Smooth Criminal – English Lyrics

• By: Michael Jackson
• Album: Bad

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

(finger clicking)

(light thudding)

(air whooshing)

(light thudding)

(magical music)

(uplifting music)

(air whooshing)

(uplifting music)

(door thudding)

(coin jingling)

(coin jingling)

♪ Ow ♪

(upbeat music)

♪ Cha ♪

♪ Shoo-cha-choo-cha ♪

♪ Shoo-cha-choo-cha ♪

♪ As he came into the window was a sound of a crescendo ♪

♪ He came into her apartment ♪

♪ He left the bloodstains on the carpet ♪

♪ She ran underneath the table ♪

♪ He could see she was unable ♪

♪ So she ran into the bedroom ♪

♪ She was struck down it was her doom ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ So, Annie, are you okay, are you okay, Annie ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ So, Annie, are you okay, are you okay, Annie ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ So, Annie, are you okay, are you okay, Annie ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ So, Annie, are you okay, are you okay, Annie ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ Will you tell us that you're okay ♪

♪ There's a sound at the window ♪

♪ Then he struck you, a crescendo, Annie ♪

♪ He came into your apartment ♪

♪ Left the bloodstains on the carpet ♪

♪ And then you ran into the bedroom ♪

♪ You were struck down it was your doom ♪

(upbeat music)

- Hey.

Come here.

- Wait a minute.

(gun booming)

(gangsters groaning)

(upbeat music)

- Hmm.

♪ Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ So, Annie, are you okay, are you okay, Annie ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ So, Annie, are you okay, are you okay, Annie ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ So, Annie, are you okay, are you okay, Annie ♪

♪ You've been hit by ♪

♪ You've been hit by ♪

♪ A smooth criminal ♪

♪ Ow ♪

(ball clicking)

(cue thumping)

- Yeah.

(air whooshing)

(upbeat music)

♪ So they came in to the out way ♪

♪ It was Sunday, what a black day ♪

♪ Every time I tried to find him ♪

♪ There were no clues, they're behind him ♪

♪ And they end up never knowing ♪

♪ Other suspect or what to expect ♪

♪ Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation ♪

♪ Sounding heartbeats, intimidations ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ So, Annie, are you okay, are you okay, Annie ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay, Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay, Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ Are you okay, Annie ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay, Annie, are you okay ♪

(upbeat music)

(gun booming)

♪ Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ So, Annie, are you okay, are you okay, Annie ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ So, Annie, are you okay, are you okay, Annie ♪

♪ You've been hit by ♪

♪ You've been hit by ♪

♪ A smooth criminal ♪

♪ Ow ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay ♪

♪ Will you tell us that you're okay ♪

♪ There's a sound at the window ♪

♪ Then he struck you, a crescendo, Annie ♪

♪ He came into your apartment ♪

♪ Left the bloodstains on the carpet ♪

♪ And then you ran into the bedroom ♪

♪ You were struck down it was your doom, Annie ♪

♪ Ow ♪

(upbeat music)

♪ Hoo ♪

♪ Ow ♪

♪ Whoa ♪

♪ Hoo ♪

♪ Hoo ♪

(upbeat music)

♪ Pow ♪

(glass shattering)

(finger snapping) (surreal music)

- Ooh.

(piano notes jingling)

Shoo. (finger snapping)

(foot tapping)

- Oh, oh, oh.

(crowd squealing)

Ooh.

(hands clapping)

Oh.

- Okay.

- [Crowd] Annie, are you okay?

Annie, are you okay, are you okay, Annie?

Annie, are you okay?

Annie, are you okay, are you okay, Annie?

Annie, are you okay?

- Annie, are you okay?

- [Crowd] Are you okay, Annie?

(upbeat music)

(upbeat music)

(upbeat music)

- Whoa, that's cool, huh.

I taught him everything he knows.

- Oh yeah, right, you show me.

- Okay, sure, hold this.

(upbeat music)

(upbeat music)

♪ Ow ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay, I don't know ♪

♪ Will you tell us that you're okay, I don't know ♪

♪ There's a sound at the window, I don't know ♪

♪ Then he struck you, a crescendo, Annie, I don't know ♪

♪ He came into your apartment, I don't know ♪

♪ Left bloodstains on the carpet, I don't know why, baby ♪

♪ And then you ran into the bedroom, help me ♪

♪ You were struck down it was your doom, Annie ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay, dag gone it, baby ♪

♪ Will you tell us that you're okay, dag gone it, baby ♪

♪ There's a sound at the window, dag gone it, baby ♪

♪ Then he struck you, a crescendo, Annie, hoo, hoo ♪

♪ He came into your apartment, dag gone it ♪

♪ Left bloodstains on the carpet, hoo ♪

♪ And then you ran into the bedroom, hoo, hoo ♪

♪ You were struck down, dag gone it ♪

♪ It was your doom, Annie ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay, I don't know ♪

♪ Will you tell us that you're okay, I don't know ♪

♪ There's a sound at the window, I don't know ♪

♪ Then he struck you, a crescendo, Annie, I don't know ♪

♪ He came into your apartment, I don't know ♪

♪ Left bloodstains on the carpet, I don't know why, baby ♪

♪ And then you ran into the bedroom, help me ♪

♪ You were struck down it was your doom, Annie, dag gone it ♪

♪ Annie are you okay, dag gone it, baby ♪

♪ Will you tell us that you're okay, dag gone it, baby ♪

♪ There's a sound at the window, dag gone it, baby ♪

♪ Then he struck you, a crescendo, Annie, hoo, hoo ♪

♪ He came into your apartment, dag gone it ♪

(gun booming)

♪ You were struck down, it was your doom, Annie, ow ♪

♪ Annie, are you okay, dag gone it, baby ♪

♪ Will you tell us that you're okay, dag gone it, baby ♪

♪ There's a sound at the window, gag gone it, baby ♪

♪ Then he struck you, a crescendo, Annie, hoo, hoo ♪

♪ He came into your apartment, dag gone it ♪

♪ Left bloodstains on the carpet, hoo ♪

♪ And then you ran into the bedroom, hoo, hoo ♪

♪ You were struck down, dag gone it ♪

♪ It was your doom, Annie, ow ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Annie /ˈæni/ A1	noun - a female given name
okay /ˌoʊˈkeɪ/ A1	adjective - in a satisfactory condition verb - to be in a satisfactory condition
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move quickly on foot
window /ˈwɪndoʊ/ A1	noun - an opening in a wall or roof
apartment /əˈpɑːrtmənt/ A2	noun - a set of rooms for living in, usually on one floor of a building
bloodstains /ˈblʌdstɛɪnz/ B1	noun - a mark or stain left by blood
bedroom /ˈbedruːm/ A1	noun - a room for sleeping in
doom /duːm/ B2	noun - death, destruction, or any very bad event
struck /strʌk/ B1	verb - past tense of strike - to hit someone or something forcefully
criminal /ˈkrɪmɪnl/ B1	noun - a person who has committed a crime adjective - relating to crime
crescendo /krəˈʃɛndoʊ/ B2	noun - a gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music
carpet /ˈkɑːrpɪt/ A2	noun - a thick covering for a floor, usually made of wool or nylon
smooth /smuːð/ B1	adjective - having a surface that is even and regular, without any bumps or lumps
expect /ɪkˈspekt/ B1	verb - to believe that something will happen

Key Grammar Structures

• As he came into the window was a sound of a crescendo

  ➔ Past continuous tense + noun phrase as subject

  ➔ The sentence uses the past continuous ("was coming") to describe an action in progress when another event occurred. The phrase "a sound of a crescendo" functions as the subject, which is less common but grammatically correct. The use of 'was' implies simultaneity.

• She ran into the bedroom, she was struck down it was her doom

  ➔ Simple past tense + passive voice + noun as predicate

  ➔ The sentence demonstrates a sequence of events in the past. "She was struck down" is in the passive voice, emphasizing the action *done to* her rather than her doing something. "It was her doom" uses a noun ("doom") as the predicate, creating a dramatic effect.

• Annie, are you okay, are you okay, Annie?

  ➔ Tag question + repetition for emphasis

  ➔ This line uses a tag question ("are you okay?") to seek confirmation. The repetition of "are you okay, Annie?" emphasizes the urgency and concern. The direct address ("Annie") adds a personal touch.

• You've been hit by a smooth criminal

  ➔ Present perfect passive voice + noun phrase

  ➔ The present perfect passive ("You've been hit") indicates an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past and has a result in the present. "A smooth criminal" is a noun phrase acting as the agent (though not explicitly stated) of the action.