Somebody's Watching Me


"Somebody's Watching Me" is a song recorded and written by American singer Rockwell, released by the Motown label in December 1983, as the lead single from his debut studio album of the same name. It features uncredited guest vocals by Michael Jackson with Jermaine Jackson performing additional backing vocals. The song became a major commercial success internationally, topping the charts in Belgium, France, and Spain, and reaching the top 5 in Canada, West Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. In the UK, it reached No. 6 and is Rockwell's only top 40 hit on the UK Singles Chart. Rolling Stone magazine called the song "an international and enduring smash hit that, more than 30 years later, remains the perennial paranoia-rock anthem and Halloween mix go-to song."

Background and composition

Rockwell is the son of Motown CEO Berry Gordy. At the time of the recording, Rockwell was estranged from his father and living with Ray Singleton, his father's ex-wife and the mother of his older half-brother, Kerry Gordy. Singleton served as executive producer on the project and would occasionally play demo tracks to Berry Gordy, who was less than enthusiastic about Rockwell's music until he heard the single with Michael Jackson's familiar voice featuring prominently on background vocals.
The song is in the key of C minor, with time, and vocals spanning from C♯4 to C♯5.
Produced by Curtis Anthony Nolen, the song features backing vocals by Michael, Randy and Jermaine Jackson, with Alan Murray on percussion.

Music video

The music video depicts Rockwell at his home taking a shower and having illusions of his every move being surreptitiously recorded by a video camera. Other scenes in the video include Rockwell in a cemetery, the tap water in the shower stall spraying blood, and him having his mail delivered by a mailman who appears to be alive, but is, in fact, undead. The video ends with the mailman handing Rockwell a package, but whether this is a moment of danger or just an unsettling interaction remains ambiguous.
The mailman has a cameo in Rockwell's next video Obscene Phone Caller.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart Peak
position

Chart Peak
position
Ireland 49

Chart Peak
position
Ireland 28

Beatfreakz version

In 2006, Dutch dance music group Beatfreakz recorded a pseudo-cover of the song that samples the chorus but omitted the verses. This version was a top-10 hit in Belgium, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Track listing

Dutch CD single
  1. "Somebody's Watching Me"
  2. "Somebody's Watching Me"
  3. "Somebody's Watching Me"
  4. "Somebody's Watching Me"
  5. "Somebody's Watching Me"
  6. "Somebody's Watching Me"

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart Peak
position
Poland 66