Michael Jackson: Human Nature Meaning

Song Released: 1983

Covered By: Glee Cast

Human Nature Lyrics

Looking out

Across the night time

The city winks a sleepless eye

Hear her voice

Shake my window

Sweet seducing sighs

Get me out

Into the night time

Four walls won’t hold me tonight

If this town

Is just an...

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   #1 top rated interpretation:
   Piper

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   Oct 25th 2009 !⃝

   Yes, this song really isn't about sex; it's about wanderlust and being in love with the City, especially when it takes on a life of its own at night. It's the CITY that calls to him after dark with "sweet seducing sighs," beckoning him out to the streets; away, perhaps, even from someone waiting for him at home. ("'Why, why does he do me that way?'") The sights, the smells, the sounds: he bathes his senses in the City. "That girl" he sees is just a small part of the night experience, not the point of it. It's The Street that he dreams of; not The Girl, or A Girl, or even The Game.
   
   Enough "love" songs/anthems have been written about the Big Apple--and plenty of other cities that have taken on a mystical quality for some of us (I'd probably write one about London)--showcasing similar feelings... but some people just wouldn't understand ("If THEY say 'Why? Why?' Tell 'em [THEM, plural] that is human nature...").

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   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Aug 16th 2009 !⃝

   "Human Nature" was written by Steve Porcaro of Toto and John Bettis for Michael Jackson's Thriller album. Initially, Porcaro recorded a rough demo of the song on a cassette.[1] Fellow Toto band member David Paich then gave the demo, along with two songs written by Paich, to producer Quincy Jones, hoping they would be included on Thriller.[1] Jones didn't like Paich's songs, but enjoyed the rough demo of "Human Nature" at the end of the cassette.[1] Jones explained, "All of a sudden, at the end, there was all this silence, there was: 'why, why, dah dah da-dum dah dah, why, why'. Just a dummy lyric and a very skeletal thing—I get goosebumps talking about it. I said, 'This is where we wanna go, because it's got such a wonderful flavour'".[2] The producer asked if the song could be included on Jackson's album, to which Porcaro and Bettis agreed.[1] "Human Nature" was the last song selected for Thriller, ousting "Carousel" from the final track listing.[1]

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   #3 top rated interpretation:
   xxbritani

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   Nov 29th 2010 !⃝

   I think he's talking about different things. Maybe love, God, or the city.
   
   Obviously they all point to love=)
   "Hear her voice, shake my window, sweet seducing sighs"
   And the best part(in my opinion):
   "If they say Why, Why, tell 'em that its human nature, why ,why, does he do it(&me) that way?"
   Ok, so love is part of human nature...Why does God make it that way, why does God make him love like that?
   "See that girl,She knows I'm watching, She likes the way I stare" Speaks for itself.
   "I like livin' this way,I like lovin' this way" Also speaks for itself.
   
   And all the things he says about the city, town, walls, streets, also points to where maybe he wants to be free and experience the town/life.
   
   When it talks about strangers, maybe it means- meeting new people.
   :)
4. anonymous

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   Mar 11th 2018 !⃝

   Coming out of the closet.
5. anonymous

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   Jan 26th 2016 !⃝

   For me i think the song means
   when people are always saying of him.the way he does like changing his body through bleaching surgery and body changing.that why he's telling them it is human nature.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
6. anonymous

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   Oct 8th 2011 !⃝

   The song shows (sexual) desire of hu(man) :D

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
7. anonymous

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   Jun 22nd 2011 !⃝

   I guess he is talking about new york city. It's beauty, lights and all that and also bout the people over there.
8. anonymous

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   Apr 22nd 2011 !⃝

   I think this song is about an unwillingness or inability to give up the night life. They are hooked to it's energy, people, sounds and experiences. I This song is unbelievable because you feel Micheal's emotion and electricity from a mellow, soothing grove. One of the best songs ever!
9. anonymous

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   Jul 29th 2010 !⃝

   This is AirJunior23
   This is a great song and definitely a metaphor of NY. City winks a sleepless eye, see that gurl she knows i'm watching, if this town is just an apple, c'mon yall.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
10. anonymous

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    Apr 15th 2010 !⃝

    uhhhmmm, i'm not sure if this is correct, but this is my opinion so....
    MJ here is talking about God on why he made things this way...
    Hence to why he kept telling its only human nature
    I know many of you might disagree but i think in my side this is the true meaning....
11. anonymous

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    Aug 31st 2009 !⃝

    He's talking about one night stands.
    "Reaching out
    I touch her shoulder
    I’m dreaming of the street
    If they say
    Why, why Tell ’em that it’s human nature"
    He's so totally talking bout sum girl he picked up in the streets...and he was lovin it...lil horny kid that time he was....
    ""See that girl
    She knows I’m watching
    She likes the way I stare
    If they say......""

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
12. musiclover63

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    Aug 11th 2009 !⃝

    I agree with talon. I was about how he felt when he spent time in New York on his own when he did the wiz. he was saying it was human nature to want to enjoy everything New York had to offer when you are young and free to roam its streets.
13. Talon

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    Jul 14th 2009 !⃝

    Hmmm...he's talking about New York, going out, being young and restless, getting some action, loving the city :)

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