Dirty Diana

THE STORY BEHIND ' Dirty Diana '

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This is the darker, grittier sequel to "Beat It." The story below details the confusion over who the song is about, the awkward moment with Princess Diana at Wembley Stadium, and how Michael recruited Billy Idol’s guitarist to create the heavy metal sound.

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When the tracklist for Bad was released, one title immediately sparked a media firestorm: "Dirty Diana."

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Speculation ran wild. Was it about Diana Ross, his mentor and close friend? Was it about Princess Diana of Wales? The tabloids were desperate for a scandal.

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The truth was far less personal but much darker. Michael Jackson confirmed in interviews that "Diana" was not a specific person. She was a composite character representing the groupies who had haunted him and his brothers since the Jackson 5 days. Michael had spent his entire life watching women throw themselves at musicians, often causing drama, breakups, and chaos backstage. "Dirty Diana" is a horror story about a seductress who manipulates a star, trapping him in a web of fame and sex. It is a cautionary tale about the dark side of the touring life.

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Despite the song having nothing to do with her, "Dirty Diana" will forever be linked to Princess Diana. The connection was cemented during the Bad World Tour in 1988.

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When Michael arrived in London to perform seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium, Princess Diana and Prince Charles were scheduled to attend. Worried that the song title might be offensive to Her Royal Highness, Michael decided to remove "Dirty Diana" from the setlist out of respect.

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Before the show, Michael met the Princess backstage. During their conversation, she asked him, "Are you going to do 'Dirty Diana'?" Michael nervously replied, "No, no, I took it out of the show because of you." Princess Diana gasped. "No! You have to do it. That’s my favorite song!"

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Michael was shocked but delighted. He frantically tried to tell the band to put the song back in, but it was too close to showtime, and the lighting cues hadn't been programmed. He couldn't perform it that night. However, the story of the Princess loving the song about the "groupie" became legend, proving she had a rebellious taste in music.

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Just as "Beat It" featured Eddie Van Halen, Quincy Jones wanted "Dirty Diana" to have a legitimate rock pedigree. He didn't want a session musician imitating rock; he wanted the real thing.

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They hired Steve Stevens, the guitarist famous for his work with punk-rocker Billy Idol. Stevens was known for his flashy hair and his "ray gun" guitar effects.

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When Stevens arrived at the studio, Quincy Jones gave him simple instructions: "Go crazy." Stevens delivered a blistering performance. He didn't just play a solo; he provided the atmospheric sound effects throughout the track. The screaming, high-pitched noises you hear in the intro are not synthesizers; they are Stevens manipulating his guitar pedals to sound like a woman screaming or a siren wailing. It gave the song a terrifying, cinematic tension.

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Musically, "Dirty Diana" is much slower and heavier than "Beat It." It is a power ballad built on suspense.

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• The song opens with a brooding, ominous soundscape. The bassline creeps in slowly, mimicking the feeling of someone stalking prey.

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• The song builds in intensity until the final minute, where Michael unleashes a raw, screaming vocal performance. He isn't singing pretty anymore; he is shouting in frustration. The song doesn't have a clean ending, it simply fades out while Michael is still screaming, leaving the listener with a feeling of unresolved tension.

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The music video for "Dirty Diana" was directed by Joe Pytka (who also did "The Way You Make Me Feel"). Unlike the narrative videos for "Bad" or "Smooth Criminal," this video was designed to look like a live concert performance.

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However, it was filmed on a soundstage in California, not at a real concert. Michael wanted to capture the sweating, intense energy of a rock show. He wore a white button-down shirt that he famously ripped open during the performance. The video features Michael performing in front of a wall of blue lights, with wind machines blowing his hair wildly. It captures the chaos of the lyrics perfectly. A distinct feature of the video is the mysterious woman (Diana) whose legs we see walking backstage, but whose face is never fully revealed, maintaining the mystery.

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Released on April 18, 1988, "Dirty Diana" made history. When it hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, it secured the Bad album’s place in the record books. It was the fifth consecutive number-one single from the album.

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This achievement meant that Michael Jackson had surpassed the record previously held by his own Thriller album. It proved that "Dirty Diana" wasn't just a niche rock song; it was a pop culture phenomenon that resonated with everyone.

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"Dirty Diana" has aged incredibly well. Its dark, moody atmosphere fits perfectly with modern R&B trends. This was proven when superstar The Weeknd covered the song in 2011 (on his Echoes of Silence mixtape). The Weeknd cited the song as a major influence on his style, proving that Michael’s tales of backstage darkness are timeless.

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It stands as the "evil twin" of "Billie Jean", another song about a woman who claims a piece of the star, but this time, the music isn't disco; it's heavy metal.