"P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" | ||||||||
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U.S. 7" vinyl
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Single by Michael Jackson | ||||||||
from the album Thriller | ||||||||
B-side |
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Released | September 19, 1983 | |||||||
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Recorded | 1982 | |||||||
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Length | 3:58 | |||||||
Label | Epic | |||||||
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Producer(s) | Quincy Jones | |||||||
Michael Jackson singles chronology | ||||||||
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"P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 2008" | ||||
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Song by Michael Jackson featuring will.i.am from the album Thriller 25 | ||||
Released | February 8, 2008 | |||
Format | CD, digital download | |||
Recorded | November 2007 | |||
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Length | 4:37 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
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Thriller 25 track listing | ||||
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"P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It is the sixth single from Jackson's sixth solo album, Thriller (1982). The original demo version of the song was written by Jackson and Greg Phillinganes. Quincy Jones passed on the song itself but liked the title and, with James Ingram, fashioned a totally new song with that title. The demo version is featured on The Ultimate Collection.
"P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" was released on September 19, 1983, as the penultimate single from Thriller. The single charted at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no. 46 on the Hot Black Singles chart, becoming the sixth Top 10 hit from the album. In the UK, the song reached a peak position of 11. The single was most successful in Belgium, charting within the Top 10 at no. 6. The song has been covered and sampled by numerous artists, including Monica, Justin Guarini and Kanye West. The original demo was also remixed by The Black Eyed Peas singer will.i.am for Thriller 25.
"P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" was never performed live by Jackson. In a rehearsal for the Dangerous World Tour, however, Jackson sang a small part of the demo version, describing it as "something I wrote that I haven't recorded yet."
James Ingram later described working with Jackson and Jones as being in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. "It's almost like I got the chance to go to Oz and Quincy was the Wizard of Oz and Michael Jackson was who he was dealing with in his world. Their work ethic is unbelievable." He noted how Jones would fall asleep on the board, waking up to answer a question. "He works in the Alpha state a lot", Ingram added. Two of Jackson's sisters, Janet and La Toya, provided backing vocals in the guise of the P.Y.T.s. The two sisters sang "na na na" back at their brother towards the end of the song. It has a tempo of 126 beats per minute, making it one of Jackson's fastest songs.