 Michael Jackson wrote " Billie Jean " with his female fans in mind , and later stated that when he wrote the song , he knew it would be a success : " A musician knows hit material . Everything has to feel in place . It fulfills you and it makes you feel good . That 's how I felt about ' Billie Jean ' . I knew it was going to be big when I was writing it . " The singer explained that he was so absorbed by the song that , in one instance , he did not notice that his car had caught fire as he drove down a freeway with a friend until a passing motorcyclist informed him . Jackson noted : " The kid probably saved our lives . " 
