Man in the Mirror

"Man in the Mirror"
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album Bad
Released	January 16, 1988
Format	CD single, 7" single, 12" single, Video single, Cassette
Recorded	May 1987
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)
Music video "Man In The Mirror" on YouTube Audio sample 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 Andraé Crouch Choir, which gave the song its distinctive sound. The song is said to have been one of Jackson's 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, The Troubles, 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, John Lennon, 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.

The song 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] It has sold 567,280 copies in the UK as of January 2016.^[12]

Charts

Weekly 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.^[37] The song is also featured as the final number in Michael Jackson's This Is It.

See also

• Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story, a 2004 TV film about Jackson's life. Starring Flex Alexander.

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.^[38] 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.^[39][40]

Cover performances

1980s

• 1988: Kids Incorporated covered "Man in the Mirror" in the Season 5 episode "The Guitarist".
• 1989: American singer Dionne Warwick performed "Man in the Mirror" at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards.^[41]

2000s

• 2007: Australian singer Natalie Gauci also known as the winner of 5th season of Australian Idol performed the song during the show.^[42]
• 2008: "Man in the Mirror" has been performed on The X Factor by contestant Diana Vickers during the fifth series,^[43] after which the song re-entered the UK singles charts the week after at 43.
  • 2009: Contestant Danyl Johnson performed the same song in the sixth series.^[44]
• 2009: American Idol season 8 winner Kris Allen sang the song during the semi-finals.^[45] With this performance, he advanced to the finals.
• 2009: Following Jackson's death, Irish rock band U2 started adding a portion of "Man in the Mirror" at the end of their song "Angel of Harlem" during their 360 World tour.^[46]
• 2009: American rock band The Fray performed the song's chorus at two live concerts, during their songs "Never Say Never" (on June 25, the day where Jackson died), and "Look After You" (exactly the month after).^[47]
• 2009: The song was performed as Grand Finale by all the artists of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Concert. Performers including Wyclef Jean, Toby Keith, and Westlife.^[48]
• 2009: Swedish singer Eddie Razaz covers Jackson's song on the 6th season of Idol (Sweden)^[49] and released on the Swedish Idol Compilation 2009.
• 2009: English singer and songwriter Amy Studt covered this song in her 2009 acoustic tour.^[50]
• 2009: American born artist of Chinese descent Leehom Wang performed "Man in the Mirror" on his "Music-Man" Tour at Beijing Workers Stadium, in China on August 22 A CD single released on the same day to the audiences for free.^[51]
• 2009: Italian singer Marco Mengoni performed this song during the first live show of the 3rd season of the Italian X Factor. The song was later recorded and included in his debut EP, titled Dove si vola.^[52]
• 2009: The All-American Rejects, an American rock band sung the chorus of "Man in the Mirror" during an acoustic performance of "Gives You Hell" for the Kidd Kraddick in the Morning show.^[53]

2010s

• 2010: American R&B singer Whitney Houston performed the song during her concert at the Olimpiyskiy on the I Look to You Tour.^[54]
• 2010: Pop rock band The Liaison played their interpretation of the song at several shows on the anniversary of Jackson's death^[55]
• 2010: American pop singer Chris Brown sung the song at the BET Awards 2010 as final for his Jackson stage performance. However, Brown broke down crying during the song and was unable to finish it.^[56]
• 2010: Contestant Jermaine Sellers performed this song during Hollywood Week of the 9th season of American Idol.
• 2011: Canadian artist Celine Dion performed this song during a medley of Jackson's songs at her new show, "Celine" in Las Vegas.^[57]
• 2011: American Idol season 10 contestant Jacob Lusk performed the song during the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" week with original co-songwriter Siedah Garrett.^[58]
• 2011: Adam Levine, front man and guitarist of band Maroon 5 and singer Javier Colon covered the song during the season finale performance show of The Voice.^[59]
• 2011: The X Factor (U.S.) season 1 contestant Melanie Amaro performed the song during the "Songs from movies" week.
• 2012: Kye Sones performed the song during the first week of live performances. The theme of the show was 'Heroes.'
• 2013: X Factor Indonesia season 1 group Nu Dimension performed the song with acoustic version during the "Road to Grand Final" week.
• 2013: Snoop, Jordin Sparks, Jason Derulo, Siedah Garrett Perform Michael Jackson's Man in the Mirror at the Power of Love Gala: Quincy Jones and Sir Michael Caine's 80th Birthdays
• 2013: Danny Worsnop covered the song for the Thriller: A Metal Tribute to Michael Jackson tribute album.^[60]
• 2016: Contestant Brian Justin Crum performed it as his final performance on America's Got Talent (season 11)
• 2016: Australian musician Anthony Callea covered the song for his album Backbone
• 2016: Contestants Andrew DeMuro and Billy Gilman performed it during the Battle Rounds of The Voice (season 11) for Team Adam Levine. ^[61]

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 Andraé 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

• Official Music Video on YouTube
• Glen Ballard biography
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

References