I've always been a fan of Michael's, and ever since the tragic news this past June, his Number Ones album has been on repeat in my car stereo. (Seriously, I think it's time to take it out...)
Well I love the good ol' "Billie Jean" (my namesake), "Thriller" (I'm learning the dance!!), and "Beat It", and of course I will just bump up "Smooth Criminal" and "Bad" to top volume...but for the first time in a long time, I listened to "Man in the Mirror" the other day.
It was a simple trip to Target, but I could not stop thinking about the song - most importantly, the lyrics. It's absolutely beautiful, and I have since (of course) learned every word and played it, oh, about 500 times in five days.
Read them:
I'm gonna make a change
For once in my life
It's gonna feel real good
Gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right
As I turned 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 you 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 have been any clearer
If you 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 kinda love
It's time that I realize
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
They follow the pattern of the wind, you 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
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
(chorus x2)
You gotta get it right, while you got the time
'Cause when you close your heart
Then you close your mind
(chorus and ad-libbing)
Make that change.
And take a listen:
For once in my life
It's gonna feel real good
Gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right
As I turned 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 you 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 have been any clearer
If you 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 kinda love
It's time that I realize
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
They follow the pattern of the wind, you 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
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
(chorus x2)
You gotta get it right, while you got the time
'Cause when you close your heart
Then you close your mind
(chorus and ad-libbing)
Make that change.
And take a listen:
This is the kind of music I love: talented musicians singing words with meaning. None of this hip-hop, rap, booty-shaking, grinding and gettin' down, "pop rock junk" currently flooding mainstream media.
But then, of course, there's the other side of the token: not only singing/liking/listening to words with meaning, but walking the walk.
If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change.
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