Peak
1
Weeks
14
Score
2,829
Chart Year
1988
Jackson wrote this song, which like his hit "Billie Jean," is about a particularly aggressive groupie. When Jackson was interviewed by Barbara Walters, he explained: "I wrote a song called 'Dirty Diana.' It was not about Lady Diana. It was about a certain kind of girls that hang around concerts or clubs, you know, they call them groupies. I've lived with that all my life. These girls... they do everything with the band, you know, everything you could imagine." Recalling a concert in London where Jackson met Princess Diana, he added: "I took it out of the show in honor of her royal highness. She took me away and she said, Are you going to do 'Dirty Diana'? So, I said, 'No I took it out of the show because of you.' She said, 'No! I want you to do it. Do the song. And she told me it was an honor to meet me. And I said, 'It's an honor to meet you.'" This song has a rock edge, which required some serious guitar shredding. Eddie Van Halen was enlisted to play on Jackson's previous guitar-heavy hit, "Beat It," but his producer Quincy Jones needed someone else for this one. Van Halen's producer Ted Templeman was working for Warner Bros. Records, which had recently signed Billy Idol's guitarist Steve Stevens to a solo deal, so Templeman suggested him to Jones (It was Templeman who suggested Eddie Van Halen for "Beat It"). When Stevens got the call from Jones, it took him a while to believe it was really him, but he was thrilled to get the opportunity. When he played on the track, Stevens was pleasantly surprised. "The song is a lot darker and heavier than I thought I would be playing on, with an underlining current of nastiness to it," he said. "It was great for me - as a guitar player you want to dig in and you want to play aggressively. I was really glad it wasn't like a pop song - it was dark, and it allowed me to dig in to the heavier side of what I do." Stevens had a great experience working with Jackson. He said: "Michael was very musical. He understood what I was about and was trying to get the best out of my performance. It was a great session." When this went to #1 in the US, Jackson became the first artist with five #1 hits from the same album. The previous four were "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," "Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," and "Man In The Mirror." The video was directed by Joe Pytka, who also did Jackson's clips for "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Heal The World." (But oddly, not for "P.Y.T. - get it? Because he's Joe PYTka.) The video is mostly staged performance footage which was shot in Los Angeles. Steve Stevens is featured in the clip. The model in the video who played Dirty Diana was Lisa Dean, who also appeared in the video for "Round And Round" by Ratt. She passed away in Los Angeles on December 1, 2009 from colon cancer. >> In an interview for the special edition release of the Bad album, Jackson's producer Quincy Jones said this song was "in the spirit of 'Killing Me Softly With His Song.'" He says that Jackson's flair for drama comes into play in this song, as he was a very theatrical songwriter and performer.
(Oh no) (Oh no, no) You'll never make me stay So take your weight off of me I know your every move So won't you just let me be? I've been here times before But I was too blind to see That you seduce every man This time you won't seduce me She said, "That's okay Hey baby do as you please I have the stuff that you want I am the thing that you need" She looked me deep in the eyes She's touchin' me so to start She says, "There's no turnin' back" She trapped me in her heart Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana Let me be Oh no Oh no Oh no She likes the boys in the band She knows when they come to town Every musician's fan after the curtain comes down She waits at backstage doors For those who have prestige Who promise fortune and fame A life that's so carefree She said, "That's okay Hey baby do what you want I'll be your night lovin' thing I'll be the freak you can taunt I don't care what you say I wanna go too far I'll be your everything If you make me a star? Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana Diana Diana Dirty Diana It's Diana-iana-iana, c'mon (No, no) She said, "I have to go home 'Cause I'm real tired you see Now I hate sleppin' alone Why don't you come with me?" I said, "My baby's at home She's probably worried tonight I didn't call on the phone To say that I'm alright" Diana walked up to me She said, "I'm all yours tonight" At that I ran to the phone Sayin', "Baby I'm alright" I said, "But unlock the door 'Cause I forgot the key" She said, "He's not coming back Because he's sleeping with me" Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana, no Dirty Diana C'mon C'mon C'mon C'mon C'mon (hey baby, won't you? Hey baby, won't you?) C'mon (hey baby, won't you? Hey baby, won't you?) C'mon (hey baby, won't you? Hey baby, won't you?) C'mon (hey baby, won't you?) C'mon (ow) C'mon C'mon C'mon C'mon
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 7, 1988 | 53 | 73 |
| 2 | May 14, 1988 | 40 | 86 |
| 3 | May 21, 1988 | 29 | 97 |
| 4 | May 28, 1988 | 17 | 109 |
| 5 | Jun 4, 1988 | 12 | 114 |
| 6 | Jun 11, 1988 | 8 | 118 |
| 7 | Jun 18, 1988 | 4 | 122 |
| 8 | Jun 25, 1988 | 2 | 124 |
| 9 | Jul 2, 1988 | 1 | 125 |
| 10 | Jul 9, 1988 | 5 | 121 |
| 11 | Jul 16, 1988 | 15 | 111 |
| 12 | Jul 23, 1988 | 30 | 96 |
| 13 | Jul 30, 1988 | 51 | 75 |
| 14 | Aug 6, 1988 | 77 | 49 |