Michael Jackson's 1987 hit 'Smooth Criminal' has puzzled fans for decades with its repeated question, 'Annie, are you okay?' Now, many are discovering that Annie is not a real person but a reference to the Resusci Anne CPR training mannequin.
The dummy, used worldwide to teach cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), prompted students to ask, 'Annie, are you OK?' to check responsiveness. In the song, Annie is portrayed as a victim of violence, with lyrics like 'She was struck down, it was her doom.'
The mannequin's face was modelled after the death mask of an unidentified young girl pulled from the River Seine in Paris in the 19th century. According to LifeSaver Training, 'Since her identity could not be established, a death mask was made... She was known as the Girl from the River Seine.'
In 1958, doll maker Asmund S. Laerdal commissioned sculptress Emma Mathiassen to create a face in the likeness of the girl, leading to the creation of Resusci Anne two years later. Fans have expressed surprise at the revelation, with one Quora user asking, 'Did Michael Jackson ever find out if Annie was OK?'
