The Satanic Origins of Michael Jackson’s ‘Smooth Criminal’
Michael Jackson‘s “Smooth Criminal” is Satanic. It’s not a song about Satan or the occult, but it is a song about a Satanist. The King of Pop worried this could cause controversy for multiple reasons. “Smooth Criminal” wasn’t one of the biggest hits from that era of Jackson’s career, but it produced a hit cover.
Michael Jackson’s ‘Smooth Criminal’ was inspired by a killer who worshipped Satan
Jermaine Jackson was a member of The Jackson 5. In his 2011 book You Are Not Alone: Michael, Through a Brother’s Eyes, Jermaine noted the Al Capone theme of the “Smooth Criminal” video. “‘Smooth Criminal’ was actually inspired by a serial killer who spread fear throughout Los Angeles and San Francisco between 1984 and 1985,” Jermaine wrote.
“Richard Ramirez, a self-confessed devil worshipper, was the ‘Night Stalker’ who took 14 lives,” he added. “In most cases, he forced his way into people’s homes before brutally murdering them with a knife (hence the appearance of a flashing blade in the video).”
Michael Jackson didn’t want to seem like he was glorifying Richard Ramirez
Jermaine mentioned some of the lyrics in the song that were inspired by Ramirez: “It was the sound of a crescendo / He came into her apartment / He left the bloodstains on the carpet / She ran underneath the table / He could see she was unable / So she ran into the bedroom / She was struck down, it was her doom.”
Jermaine said Michael didn’t want to talk about the song’s origins, partly for religious reasons. For context, Michael was a Jehovah’s Witness. “There were two reasons not to reveal this inspiration at the time: first, so that the media didn’t accuse him of glorifying such a heinous crime; and second, he didn’t want the [Jehovah’s Witness] elders to know that a worshipper of the occult partly ‘inspired’ this song.”
Another version of ‘Smooth Criminal’ was also a hit
“Smooth Criminal” reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 15 weeks. The tune appeared on the album Bad. If “Smooth Criminal” was on any other album, peaking at No. 7 would be impressive. However, Bad produced five No. 1 singles: its title track, “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” “Man in the Mirror,” and “Dirty Diana.” With that in mind, the performance of “Smooth Criminal” was underwhelming.
Bad, meanwhile, was a huge hit. That record topped the Billboard 200 for six weeks. It lasted on the chart for 171 weeks in total. It stayed at the top of the chart longer than any of Jackson’s other records, with the sole exception of Thriller.
“Smooth Criminal” received a second life when the rock band Alien Ant Farm covered it. It reached No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, lasting on there for 20 weeks. It remains one of the most well-known covers of a song by the King of Pop. The cover appeared on the record Anthology, which peaked at No. 11 and stayed on the chart for 64 weeks. Alien Ant Farm was never more popular or more successful than when they put out their version of “Smooth Criminal.”
“Smooth Criminal” is an awesome dance song even if it has its origins in pure evil.
