Dirty Diana
Michael Jackson - Bad album cover

“Dirty Diana” is the fourth of five consecutive number-one Billboard singles released from the 1987 ‘Bad’ album. “Dirty Diana” was written and composed by Michael Jackson and co-produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson: “I wrote a song called ‘Dirty Diana’. It was not about Lady Diana. It was about certain kinds of girls that hang around concerts or clubs, you know, they call them groupies. I’ve lived with that all my life. These girls…they do everything with the band, everything you could imagine. So I wrote a song called ‘Dirty Diana’. But I took it out of the [Wembley] show in honor of her royal highness. She took me away and she said, ‘Are you going to do Dirty Diana?‘ So, I said, ‘No, I took it out of the show because of you.‘ She said, ‘No! I want you to do it…do it…do the song.”

Michael Jackson: “I love ‘Dirty Diana’. That’s one of my favorites, because it’s a life story of a groupie – I hate to say the word ‘groupie’, but that’s what it is. And it’s something that I’ve experienced and a lot of people who grow up on the road – like me. I don’t remember not performing.”

Engineer Matt Forger: “Michael said, ‘We’re going to start some new songs.’ I never knew when we were going to do a song what the song was for, but the first song I started on with Michael was ‘Dirty Diana’”.

BONUS: The song features a cameo appearance by Steve Stevens, (best known as lead guitarist for Billy Idol), in the solo section.

“Dirty Diana”, the fifth of five consecutive number-one Billboard singles released from the 1987 ‘Bad’ album, was released as a 7” promo single on April 18th, 1988. The ‘B’ side is also “Dirty Diana” (4:42).

“Dirty Diana” was released as 7” and 12″ singles on April 18th, 1988. Both ‘B’ sides are “Dirty Diana – Instrumental” (4:42).

“Dirty Diana”was released as a CD promo single on April 18th, 1988. The CD promo single includes the songs “Dirty Diana” (4:42) and “Dirty Diana – Instrumental” (4:42).

“Dirty Diana” was released as a 3” mini-CD single on April 18th, 1988. The 3″ CD mini-single includes “Dirty Diana” (4:42), and “Dirty Diana – Instrumental” (4:42).

Written and Composed by Michael Jackson

Oh no…

Oh no…

Oh no…

You’ll never make me stay

So take your weight off of me

I know your every move

So won’t you just let me be

I’ve been here times before

But I was too blind to see

That you seduce every man

This time you won’t seduce me

She’s saying that’s ok

Hey baby do what you please

I have the stuff that you want

I am the thing that you need

She looked me deep in the eyes

She’s touchin’ me so to start

She says there’s no turnin’ back

She trapped me in her heart

Dirty Diana, nah

Dirty Diana, nah

Dirty Diana, no

Dirty Diana

Let me be!

Oh no…

Oh no…

Oh no…

She likes the boys in the band

She knows when they come to town

Every musician’s fan after the curtain comes down

She waits at backstage doors

For those who have prestige

Who promise

Fortune and fame, a life that’s so carefree

She’s saying that’s ok

Hey baby do what you want

I’ll be your night lovin’ thing

I’ll be the freak you can taunt

And I don’t care what you say

I want to go too far

I’ll be your everything

If you make me a star

Dirty Diana, nah

Dirty Diana, nah

Dirty Diana, no

Dirty Diana…

Dirty Diana, nah

Dirty Diana, nah

Dirty Diana, no

Dirty Diana…

Diana!

Diana!

Dirty Diana!

It’s Dia..aa…aa…ana!

She said I have to go home

’Cause I’m real tired you see

But I hate sleepin’ alone

Why don’t you come with me

I said my baby’s at home

She’s probably worried tonight

I didn’t call on the phone to

Say that I’m alright

Diana walked up to me,

She said I’m all yours tonight

At that I ran to the phone

Sayin’ baby I’m alright

I said but unlock the door,

Because I forgot the key,

She said he’s not coming back

Because he’s sleeping with me

Dirty Diana, nah

Dirty Diana, nah

Dirty Diana, nah

Dirty Diana, no

Dirty Diana, nah

Dirty Diana, nah

Dirty Diana, nah

Dirty Diana…

Come on!

Come on!

Come on!

Come on!

©1987 Mijac Music. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

CREDITS:

“Dirty Diana” - written and composed by Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson: Solo and background vocals, Clavé slapstick.

Steve Stevens: Guitar solo.

John Robinson: Drums.

Douglas Getschal: Drum programming.

Paul Jackson, Jr., David Williams: Guitars.

Christopher Currell: Synclavier.

Denny Jaeger: Synclavier Synthesis.

John Barnes, Michael Boddicker, Randy Waldman: Synthesizers.

Rhythm arrangement by Michael Jackson, John Barnes and Jerry Hey.

Synthesizer arrangement by Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones and John Barnes.

String arrangement by John Barnes.

Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson.

©1987 Mijac Music