“Say Say Say” is a song by the English singer-songwriter and musician Paul McCartney and the American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released in October 1983 as the lead single from McCartney’s fifth solo studio album Pipes of Peace (1983). Produced by George Martin, it was recorded during production of McCartney’s 1982 Tug of War album, about a year before the release of “The Girl Is Mine”, the pair’s first duet, from Jackson’s album Thriller (1982).
After its release in October 1983, “Say Say Say” became Jackson’s seventh top-ten hit inside a year. It was a number-one hit in the United States (his sixth number-one single there), Canada, Norway, Sweden and several other countries, reached number two in the United Kingdom, and peaked within the top ten in Australia, Austria, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Switzerland and over 20 other nations. In 2013, Billboard magazine listed the song as the 41st biggest hit of all time on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has also been voted the ninth-best collaboration of all time in a Rolling Stone readers poll.
The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in December 1983, representing sales of one million copies. The single was promoted with an influential music video directed by Bob Giraldi. The short film centres around two con artists called “Mac and Jack” (played by McCartney and Jackson).
