: Price’s delivery—described as "elegant yet ominous"—perfectly blended theatrical darkness with a pop aesthetic. The $20,000 Decision
One of the most famous pieces of trivia surrounding the track is Price's payment. He was offered a choice: a flat fee of or a percentage of the album's royalties. The Choice : Price chose the cash upfront. Thriller Laugh
: Temperton wrote the famous "Darkness falls across the land..." verse in a taxi on the way to the recording session. The Choice : Price chose the cash upfront
: Given that Thriller went on to sell over 110 million copies, he missed out on millions in potential earnings. : Despite the "bad move," Price remained lighthearted
: Despite the "bad move," Price remained lighthearted about it, later joking with Johnny Carson about the sheer scale of the album's success. Why It Lasts