Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm

Album: ANThology (2001)

Charted: 3 23

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

Michael Jackson originally recorded "Smooth Criminal" on his 1987 album Bad. Many of Alien Ant Farm's fans were too young to know about Jackson's version.
This made Alien Ant Farm famous, but it was not their first single. They released "Movies" first, but the Los Angeles radio station KROQ started playing "Smooth Criminal" instead, which led to a great deal of exposure and prompted them to release it as a single. "Movies" was re-released later to take advantage of their new fame.
This was included on their first album, which was released on an independent label. When they signed with a big record company, they included it on their first major-label release, ANThology.
Alien Ant Farm have played a lot of quirky covers over the years. When they started, they tried to play a different cover at every show. Some of the bands they covered include Weezer, Bad Brains, The Police, and Sade.
The video pokes fun at Michael Jackson, but they made sure to get his permission and keep it lighthearted. Some of the Michael Jackson clichés they make fun of are Bubbles the chimp and the Moonwalk.
When Jackson saw the video, he asked that a scene with a boy in a surgical mask be removed, because it made fun of his medical condition. They took it out, but Jackson decided he liked it the way it was. In the end, there were 2 videos, one with the mask, one without.
This was nominated for a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Song.

Comments: 32

Megan from Stevenson, AlI love their version of this!! This video cracks me up everytime! xD I LOVE 2:10! I can't help but to watch that over and over!!!!
Jo from Douglaville, PaKelsey, Bat Country, VA People are stealing songs from other bands because it's a Rock N Roll tradition. It was cool in Bob Dylans Day. Hell it was cool in the 80s but it's a problem now because?
Jo from Douglaville, PaTheo, Johannesburg, South Africa are you saying Korn ripped off Alien Ant Farm?
Jo from Douglaville, PaYou don't need permission to cover a song. If you do cover a song, record it and try to sale it you will have to pay the writer of the song or the publisher who owns the rights to the song. It's notable to mention that Micheal Jackson did not own the rights to the song when AAF release it. Now if you want to be a pseudo intellectual poser it usually helps if you are actually right Audioinklined.
Audioinklined from Sunnyvale, CaOkay. 1st off, this song was HUGE in its day.(buy the Moonwalker dvd and watch it, rookies) If you don't know that, you simply don't know your facts.
And if you think 2nd, AAF asked his permission to do this song, there is in fact no way they could legally do a video and official song without the legal owners permission (Michael Jackson). 3rd,this version did no where near justice to the original. No where. Did kids like it? yeah! They did! Why? because AAF was using a regurgitated recipe for success from the music industries biggest artist, of all time! And a lot of the modern young people had no clue they were bumping, and dancing to MJ's classic hit. Yeah, you can re-do it forever, but Michael Jackson's hit and version, will live forever. Don't try to bag on it, because there is nothing valid you can say to bag on it. That being said, it was an interesting cover, and it wasn't "BAD" (pun intended) but it wasn't as smooth as the king's Smooth Criminal. Nuff said!!
Kyle from Memphis, TnMary from IN You Don't mean Lizzy Borden, do you? She's famous for the Hatchet murder of her father while he slept on the couch and her mom while she was standing next to a bed. It happened in 1889. I don't know where you got the name Anna from, though her full name was "Lizzy Andrew Borden".
Ryan from Anahola, HiThis version is way better than the MJ version (may he rest in peace).
Mary from Warsaw, Inthis song makes me think of that anna girl that hacked her parents alonggggg time ago..... i forgot her last name but she hacked her dad on the couch as he slept and her mom or whoever beside the bed..... yea it makes me think of that lol
Harry from Brisbane, AustraliaThis was an amazing song, in my opinion it is as good as the original.
Kelsey from Bat Country, VaWTF is with people stealing the songs from the old bands and people giving them credit for it? Korn took Just Another Brick In the Wall. Limp Bizkit took Behind Blue Eyes. AAF took Smooth Criminal... Do the bands now suck so bad that they have to steal other peoples songs because they're so braindead that they can't make their own?? WTH?? I like the bands, but i wish they would get their own songs...
Samuel from Peoria, Belgiumi like this version better then the micheal jackson one
Erobi from Buderim, AustraliaWhen AAF did this they bought the tape and made their own chords to go along with it. Awesome song, love the guitar solo.
Kelset from Springfield, OrI think the virsion by Micheal Jackson is better then Alien Ant Farm. Now I love Alien Ant Farm, but I also love originals better. and so like yea LOL Nothing against the people who perfer AAF I love them too.
Christine from Salem, CtMhmm. The guitars are amazing. I love this song waay better than Michael Jackson's.
Theo from Johannesburg, South AfricaIs it just my imagination, or does the riff from this song sound exactly like the riff from
Korn's "Y'all Want A single?" ?
Annabelle from Eugene, OrAre you 100% sure George Harrison wrote this song? It sure doesn't sound like something George Harrison would have written.
Charlie from Bethersden, EnglandI love this song. When I heard the original the first thing I said was "This is screaming out for someone to add guitars to it!" And then I found out AAF had already done it. It's such an awesome song!!
Steve from Philadelphia, PaHey c'mon guys, this is just a cover. People do covers of other people's songs all the time. Yes, the original's are usually better, but there is no point in complaining about this kind of stuff. I think it's cool to hear songs redone by other bands.
Someone from Moval, Cathese guys are from moval/riverside
Steve from Philadelphia, PaThe faster pace and louder music had a really good effect on this song. I think Alien Ant Farm's cover of Michael Jackson's original is just as good, but in a different way. It's more appealing to people today. I actually like AAF's version better, though I like MJ's video better.
Jeanette from Irvine, Cawait it says george harrison wrote this song! huh??
Richard from Newport, Isle Of Wight, EnglandThe song is about a woman named Annie, who has been killed in her apartment by a suave hitman. It is just a fictional story.
Claire from Hants, United StatesI think that Michael jacksons version of this is so much better than this version but it still pretty cool!
Adam from Manchester, United Statesthis iz a totally crap version of a classic song
David Lindsay from Dunedin, New ZealandI like how AAF made this did this song very differently to Michael Jackson. AAF's does this song a much faster pace compared to Michael Jackson's mellow, 'frieghtning' version
Aj from Cleveland, GaWhat is this song about anyway?
Akash from Abbotsford(use To Be Vancouver, United StatesThis song was done originally by Michael Jackson and Michael Jackson's version is a lot better too and being one of my favourites by Michael Jackson Alien Ant FArm didnt do a bad job with this song but cant compare to the ORIGINAL WHICH IS FAR BETTER !
Mia from Wellston, MiWho The Hell Is Annie?
Andrew from Tucson, AzI like the ester egg type things in the music video for this, like the light up side walk, and the yellow eyes at the end.It's fun to sit and try top spot all of them!
Taal from Brisbane, AustraliaGreat song, but like MJ's original better. It sounds more musical, pop unsurprisingly, and isn't hard rock.
Danae from Lewisville, Txi may be to young to have heard m.j.'s version when it was out but my parents listen to this stuff all the time and i reconginized it instantly
Cassandra from Tacoma, WaLove the guitars in this one.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Body and SoulLibby Holman

When Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse's version of "Body and Soul" made the Hot 100 in 2011, Bennett became, at age 85, the oldest living artist to make that chart.

Why Can't We Be Friends?War

War got the idea for "Why Can't We Be Friends?" when they were traveling in Japan and found they had a kinship with the citizens even though they didn't speak the same language.