It's close to midnight
Something evil's lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight
You see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream
But terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze
As horror looks you right between your eyes
You're paralyzed

'Cause this is thriller
Thriller night
And no one's gonna save you
From the beast about to strike
You know it's thriller
Thriller night
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer
Thriller tonight

I'm gonna thrill you tonight

You hear the door slam
And realize there's nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand
And wonder if you'll ever see the sun
You close your eyes
And hope that this is just imagination
Girl, but all the while
You hear a creature creeping up behind
You're out of time

'Cause this is thriller
Thriller night
And no one's gonna save you
From the beast about to strike
You know it's thriller
Thriller night
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer
Thriller tonight

I'm gonna thrill you tonight

Killer, thriller

Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize y'all's neighborhood
And whosoever shall be found
Without the soul for getting down
Must stand and face the hounds of hell
And rot inside a corpse's shell

I'm gonna thrill you tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight, ooh baby
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
'Cause this is thriller
'Cause this is thriller
'Cause this is thriller
'Cause this is thriller
Killer, thriller
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
I'm gonna thrill you tonight

'Cause this is thriller


Lyrics submitted by Mru007

Thriller [Steve Aoki Midnight Hour Remix] Lyrics as written by Rodney Lynn Temperton

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Thriller song meanings
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88 Comments

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  • +6
    General Comment

    LEGEND R.I.P.

    britishmusicisbetteron June 26, 2009   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    Hey guys, this is not the place to discuss his personal life. Please take your garbage elsewhere. Thank you very much.

    THRILLER SHORT FILM = THE BEST MUSIC VIDEO AND SONG IN THE HISTORY OF MUSIC VIDEOS. THAT'S DA TRUTH. :]

    NatashaVeeeon May 28, 2010   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    I think its really interesting that this song came out at the same time that Ronald Reagan got into office and started dismantling all of the gains that were won during the Sixties and Seventies, sending many who had started to enter middle class status plunging back down again, also there is the increase in gang violence, etc.

    As Vincent Price raps, "Darkness falls across the land...Creatures crawl in search of blood...To terrorize y'awl's neighborhood...And though you fight to stay alive... Your body starts to shiver....For no mere mortal can resist...The evil of the thriller"

    What really interests me is that in the music video, Jackson becomes a werewolf, and its only a matter of time before the white majority in his town follow suit themselves. If you go back in history, the werewolf has always been the figure of the man who has been banned from the city, and who can be killed at will, without it being considered homicide.

    The werewolf imagery has been reappearing quite a bit in the years since Bush took office as well - to me this suggests that the song signifies much more than a mere wedding of the horror film genre and blockbuster pop music - buy hey, maybe its just me. (turns away and glances back with cat eyes) - mwah hahahahahahaha!

    ringfingerson April 14, 2007   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    When I was little my parents used to threaten to put on this video if I didn't go to sleep. So I ran the hell off to bed and tried not to recall how the zombies pushed aside their gravestones and MJ's eyes at the end. But it was good to watch in the daytime, with my sister ..and my dad..and maybe my mum. Yup, that's how the video affected me. Michael Jackson I'll miss your imagination. No-one will make videos like you, no ones heart will beat faster in anticipation of the next fascinating music movies. You are such an inventor. Michael, rest in peace <3

    LuluLovesYouMoreon July 01, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    This song is SICK! The video's tight, too.

    mariner42on July 13, 2002   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    It's songs like this that make you wish Micheal Jackson was still cool like he was back in the days of this song, rather than the creepy looking while woman that molests children.

    That, and Vincent Price was the man as well.

    Slightly_Shinobion October 09, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    your mom is overproduced and crappy. this song rules lol. and that thing in 13 going on 30 is one of the greatest things ive ever seen

    JJ_20on June 27, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Man, all I can say is Vincent Price is one scary mofo. Who else can make teenage boys tremble at the mere sound of his voice? Well, who else besides Michael Jackson himself?

    Ok, maybe that was a cheap shot.

    LowLevelOwl054on October 21, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I need help about this song! of ther is anone on it right now can you help me? Im doing a critical analysis about it! and i need to know the meening and stuff! HELP! its a mint son as well lol bye x x x x x x

    PennyBabezon January 17, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    by KungfuRooster on 06-16-2005 @ 06:10:14 AM Michael Jackson is a freak and should be killed. Molesting boys is terrible and the only reason he isn't in jail is because he is a rich wanker. All his music is over produced and crappy so is this song.

    Just the opposite. That goes for every point you mentioned.

    gabedachinkon February 09, 2006   Link

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