Somebody 's Watching Me - wikipedia Somebody 's Watching Me For the album, see Somebody 's Watching Me ( album ). `` Somebody 's Watching Me '' Side - A label of US 12 - inch vinyl single Single by Rockwell from the album Somebody 's Watching Me B - side `` Somebody 's Watching Me ( Instrumental ) '' Released 1984 Format 7 '' single cassette single Genre Synth - funk Length 4 : 59 ( Album version ) 4 : 00 ( Single version ) 3 : 33 ( Radio version ) Label Motown M 1702 Songwriter ( s ) Kennedy `` Rockwell '' Gordy Producer ( s ) Curtis Anthony Nolen Rockwell Rockwell singles chronology `` Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( 1984 ) `` Obscene Phone Caller '' ( 1984 ) `` Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( 1984 ) `` Obscene Phone Caller '' ( 1984 ) Music video `` Somebody 's Watching Me '' on YouTube `` Somebody 's Watching Me '' is a song by American singer Rockwell from his debut studio album Somebody 's Watching Me ( 1984 ). It was released as Rockwell 's debut single and lead single from the album on January 14, 1984, by Motown. It features brothers Michael Jackson ( vocals in the chorus ) and Jermaine Jackson ( additional backing vocals ). `` Somebody 's Watching Me '' became a commercial success internationally, topping the charts in Belgium, France and Spain. `` Somebody 's Watching Me '' also peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, as well as reaching number six on the UK Singles Chart. Contents 1 Background 2 Composition 3 Music video 3.1 Plot 4 Charts and certifications 4.1 Weekly charts 4.2 Year - end charts 4.3 Sales and certifications 5 DJ BoBo version : `` Somebody Dance with Me '' 6 Beatfreakz version 6.1 Track listing 6.2 Chart performance 7 Other cover versions 8 Sampling 9 Appearances in other media 10 See also 11 References 12 External links Background Rockwell is a son of Motown CEO Berry Gordy. At the time of the recording, Rockwell was estranged from his father and living with Ray Singleton, his father 's ex-wife and the mother of his older half - brother, Kerry Gordy. Singleton served as executive producer on the project and would occasionally play some demo tracks to Berry. The elder Gordy was less than enthusiastic about Rockwell 's music until he heard the single with a familiar voice featured prominently on background vocals. Produced by Curtis Anthony Nolen, the song featured backing vocals by Michael Jackson and Alan Murray on percussion. Due in part to the popularity of the music video, the song is sometimes used for Halloween celebrations, with cover versions found in various collections of Halloween music. Composition The song is written in the key of C - sharp minor in 4 4 time with a tempo of 124 beats per minute. The vocals span from C to C. Music video The single 's music video underscores the song 's paranoid tone with a haunted house - inspired theme, including imagery of floating heads, ravens, graveyards, and shower scenes referencing Psycho. Plot The video opens with Rockwell coming home to discover that the wrong newspaper has been delivered to his doorstep. As he takes a quick shower, he begins to have strange visions ( in a manner recalling The Dead Zone ) of himself being pursued around his house by assorted ghoulish appartions, of the looming figure of a cadaverous - looking man, and of finding a tombstone engraved with his own name. His shower is interrupted when he hears something outside and goes out on his balcony to investigate. He is shocked to see the man from his visions standing at his gate, but as he struggles to get a better look in spite of the sun in his face he is greatly relieved to see that he is merely a mailman, come to deliver the correct newspaper. As the mailman walks up the path towards the front porch, however, a brief close - up of his arm reveals that he is, in fact, a zombie. Rockwell emerges onto the porch to receive the paper, which the mailman genially hands over. As the mailman brings his other arm around to strike, Rockwell has just enough time to notice that he is not human. Charts and certifications Weekly charts Chart ( 1984 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 12 Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 14 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) France ( IFOP ) Germany ( Official German Charts ) Ireland ( IRMA ) 6 Italy ( FIMI ) 14 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 5 Norway ( VG - lista ) 7 South Africa ( Springbok Radio ) 5 Spain ( AFYVE ) Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 6 US Billboard Hot 100 US Hot R&B / Hip - Hop Songs ( Billboard ) US Cash Box US Dance / Disco Top 80 ( Billboard ) US Top Tracks ( Billboard ) 31 Year - end charts Chart ( 1984 ) Position Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 13 Canada ( RPM Top 100 Singles ) 28 France ( IFOP ) 46 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 46 Italy ( FIMI ) 84 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 16 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 46 US Billboard Hot 100 26 US Cash Box 21 US Top Black Singles ( Billboard ) 12 Sales and certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Canada ( Music Canada ) Gold 5,000 France 354,000 United States ( RIAA ) Gold 1,000,000 United States ( RIAA ) Gold 500,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone DJ BoBo version : `` Somebody Dance with Me '' Main article : Somebody Dance with Me DJ BoBo based his 1992 single `` Somebody Dance with Me '' on `` Somebody 's Watching Me '' with new lyrics and rap. The DJ BoBo single peaked at no. 1 in Sweden and Switzerland, no. 3 in Austria, Netherlands and Norway, at no. 4 in Germany and no. 13 in Australia. In 2012, a remix of the hit was made by Remady titled `` Somebody Dance With Me ( Remady 2013 Mix ) '' by DJ BoBo featuring Manu - L. Released early in 2013, it charted in Swiss Hitparade reaching no. 4. The mix was made on the 20th anniversary of the initial hit by DJ BoBo in November 1992. Beatfreakz version `` Somebody 's Watching Me '' Single by Beatfreakz Released 2006 Format CD single Length 2 : 48 Songwriter ( s ) Kennedy `` Rockwell '' Gordy Producer ( s ) Beatfreakz Beatfreakz singles chronology `` Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( 2006 ) `` Superfreak '' ( 2006 ) `` Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( 2006 ) `` Superfreak '' ( 2006 ) Music video `` Somebody 's Watching Me '' on YouTube In 2006, Dutch dance group Beatfreakz recorded a pseudo-cover of the song which sampled the chorus but omitted the verses. Their version peaked at no. 1 in Spain, no. 3 in the UK Singles Chart, no. 3 in the German Official Dance Chart, no. 4 in Russia, no. 5 in Ireland, no. 7 in Finland and New Zealand, no. 12 in the Dutch Top 40, no. 18 in France, no. 36 in the Belgium Ultratop 50, and no. 38 in Australia. Track listing CD single Somebody 's Watching Me ( Hi Tack Edit ) Somebody 's Watching Me ( Hi Tack Club Mix ) Somebody 's Watching Me ( E-Craig's 2006 Remix ) Somebody 's Watching Me ( DeNnis Christopher Remix ) Somebody 's Watching Me ( Ian Carey Club Mix ) Chart performance Chart ( 2006 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) 38 Belgium ( Ultratip Flanders ) 6 Belgium ( Ultratip Wallonia ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Dance Flanders ) 17 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Dance Wallonia ) 17 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 28 France ( SNEP ) 18 Finland ( Suomen virallinen lista ) 7 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 41 Ireland ( IRMA ) 5 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 12 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 21 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 7 Romania ( Romanian Top 100 ) 28 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 65 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) Other cover versions Electro / hip hop artist / DJ / producers, Mysto & Pizzi, recorded a cover of the song for a series of GEICO television commercials. Sampling TRU incorporated the lyrics and main melody of the chorus into their 1997 single `` I Always Feel Like ( Somebody 's Watching Me ) ''. In 2001, French hip hop group Fonky Family sampled the song in `` Art de Rue ''. Appearances in other Media The Mysto & Pizzi cover version was featured in a series of commercials for GEICO that began airing in December 2008 and throughout 2009. The campaign, created by The Martin Agency, consisted of various advertisements in which people would happen upon Kash, a stack of money with googly eyes, while the song is played in the background. See also List of number - one R&B singles of 1984 ( U.S. ) Billboard Year - End Hot 100 singles of 1984 List of number - one singles of 1984 ( France ) List of number - one singles of 1984 ( Spain ) References Jump up ^ Huey, Steve. `` Rockwell -- Artist Biography ''. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved October 18, 2014. Son of Berry Gordy who scored a number two Hot 100 hit with the 1983 synth - funk single `` Somebody 's Watching Me. '' ^ Jump up to : Somebody 's Watching Me ( Media notes ). Rockwell. Hollywood, California : Motown Records. 1984. Jump up ^ Gordy Singleton, Raynoma ( 1990 ). `` Super Three ''. Berry, Me and Motown ( 1st ed. ). Chicago : Contemporary Books. pp. 297 -- 299. ISBN 0 - 8092 - 4340 - 7. As they finished mixing down the record, I could barely wait to rush it over and play it for Berry. Jump up ^ Higginson, Cheryl ( May 1, 1984 ). `` Rockwell Rockets Up The Popular Charts ''. Luddington Daily News. access - date = requires url = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` Somebody 's Watching Me By Rockwell -- Digital Sheet Music ''. Musicnotes. Retrieved February 28, 2017. Jump up ^ Kent, David ( 1993 ). Australian Chart Book 1970 -- 1992. St Ives, N.S.W. : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0 - 646 - 11917 - 6. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Rockwell -- Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Rockwell -- Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Singles : Issue 6316. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Toutes les Chansons N ° 1 des Années 80 's '' ( in French ). InfoDisc. Retrieved September 6, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Rockwell -- Somebody 's Watching Me ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 6, 2016. Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- Somebody 's Watching Me ''. Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 23, 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` I singoli più venduti del 1984 '' ( in Italian ). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Rockwell - Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Rockwell -- Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Rockwell -- Somebody 's Watching Me ''. Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Rockwell -- Somebody 's Watching Me ''. VG - lista. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 -- 1989 Acts ( R ) ''. Rock.co.za. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ Salaverri, Fernando ( September 2005 ). Sólo éxitos : año a año, 1959 -- 2002 ( in Spanish ) ( 1st ed. ). Spain : Fundación Autor - SGAE. ISBN 84 - 8048 - 639 - 2. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Rockwell -- Somebody 's Watching Me ''. Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Rockwell -- Somebody 's Watching Me ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Rockwell Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Rockwell Chart History ( Hot R&B / Hip - Hop Songs ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2016. Jump up ^ `` CASH BOX Top 100 Singles -- Week ending MARCH 24, 1984 ''. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012... Cash Box. ^ Jump up to : `` BB - 1984 - 03 - 10 '' ( PDF ). Billboard. March 10, 1984. pp. 22, 57. Retrieved September 6, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Jaaroverzichten 1984 '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 12, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Top Singles -- Volume 41, No. 17, January 05 1985 ''. RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 12, 2014. Jump up ^ `` TOP -- 1984 '' ( in French ). Top-france.fr. Retrieved June 12, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Jahrescharts -- 1984 '' ( in German ). Offiziellecharts.de. GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 7, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 - Jaaroverzicht van 1984 '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 12, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Jaaroverzichten -- Single 1984 '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 12, 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` BB - 1984 - 12 - 22 '' ( PDF ). Billboard. December 22, 1984. pp. 14, TA -- 19, TA -- 21. Retrieved September 6, 2016. Jump up ^ `` The CASH BOX Year - End Charts : 1984 ''. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012... Cash Box. Jump up ^ `` Canadian single certifications -- Rockwell -- Somebody 's Watching Me ''. Music Canada. Jump up ^ `` Les Meilleures Ventes Tout Temps de 45 T. / Singles '' ( in French ). InfoDisc. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` American single certifications -- Rockwell -- Somebody 's Watching Me ''. Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH Jump up ^ `` Australian-charts.com -- Beatfreakz -- Somebody 's Watching Me ''. ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Beatfreakz -- Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratip. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Beatfreakz -- Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( in French ). Ultratip. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` ultratop.be -- 50 DANCE 03 / 06 / 2006 '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` ultratop.be -- 50 DANCE 03 / 06 / 2006 '' ( in French ). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Beatfreakz -- Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- Beatfreakz -- Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Beatfreakz : Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( in Finnish ). Musiikkituottajat -- IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Beatfreakz -- Somebody 's Watching Me ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- Somebodys Watching Me ''. Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Beatfreakz - Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Beatfreakz -- Somebody 's Watching Me '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Beatfreakz -- Somebody 's Watching Me ''. Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ ( in Romanian ) `` Issue nr : 23 / 2006 ( 12 Iunie -- 18 Iunie 2006 ) ''. Archived from the original on June 13, 2006... see last week position. Romanian Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Beatfreakz -- Somebody 's Watching Me ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` GEICO -- The Remake of Somebody 's Watching Me... '' January 27, 2009. Jump up ^ `` TRU 's I Always Feel Like... sample of Rockwell feat. Michael Jackson 's Somebody 's Watching Me ''. WhoSampled. Retrieved July 23, 2013. Jump up ^ Jean ( July 29, 2015 ). `` Isleym : Premier album ' Où ça nous mène ' en 2014 ''. Evous ( in French ). Retrieved March 5, 2016. Jump up ^ Parpis, Elefteria ( December 25, 2008 ). `` Kash Debuts for Geico ''. Adweek. Retrieved December 19, 2008. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Michael Jackson songs Discography Got to Be There `` Ai n't No Sunshine '' `` I Wanna Be Where You Are '' `` Got to Be There '' `` Rockin ' Robin '' `` Love Is Here and Now You 're Gone '' `` You 've Got a Friend '' Ben `` Ben '' `` Everybody 's Somebody 's Fool '' `` My Girl '' `` Shoo - Be-Doo - Be-Doo - Da - Day '' Music & Me `` With a Child 's Heart '' `` All the Things You Are '' `` Happy '' `` Too Young '' `` Doggin ' Around '' `` Music and Me '' Forever, Michael `` We 're Almost There '' `` One Day in Your Life '' `` Just a Little Bit of You '' The Wiz `` You Ca n't Win '' `` Ease on Down the Road '' `` A Brand New Day '' Off the Wall `` Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough '' `` Rock with You '' `` Working Day and Night '' `` Off the Wall '' `` Girlfriend '' `` She 's Out of My Life '' `` It 's the Falling in Love '' Thriller `` Wanna Be Startin ' Somethin ' '' `` The Girl Is Mine '' `` Thriller '' `` Beat It '' `` Billie Jean '' `` Human Nature '' `` P.Y.T. ( Pretty Young Thing ) '' Bad `` Bad '' `` The Way You Make Me Feel '' `` Speed Demon '' `` Liberian Girl '' `` Just Good Friends '' `` Another Part of Me '' `` Man in the Mirror '' `` I Just Ca n't Stop Loving You '' `` Dirty Diana '' `` Smooth Criminal '' `` Leave Me Alone '' The Original Soul `` Twenty - Five Miles '' Dangerous `` Jam '' `` In the Closet '' `` Remember the Time '' `` Ca n't Let Her Get Away '' `` Heal the World '' `` Black or White '' `` Who Is It '' `` Give In to Me '' `` Will You Be There '' `` Gone Too Soon '' `` Dangerous '' HIStory `` Scream '' `` They Do n't Care About Us '' `` Stranger in Moscow '' `` This Time Around '' `` Earth Song '' `` D.S. '' `` Come Together '' `` You Are Not Alone '' `` Childhood '' `` Tabloid Junkie '' `` HIStory '' `` Smile '' Blood on the Dance Floor `` Blood on the Dance Floor '' `` Ghosts '' `` Is It Scary '' Ghosts `` On the Line '' Invincible `` Heaven Can Wait '' `` You Rock My World '' `` Butterflies '' `` Speechless '' `` Cry '' Number Ones `` One More Chance '' The Ultimate Collection `` Cheater '' `` Fall Again '' Michael Jackson 's This Is It `` This Is It '' Michael `` Hold My Hand '' `` Hollywood Tonight '' `` ( I Like ) The Way You Love Me '' `` Monster '' `` Breaking News '' `` ( I Ca n't Make It ) Another Day '' `` Behind the Mask '' Bad 25 `` Do n't Be Messin ' ' Round '' `` Price of Fame '' Xscape `` Love Never Felt So Good '' `` Chicago '' `` Loving You '' `` A Place with No Name '' `` Slave to the Rhythm '' `` Blue Gangsta '' Book Portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Somebody%27s_Watching_Me&oldid=817164028 '' Categories : 1984 songs 1984 singles 2006 singles Billboard Hot R&B / Hip - Hop Songs number - one singles Halloween songs Michael Jackson songs Motown singles Debut singles Number - one singles in France Number - one singles in Spain Rockwell ( musician ) songs Songs about loneliness Ultratop 50 Singles ( Flanders ) number - one singles Hidden categories : Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL CS1 French - language sources ( fr ) CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) CS1 Spanish - language sources ( es ) CS1 Dutch - language sources ( nl ) CS1 German - language sources ( de ) Articles with Romanian - language external links Use mdy dates from November 2013 Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for Canadatopsingles Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Ireland2 Singlechart making named ref Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardrandbhiphop Certification Table Entry usages for Canada Certification Table Entry usages for France Certification Table Entry usages for United States Singlechart usages for Australia Singlechart usages for Flanders Tip Singlechart usages for Wallonia Tip Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for Finland Singlechart usages for United Kingdom Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca Deutsch Français Italiano Polski Português Русский Simple English Slovenčina ไทย Türkçe Tiếng Việt Edit links This page was last edited on 26 December 2017, at 16 : 20. 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Question: who does the song somebody's watching me
Answer: Rockwell