Michael Jackson
A manuscript fair copy of "Billie Jean," handwritten by Michael Jackson, undated
Lot Closed
October 24, 05:38 PM GMT
Estimate
15,000 - 30,000 USD
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Description
1 p, 8.5 x 11 in. 12-line manuscript written by Michael Jackson and given to consignor, being a fair copy of a selection of lyrics to “Billie Jean.” Written in black ink with felt tip pen on white copy paper.
The present fair copy features the second pre-chorus with some minor adaptations to the definitive version as recorded (“And” instead of “but” [line 3]; “was” instead of “just” [line 4]), followed by the introduction to the song’s earworm chorus, “Billie Jean is not my lover….”
Barron, Steve, director. Billie Jean. Performance by Michael Jackson, 1983.
“Before Michael Jackson, Pop Music Was a Largely Segregated Art Form.” Michael Jackson Official Site, 2 July 2020, https://www.michaeljackson.com/news/before-michael-jackson-pop-music-was-a-largely-segregated-art-form/.
“50 Best Michael Jackson Songs.” Rolling Stone, 23 June 2014, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/50-best-michael-jackson-songs-22188/50-this-place-hotel-245553/.
Hopper, Alex. “Behind the Meaning of Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean.’” American Songwriter, 17 May 2022, https://americansongwriter.com/behind-the-meaning-of-michael-jacksons-billie-jean/.
“Michael Jackson Described the Inspiration for ‘Billie Jean.’” Michael Jackson Official Site, 10 March 2025, https://www.michaeljackson.com/news/michael-jackson-described-the-inspiration-for-billie-jean/.
Palmer, Tamara. “How the ‘Billie Jean’ Video Changed MTV.” The Root, 10 March 2013, https://www.theroot.com/how-the-billie-jean-video-changed-mtv-1790895543.
Scanlon, Kelly. “The first Black video on MTV.” Far Out Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024, https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/first-black-video-on-mtv/?callback=in&code=MDQWMJEXODYTNJLKZI0ZMZK3LWIZN2MTOTFLNTBMMDJKM2Q0&state=de5216295cb54716b787ac99032be1d6.
Beyond—or perhaps because of—its iconic chorus, Billie Jean is widely celebrated as one of the King of Pop’s most beloved and recognizable songs. Coming in at #1 on Rolling Stone’s list of Michael Jackson’s 50 best songs, “Billie Jean” was one of two number-one hits from his Thriller album and ranks as Jackson’s fastest-rising single on the Billboard Hot 100 since his Jackson 5 days.
Produced by the legendary Quincy Jones and written about a composite version of the superfans who would badger Jackson as he reconciled his megastardom, “Billie Jean” was an instant classic upon its 1983 release, made manifest by its infectious groove and patent danceability.
The accompanying music video helped secure “Billie Jean”’s undisputed status as a smash hit. Beyond marking the origination of Jackson's signature gravity-defying toe stand, its release was a watershed moment in entertainment history, breaking the color barrier on MTV and legitimizing on a larger scale Black artistry in mainstream popular music.
While not quite the first project by a Black artist to be aired on the network, “Billie Jean” is understood as the first to be featured in heavy rotation—a groundbreaking phenomenon that would come to fundamentally alter not only MTV’s programming priorities but the music industry’s perception of the universal commercial appeal Black artists could achieve in pop music.
While his life and career is not without controversy, Michael Jackson’s eminence as a global pop star remains—undeniably catalyzed by “Billie Jean.”