Man in the Mirror

"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.

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 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. It is rumoured that Jackson and Garrett wrote the lyrics to the song in one night.

Arranged with a gospel choir, a year after David Bowie used the same device for "Underground", from the fantasy film Labyrinth, other popular artists at the time who had tracks featuring gospel choirs include Debbie Gibson, Mariah Carey and Madonna for her 1989 number one hit "Like a Prayer". Siedah Garett was one of the backing vocalists for Madonna's Re-Invention Tour of 2004 and performed a short solo during "Like a Prayer". It remains one of Madonna's most popular songs.

Jackson has performed a live, extended version of the song at the 1988 Grammy Awards. He also performed the song as the endings of his concert at his Bad World Tour's second leg, and regularly at his Dangerous World Tour. In the latter, the song was ensued by stuntman Kinnie Gibson dressed as Jackson flying out of the arena in a jetpack. On July 16, 1995, Jackson also performed "Man in the Mirror" at the Royal Concert Brunei.

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 Indian housemate, the Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty.

The tv series Cold Case used the song for the ending montage in the episode "Time to Crime".

The song is sampled by Brooklyn MC Papoose during the summer of 2006 on his "Gonna Make a Change." The song describes his rough upbringing and his struggles. Later the song was freestyled by rapper Rhymefest with Michael singing the chorus & singing part of his second verse.


Released: January 18, 1988
Format: CD single
Recorded: 1987
Genre: Soul
Length: 5:18 (album version) 5:03 (single edit)
Label: Epic Records
Writer(s): Glen Ballard, Siedah Garrett
Producer: Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones

Im gonna make a change,
For once in my life
Its gonna feel real good,
Gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right . . .

As i, turn up the collar on my
Favourite 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 summers disregard,
A broken bottle top
And a one mans soul
They follow each other on
The wind ya know
cause they got nowhere to go
Thats why I want you to know

Im starting with the man in the mirror
Im asking him to change his ways
And no message could have
Been any clearer
If you wanna make the world
A better place
(if you wanna make the
World a better place)
Take a look at yourself, and
Then make a change
(take a look at yourself, and
Then make a change)
(na na na, na na na, na na, na nah)

Ive been a victim of a selfish
Kind of love
Its time that I realize
That there are some with no
Home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me,
Pretending that theyre not alone?

A willow deeply scarred,
Somebodys broken heart
And a washed-out dream
(washed-out dream)
They follow the pattern of
The wind, ya see
Cause they got no place to be
Thats why Im starting with me
(starting with me!)

Im starting with the man in the mirror
(ooh!)
Im asking him to change his ways
(ooh!)
And no message could have
Been any clearer
If you wanna make the world
A better place
(if you wanna make the
World a better place)
Take a look at yourself and
Then make a change
(take a look at yourself and
Then make a change)

Im starting with the man in
The mirror
(ooh!)
Im asking him to change his ways
(change his ways-ooh!)
And no message couldve
Been any clearer
If you wanna make the world
A better place
(if you wanna 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!

Im starting with the man in the mirror,
(man in the mirror-oh yeah!)
Im asking him to change his ways
(better change!)
No message could have
Been any clearer
(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 cant close your . . .your mind!
(then you close your . . . mind!)
That man, that man, that
Man, that man
With that man in the mirror
(man in the mirror, oh yeah!)
That man, that man, that man
Im asking him to change his ways
(better change!)
You know . . .that man
No message could have
Been any clearer
If you wanna make the world
A better place
(if you wanna make the
World a better place)
Take a look at yourself and
Then make a change
(take a look at yourself and
Then make a change)
Hoo! hoo! hoo! hoo! hoo!
Na na na, na na na, na na,
Na nah
(oh yeah!)
Gonna feel real good now!
Yeah yeah! yeah yeah!
Yeah yeah!
Na na na, na na na, na na,
Na nah
(ooooh . . .)
Oh no, no no . . .
Im gonna make a change
Its gonna feel real good!
Come on!
(change . . .)
Just lift yourself
You know
Youve got to stop it.
Yourself!
(yeah!-make that change!)
Ive got to make that change,
Today!
Hoo!
(man in the mirror)
You got to
You got to not let yourself . . .
Brother . . .
Hoo!
(yeah!-make that change!)
You know-Ive got to get
That man, that man . . .
(man in the mirror)
Youve got to
Youve got to move! come
On! come on!
You got to . . .
Stand up! stand up!
Stand up!
(yeah-make that change)
Stand up and lift
Yourself, now!
(man in the mirror)
Hoo! hoo! hoo!
Aaow!
(yeah-make that change)
Gonna make that change . . .
Come on!
(man in the mirror)
You know it!
You know it!
You know it!
You know . . .
(change . . .)
Make that change.