# Talk:Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'

MJ's lyrics are always a bit... off. But this songs' chanting of "you're a vegetable! you're a buffet" honestly make no sense whatsoever.... any explanation? Arthurian Legend 17:32, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
lyrics can be found here (sans popups): http://www2.uol.com.br/cante/lyrics/Michael_Jackson_-_Wanna_be_starting_something.htm

I am listening again to this song, and was wondering the exact same thing, what would he mean with you're a vegetable? 200.23.91.242 (talk) 22:52, 21 January 2008 (UTC) (Hey! Listen!)
You're a vegetable means that you're crazy, have mental issues etc. Realist2 (talk) 19:14, 12 March 2008 (UTC)
The song is an anti-media song, the girl Billie Jean is mentioned as some kind of gossiper. Shouldn't the article mention what the song is about?Aeneiden-Rex (talk) 20:04, 15 October 2008 (UTC)

You need sources otherwise it's original research and no fan sites either. There is reliable on it that can be found at Thriller (album). Why not use those sources. — Realist2 20:47, 15 October 2008 (UTC)
Because some pepole don't understand the lyrics Aeneiden-Rex (talk) 21:47, 26 November 2008 (UTC)

So, uhh, what does mamase mamasa mamkusa mean? Probably what 70% of the visitors to this page are looking for, and it's not here. Not in the Soul Mombassa page either.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.212.5.9 (talk) 15:02, 21 February 2008 (UTC) 

it does not have a specific meaning. these are just ad-libs. why do folks don't get that?  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.55.47.22 (talk) 19:11, 12 March 2008 (UTC) 
The lyrics on all these websites are just flat-out wrong!
The line in question is actually "I'm Insane For the Sound of Michael's Song" (x5)
It has nothing to do with the rest of the lyrics, it's just a little repeating diddy that he included in the music to give it some funk.
98.211.129.152 (talk) 07:04, 29 June 2009 (UTC)
There is yet another therory, which consider to be most likely. It says that Michael orginally wrote "I was saved by the sound of Michael's song", but then he considered this to be too rackish and changed it to the "mama-se"-chant, to preserve the groove. I mean, there's gotta be way to verify 100% what there is behind this chant!  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.8.197.129 (talk) 11:46, 7 July 2009 (UTC) 
It is Cameroonian. Stolen from another artist who later sued Michael.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Opiumbrella33 (talk • contribs) 12:07, 7 April 2019 (UTC) 

Yes ok maybe i can accept "your're a vegetable" as meaning that youre brain dead or something like that, but the next line, "you're a buffet" , that makes absolutely no sense? anyone have any insight on that? plus the next line after that "still they hate you" doesn't add any meaning to it either, it just makes it worse. Its funny because I thought i was mishearing the phrase "you're a vegetable" and maybe he was saying something else like "you're a vestibule" or something.. haha oh well at least the lyrics SOUND good when he sings them, even if they make little sense... I guess jackson himself wrote these lyrics so who knows what he was thinking, maybe he just needed any 3 sylable word...sense or not I still love this song, one of his very best songs no doubt!  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.108.115.226 (talk) 21:29, 18 May 2009 (UTC) 
It means that you are like a food for the media and gossipiers! they must talk crazy things about you to live just like other people must eat to live. So you are vegetable, they'll eat off you  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.222.91.198  21:02, 18 March 2011 (UTC) 
Exactly well put,User:85.222.91.198 Michael was a genius, when he sung or wrote some of the "craziest lyrics", it had deep meaning, and it was awesome too. Just Sayin, SUPER SONIC BABY 2 (talk) 12:13, 28 October 2011 (UTC)

So it is stated on the discussion that this is an anti-media song. That is as good an explanation as any, but if anyone could back it up by citing lyrics that would be awesome. I agree with the earlier comment that most visitors here are interested in what exactly the meaning of this song is. I bet there is an MJ expert somewhere with clearly developed thoughts on the subject and perhaps even some lyrical evidence.


### Possible Translation
I believe it's about 2 different topics simultaneously. There are parts where he is referring to a personal relationship: "someone's always tryin'... they got my baby cryin'... she's stuck in the middle and the pain is thunder" -
and parts where he is talking about judgement and societal norms: "If you can't feed your baby, then don't have a baby" etc.
So perhaps he is defending this (imaginary?) persona in her battles against societal norms and judgements? Could it be about abortion? 
Furthermore, most of the lyrics posted on the internet seem highly implausible translations.
98.211.129.152 (talk) 07:13, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

I remember reading in Taraborrelli's MJ bio (the original 1991 version) that the song was originally about his brother Jackie's marital difficulties with his wife Enid (which, according to Taraborrelli, included his constant cheating on her, his unwillingness to provide for their child, and her sharp tongue), but that he changed some of the words to make it less specific, and this is the end result. 99.252.36.129 (talk) 13:21, 26 October 2009 (UTC)
I didn't know that. I know this is off topic but do you think its possible to do an article on MJ's book by Taraborrelli? I don't see an article, about it and I don't have access to all the info on the book, or time to do the article, I'll help with editing, and possibly quotes but I need help. Anyways about the translation, it sounded to me like when he said "If you can't feed your baby, then don't have a baby." like an abortion but, I really don't believe he meant that and I certainly hope not! I don't think he meant that because we all know how much he loved babies, and children, so I don't think he would be in support of that, I dunno what you believe abortion is considered but, I have a strong feeling MJ wouldn't have wrote those lyrics with that in mind. I think he meant don't do things to get pregnant if you aren't in a position to have a child. But then again he does say distressingly, "My baby's slowly dying", but he could be talking about his lover (whom he refers to as baby), dying from embarrassment, from the press, and paparazzi. But who ever really knows, MJ was mysterious, and full of surprises. That's why I luv him. (Hee hee) Just Sayin, SUPER SONIC BABY 2 (talk) 12:31, 28 October 2011 (UTC)
Read the book of Revelation, and you'll understand.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 196.185.79.176 (talk) 21:03, 16 February 2017 (UTC) 

Ref #26 is a deadlink in which I couldn't find anything on web.archive.org and that needs to be taken care of. –MuZemike 23:47, 28 March 2010 (UTC)

Fixed. Crystal Clear x3 [talk] 10:01, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
Music video for 2008 remix
THERE IS A MUSIC VIDEO FOR THIS SONG SO PLEASE STOP DELETING its mention thank u  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.5.61.84 (talk) 01:29, 23 November 2010 (UTC) 

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--CactusBot (talk) 09:48, 2 January 2011 (UTC)

why are the song lyrics here? How is that encyclopedic?69.140.66.37 (talk) 17:19, 3 April 2011 (UTC)

MJ's sampled Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango. Dibango created/wrote the uber popular chant ma ma se Ma ma sa Ma ma kossa. Dibango sued & won. Why isnt that mentioned? Why isnt Dibango credited as songwriter? 69.140.66.37 (talk) 17:19, 3 April 2011 (UTC)
Respectfully I'll just say that the reason he was not credited was because he didn't write Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' okay so he wrote "Mama say Mama sa Mamacusa", a lot of artist use phrases, lyrics, and even music from other songs, and the original artist is not credited for the song. And by the way it does mention that Michael, (plus Rihana) got sued. Slow your roll. Just sayin, SUPER SONIC BABY 2 (talk) 21:57, 26 October 2011 (UTC)

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This song page is a mess.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.97.191.10 (talk) 17:09, 13 June 2019 (UTC) 

Thank you for your detailed analysis. We'll get one of our top people on that right away. - SummerPhDv2.0 04:54, 14 June 2019 (UTC)

I am concerned that this article no longer meets the GA criteria due to uncited statements in the article, particularly in the "Live performances" section. Is anyone interested in fixing up this article, or should this go to WP:GAR? Z1720 (talk) 19:08, 31 December 2024 (UTC)


### Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'