Smooth Criminal
M.J. Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

As he came into the window,
Was the sound of a crescendo
He came into her apartment,
He left the bloodstains on the carpet
She ran underneath the table,
He could see she was unable
So she ran into the bedroom,
She was struck down,
It was her doom

Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay, Annie?

Annie are you okay?
Will you tell us that you're okay?
There's a sign in the window,
That he struck you,
A crescendo Annie
He came into your apartment,
Left the bloodstains on the carpet
Then you ran into the bedroom,
You were struck down,
It was your doom

Annie are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay Annie?
Annie are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay Annie?
Annie are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay Annie?
You've been hit by
You've been hit by
A smooth criminal

Aaow!

So they came into the outway
It was Sunday, what a black day
Mouth to mouth resuscitation
Sounding heartbeats, intimidations

Annie are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay Annie?
Annie are you okay? (Annie are you okay?)
So, Annie are you okay? (Annie are you okay?)
Are you okay Annie?
Annie are you okay? (Annie are you okay?)
So, Annie are you okay? (Annie are you okay?)
Are you okay Annie?
Annie are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay Annie?

Annie are you okay?
Will you tell us that you're okay?
There's a sign in the window,
That he struck you,
A crescendo Annie
He came into your apartment,
Left the bloodstains on the carpet
Then you ran into the bedroom,
You were struck down,
It was your doom

Annie are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay Annie?
You've been hit by,
You've been struck by,
A smooth criminal

Aaow!

Ok, I want everybody to clear the area right now

Aaow!
Annie are you okay? (I don't know)
Will you tell us that you're okay? (I don't know)
There's a sign in the window, (I don't know)
That he struck you,
A crescendo Annie (I don't know)
He came into your apartment, (I don't know)
Left the bloodstains on the carpet (I don't know why babe)
Then you ran into the bedroom, (I don't know)
You were struck down,
It was your doom Annie (Dad gone it Annie)

Annie are you okay? (Dad gone it Annie)
Will you tell us that you're okay? (Dad gone it baby)
There's a sign in the window, (Dad gone it Annie)
That he struck you, (Hoo!)
A crescendo Annie (Hoo!)
He came into your apartment, (Dad gone it)
Left the bloodstains on the carpet (Hoo!)
Then you ran into the bedroom, (Hoo! Hoo!)
You were struck down (Dad gone it!)
It was your doom, Annie
(D-aow!)

And now I'm all alone again
Nowhere to turn, no one to go to
Without a home, without a friend,
Without a face to say hello to.
And now the night is near
Now I can make believe he's here.

Sometimes I walk alone at night
When everybody else is sleeping,
I think of him and then I'm happy
With the company I'm keeping,




The city goes to bed
And I can live inside my head.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Smooth Criminal" by Michael Jackson tell the story of a woman named Annie who is attacked in her apartment by a smooth criminal. The first verse describes how the criminal enters Annie's apartment through the window, and the crescendo of the music adds to the intensity of the scene. Annie tries to hide under a table, but the criminal finds her and she runs to the bedroom, where she is fatally struck down.


The chorus is a repeated sequence of the character asking if Annie is okay, and it shows the concern of the person who finds her body. The next verse is more detailed and again tells the story of how Annie was attacked and left to die. The last verse is the smooth criminal speaking, expressing his regret for his actions and how he is alone without anyone to turn to.


The song is a fictional story and is not based on any real events. It highlights the importance of being vigilant and prepared for anything in life. The legendary music video for "Smooth Criminal" also tells the story of a group of people being saved from a nightclub fire.


Line by Line Meaning

As he came into the window,
Someone entered through a window.


Was the sound of a crescendo
There was a loud sound like a climax or peak.


He came into her apartment,
He entered a woman's place of residence.


He left the bloodstains on the carpet
The intruder spilled blood on the carpet.


She ran underneath the table,
The woman sought refuge under a table.


He could see she was unable
The intruder noticed the woman could not defend herself.


So she ran into the bedroom,
The woman fled into her bedroom.


She was struck down,
The woman was violently attacked.


It was her doom
She met her death.


Annie, are you okay?
Someone is asking if the woman is okay.


So, Annie are you okay?
Another way of asking if the woman is okay.


Are you okay, Annie?
Reiterating the question about the woman's well-being.


There's a sign in the window,
There is a piece of evidence visible through the window.


That he struck you,
The evidence suggests the intruder attacked the woman.


It was Sunday, what a black day
The attack took place on a Sunday.


Mouth to mouth resuscitation
The woman may have been revived by someone performing CPR.


Sounding heartbeats, intimidations
The heartbeats were very loud and grew more intense.


You've been struck by,
The woman has been hit by someone or something.


Aaow!
An exclamation of pain or surprise.


I want everybody to clear the area right now
Someone is telling everyone to leave the area.


And now I'm all alone again
The artist is now alone.


Nowhere to turn, no one to go to
The artist has nobody to turn to in their time of need.


Without a home, without a friend, Without a face to say hello to.
The singer is without a home, friends, or family.


And now the night is near
Night is approaching.


Now I can make believe he's here.
The singer can pretend that someone is with them in their imagination.


Sometimes I walk alone at night
The singer sometimes walks by themselves at night.


When everybody else is sleeping,
During the time when everyone else is asleep.


I think of him and then I'm happy
The artist thinks of someone and it brings them joy.


With the company I'm keeping,
While alone, the artist imagines that they are not alone.


The city goes to bed
The city becomes quieter.


And I can live inside my head.
The singer can escape reality and exist in their imagination.




Contributed by Maria H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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