Billie Jean

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Written by: Jackson
Produced by: Jackson, Quincy Jones
Released: Jan. '83 on Epic
Charts: 7 weeks
Top spot: No. 1

Sinuous, paranoid and omnipresent: the single that made Jackson the biggest star since Elvis was a denial of a paternity suit, and it spent seven weeks at Number One. Jackson came up with the irresistible rhythm track on his home drum machine and nailed the vocals in one take. "I knew it was going to be big while I was writing it," he said. "I was really absorbed in writing it." How absorbed? He was thinking about the song while riding in his Rolls down the Ventura Freeway in California -- and didn't notice the car was on fire.

Appears on: Thriller (Sony)

Next: The Times They Are A-Changin'

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