“Man in the Mirror” is the fourth single from Michael Jackson’s 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 two weeks. The song peaked at #21 in the UK Singles Charts in 1988, but in 2009, following the news of Jackson’s death, the song peaked at #2. It also became the #1 single in iTunes downloads in the U.S. and the U.K., having sold over 1.3 million digital copies in the former alone.
“Man In The Mirror”
I’m gonna make a change
Co-writer Siedah Garrett said in a 2017 interview with Songwriter Universe, that “this song was deeper than just the visual of a man looking at himself in the mirror.” She elaborated upon a theme, “It was that, juxtaposed with the idea of a man going deeper inside himself to change from within. To make a difference on the outside, you have to first start from within.”
For once in my life
It’s gonna feel real good
Gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right
As I, turn up the collar on
My favorite 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 summer’s disregard
A broken bottle top
And a one man’s soul
They follow each other on the wind ya know
‘Cause they got nowhere to go
That’s why I want you to know
I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could’ve been any clearer
If they wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
I’ve been a victim of a selfish kind of love
It’s time that I realize
That there are some with no home
Not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me pretending that they’re not alone?
A willow deeply scarred
Somebody’s 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
That’s why I’m starting with me
I’m starting with the man in the mirror (oh)
I’m asking him to change his ways (oh)
And no message could’ve been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
I’m starting with the man in the mirror (oh)
I’m asking him to change his ways (oh)
And no message could’ve been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that
Change
I’m starting with the man in the mirror (oh yeah)
I’m asking him to change his ways (better change)
No message could’ve 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 can’t
(Then you close your) close your, your mind
With the man in the mirror, oh yeah
I’m asking him to change his ways (better change)
No message could’ve been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
(Oh yeah) gonna feel real good now
I’m gonna make a change
It’s gonna feel real good
Come on (change)
Just lift yourself
You know
You’ve got to stop it
Yourself (yeah)
(Make that change)
I’ve got to make that change today
(Man in the mirror) you got to
You got to not let yourself brother
(Yeah) you know
(Make that change) I’ve got to get that man, that man
You’ve got to
You’ve got to move
Come on
Come on
You got to
Stand up, stand up (yeah, make that change)
Stand up
Stand up and lift
Yourself, now
(Man in the mirror)
(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
An instrumental version of this song played at the end of Michael Jackson’s memorial service on the 7th of July 2009.
