![]() The man MJ saw in the mirror in 1988 may have been the same.īut "Man in the Mirror" circa 2009 tells a different story. While it succeeds as an upbeat pop song, "Man in the Mirror" is also sentimental, idealistic, and sensitive. ![]() It reflects MJ's growing contributions to social change, and his impressive life as a breakthrough black artist who had lived through the huge transformations of the Civil Rights Movement to become a global star. The song is an exploration of personal identity and the relationship of an individual to society. When "Man in the Mirror" came out, it was the inspired work of a huge star in his prime. Though Jackson wrote most of the songs on Bad, "Man in the Mirror" was the work of Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett, a brilliant singer and songwriter who also sings with Jackson on "I Just Can't Stop Loving You." With Jones, Jackson produced "Man in the Mirror" and no less than four other singles to hit the top of the Billboard charts in 1988 (Jackson released 13 number one hit singles in his lifetime, and Bad holds the record for the most number one singles from one album by any artist). Jones also produced " We Are the World," the famous 1985 charity single that raised money for impoverished people in Africa (the concept and name was replicated by a group of today's big names to raise money after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti). Jones, the most-nominated Grammy artist of all time, was the producer for Off the Wall, Jackson's first adult solo album, and for Thriller, an unprecedented success that has sold more copies than any album in history. It was in 1977, when Jackson performed with Diana Ross in the musical The Wiz, that Jackson met star producer, musician, and civil rights activist Quincy Jones. Despite unheard-of success as a solo artist, Michael remained with his brothers as the Jacksons until 1984. The Jackson 5, signed to the famed Motown Records, left Motown for Epic Records in 1975. Since the 1969 explosion of the Jackson 5's debut single "I Want You Back," the young singer and dancer had remained in the limelight almost without cease, releasing hits such as "ABC" and "I'll Be There" in 1970, and coming out with his first solo album in 1972. "Man in the Mirror," circa 1988: Beloved superstar Jackson was still under 30 when Bad was released. The second, the "Man in the Mirror" that played at the end of Jackson's 2009 public memorial, is a song about a man whose struggles with self-image, personal identity, and media attention spiraled out of control and arguably led to his early death. The first, the 1988 version of the song, is about a beloved child star grown up into a strong sense of social involvement and worldly compassion. Instead of a single, simple song about a self-reflective man, it seems like "Man in the Mirror" is two songs-or at least a song that tells two stories. What happened between the days of Thriller and Bad, and the day when what was determined to be a drug-induced homicide ended MJ's life at only 51? Who was Michael Jackson when "Man in the Mirror" first came out-and who did the man in the mirror become? But it's hard to look at the life of Michael Jackson without wondering, at least for a moment, "what happened?" You do whatever you want."Man in the Mirror" is one of the most widely played tributes to the late King of Pop, not least because of the positive, benevolent light it puts him in. It wasn’t so much the money, it was more like, “You know what, we’ve made big videos, this is just… I don’t know what I want, so I want you to make the video. They wanted to keep the costs down because Michael paid for all the studios. ![]() “We’re in study and Michael says ‘I want you to make a video for ‘Man in the Mirror’ and I will not be in it.’ He was getting ready for the tour and rehearsing. However, Jackson sometimes paired his songs with music videos that were a little more low-key.ĭuring an interview with Billboard, Epic Records executive Larry Stessel recalled the creation of one of his videos. Bad included some huge, memorable singles, such as the title song, “The Way You Make Me Feel,” and “Smooth Criminal.” Each of those songs has a memorable music video. In 1987, Jackson released one of his most famous albums: Bad. Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones | Chris Walter/WireImage A director had permission to do whatever he wanted for this Michael Jackson videoįirstly, a little background.
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