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"Man in the Mirror" is a song by Michael Jackson, released as the seventh track from the Bad album. It was released as a single on February 6, 1988, serving as the fourth single from the album. This song is considered one of Jackson's most famous and known songs. Although uncredited, the track features Siedah Garrett, the Winans and the Andraé Crouch Choir. The song was nominated for Record of the Year at the 1988 Grammy Awards.[1]

Similarly to "We Are the World" or "Heal the World", "Man in the Mirror" has humanitarian themes and encourages the listener to "make the world a better place".

Background[]

The track was recorded in May, 1987. It was written by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett. Quincy Jones told the two: "I just want hits, that's all I want."[2] Michael suggested to make the song longer and modify a few lyrics.

Music video[]

The video was directed by Don Wilson and released on January 9, 1988. It features a montage depicting wars, protests, suffering and injustice. Jackson himself doesn't appear in the video too often, only for two shots.

Live performances[]

The track was performed to during the Bad World Tour, Dangerous World Tour. Jackson dropped the song during the HIStory World Tour, reasons unknown. The last time the King of Pop would perform "Man in the Mirror" would be during the This Is It rehearsals on June 24, 2009. It was one of the last songs he sang to during his lifetime.

30th Annual Grammy Awards[]

The most notable performance of the song happened during the 30th Annual Grammy Awards in 1988. There, Jackson would sing it with a choir. This version also featured a much longer outro.[3]

Lyrics[]

[Verse 1]
Mm-hmm, aah, mmm, uh, uh
I'm gonna make a change, uh, for once in my life
Uh, It's gonna feel real good
Gonna make a difference, gonna make it right
Uh, uh, As I turn up the collar on my favorite winter coat
This wind is blowin' my mind
I see the kids in the street with not enough to eat
Who am I to be blind, pretending not to see their needs?
A summer's disregard, a broken bottle top
And one man's soul
They follow each other on the wind, ya know
'Cause they got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know

[Chorus]
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
Na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na, na-na

[Verse 2]
Uh-huh, uh, uh
I've been a victim of a selfish kinda love
It's time that I realize
There are some with no home
Not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me pretending that they're not alone?
A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart
And a washed-out dream
They follow the pattern of the wind, ya see
'Cause they got no place to be
That's why I'm starting with me

[Chorus]
I'm starting with the man in the mirror (Who?)
I'm asking him to change his ways (Who?)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
I'm starting with the man in the mirror (Who?)
I'm asking him to change his ways (Who?)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that change
I'm starting with the man in the mirror (Man in the mirror, oh, yeah)
I'm asking him to change his ways (Change his ways, ooh!)
(Come on, change)
And no message could have been any clearer

[Bridge]
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make the change
You gotta get it right while you got the time
'Cause when you close your heart (You can't)
Then you close your mind (Close your, your mind!)

[Chorus]
(That man, that man) I'm starting with the man in the mirror
(That man) (Man in the mirror, oh, yeah)
(Ooh!)
(That man, that man) I'm asking him to change his ways
(That man, the man)
(Change his ways, ooh!)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that
(Take a look at yourself and then make that)
Change!

[Outro]
Hoo, hoo (Na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na, na-na), hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo!
Ooh, it's gonna feel real good (Oh, yeah)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (Na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na, na-na)
Yeah, yeah, oh, oh no
Yeah, mmm, I'm gonna make a change
It's gonna feel real good, shamone (Change)
Just lift yourself, you know
You've got to start with yourself, (Yeah) hoo!
(Make that change) I gotta make that change today, hoo!
(Man in the mirror) You got to, you got to not pick yourself, brother, hoo! (Yeah)
You know (Make that change)
I've gotta get that man, that man (Man in the mirror)
You got to, you got to move, shamone, shamone
You got to stand up (Yeah), stand up (Make that change), stand up, stand up and lift yourself now (Man in the mirror)
Hoo, hoo, hoo! Aaow! (Yeah, make that change)
Go make that change, shamone (Man in the mirror)
You know it, you know it, you know it, you know (Change)
Make that change


Gallery[]

Trivia[]

References[]

Discography
Studio albums
Got to Be ThereBenMusic & MeForever, Michael Off the WallThrillerBadDangerousHIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book IInvincible
Other albums
Farewell My Summer LoveBlood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the MixThe Ultimate CollectionThriller 25MichaelBad 25XscapeScreamThriller 40
Singles
"Got to Be There" • "Rockin' Robin" • "I Wanna Be Where You Are" • "Ain't No Sunshine" • "Ben" • "With a Child's Heart" • "Music & Me" • "We're Almost There" • "Just a Little Bit of You" • "You Can't Win" • "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" • "Rock with You" • "Off the Wall" • "She's Out of My Life" • "Girlfriend" • "One Day in Your Life" • "The Girl is Mine" • "Billie Jean" • "Beat It" • "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" • "Human Nature" • "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" • "Thriller" • "Happy" • "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" • "Bad" • "The Way You Make Me Feel" • "Man in the Mirror" • "Dirty Diana" • "Another Part of Me" • "Smooth Criminal" • "Leave Me Alone" • "Liberian Girl" • "Black or White" • "Remember the Time" • "In the Closet" • "Jam" • "Who Is It" • "Heal the World" • "Give In to Me" • "Will You Be There" • "Gone Too Soon" • "Scream/Childhood" • "You Are Not Alone" • "Earth Song" • "They Don't Care About Us" • "Stranger in Moscow" • "Blood on the Dance Floor" • "HIStory/Ghosts" • "Smile" • "You Rock My World" • "Butterflies" • "Cry" • "What More Can I Give" • "One More Chance" • "The Girl is Mine 2008" • "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" • "Hold My Hand" • "Mind Is the Magic" • "Hollywood Tonight" • "Behind the Mask" • "(I Like) The Way You Love Me" • "Love Never Felt So Good" • "A Place with No Name" • "Blood on the Dance Floor X Dangerous (The White Panda Mash-Up)"
Promotional singles
"Speed Demon" • "Someone Put Your Hand Out" • "This Time Around" • "Is It Scary" • "Speechless" • "Unbreakable" • "Cheater" • "This Is It"
Non-single songs
"Girl Don't Take Your Love from Me" • "In Our Small Way" • "Wings of My Love" • "Maria (You Were the Only One)" • "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" • "You've Got a Friend" • "Greatest Show on Earth" • "People Make the World go Round" • "We've Got a Good Thing Going" • "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" • "My Girl" • "What Goes Around Comes Around" • "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" • "You Can Cry on My Shoulder" • "Up Again" • "All the Things You Are" • "Too Young" • "Doggin' Around" • "Euphoria" • "Morning Glow" • "Johnny Raven" • "Take Me Back" • "Cinderella Stay Awhile" • "We've Got Forever" • "You Are There" • "Dapper Dan" • "Dear Michael" • "I'll Come Home To You" • "Workin' Day and Night" • "Get on the Floor" • "I Can't Help It" • "It's The Falling In Love" • "Burn This Disco Out" • "Someone in the Dark" • "Baby Be Mine" • "The Lady In My Life" • "Just Good Friends" • "Why You Wanna Trip on Me" • "She Drives Me Wild" • "Can't Let Her Get Away" • "Keep the Faith" • "Dangerous" • "D.S." • "Money" • "Come Together" • "Tabloid Junkie" • "2 Bad" • "Little Susie / Pie Jesu" • "On the Line" • "Morphine" • "Superfly Sister" • "Carousel" • "Streetwalker" • "Fly Away" • "Heartbreaker" • "Invincible" • "Break of Dawn" • "Heaven Can Wait" • "2000 Watts" • "You Are My Life" • "Privacy" • "Don't Walk Away" • "The Lost Children" • "Whatever Happens" • "Threatened" • "Shout" • "Sunset Driver" • "Scared of the Moon" • "We Are Here to Change the World" • "Monkey Business" • "Fall Again" • "In the Back" • "Beautiful Girl" • "We've Had Enough" • "For All Time" • "Got the Hots" • "Best of Joy" • "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" • "Much Too Soon" • "Don't Be Messin' 'Round" • "I'm So Blue" • "Abortion Papers" • "Free" • "Price of Fame" • "Al Capone" • "Chicago" • "Loving You" • "Slave to the Rhythm" • "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" • "Blue Gangsta" • "Xscape" • "Starlight" • "Who Do You Know" • "The Toy" • "What a Lovely Way to Go" • "She's Trouble"
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