Billie Jean

"Billie Jean" is a 1983 hit single from Michael Jackson's Thriller album. A number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, the song was also the number-one R&B single for nine weeks in the United States. The song was replaced at number one by another Jackson single, "Beat It" that April. It was voted best single of the year in The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics' poll, and received two Grammy Awards in 1984 in categories: Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best New Rhythm & Blues Song. It was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, along with "Beat It".

Trivia

• The outfit worn by Jackson in the "Billie Jean" video was one of several available for the Michael Jackson action figure produced the following year.
• The television talk show Late Night with David Letterman featured a running gag at the height of the song's popularity, which questioned what one of the lyrics was. As part of the refrain was played back, a single word was overdubbed by a deep, male voice to create the new line, "...the CHAIR is not my son".