I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin'

I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin'

It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)

Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)

You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)

And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)

Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)

You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)

And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)



I took my baby to the doctor

With a fever, but nothing he found

By the time this hit the street

They said she had a breakdown

Someone's always tryin' to start my baby cryin'

Talkin', squealin', lyin'

Sayin' you just wanna be startin' somethin'



I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin'

I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin'

It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)

Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)

You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)

And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)

Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)

You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)

And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)



You love to pretend that you're good

When you're always up to no good

You really can't make him hate her

So your tongue became a razor

Someone's always tryin' to keep my baby cryin'

Treacherous, cunnin', declinin'

You got my baby cryin'



I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin'

I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin'

It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)

Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)

You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)

And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)

Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)

You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)

And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

You're a vegetable, you're a vegetable

Still they hate you, you're a vegetable

You're just a buffet, you're a vegetable

They eat off of you, you're a vegetable



Billie Jean is always talkin'

When nobody else is talkin'

Tellin' lies and rubbin' shoulders

So they called her mouth a motor

Someone's always tryin' to start my baby cryin'

Talkin', squealin', spyin',

Sayin' you just wanna be startin' somethin'



I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin'

I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin'

It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)

Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)

You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)

And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)

Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)

You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)

And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

You're a vegetable, you're a vegetable

Still they hate you, you're a vegetable

You're just a buffet, you're a vegetable

They eat off of you, you're a vegetable



If you can't feed your baby (yeah, yeah)

Then don't have a baby (yeah, yeah)

And don't think maybe (yeah, yeah)

If you can't feed your baby (yeah, yeah)

You'll be always tryin'

To stop that child from cryin'

Hustlin', stealin', lyin'

Now baby's slowly dyin'



I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin'

I said you wanna be startin' somethin'

You got to be startin' somethin'

It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)

Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)

You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)

And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)

Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)

You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)

And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)



Lift your head up high

And scream out to the world

I know I am someone

And let the truth unfurl

No one can hurt you now

Because you know what's true

Yes, I believe in me

So you believe in you

Help me sing it, ma ma se

Ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa

Ma ma se, ma ma sa

Ma ma coo sa

(Repeat/fade-out) 





Greg Phillinganes - Rhodes & Synthesizers 

Michael Boddicker & Bill Wolfer - Synthesizer 

David Williams - Guitar 

Louis Johnson - Bass 

Paulinho da Costa - Percussion 

Jerry Hey - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Gary Grant - Trumpet & Flugelhorn 

Larry Williams - Sax & Flute 

Bill Reichenbach – Trombone

Michael Jackson, Nelson Hayes & Steven Ray - Bathroom Stomp board



Vocal Arrangement by Michael Jackson

Rhythm Arrangement by Michael Jackson & Quincy Jones

Horn Arrangement by Jerry Hey & Michael Jackson 

Background Vocals: Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, 

Oren Waters, James Ingram, Michael Jackson, Bunny Hull, Becky Lopez 



© 1982 Mijac Music (BMI) Administered by Warner-Temerlane Publishign Corp.