Smooth Criminal
The seventh single from Michael Jackson’s “Bad” Album, “Smooth Criminal” is about a lady named Annie who’s been attacked in her apartment by a smooth assailant.
Released on October 24, 1988 as a single “Smooth Criminal” went to No.7 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was re-released on April 10, 2006 as a part of the “Visionary: The Video Singles” box-set and charted at No.1 in the UK. It also appeared on the Number Ones greatest hits album in 2003.
“Smooth Criminal” was the main song in Michael’s short film “Moonwalker” featuring Joe Pesci as Mr. Big Frankie Lideo who is trying to get kids hooked on drugs. Pesci plays a character parody of Michael Jackson’s manager, Frank Dileo.
Joe Pesci’s character “Mr. Big” is a play on the name of Michael’s manager, Frankie Dileo. In the movie, Joe Pesci is frequently heard repeating his character’s last name, “Lideo, L-I-D-E-O, They never spell my name right.” This was an inside joke between Michael and Frankie Dileo.
“Smooth Criminal” was a ten-minute long film where Michael dances through a 1930s style nightclub known as “Club 30s”. The version of the song used in the short film is different from the version on the album:
- The background beats are different
- There are several new lyrics
- There are a lot more dance moves
- The song is much longer
The short version of the video is about 5 minutes shorter than the film version which is about 10 minutes long. The shorter version is sped up and is somewhat different from the film version. Michael is actually singing the song into an old fashion microphone in the club in the shorter version. In the film version, although he dances with the microphone on two separate occasions, he doesn’t sing into it.
The longer film version of “Smooth Criminal” is reminiscent of the musical “The Girl Hunt Ballet” which is featured as the final act in the 1952 musical film The Band Wagon which stared Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. “The Girl Hunt Ballet” is a spoof of Mickey Spillane’s hard-boiled detective novels.
“Smooth Criminal” almost didn’t make it into the “Bad” album. Originally Michael decided to make the video a western styled short film; however, he later decided to change to a 1930s nightclub style. However to me, the club looks like a combination of the two.
In1985 Michael and John Barnes wrote an earlier version of this song with the first demo being recorded in 1986 called “Al Capone”. This version however didn’t make the album and was rewritten into “Smooth Criminal”.
The style, clothes and mannerisms Michael used were reused in the arcade game, the Sega Master System, the Sega Mega Drive and the Sega Game Gear adaptations of “Moonwalker”. The song itself serves as the soundtrack for the first stage, in Club 30s, the nightclub from the movie, in all versions of the game.
“Smooth Criminal” was performed during the second leg of the 1987-88 “Bad World Tour” and featured the dance routine modeled after the scene from “Moonwalker” the video.
By the 1992 “Dangerous World Tour” the “Smooth Criminal” performance became a regular in Michael’s tours.
By this time Michael had came up with a way to perform the patented anti-gravity lean, which was featured in the Moonwalker video, on stage.
Michael actually patented the shoes and stage prop which made the lean possible to perform during live stage performances.
Just like the Moonwalk from “Billie Jean”, this showcased Michael’s unique ability to create unbelievable moves to enhance his stage performances. This performance can be seen on the “Bucharest Dangerous Tour” which is included as a DVD in “The Ultimate Collection” boxed set.
Some of the song has been used in the middle of the live version of the song Dangerous since being performed at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards.
“Smooth Criminal”
As He Came Into The Window
It Was The Sound Of A Crescendo
He Came Into Her Apartment
He Left The Bloodstains On The Carpet
She Ran Underneath The Table
He Could See She Was Unable
So She Ran Into The Bedroom
She Was Struck Down, It Was Her Doom
Annie Are You OK
So, Annie Are You OK
Are You OK, Annie
Annie Are You OK
So, Annie Are You OK
Are You OK, Annie
Annie Are You OK
So, Annie Are You OK
Are You OK, Annie
Annie Are You OK
So, Annie Are You OK,
Are You OK, Annie
(Annie Are You OK)
(Will You Tell Us That You’re OK)
(There’s A Sign In The Window)
(That He Struck You-A Crescendo Annie)
(He Came Into Your Apartment)
(He Left The Bloodstains On The Carpet)
(Then You Ran Into The Bedroom)
(You Were Struck Down)
(It Was Your Doom)
Annie Are You OK
So, Annie Are You OK
Are You OK Annie
Annie Are You OK
So, Annie Are You OK
Are You OK Annie
Annie Are You OK
So, Annie Are You OK
Are You OK Annie
You’ve Been Hit By
You’ve Been hit By
A Smooth Criminal
So They Came Into The Outway
It Was Sunday-What A Black Day
Mouth To Mouth Resus-Citation
Sounding Heartbeats-Intimidations
Annie Are You OK
So, Annie Are You OK
Are You OK Annie
Annie Are You OK
So, Annie Are You OK
Are You OK Annie
Annie Are You OK
So, Annie Are You OK
Are You OK Annie
Annie Are You OK
So, Annie Are You OK
Are You OK Annie
(Annie Are You OK)
(Will You Tell Us That You’re OK)
(There’s A Sign In The Window)
(That He Struck You-A Crescendo Annie)
(He Came Into Your Apartment)
(He Left The Bloodstains On The Carpet)
(Then You Ran Into The Bedroom)
(You Were Struck Down)
(It Was Your Doom)
(Annie Are You OK)
(So, Annie Are You OK)
(Are You OK Annie)
(You’ve Been Hit By)
(You’ve Been Struck By
A Smooth Criminal)
Okay, I Want Everybody To Clear The Area Right Now!
Aaow!
(Annie Are You OK)
I Don’t Know!
(Will You Tell Us, That You’re OK)
I Don’t Know!
(There’s A Sign In The Window)
I Don’t Know!
(That He Struck You-A Crescendo Annie)
I Don’t Know!
(He Came Into Your Apartment)
I Don’t Know!
(Left Bloodstains On The Carpet)
I Don’t Know Why Baby!
(Then You Ran Into The Bedroom)
I Don’t Know!
(You Were Struck Down)
(It Was Your Doom-Annie!)
(Annie Are You OK)
Dad Gone It-Baby!
(Will You Tell Us, That You’re OK)
Dad Gone It-Baby!
(There’s A Sign In The Window)
Dad Gone It-Baby!
(That He Struck You-A Crescendo Annie)
Hoo! Hoo!
(He Came Into Your Apartment)
Dad Gone It!
(Left Bloodstains On The Carpet)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
(Then You Ran Into The Bedroom)
Doggone It!
(You Were Struck Down)
(It Was Your Doom-Annie!)
Aaow!!!