Man in the Mirror

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For other uses, see Man in the Mirror (disambiguation).
"Man in the Mirror"
File:Mjmitm.jpg
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album Bad
Released January 9, 1988
Format CD single, 7" single, 12" single, Video single
Recorded May 1987
Genre Soul
Length 5:19 (Album & 12" versions)
5:00 (Single & video versions)
Label Epic
Writer(s) Siedah Garrett, Glen Ballard
Producer(s) Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson (co-producer)
Michael Jackson singles chronology
"The Way You Make Me Feel"
(1987)		 "Man in the Mirror"
(1988)		 "Dirty Diana"
(1988)
Bad track listing
"Another Part of Me"
(6)		 "Man in the Mirror"
(7)		 "I Just Can't Stop Loving You"
(8)
HIStory Begins track listing
"I Just Can't Stop Loving You"
(7)		 "Man in the Mirror"
(8)		 "Thriller"
(9)
Number Ones (American) track listing
"The Way You Make Me Feel"
(9)		 "Man in the Mirror"
(10)		 "Dirty Diana"
(11)
This Is It track listing
"Billie Jean"
(13)		 "Man in the Mirror"
(14)		 "This Is It"
(15)
Music video
"Man In The Mirror" on YouTube
Audio sample
noicon
file info · help

"Man in the Mirror" is a song made popular by Michael Jackson and written by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett. Jackson's recording was produced by Quincy Jones and co-produced by Jackson. It peaked at number 1 in the United States when released in January 1988 as the fourth single from his seventh solo album, Bad. It is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed songs and it was nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 2 weeks. The song peaked at number 21 in the UK Singles Charts in 1988, but in 2009, following the news of Jackson's death, the song peaked at number 2, having re-entered the chart at 11 the previous week as his top song on the singles chart.[1] It also became the number 1 single in iTunes downloads in the US and the UK,[2] having sold over 1.3 million digital copies in the former alone.[3]

The song was remixed for the soundtrack of Jackson's tribute tour Immortal.

Composition

"Man in the Mirror" was composed by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett. Jackson added background vocals from Garrett, The Winans and the Andrae Crouch Choir, which gave the song its distinctive sound. The song is said to have been one of his favorite songs.[4] Arranged with a gospel choir, Jackson would use a gospel choir again several years later on his hit "Will You Be There". Siedah Garrett also sang Jackson's duet "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" in summer 1987. The song is played in the key of G Major at a tempo of 100bpm. The vocal range is Ab3-C6.[5]

The single sleeve for "Man in the Mirror" contained a dedication to Yoshiaki Ogiwara, a five-year-old boy from Takasaki, Gunma, Japan who was kidnapped for ransom and subsequently murdered in September 1987. The killing was highly traumatic to the Japanese public and to Jackson himself, who was touring Japan at the time and subsequently dedicated concerts in Osaka and Yokohama to the boy's memory.[6]

Critical response

"Man in the Mirror" is one of Michael Jackson's most critically acclaimed songs. When Ed Hogan reviewed the song, he called it "gentle."[7] Robert Christgau wrote: "He's against burglary, speeding, and sex in favor of harmonic convergence and changing the world by changing the man in the mirror."[8] Jon Pareles of The New York Times noted that this song has "gospelly lift."[9] Rolling Stone's Davitt Sigerson thought that "Man in the Mirror" stands among the half dozen best things Jackson has done, and he continued: "On "Man in the Mirror," a song he did not write, Jackson goes a step further and offers a straightforward homily of personal commitment: "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."[10]

Music video

One of the videos is a notable departure from Jackson's other videos mainly because Jackson himself does not appear in the video (aside from a brief clip toward the end of the video in which he can be seen donning a red jacket and standing in a large crowd). Instead, it featured a montage of footage from various major news events such as the nuclear explosion of Operation Crossroads, the Civil Rights March on Washington, John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy's assassinations, the Vietnam War, the Kent State shootings, the Iranian hostage crisis, Cesar Chavez, Solidarity's birth and growth, Ethiopian famine, increases in U.S. homelessness, Live Aid, the first Farm Aid with Willie Nelson, Jessica McClure's rescue, Salvadoran Civil War, Camp David Accords (with Anwar El Sadat, Menachem Begin and Jimmy Carter), INF Treaty signing (with Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan), and other notable people including Martin Luther King, Lech Wałęsa, Mother Teresa, Desmond Tutu, Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Pieter Willem Botha, Muammar al-Gaddafi, the Ku Klux Klan, and Adolf Hitler.[11]

The PCM Stereo music video version of this song was included on Number Ones, Michael Jackson's Vision, the Target version DVD of Bad 25, and the song's video that released on VHS in 1989.

An alternate live video was used as the opening song in Jackson's film Moonwalker with live audio and footage from several live performances of the song during the Bad World Tour.

Chart performance

"Man In The Mirror" was the 4th consecutive number-one single for Jackson's Bad in the United States. The single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 48 on February 6, 1988, and reached number 1 by its 8th week on the chart, on March 26, 1988, where it remained for 2 weeks. It originally peaked at number 21 in the United Kingdom in 1988. However, following Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, "Man in the Mirror" re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number 11, and the following week the song peaked at number 2, held off by Cascada's "Evacuate the Dancefloor". The chart had also contained over 12 Michael Jackson songs in the Top 40. This song had been at top 100 for 15 consecutive weeks in this chart. In Australia the song originally charted at number 39. After the singer's death, the song re-entered the chart and peaked at number 8, much higher than its original release. It was also the top single in iTunes downloads in the US and the UK[2]

Charts

Live performances

Jackson performed a live, extended version of the song at the 1988 Grammy Awards. He also performed the song as the ending of the concert during the Bad World Tour's second leg, and regularly during the Dangerous World Tour. Live versions of the song are available on the DVDs Live at Wembley July 16, 1988 and Live in Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour. On July 16, 1996, Jackson also performed "Man in the Mirror" at the Royal Concert Brunei for the last time prior to the United We Stand benefit concert.

The instrumental introduction to the song was played at the end of Jackson's memorial service, while his casket was being carried out; followed by the appearance of a spotlight shining on a microphone on an empty stage. After a closing prayer that incorporated themes from the song, the spotlight remained shining on the lone microphone.[35] The song is also featured as the final number in Michael Jackson's This Is It.

See also

Track listing

  • 12" and CD
  1. "Man in the Mirror" (single version) – 5:00
  2. "Man in the Mirror" (album version) – 5:19
  3. "Man In The Mirror" (instrumental) – 5:00
  • 7"
  1. Man in the Mirror (single version) - 5:00
  2. Man in the Mirror (instrumental) - 5:00
  • Video single
  1. Man in the Mirror (music video) - 5:00

Running time: 5 minutes 30 seconds

Sampling/remixes

  • 2006: The song is sampled by Brooklyn hip hop artist Papoose during the summer of that year on his song "Gonna Make a Change" from mixtape The Boyz in the Hood.[36] The song describes his rough upbringing and his struggles.
  • 2008: Chicago-based rapper Rhymefest freestyles over the instrumental version of "Man in the Mirror" with Michael Jackson singing the chorus and a part of the second verse. It released on his tribute mixtape Mark Ronson Presents: Man in the Mirror.[37][38]

Live cover performances

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See also: List of artists who have covered Michael Jackson

1980s

2000s

2010s

Personnel

  • Written and composed by Siedah Garrett and Glen Ballard
  • Produced by Quincy Jones
  • Co-Produced by Michael Jackson
  • Michael Jackson: Solo & background vocals
    • Featuring Siedah Garrett, The Winans and The Andrae Crouch Choir
  • Ollie E. Brown: Clap
  • Dann Huff: Guitar
  • Greg Phillinganes: Keyboards
  • Glen Ballard, Randy Kerber: Synthesizers
  • Siedah Garrett: Background vocals
  • The Winans: Carvin, Marvin, Michael and Ronald Winans
    • Andrae Crouch and his Choir: Sandra Crouch, Maxi Anderson, Rose Banks, Geary Faggett, Vonciele Faggett, Andrew Gouche, Linda Green, Pattie Howard, Jean Johnson, Perry Morgan, Alfie Silas, Roberto Noriega
  • Rhythm arrangement by Glen Ballard and Quincy Jones
  • Synthesizer arrangement by Glen Ballard, Quincy Jones and Jerry Hey
  • Vocal arrangement by Andrae Crouch

External links

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Related by Casey Kasem on "American Top 40", week of February 27, 1988.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Only results when searching "Man in the mirror"
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Charts.org.nz – Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror". Tracklisten. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  31. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror". VG-lista. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  32. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  33. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror". Singles Top 60. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  34. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Note: The poster of the video added the segment of the song at the end of the video after the prayer.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. "Ronson teamed up with Chicago super-emcee Rhymefest for Man In The Mirror, a tribute album built upon samples from the King Of Pop himself, Michael Jackson."
  39. ↑ Video on YouTube
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  46. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  48. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  49. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  50. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  51. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  52. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  53. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  54. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  55. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  56. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  57. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Preceded by Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
March 26, 1988 – April 2, 1988		 Succeeded by
"Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car" by Billy Ocean
Preceded by Billboard Hot Black Singles number-one single
March 26, 1988		 Succeeded by
"Wishing Well" by Terence Trent D'Arby
Preceded by UK R&B Chart number-one single
July 5, 2009 – July 19, 2009		 Succeeded by
"Beat Again" by JLS
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