P.Y.T.

(Pretty Young Thing)" was released on September 19, 1983, as the sixth
single from Thriller. The single charted at no. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no.
46 on the Hot Black Singles chart, becoming the sixth Top 10 hit from Thriller.[3]
[6] In the United Kingdom, the song reached a peak position of 11.[2] It was most
successful in Belgium, charting within the Top 10 at no. 6.[2] The single was
placed at no. 14 in the Netherlands.[2] "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" charted at
number 24 in Canada and peaked at number 51 in Germany.[2]

Response to "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" was mixed to positive. Stephen Thomas
Erlewine of AllMusic thought that it was "frizzy funk."[7] Eric Henderson of Slant
Magazine believed that "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" was a "lush disco
paradise."[8] However, Rolling Stone reviewer Christopher Connelly, while
discussing the album in a review, stated that the song "isn't up to the spunky
character of the other tracks." Connelly mentioned that one of Jackson's weaknesses
was "a tendency to go for the glitz," and cited the song as one example of this.[9]
Davitt Sigerson, from the same magazine, also agreed with Connelly, calling it one
of Thriller's "forgettables".[10] Jon Pareles of The New York Times called the song
"fluff", and believed that the other songs from the album were what made Thriller
such a hit.[11]
Cover versions and references to the song

2002: American Idol runner-up Justin Guarini sang "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"
on the first season of the show.[12]
2007: A part of the lyrics to Justice's "D.A.N.C.E." refer to Jackson's song,
and are said to be in homage to the singer.[13][14]
2008: Similar to "D.A.N.C.E", the song "New Classic", featured in Warner Bros.'
film Another Cinderella Story, refers to the Jackson song (creating the backronym
"paid, young, and taking on the world from the driver's seat/trying everything just
to reach your dreams").
2010: San Franciscan pop band Snowblink covered the song for their 3/12/2010
Daytrotter session.
2010: R&B singers T-Pain and Robin Thicke covered the song for Quincy Jones'
album, Q: Soul Bossa Nostra.[15]
2011: The song is performed in the twelfth episode, "Silly Love Songs", of
musical television series Glee, by character Artie Abrams (played by Kevin McHale).
[16]
2012: The Wood Brothers performed a version of the song for The A.V. Club's
A.V. Undercover series.[17]
2017: John Gibbons covered and remixed "P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing)".[18] It has
so far charted at number 12 on the UK Dance Singles Chart[19] number 1 on the Indie
Singles Chart[20] and number 22 on the Scottish Singles Chart.[21]

Sampling

My first concert ever was the Bad tour. I was absolutely mesmerized. I've always
been a fan of Michael's for the simple fact that what he's done no one else will
really be able to do. And that's something that makes you legendary.
Monica[22]

2002: Jackson's demo version of "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" was sampled on
Monica's single "All Eyez on Me".[3][23] "We used vocals from the song that didn't
make the Thriller album", stated producer Rodney Jerkins. "He [Jackson] had more
vocals and ad-libs that were never heard, and we used the ones that were not
heard."[3] Jackson hand delivered his original masters to Monica, who, as a
longtime Jackson fan, was touched by the move.[22][24]
2003: The chorus of "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" was sampled by rapper Memphis
Bleek on "I Wanna Love U". The song, sung by Donell Jones, featured on Bleek's
M.A.D.E. album.[3][25]
2005: The song has been interpolated by Johnt Austin on rapper Bow Wow's song
"Is That You (P.Y.T.)", from his album Wanted.
2007: "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" was also sampled on rapper Kanye West's
"Good Life", the third single from his Graduation album.[26]

P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 2008

"P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 2008"
Song by Michael Jackson featuring will.i.am
from the album Thriller 25
Released February 8, 2008
Format CD, digital download
Recorded November 2007
Genre

Hip hop R&B

Length 4:37
Label Epic
Songwriter(s)

Michael Jackson William Adams Keith Harris Greg Phillinganes

Producer(s)

Michael Jackson will.i.am

Thriller 25 track listing

"The Girl Is Mine 2008"
(11) "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 2008"
(12) "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008"
(13)

For Thriller 25, The Black Eyed Peas rapper will.i.am remixed the demo version of
"P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".[27] The singer commented on Jackson and the project,
"You always just dream of meeting him, let alone working with him. I wouldn't have
believed it. I grew up in the projects in East Los Angeles and Thriller was filmed
about two blocks from my house, but my mother was really strict and she wouldn't
let me go to the factoriesshe didn't care who was filming a video there; but I'm
on the 25th anniversary, 25 years laterthat's pretty awesome."[1] Entitled "P.Y.T.
(Pretty Young Thing) 2008", the remix was well received by Rolling Stone. The
publication described the track, along with "The Girl Is Mine 2008", as being one
of the best songs on the album.[28] They noted that will.i.am "updates the songs'
original sound to make them dancefloor-worthy twenty-five years after their
release".[28]
Personnel