Kennedy Gordy (son of Berry Gordy, CEO of Motown at the time) had been writing songs as a child he later called ‘mediocre at best’. In his frustration, he prayed ‘to write a song that’ll go to the top of the charts’. Over the next two days, he wrote “Somebody’s Watching Me”.
He played a demo of the song for his father, but he was not impressed. So Kennedy then sang the song for long-time childhood friend Michael Jackson, who liked it so much he asked Kennedy to perform it multiple times, each time adding more of his own family members to the audience. When Jackson then asked who Kennedy planned to have sing backups, he asked Jackson to do it.
Kennedy, wanting to not use his father’s name, secretly submitted the song to Motown under the name Rockwell. When Motown signed Rockwell without his father’s knowledge, Berry Gordy was initially flabbergasted – but later very proud of his son, even referring to him as Rockwell in public.
Rockwell told Rolling Stone how the song came to him:
"I asked God to give me it. The prayer was, ‘God grant me the creativity to write a song that’ll go to the top of the charts and tickle the taste buds of the music connoisseur.’ Everything came to me so easily after that prayer."
Kennedy Gordy (aka Rockwell) was a childhood friend of Jackson. He played the music of the song while singing it for Jackson one day:
"I performed it about eight or nine times. Michael says, ‘Hey Rebbie! Hey Janet! You gotta hear this song Kennedy did.’ Every time we stopped the song, Michael called three more people down. Afterwards, Michael pulled me to the side and says, ‘Kennedy, I gotta talk to you for a second. Who are you going to get to sing background vocals?’ I said, ‘Why don’t you do it?’ It worked just like that."
Somebody's Watching Me
Rockwell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me, who's watching?
Who's watching me?
I'm just an average man with an average life
I work from nine to five, hey, hell, I pay the price
All I want is to be left alone in my average home
But why do I always feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone and?
I always feel like somebody's watching me
And I have no privacy (oh, oh)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
Tell me is it just a dream?
When I come home at night
I bolt the door real tight
People call me on the phone, I'm trying to avoid
But can the people on TV see me or am I just paranoid?
When I'm in the shower, I'm afraid to wash my hair
'Cause I might open my eyes and find someone standing there
People say I'm crazy, just a little touched
But maybe showers remind me of Psycho too much
That's why
I always feel like somebody's watching me
And I have no privacy (oh, oh)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
Who's playing tricks on me?
(Who's watching me?)
I don't know anymore
Are the neighbors watching me? (Who's watching?)
Well, is the mailman watching me? (Tell me, who's watching?)
And I don't feel safe anymore, oh, what a mess
I wonder who's watching me now (who?), the IRS?
I always feel like somebody's watching me
And I have no privacy (oh, oh)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
Tell me is it just a dream?
I always feel like somebody's watching me
And I have no privacy (oh, oh)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
Who's playing tricks on me?
(Who's watching?)
(Oh, oh)
(Who's watching me?)
I always feel like somebody's watching me (oh, oh)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
(Who's watching me?)
I always feel like somebody's watching me (oh, oh)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
(Who's watching me?)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
And I have no privacy (oh, oh)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
I can't enjoy my tea
(Who's watching me?)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
Can I have my privacy? (Oh, oh)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
Who's watching me?
(Who's watching me?)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
(Oh, oh)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
Stop playing tricks on me
(Who's watching me?)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
Why don't they leave me be? (Oh, oh)
I always feel like somebody's watching me
Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me" is a song that speaks to the feeling of being constantly watched and having no privacy. The song is about an average man with an average life who feels like there's always someone watching him. He just wants to be left alone to live his life but he can't shake off the feeling that he's in the Twilight Zone. In the first verse, he talks about his normal life, his average home and his work. He feels like he's paying the price for his ordinary life because he can't escape from the feeling of being watched. The chorus speaks to the feeling of no privacy and how he always feels like he's being watched. He wonders if it's all just a dream.
In the second verse, he talks about his home and how he feels like he has to bolt the door tight to keep out potential watchers. He's afraid of people calling him on the phone because he thinks they're watching him. He wonders if the people on TV can see him and if he's just paranoid. He's so scared that he's afraid to wash his hair in the shower because he's scared he might see someone standing there. People call him crazy but he thinks it's just because he's reminded of the movie Psycho by the shower. The chorus repeats and the song ends with Rockwell pleading with whoever is watching him to leave him alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Who's watching?
The singer is asking who is observing him
Tell me, who's watching?
The singer is demanding an answer to who is monitoring his actions
Who's watching me?
The singer is questioning who is keeping an eye on him specifically
I'm just an average man with an average life
The artist is a typical person with a standard existence
I work from nine to five, hey, hell, I pay the price
The artist has a job that requires him to work all day for little reward
All I want is to be left alone in my average home
The singer desires to live a peaceful life without interference
But why do I always feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone and?
Despite the singer's wish for privacy, he feels as if he is in a surreal alternate reality
I always feel like somebody's watching me
The artist consistently senses that someone is keeping tabs on him
And I have no privacy (oh, oh)
The artist's lack of personal space and privacy is causing him distress
Tell me is it just a dream?
The artist is questioning if his fear of being watched is purely imaginary
When I come home at night
The singer is describing his return from work in the evenings
I bolt the door real tight
The artist secures his entryway thoroughly to feel safe
People call me on the phone, I'm trying to avoid
The singer is ignoring calls from others
But can the people on TV see me or am I just paranoid?
The singer is wondering if he is being watched through television screens, or if he is being unreasonable
When I'm in the shower, I'm afraid to wash my hair
The singer is scared to clean himself while bathing
'Cause I might open my eyes and find someone standing there
The artist is frightened that someone is present in his bathroom
People say I'm crazy, just a little touched
Others think the artist has lost his mind
But maybe showers remind me of Psycho too much
The singer is associating showering with the famous film Psycho and its violent scenes
That's why
This is why the singer feels like he is being watched
Who's playing tricks on me?
The artist is questioning if someone is purposefully deceiving him
I don't know anymore
The artist is unsure of what is happening to him
Are the neighbors watching me? (Who's watching?)
The artist questions if his neighbors are spying on him
Well, is the mailman watching me? (Tell me, who's watching?)
The singer wonders if the mail carrier is secretly observing him
And I don't feel safe anymore, oh, what a mess
The artist no longer feels secure in his surroundings
I wonder who's watching me now (who?), the IRS?
The singer speculates if the government agency IRS is keeping tabs on him
I can't enjoy my tea
The singer is unable to relax and enjoy a cup of tea
Can I have my privacy? (Oh, oh)
The singer wishes to be afforded personal space and solitude
Stop playing tricks on me
The artist commands whoever is deceiving him to stop doing so
Why don't they leave me be? (Oh, oh)
The artist wants to be left alone and not disturbed
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kennedy Gordy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@puffpuffpassmako
Fun Fact: Michael denied his involvement in this song for YEARS since he was at the peak of his career and didn't want to hog all the limelight from Rockwell. That's why he doesn't appear in the music video or have his name mentioned in ANY of the song's titles or credits. He wanted it kept secret so Rockwell's career could take off. This song became a hit of Rockwell's and MJ didn't take a single ounce of credit for it. Absolute respect for MJ
@kagebuckets2197
Word but he can’t hide from us
@bellaangelo8064
Yea cuz its not mj i know the real singer
@Zanatos9
That explains it. I came to see if he did a cameo. Interesting.
@mackjeez
Absolutely wrong, where do you get your facts from?
Rockwell's father is Berry Gordy, he wrote many hit songs for The Jackson 5, Rockwell's sister Hazel was married to Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine at the time.
The truth is that Rockwell recorded a 3 track demo, he showed it to his father and the reply was pretty much don't quit your day job. When Rockwell was signed 6 months later to Motown his dad was pissed off.
Rockwell was close to Jermain not Michael because of the close familly ties through marriage, Jermaine had invited him over to the Jackson house for dinner, Rockwell stated his mission was to ask Jermaine to do the background vocals and chorus, after the meal was over the only person left in the dining room was Michael , so Rockwell asked him if he would listen to his new demo in order to get some pointers, he then proceeded sing it, Michael was so amazed he called the rest of familly to listen to it, Michael then coincidentally suggested to him that he needed background vocals and asked him if he had anyone in mind, Rockwell jokingly said to Michael "why don't you do it", Michael accepted and even recruited Jermaine.
As for why Michael and Jermaine where not credited that has nothing to do with Michael but Motown. Michal was suppose to be credited but Motown decided not to promote Rockwell’s relationship to his father or Michael, so they would release the track but without credit to the Jacksons, they would also tell Rockwell not to say his real name and never state that he's the son of Berry Gordy. They even made Rockwell have a fake English accent when speaking public since they did not want people associating him especially with his father. Motown was pretty much protecting their ass. One year later it came out that Michael was on the track and Rockwell was Gordy's son, it was major backlash, as the media called him a fake artist and that he got famous through familly connections, that was the end of his career.
@bellaangelo8064
Wrong
@jojoduck757
Michael: I don't want to take the credit, so pretend im not in it.
Also Michael: HEE HEE HEE (3:02)
@santacollins5325
😆💜
@sarararaxx
King of pop forever 😭
@clifbar8628
Lmfao 🤣😅
Awww Michael.😅