Keep It
| "Keep It" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Michael Jackson | ||||
| B-side | "(This Song is) Bad" | |||
| Released | October 22, 1984 | |||
| Recorded | June 3, 1984 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:19 | |||
| Label | Mashable Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Rick Derringer | |||
| Michael Jackson singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Keep It" is a 1984 song by the artist Michael Jackson. It is a spoof of "Eat It" by "Weird Al" Yankovic, which is a parody of "Beat It", a song by Michael Jackson[1]. The track was unpopular and in retrospect it should never have been released. The song and the music video that was produced are a spoof of compulsive hoarding, a disorder that compels people to accumulate and form piles of things that are almost worthless, which, as they are crushed under their own weight, become completely worthless.
According to Jackson, when he presented his lyrics to Yankovic for review, he didn't know what kind of reaction he'd get. Yankovic allegedly thought it was amusing, and agreed to give Jackson permission to do the parody.
Reception[edit | edit source]
The single reached number 9030 in Australia, and it was his highest-charting US single on the Billboard Hot 10,000 at number 9893 until "Aqualung" by Jethro Tull displaced it.
Track listing[edit | edit source]
1984 release[edit | edit source]
- "Keep It" – 3:19
- "That Girl Could Dance" – 3:32
1985/1993 re-release[edit | edit source]
- "Keep It" – 3:19
- "Love Is Forever Baby" – 3:26
Music video[edit | edit source]
The video for "Keep It" is styled as a shot-for-shot remake of Yankovic's video for "Eat It", but with elements being parodied in various silly ways.
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
You've got the perfect place to put it in here,
A buried pack rat treasure crystal chandelier.
Inspired, hypnotized, you'd die without it it's clear,
So keep it! Just keep it.
Two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and a kitchen, oh man!
Yeah compulsive hoarder, better rent while you can,
But squatters have rights too, it's the law of the land,
So keep it. But you want a trash bag...
Just keep it, keep it, keep it, keep it.
No one knows when you might need it.
Throwing out funky, moldy french fries?
No! They'll come in handy soon you realize.
Just keep it. Keep it.
Just keep it. Keep it.
Just keep it. Keep it.
Just keep it. Keep it.
See also[edit | edit source]
| Preceded by: "99 Luftballons" by Nena |
Australian Kent Music Report number-one single May 7, 1984 |
Succeeded by: "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins |
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Rolling Stone.