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Dangerous

THE STORY BEHIND ' Dangerous '

This is the album’s grand finale. It is a mechanical, industrial masterpiece that evolved from a rejected Bad demo into the definitive New Jack Swing anthem. The story below details the courtroom drama where Michael beatboxed to save the song, the "Streetwalker" connection, and the legendary performance that replaced a music video.

The DNA of "Dangerous" actually dates back to the Bad album sessions in 1987. Michael had written a track called "Streetwalker," a swinging, bluesy shuffle that he loved. It was in a fierce battle with "Another Part of Me" for the final spot on the Bad album. Ultimately, Quincy Jones convinced Michael to cut "Streetwalker" (which was later released on the Bad 25 reissue).

However, Michael never let the groove go. When he started working on the Dangerous album with producer Bill Bottrell, he brought the "Streetwalker" concept back. They stripped away the bluesy harmonica and replaced it with a colder, mechanical beat. The bassline became sharper, the tempo dropped, and the swing became more aggressive. What started as a fun 80s shuffle mutated into the dark, 90s industrial funk of "Dangerous."

"Dangerous" was the subject of a high-profile plagiarism lawsuit that resulted in one of the most famous moments in legal history. A songwriter named Crystal Cartier sued Michael, claiming she had written a song called "Dangerous" years earlier. The case went to trial in 1994.

To prove he was the true author, Michael took the stand. But he didn't just speak; he performed. He explained to the judge that he composes songs vocally, building every layer in his head. To demonstrate this, he beatboxed the entire rhythm track of "Dangerous" live in the courtroom. He replicated the drums, the bassline, and the clicking sounds with his mouth, leaving the judge and jury stunned by his internal metronome. He then played the early "Streetwalker" demo to show the song's evolution. The jury found Michael not guilty, and the case was dismissed.

While Bill Bottrell started the track, it was Teddy Riley who finished it. "Dangerous" is the ultimate example of the New Jack Swing genre. It features the signature "swing" rhythm (where the beat limps slightly) but cranks the intensity up to eleven.

The track is built on a soundscape of urban noise. You can hear metal clanking, steam hissing, and heavy machinery grinding. It was designed to sound like a factory.
The verses are half-sung, half-whispered. Michael plays the role of a noir detective narrating a crime, delivering lines like "The way she came into the place... I knew right then and there."
The chorus is an earworm, featuring a recurring synthesizer riff that mimics a siren, reinforcing the lyrical theme of a "dangerous" woman.

Unlike the other major hits on the album, "Dangerous" never had an official "short film" or music video. Instead, Michael treated the live performance as the video.

The song made its debut at the 1993 American Music Awards. Michael appeared in a black suit with a white armband, surrounded by agents in suits. The choreography was sharp, precise, and group-focused, clearly inspired by the "Smooth Criminal" routine but updated for the 90s. This performance was so iconic that it essentially became the "official" video. It was later included in the Dangerous: The Short Films DVD release, blurring the line between a concert clip and a music video.

"Dangerous" is the final chapter in Michael’s trilogy of songs about predatory women, following "Billie Jean" and "Dirty Diana." However, in this iteration, the woman isn't just a groupie or a fan; she is a "femme fatale." Michael describes her as a professional seductress. "She's so dangerous... the girl is so dangerous / Take away my money, throw away my time." The lyrics reflect Michael’s growing cynicism about people wanting him only for his wealth and status. It is a paranoid end to an album that began with the optimism of "Heal the World."

In later years, specifically during the HIStory tour and the MJ & Friends concerts, Michael evolved the live performance of "Dangerous" to include a sample from an unlikely source: Judy Garland. The live intro would often feature a snippet of Garland singing "Get Happy" before the industrial beat kicked in. This juxtaposition of classic Hollywood glamour and gritty 90s funk was pure Michael, always bridging the gap between the golden age of cinema and the future of pop.

"Dangerous" was planned as the tenth single from the album, but the release was canceled due to the legal and personal turmoil engulfing Michael’s life in 1993. Despite never being a single, it is a fan favorite. It remained a staple of his live shows for the rest of his life. He performed it at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1995 and was rehearsing a massive version of it for the This Is It residency in 2009. It stands as the definitive track of the era which was sharp, cool, and mechanically precise.

LYRICS of DANGEROUS

The way she came into the place I knew right then and there
There was something different about this girl
The way she moved
Her hair, her face, her lines
Divinity in motion
As she stalked the room
I could feel the aura of her presence
Every head turned feeling passion and lust
The girl was persuasive
The girl I could not trust
The girl was bad
The girl was dangerous

I never knew
But I was walking the line
Come go with me
I said "I have no time"
And don't you pretend
We didn't talk on the phone
My baby cried
She left me standing alone

She's so dangerous
The girl is so dangerous
Take away my money
Throw away my time
You can call me honey
But you're no damn good for me

She came at me in sections
With the eyes of desire
I felt trapped into her web of sin
A touch, a kiss
A whisper of love
I was at the point of no return
Deep in the darkness of passion's insanity
I felt taken by lust's strange inhumanity
This girl was persuasive
This girl I could not trust
The girl was bad
The girl was dangerous

I never knew
But I was living in vain
She called my house
She said "you know my name"
And don't you pretend
You never did me before
With tears in her eyes
My baby walked out the door

She's so dangerous
The girl is so dangerous
Take away my money
Throw away my time
You can call me honey
But you're no damn good for me

Dangerous
The girl is so dangerous
I have to pray to God
'Cause I know how lust can blind
It's a passion in my soul
But you're no damn lover friend of mine

I cannot sleep alone at night
My baby left me here tonight
I cannot cope till it's all right
You and your manipulation
You hurt my baby

And then it happened
She touched me
For the lips of a strange woman
Drop as a honeycomb
And her mouth was smoother than oil
But her inner spirit as sharp as a two-edged sword
But I loved it
'Cause it's dangerous

Dangerous
The girl is so dangerous
Take away my money
Throw away my time
You can call me honey
But you're no damn good for me

Dangerous
The girl is so dangerous
I have to pray to God
'Cause I know how lust can blind
It's a passion in my soul
But you're no damn lover friend of mine

My baby
You bet, you uh, you don't, you don't, don't
My baby