“Smooth Criminal” was an idea Michael had in 1984. Originally, it was to be a Western Musical, with Michael being a gunslinger.

When he didn’t like the original sketching of the concept, he decided to make it a gangster scene instead. From there he wrote basic lyrics to go along with the idea he had for the musical hook.

There have been some critics who state that it’s overly simplistic. They, as usual, miss the entire point. It was meant to be a song with a hook and a basic story and nothing more. It was created from the beginning as a pure video song.

“Smooth Criminal” was an international smash hit, topping the chart in Spain, Belgium & The Netherlands and reaching the top 10 in several others including a #7 peak in the US. The song is also remembered for the dance routine in its music video, which includes an “anti-gravity lean” with the help of anchors in the floor that the dancers' shoes locked into.