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Anna Lawson

James Johnson

ENG 1201

27 June 2021

“Beat It” Analysis

If you know anything about Michael Jackson, you are familiar with his hit song “Beat It.”

Released in February of 1983, “Beat It” is the single that established Jackson as a pop icon, and

was the number one song on Billboards Hot 100 for three weeks. The song has a catchy and

dance-worthy beat and, with Eddie Van Halen on the guitar, how could this song be anything but

successful? Two months after the song’s release, the accompaning music video was shown on

MTV and is one of the most awarded music videos of all time. When watching the music video,

one can see that this tune is more than just a song. The music video deals with gang activity,

society’s standards of bravery, and racial division. So influential was Jackson’s original hit that

in 2009, nearly 30 years after the release of Jackson’s renowned single, the rock band Fall Out

Boy recreated the song, complete with a music video. While Jackson’s music video dealt with

the meaning of the songs lyrics and sociotal issues, Fall Out Boy’s music video is a tribute to the

“King of Pop” himself.

Jackson’s original video and the lyrics of the song deal with what society would say was

considered bravery in that era. The theme of the video depicts two gangs getting ready to go to

war in a low class neighborhood. Jackson himself is depicted as someone who is conflicted on

whether he should go or not. This correlates with the lyrics of the song:

They told him, "Don't you ever come around here"

"Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear."

So, Jackson personifies the person that the song is about and the lyrics are sung in a way so that

they represent the voices in his head. Such as, “They're out to get you, better leave while you

can” the voice trying to keep him alive while, “Don't wanna be a boy, you wanna be a man” the

voice trying to get him to do what society would say is the brave thing to do. In this way

Jackson’s video and the lyrics show the struggle between listenting to what you believe you

should do and listening to what society says is expected of you. Which could also symbolize

Jackson’s persional struggle of becoming a one of a kind individual, even though it was less than

supported by society.

The Fall Out Boy version, while using the same lyrics as Jackson’s, delivers a very

different message. Where Jackson’s video promoted the back and forth going on in his

character’s head, Fall Out boys video is less concerned with the lyrics. The Fall Out Boy video

depicts a bar with multiple individuals dressed up like Jackson. Four individuals sneek into the

bar to be a part of this Jackson “cult” and appear to be uneasy and second-guessing their

decision. This, among a few other things, does parallel with Jackson’s character in the original

wanting to be part of a gang but being conflicted. However, the video does not have any type of

moral or emotional message about it as Jackson’s does, but is a tribute to Jackson himself. Many

of the individuals in the video are attired in Jackson’s most iconic looks and are seen doing

and/or learning some of his most classic dance moves. Some of these outfits and moves were

ones that Jackson was not known for until after this song, such as the moonwalk and his famous

white glove, which did not make an appearance until later that year. This brings me back to the

fact that Fall Out Boy’s version is not about the song but about the author.

Another way these versions differ from one another is in the audience to which they are

appealing. Jackson’s video appeals to young men, particularly those who are born to or live in
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lower class areas. His video depicts individuals between 18 and 25 who are in gangs and dealing

with the struggle of what it means to be a man. While there are woman in the video, the

characters are predominantly male this is what leads me to believe this is his targeted audience.

Jackson’s video uses pathos to reach this audience by, depicting struggles that men of this class

and age are going through or could go through, to appeal to their emotions. The Fall Out Boy’s

video target audience are those who grew up listening to and watching Michael Jackson. In their

video, they use pathos as well, but in a different way. They use a sense of nostalgia through

props and clothing from Jackson’s era to appeal to their target audience’s emotions. While the

lyrics to both videos are the same, the visual appeal is completely different.

In his video, Jackson depicts the racial issues going on in society then, and how fighting

is not a way to solve our differences. The video shows two street gang leaders, one African

American and the other Caucasion, preparing to face off. Jackson throughout the video is

conflicted on what he should do, as both the lyrics and his actions indicate. We see him first

anxiously tossing and turning in bed, and then frantically searching a pool hall and diner trying

to find and stop the violence. Right before the gang leaders are about to go at one another with

switch blade knives, Jackson appears, stops the fight, and begins to dance. The gang members

join in. During the iconicly choreographed dance, Jackson opens his jacket revealing a shirt with

cupids, a heart and the word “amour” or “love” on it. This subtle gesture was Jackson’s way of

saying, we don’t have to fight to settle our issues, we need only to love one another.

Music is an incredible way to create and to tell stories. But the visuals accompaning a

song can change what a song means regardless of the lyrics. As seen in these two versions of the

hit “Beat It,” we see that a song can be about emotional, social, and moral struggle, or it can be

paying tribute to a true music industry icon.

Works Cited

Fall Out Boy. “Fall Out Boy - Beat It (MTV Version) (Official Music Video) Ft. John Mayer.”

Mayer.” YouTube, uploaded by Fall Out Boy 16 June 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?

v=sk8Pb17pcQI.

Michael Jackson. “Michael Jackson - Beat It (Official Video).” YouTube, uploaded by Michael

Jackson Official, 11 Apr. 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRdxUFDoQe0.