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Maliyah Greaves

English Composition 1201.513

Professor Carter

14 February 2022

Two Music Videos of the Same Song

Michael Jackson's pop R&B version of "Smooth Criminal" is a classic, well -put-together,

short film music video that shows a story of a heroic man with smooth dance moves, fighting

bad guys, and wondering if Annie is okay. Alien Ant Farm’s cover of the song, on the other

hand, has the exact same lyrics but is more sloppily put together, with some pretty clever

references to Michael Jackson throughout. These music videos were made a decade and a half

apart by two completely different artists. Michael Jackson’s original version was released in

1987, while Alien Ant Farm’s cover version was released in 2001. These songs both have the

same name and same lyrics, but contrast in a variety of different ways.

Michael Jackson's original song, "Smooth Criminal" was released on August 31st, 1987,

and is considered pop R&B. In this music video, inspired by the film The Band Wagon, Michael

Jackson is the main character dressed in 50's attire fighting what seems like gangsters at a

nightclub. He sings about a girl named Annie and wonders if she's okay. He shows off his

signature dance moves as he fights off men and saves the woman, eventually getting the club to

unite and dance with him as they praise him for his heroism. Six minutes into the video the

entire club had succumbed to the question Michael himself asks, "Annie are you okay?" They

begin to dance again as a little girl watches through a little peephole in a door. She is amazed at

what she sees and Michael Jackson acknowledges that as he winks at her. She's with her

friends as they too admire his moves and impersonate him outside of the club. The music video

ends after Michael Jackson sees men with guns outside the club and shoots at them in
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preparation for a fight. The kids were abducted and the club members take Michael's gun and

push him out the door to help him flee the club as they return to normal as if he never was there.

While Alien Ant Farms cover of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" was released

August 27th, 2001, and is a rock version. In their music video, the band members are

performing the song inside of a wrestling ring. This rink is in the middle of a yard in a suburban

neighborhood. There are tons of people around the rink singing, dancing, and partying.

Throughout the video, there are Michael Jackson tributes like a kid in a mask doing MJ's

signature moves or the band doing Mike's "defying gravity lean." They also dance on a lit-up

sidewalk which could be inspired by Michael Jackson's Billie Jean music video. Dryden Mitchell,

the band's lead vocalist sits in a shiny glove just as Mike used to wear while holding a monkey

in his lap. Michael Jackson had a pet Chimpanzee named Bubbles in the 80s and 90s. The

music video ends when a guy with a silverware mohawk turns around and has alien/snake-like

red eyes, which is almost definitely a reference to Michael Jackson's “Thriller” music video

where he secretly shows the audience that he has been the werewolf the entire time.

When someone watches the video the first thing they would notice is how completely

different the two music videos are. There’s Michael Jackson, a musical genius, who makes a

mini-movie with a song in the background that anyone on Earth has listened to. Then you have

Alien Ant Farm’s version that seems to be a song that they all knew so they sang it with their

own twist. The audience they were trying to reach is different but the same. Anyone who

watches either version, no matter what decade, is bound to be entertained. There are some,

however, that are very particular about what genre they listen to. While they both could be

considered a form of rock, it wouldn't be hard to imagine that Michael Jackson listeners would

not choose Alien Ant Farm as their first choice to listen to. The music video shared no similar

characters, not even the same story.

After mentioning all the differences between the two music videos, it might be assumed

that it would be hard to find any similarities. Well aside from it being the exact same song with
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the exact same lyrics, anyone watching either version is bound to be entertained. Both music

videos grasp the attention of the audience using a sort of pathos. If Michael Jackson’s dance

moves, fight scenes, and charm weren’t enough to get the attention of the audience then a

three-foot, moon-walking, dancing child will definitely do the trick. Not only is the kid cute, but he

is talented just like the other two kids in the video. This could draw the attention of both kids and

adults, because not only is it funny but children just make anyone emotional. This makes Mike’s

music video easier to watch and even more entertaining than before.

On the other hand, we have Alien Ant Farm’s sort-of grunge version. This version does a

great job at using pathos as well because there were dancing grandpas, a smiling chimpanzee,

and another dancing kid as well. The grandpas at the beginning of the video were shocked and

confused, at the end of the video they were dancing and happier than ever. This makes the

audience feel a sense of joy because who doesn’t want to see dancing old men? The smiling

chimp makes you happy as well, as it is a nod to Michael Jackson and his pet Chimpanzee

Bubbles that the entire world knew and loved. The dancing kid has nearly the same effect as the

kid in Michael Jackson’s version.

In conclusion, both videos have many similarities and differences. Both music videos

were made by two completely different artists at two completely different times. While the music

video might not have shared the same purpose, they had the same effect. They were both very

entertaining. “Smooth Criminal” is a great song, sung beautifully by both artists and loved by

many people then and now.

Works Cited
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Alien ant farm - Smooth Criminal (official music video ... (n.d.). Retrieved February 15,

2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDl9ZMfj6aE

Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal (official video ... (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2022,

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFvENQBc-F8