“Say Say Say” is duet with Beatles legend Paul McCartney. It was the lead single to McCartney’s 1983 album “Pipes of Peace.” Though released a year after “Thriller,” the song was recorded a year before “The Girl Is Mine.” It went to number one on the Billboard charts, and in several other countries around the world. It also became Michael’s seventh top ten hit of 1983, which was record breaking.
In 2015 McCartney released a new version of the song, which reversed the vocal roles. Michael’s starts the opening verse and sings the parts that McCartney had in the original, and vice versa. The track appears on the 2015 re-issue of “Pipes of Peace.”
“Beat It” director Bob Giraldi helmed the “Say Say Say” video. It features cameos by Linda McCartney, La Toya Jackson and A-Team star Mr. T. It was filmed at Sycamore Valley Ranch in California, which Michael bought five years later and named it Neverland Ranch. In the short film, the duo play Mac and Jack (McCartney and Jackson). Their characters are con men who sell a fake miracle potion. After successfully hoodwinking a crowd to buy their goods, they donate all the money earned to an orphanage.
Below is the 1983 original, as well as the 2015 remix, which reverses their roles
Say, say, say what you want
But don’t play games with my affection
Take, take, take what you need
But don’t leave me with no direction
All alone, I sit home by the phone
Waiting for you, baby (baby)
Through the years
How can you stand to hear
My pleading for you dear?
You know I’m crying, ooh ooh ooh ooh
Yeah, yeah
Now go, go, go where you want
But don’t leave me here forever
You, you, you stay away
So long girl, I see you never
What can I do
Girl to get through to you?
Cause I love you, baby
Standing here, baptized in all my tears
Baby through the years
You know I’m crying, ooh ooh ooh ooh
You never ever worry
And you never shed a tear
You’re saying that my love ain’t real
Just look at my face these tears ain’t drying
You, you, you can never say
That I’m not the one who really loves you
I pray, pray, pray everyday
That you’ll see things, girl, like I do
What can I do girl, to get through to you?
Cause I love you, baby (I love you, baby)
Standing here, baptized in all my tears
But baby through the years
You know I’m crying, ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Say, say, say what you want
But don’t play games with my affection
Take, take, take what you need
But don’t leave me with no direction
All alone, I sit home by the phone
Waiting for you, baby (baby)
Through the years
How can you stand to hear
My pleading for you dear?
You know I’m crying, ooh ooh ooh ooh
Yeah, yeah
Now go, go, go where you want
But don’t leave me here forever
You, you, you stay away
So long girl, I see you never
What can I do
Girl to get through to you?
Cause I love you, baby
Standing here, baptized in all my tears
Baby through the years
You know I’m crying, ooh ooh ooh ooh
You never ever worry
And you never shed a tear
You’re saying that my love ain’t real
Just look at my face these tears ain’t drying
You, you, you can never say
That I’m not the one who really loves you
I pray, pray, pray everyday
That you’ll see things, girl, like I do
What can I do girl, to get through to you?
Cause I love you, baby (I love you, baby)
Standing here, baptized in all my tears
But baby through the years
You know I’m crying, ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
