Dirty Diana

"Dirty Diana"
Single by Michael Jackson from the album Bad
Released	April 1988
Format	CD single
Recorded	1987
Genre	Heavy metal, Rock
Length	4:52
Label	Epic Records
Writer	Michael Jackson
Producer	Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones
Michael Jackson singles chronology
"Man in the Mirror" (1988) "Dirty Diana" (1988) "Another Part of Me" (1988)
Michael Jackson's Visionary chronology
"The Way You Make Me Feel" (2006)	"Dirty Diana" (2006)	"Smooth Criminal" (2006)
Bad track listing
"I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (8) "Dirty Diana" (9) "Smooth Criminal" (10)

"Dirty Diana" is a hit song by singer Michael Jackson. The song presented a harder rock sound than the previous "Beat It" had from the Thriller album.

Contents 1 Song information 2 Live performances 3 Track listing 3.1 Original release 3.2 Visionary single 4 Mixes 5 Credits 6 Trivia 7 External links

Song information

Jackson hired Billy Idol's former guitarist Steve Stevens to back him on the track. There was a mystery for many years leading to some speculation as to what Jackson was talking about in the song. Some say he was talking about his former mentor Diana Ross, whom he had had a crush on as a child and others thought he was talking about groupies. Quincy Jones later confirmed that it was about groupies on an interview from the special edition of Bad

Live performances

"Dirty Diana" was performed during later Bad concerts only.

Track listing

Original release

1. "Dirty Diana" – 4:42
2. "Dirty Diana" (Instrumental) – 4:42

Visionary single

CD side

1. "Dirty Diana" - 4:42
2. "Dirty Diana" (Instrumental) – 4:42

DVD side

1. "Dirty Diana" (Music video)

Mixes

1. Album version - 4:52
2. 7" Version - 4:41
   • This version replaced the original on later Bad releases.
3. Instrumental - 4:41

Credits

• Written, arranged, and composed by Michael Jackson
• Produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson
• Lead and background vocals by Michael Jackson
• Rhythm arrangements by Michael Jackson, John Barnes and Jerry Hey
• Synthesizer arrangements by Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones and John Barnes
• String arrangement by John Barnes
• Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson
• Clave clapstick by Michael Jackson
• Guitar solo by Steve Stevens

Trivia

According to Michael Jackson in an interview, this song was scheduled for a live 1988 performance at Wembley Stadium during the Bad World Tour; however, Michael felt the song would be an insult to Princess Diana, who was in attendance, so he had it removed. Diana informed him the song was actually one of her personal favorites, but by that stage it was too late to reinstate it for the show. The accompanying video was shot in early 1988 in front of a live audience.

External links

• "Dirty Diana" music video on YouTube
• "Dirty Diana" live performance music video on YouTube
• Michael Jackson 'Dirty Diana' Collection
• Dirty Diana Lyrics

Preceded by "Foolish Beat" by Debbie Gibson

Billboard Hot 100 number-one single July 2, 1988

Succeeded by "The Flame" by Cheap Trick

This box:  •  • edit Michael Jackson singles

Got to Be There: "Got to Be There" • "Rockin' Robin" • "I Wanna Be Where You Are" • "Ain't No Sunshine" Ben: "Ben" Music and Me: "With a Child's Heart" • "Music and Me" • "Happy" Forever, Michael: "We're Almost There" • "Just a Little Bit of You" The Wiz: "Ease on Down the Road" (w/Diana Ross) • "You Can't Win (Pt. 1)" • "A Brand New Day" (w/Diana Ross) Off the Wall: "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" • "Rock With You" • "Off the Wall" • "She's out of My Life" • "Girlfriend" One Day in Your Life: "One Day in Your Life" Thriller: "The Girl Is Mine" (w/Paul McCartney) • "Billie Jean" • "Beat It" • "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" "Human Nature" • "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" • "Thriller" Farewell My Summer Love: "Farewell My Summer Love" / "Girl You're So Together" Bad: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (w/Siedah Garrett) • "Bad" • "The Way You Make Me Feel" • "Man in the Mirror" "Dirty Diana" • "Another Part of Me" • "Smooth Criminal" • "Leave Me Alone" • "Liberian Girl" Dangerous: "Black or White" • "Remember the Time" • "In the Closet" • "Jam" • "Who Is It" "Give In to Me" • "Heal the World" • "Will You Be There" • "Gone Too Soon" HIStory: "Scream/Childhood" • "You Are Not Alone" • "Earth Song" • "They Don't Care About Us" • "Stranger in Moscow" Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix: "Blood on the Dance Floor" • "HIStory/Ghosts" Invincible: "You Rock My World" • "Cry" • "Butterflies" Number Ones: "One More Chance" Thriller 25: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" (w/will.i.am) Other collaborations: "Somebody's Watching Me" (w/Rockwell) • "Say Say Say" (w/Paul McCartney) • "Get It" (w/ Stevie Wonder) • "Why" (w/ 3T) • "No Friend of Mine" (w/ Pras)