steve's Street", Steve, Cedric, Regina, & Lovita chant "Mama-se, mama-sa, ma-ma-koo-sa" during a seance. Cedric then surprises the others by standing up & imitating Jackson, singing "You've been hit by; you been struck by...".
• Icelandic singer Björk sang part of the song live, on her B-side "I Go Humble" during the Homogenic tour, a recording of a live performance including the reprise was released on her Live Box Set.
• Rihanna sampled the song for her third single from the 2007 album Good Girl Gone Bad, called "Don't Stop the Music".
• The phrase "mama-se, mama-se, mama-coosa" is used in a scat section in "The Song That Goes Like This (Reprise)" sung by the Lady of the Lake; from the Monty Python musical Spamalot.
• Bloodhound Gang has a song called "Mama Say" where they repeatedly say the chant as well as making various famous Michael Jackson noises at the end.
• On the "Wingmen" episode of The Boondocks, Cairo's new best friend introduces himself as "Dewey Obababa-ooooooo Ma Ma Se, Ma Ma Sa, Ma Ma Coosa . . . Jenkins".
• Fake news anchor Stephen Colbert referred to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Mahmoud Ahmemedimeme..mamasemamasamamacoosa-jad. (Or something)
• In an episode of The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Grim tries to bring a clown balloon monster to life by using the chant.
• Background vocals sampled in "The Drums" by House artist Basic J.
• In the Nintendo DS version of The Urbz: Sims in the City, if you talk to Mambo Loa and select the "Jibba Jabba" option, she says "Mamma-say, mamma-saw, mamma mah-koo-sah! Sing it with me!"

Damon Kyle Wayans (pronounced WAYNES) (born September 4, 1960) is an American stand-up comedian, writer, and actor who began his career as a stand-up comic in 1982. ... My Wife and Kids is an American sitcom which ran on ABC from March 28, 2001 until May 29, 2005, starring Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell. ... Brooklyn Sundano is an African-American actress who plays Vanessa Scott on My Wife And Kids and Felicia on Cuts. ... The Wayans Bros. ... Martin is an American television sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions (a subsidiary of HBO, in turn a division of Time Warner) that aired for five seasons from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on FOX. The show starred comedian Martin Lawrence and Tisha Campbell. ... Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence (born April 16, 1965, in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany) is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. ... The Steve Harvey Show (August 25, 1996—February 24, 2002) aired for six seasons on The WB Television Network. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... This article is about the musician. ... “B-Sides” redirects here. ... Singles from Homogenic Released: September 1997 Released: December 1997 Released: March 1998 Released: October 1998 Released: June 1999 Homogenic, released in September of 1997, is an album by Icelandic singer-songwriter/musician Björk. ... Rihanna (born Robyn Rihanna Fenty on February 20, 1988) is a Bajan singer with musical influences from R&B, pop, reggae, rock, dancehall and funk. ... This article is about reusing existing sound recordings in creating new works. ... Singles from Good Girl Gone Bad Released: March 29, 2007 Released: June 12, 2007 Released: August 7, 2007 (CAN) Released: August 21, 2007 Good Girl Gone Bad is the third studio album by singer Rihanna, which was released on June 4, 2007 in most European countries and on June 5... For other uses, see Dont Stop the Music. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Monty Python, or The Pythons, is the collective name of the creators of Monty Pythons Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. ... The Black Crook (1866) is considered the first musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. ... Monty Pythons Spamalot is a comedic musical lovingly ripped off from the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975). ... “The Bloodhound Gang” redirects here. ... List of The Boondocks episodes Wingmen is the 13th episode of The Boondocks, debuting March 5, 2006 on Cartoon Networks Adult Swim. ... The Boondocks is an American animated television series created by Aaron McGruder based on his comic strip of the same name. ... “Anchorman” redirects here. ... This article is about Stephen Colbert, the actor. ... The President of Iran is the head of government. ... Mahmoud Ahmadinejad[1] (born October 28, 1956)[2] is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ... The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, created by Maxwell Atoms, is an American animated television series that currently airs on Cartoon Network and Teletoon. ... The Sims is a strategy/simulation computer game, created by game designer Will Wright and published by Maxis. ...

Sources

• 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)
• AllMusic.com
• MJJSource.com
• MichaelJackson.com

External links

• Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' live at Brisbane, 1987
• Michael Jackson "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" Collection