Man in the Mirror (1987)

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By:
Michael Jackson (born August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, died June 25, 2009 of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles, California.)

Called the King of Pop, Jackson is recognized by Guinness World Records as the most successful entertainer of all time. His contribution to music, dance and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.

The eighth child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene alongside his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in the mid-1960s, and began his solo career in 1971.

According to Rolling Stone magazine, "Man in the Mirror" was described as "a straightforward homily of personal commitment", which can be seen in the lyrics:

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.

According to J. Randy Taraborrelli's biography, Michael Jackson - The Magic, the Madness, the Whole Story, all of the profits from "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.

Chart position:
#1 (US), #21 (UK). It charted at #2 in 2009 (after Jackson's death).

"Man in the Mirror" was Michael's tenth #1 solo hit. It was also his eighth #1 hit of the 1980s, which set a record for the entire decade.

It was preceded at #1 in the US by "Never Gonna Give You Up" (Rick Astley) and succeeded by "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car" (Billy Ocean). 

"Man in the Mirror" was the fourth consecutive number-one single for Jackson's Bad in the United States. The single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #48 on February 6, 1988, and reached #1 by its eighth week on the chart, on March 26, 1988, where it remained for two weeks.

It originally charted at #21 in the UK 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 #2, held off by Cascada.

At that same time, the UK Singles chart contained over 12 Michael Jackson songs in the Top 40. This song had been at top 100 for 15 consecutive weeks in this chart.

Written by:
Siedah Garrett (born June 24, 1960, Los Angeles, California) and Glen Ballard (born May 1, 1953 in Natchez, Mississippi).

In an interview with SongTalk magazine, Glen Ballard said, "I sat down and started playing a figure on the keyboard and Siedah opened up her notebook . . . I started singing a verse idea melodically. I heard her singing something about a 'man in the mirror,' and I said, 'That's great. I love that.' So the first time I heard the title it was actually in the song."

Siedah Garrett also contributed to the backing vocals, along with the Winans and the Andrae Crouch Choir.

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