Originally, "Smooth Criminal" was to be the title track of Jackson's new album. However, at the request of producer Quincy Jones, the album received it's name from another song - "Bad".
The track begins with the sounds of breathing and heartbeat of a person - this is Jackson's heartbeat, recorded by Dr. Eric Shevlin and processed on synclavir.
During the shooting of the video, Jackson's friends Gregory Peck and Robert De Niro paid a visit to the set.
In the video clip, Jackson used a technique that consisted of a strong deviation of his own body from the vertical axis without the apparent use of restraining devices - anti-gravity tilt. During the shooting, hidden belts were used for this.
The composition is sustained in the genre of funk. In the lyrics, the singer narrates about the murder of a girl named Annie.