Somebody's Watching Me
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| "Somebody's Watching Me" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Rockwell | ||
| from the album Somebody's Watching Me | ||
| B-side(s) | Somebody's Watching Me (Instrumental) | |
| Released | January 1984 | |
| Format | 7" single Cassette tape |
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| Recorded | 1984 | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Length | 3:59 | |
| Label | Motown M 1702 |
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| Writer(s) | Kennedy Gordy Curtis Anthony Nolen |
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| Producer(s) | Curtis Anthony Nolen | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Rockwell singles chronology | ||
| - | "Somebody's Watching Me" (1984) |
"Obscene Phone Calls" (1984) |
| Alternate covers | ||
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| French 7-Inch single cover | ||
"Somebody's Watching Me" is the debut single by pop artist Rockwell, released on the Motown label in 1984. The single features guest vocals from Michael and Jermaine Jackson, and the song's comedy-based lyrics express a fear of being followed and watched. "Somebody's Watching Me's" musical arrangement resembles that of the theme from The Twilight Zone.
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[edit] History
[edit] Original recording
Rockwell is the son of Motown CEO Berry Gordy, Jr. The singer had himself signed to Motown without his father's knowledge; the elder Gordy found out that Rockwell was secretly his son Kennedy after the single and the accompanying Somebody's Watching Me album were released. The single's music video underscores the song's paranoia theme with a haunted house inspired theme, including imagery of floating heads, ravens, graveyards, and shower scenes referencing Psycho. Michael and Jermaine Jackson, Rockwell's brothers-in-law (Jermaine Jackson was married to Rockwell's half-sister Hazel), do not appear in the video.
The song was also featured in the pilot episode of the 1980s police drama Miami Vice.
Produced by Curtis Anthony Nolen, "Somebody's Watching Me" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984, and reached the top of the Billboard R&B singles chart. Much of the song's success was derived from the presence of Michael Jackson's recognizable voice on the chorus; the Jacksons were one of the last elements added to the recording.[1] It was the only major hit for Rockwell; its follow up, "Obscene Phone Caller", was Rockwell's only other Top 40 single.
[edit] Cover versions
Warmen released a cover of the song on September 5, 2005, as the first single from their third LP Accept the Fact. The vocals on the Warmen cover are by Children of Bodom frontman Alexi Laiho, who uses a cleaner style on the recording than he usually employs on his own band's recording. The single, produced by Janne Wirman, was recorded in Wirman's Beyond Abilities Studio. The non-album b-side to the Warmen cover is "Faithful Eyes", featuring Marko Vaara on vocals and Ralph Santolla on lead guitar, with lyrics by Vaara.
Royal Gigolos released a cover on August 8, 2005, and another cover was released by Beatfreakz on May 1, 2006, which reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart, three places higher than the Rockwell original, and #12 in the Dutch Top 40. Also, DJ Bobo covered the song in his 90's release "Somebody Dance With Me".
[edit] Notes
- ^ Hamilton, Andrew. "Somebody's Watching Me" song review. Retrieved from http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:1i62mpnf9f3o~T001 on November 6, 2006.
