THRILLER LYRICS - MICHAEL JACKSON | THRILLER

Michael Jackson's iconic "Thriller" from the 1982 album Thriller is the ultimate Halloween-season anthem — a song that re-enters the Billboard Hot 100 almost every year. Released in the early eighties, it remains one of the most recognisable pop recordings ever made. If you love the King of Pop's catalogue, check out our Billie Jean lyrics — Michael Jackson page as well.

Michael Jackson in 1983, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Thriller Song Credits

Song: Thriller
Artist: Michael Jackson
Album: Thriller
Released: November 30, 1982 (album); single released November 11, 1983 (UK) and January 23, 1984 (US)
Writer: Rod Temperton
Producer: Quincy Jones
Spoken-word rap: Vincent Price
Label: Epic Records
Music video: 14-minute short film directed by John Landis (1983)

Thriller Lyrics

[Verse 1]
It's close to midnight
Something evil's lurking from 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
[Chorus]
'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, yeah
[Verse 2]
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 the creature creepin' up behind
You're out of time
[Chorus]
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
There ain't no second chance against
The thing with forty eyes, girl
Thriller
Thriller night
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer, thriller tonight
[Bridge]
Night creatures call
And the dead start to walk in their masquerade
There's no escapin' the jaws of the alien this time (they're open wide)
This is the end of your life
They're out to get you, there's demons closing in on every side
They will possess you unless you change the number on your dial
Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together
All thru the night I'll save you from the terrors on the screen
I'll make you see
That this is thriller, thriller night
'Cause I can thrill you more than any ghost would ever dare try
Girl, this is thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a killer, diller, chiller
Thriller here tonight
[Rap: Vincent Price]
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 be here tonight)
The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grisly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller
[Final Chorus]
'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

Thriller Official Music Video

Watch the official video of "Thriller" — the landmark short-film music video directed by John Landis that changed pop culture forever. To know more about the King of Pop, read our Michael Jackson biography — age, career, songs & facts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who wrote Thriller?

"Thriller" was written by English songwriter Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones for Michael Jackson's 1982 album of the same name.

Who speaks in the middle of Thriller?

The spoken-word section in the middle of the song is performed by horror-film legend Vincent Price, whose eerie narration gives the track its signature chilling feel.

When was it released as a single?

"Thriller" was released as a single in the UK on November 11, 1983, and in the US on January 23, 1984, more than a year after the album came out.

Why is Thriller considered a Halloween song?

Its horror-themed lyrics, Vincent Price's ghoulish rap, and the zombie short-film video made it a Halloween-season staple that returns to the charts nearly every October.