Michael Jackson Song Meaning: Who Is Dirty Diana About? | Music

Michael Jackson hides behind curtain at 1994 Elvis tribute event

In Michael Jackson’s song Billie Jean, he spoke about an obsessed fan who claimed to be the father of his child. In Dirty Diana, the title character tries to sabotage his relationship with his girlfriend, and many have suggested different Dianas in Michael’s life who could be the namesake.

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Who is Dirty Diana about?

During his life, Michael Jackson had to explain his songs, especially Dirty Diana.

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In fact, Michael spent a great deal of time explaining who Dirty Diana was not about, rather than telling the true meaning of the song.

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Names like Diana Ross and even Princess Diana were thrown into the mix as possible inspirations for the song.

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Michael Jackson - who is Dirty Diana about? (Image: Getty)

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In the end, Michael had to come clean and explain the song was generally about groupies.

When the 1987 song was first released, rumours began to spread that the song was inspired by Diana Ross.

Diana had been a mentor to Michael in his early career, with the young Michael moving in with Diana and her family for a whole year before he moved to California permanently.

He referred to her as ‘mamma’ and his mother, Katherine Jackson, even wrote about how much her son idolised Diana.

Michael Jackson with Diana Ross (Image: Getty)

In her memoir, Katherine wrote: “When Diana Ross was named to play Dorothy [in The Wiz], Michael had further incentive to land a role in the movie; he’d been in love with her ever since he and his brothers had been her house guests.

“‘You’re not pretty until you start looking like Diana!’ he would tease La Toya and Janet.”

In his own autobiography, he called Diana his ‘mother, sister and lover all combined in one,’ which helped these rumours to spread when the song was released.

However, he denounced these rumours, as he also had to do when it came to another friend of his: Princess Diana.

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Michael Jackson and Princess Diana (Image: Getty)

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After rumours over who the song was about reached a fever pitch, Michael finally had to explain what the song was really about.

In 1997, in an interview with Barbara Walters, Michael confessed the true meaning once and for all, and specifically debunked one rumour about the Princess of Wales.

He said: “I wrote a song called Dirty Diana. It was not about Princess Diana.

“It was about certain kinds of girls that hang around concerts or clubs. You know; they call them groupies.

“I’ve lived with that all my life. These girls…they do everything with the band, you know, everything you could imagine. So I wrote a song called “Dirty Diana.”

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In his concern about Princess Diana’s feelings on the song, Michael even admitted he removed it from a performance which she attended.

He continued: “I took it out of the show in honour of Her Royal Highness… [She asked] ‘Are you going to do Dirty Diana?’

“I said, ‘No, I took it out of the show because of you.’

“She said, ‘No! I want you to do it. Do it. Do the song.’”

He also admitted the song was one of his favourites, and it was also one of the princess’s favourites.

Speaking after her death, Michael explained how close the pair were, telling a German publication: “We were very close. She was extremely close by phone…

“I was still married to Lisa Marie [Presley]. Diana woke me up usually late at night… mostly after three in the morning!

“And then she held me for hours on the telephone. She talked about children, the press.”

After Michael’s death, Diana Ross spoke out in tribute to him, saying: “I can't stop crying, this is too sudden and shocking.

“I am unable to imagine this. My heart is hurting. I am in prayer for his kids and the family.”

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