Man in the Mirror
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| "Man in the Mirror" | ||
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| Single by Michael Jackson | ||
| from the album Bad | ||
| Released | January 1988 | |
| Format | CD single | |
| Recorded | 1987 | |
| Genre | Pop/R&B | |
| Length | 5:19 | |
| Label | Epic Records | |
| Writer(s) | Glen Ballard Siedah Garrett Michael Jackson |
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| Producer(s) | Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones | |
| Chart positions | ||
| Michael Jackson singles chronology | ||
| "The Way You Make Me Feel" (1987) |
"Man in the Mirror" (1988) |
"Dirty Diana" (1988) |
"Man in the Mirror" was a number-one hit for singer Michael Jackson when released as a single in the spring of 1988. 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 garnered massive airplay and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks.
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[edit] Song information
The midtempo track is well known for its dramatic flourishes and Jackson's passionate delivery of its poignant lyrics. The song's lyrics were composed by songwriters Glen Ballard, Siedah Garrett (who can be heard singing in the background with Jackson) and Michael Jackson. Jackson added background vocals from Garrett, the Winans and the Andrae Crouch Choir, which gave the song its distinctive sound and greatly contributed to its popularity. It is rumoured that Jackson and Garrett wrote the lyrics to the song in one night.
The song popularized the use of Gospel choirs in pop songs during this era which can be heard on popular tracks by such as artists as Debbie Gibson, Mariah Carey, and on Madonna's 1989 number one hit "Like a Prayer". As a matter of fact,Siedah Garett was one of the backing vocals for Madonna's Re-invention Tour and perfomed a short solo during "Like a Prayer".It remains one of Jackson's most popular songs.
Jackson has performed the song live at several concerts in the past, and also performed a live, extended version at the 1988 Grammy Awards.
This song has been included in most of Jackson's numerous compilation albums but for some reason it was omitted from the recent "Visionary: The Video Singles" box set.
The song was quoted by Jermaine Jackson during Celebrity Big Brother 2007, while confronting several white housemates who had been racially bullying an Asian housemate named Shilpa Shetty.
[edit] Chart Performance
"Man In The Mirror" was the fourth consecutive U.S. #1 single from the Bad album. The single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #48 on February 6, 1988, and reached #1 by its eighth week on the chart, March 26, 1988, where it remained for two weeks.
[edit] Music video
The music video to "Man in the Mirror" did not feature any footage of Jackson singing (though it did have some pictures in it). It generally shows footage of historic events in escalating intensity of violence and despair, leading up to a nuclear explosion at the point where the key of the song changes, followed by footage expressing hope and peace.
Some of the footage used in the video clip includes:
- The nuclear explosion footage from the Baker test of Operation Crossroads.
- Rescue footage of Baby Jessica McClure.
- Martin Luther King.
- Funeral of JFK.
- Robert F. Kennedy
- 1984 Famine in Ethiopia.
- Mahatma Gandhi.
- Live Aid.
- Mother Teresa
- Lech Wałęsa
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[edit] Track listing
- "Man In The Mirror" (7" version) – 4:55
- "Man In The Mirror" (album mix) – 5:17
- "Man In The Mirror" (instrumental) – 4:55
[edit] Mixes
- Album Version 5:18
- 7" Version 5:03
- Instrumental 5:03
[edit] Credits
- Written and composed by Siedah Garret and Glen Ballard
- Solo and background vocals: Michael Jackson featuring Siedah Garret, The Winans and The Andrae Crouch Choir
- Clap: Ollie E. Brown
- Guitar: Dan Huff
- Keyboards: Greg Phillinganes
- Synthesizers: Glen Ballard and Randy Kerber
- Background vocals: Siedah Garrett, The Winans: Carvin, Marvin, Michael and Ronald Winans and The Andrae Crouch Choir: Sandra Crouch, Maxi Anderson, Rose Banks, Geary Faggett, Vonciele Faggett, Andrew Gouche, Linda Green, Francine Howard, Jean Johnson, Perry Morgan and Alfie Silas
- Rhythm arrangements by Glen Ballard and Quincy Jones
- Synthesizer arrangement by Glen Ballard, Quincy Jones and Jerry Hey
- Vocal arrangement by Andrae Crouch
[edit] External links
| Preceded by "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley |
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 |
