SOCIAL AND RACIAL PROBLEM EXPOSED IN MICHAEL JACKSON’S SELECTED SONGS
A THESIS
BY:
YUNI ERIKA
REG. NO. 100705051
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
ABSTRACTS
In this thesis, I analyze some of Michael Jackson’ songs which concern to the negatively
social and racial problem. Social problem that happened to the society in this world, then racial
problem that happened to the Black people, such as: Skin Color, Prejudice, Discrimination,
Stereotypes, and Racial Segregation. In his songs entitled Heal The World, We Are The World,
and The Man In The Mirror have the meaning of to make a better world. Other songs entitled
Black or White, and They Don’t Care About Us have the meaning of Discrimination.
I use the descriptive qualitative method because it provides an overview of analysis result
published in a related analysis of research result in data collection using the library method. In
writing this thesis, I hope this analysis can provide knowledge to the reader of poetry, especially
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION
1.1Background of The Study……… 1
1.2Problems of The Study ……… 5
1.3Objective of The Study ……… 5
1.4Scope of The Study ……….. 6
1.5Significance of The Study ……… 6
CHAPTER II : REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1The Aspect of Poetry ………... 7
2.2The Poetical Technique ……… 8
2.2.1 Structural Devices ……….. 8
2.2.2Sense Devices ………... 9
2.2.3 Sound Devices ………... 12
2.3Historical Background of African American ………. 12
2.4The Discrimination of African American ……….. 14
2.5The Social Problem ………. 16
CHAPTER III : METHOD OF RESEARCH 3.1 Research Design ………. 16
3.1.1 Data Collection ……… 17
CHAPTER IV : ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
4.1 Social Problem Reflected in Michael Jackson’s Songs……….. 21
4.1.1 We Are The World ……….. 21
4.1.2 The Man In The Mirror ……… 23
4.1.3 Heal The World ……… 27
4.2 Racial Discrimination Reflected In Michael Jackson’s Songs ……… 31
4.2.1 Black or White ……….. 31
4.2.2 They Don’t Care About Us ……….. 36
CHAPTER V : CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION 5.1 Conclusion ………. 43
5.2 Suggestion ……….. 44
REFERENCES ……… 45
ABSTRACTS
In this thesis, I analyze some of Michael Jackson’ songs which concern to the negatively
social and racial problem. Social problem that happened to the society in this world, then racial
problem that happened to the Black people, such as: Skin Color, Prejudice, Discrimination,
Stereotypes, and Racial Segregation. In his songs entitled Heal The World, We Are The World,
and The Man In The Mirror have the meaning of to make a better world. Other songs entitled
Black or White, and They Don’t Care About Us have the meaning of Discrimination.
I use the descriptive qualitative method because it provides an overview of analysis result
published in a related analysis of research result in data collection using the library method. In
writing this thesis, I hope this analysis can provide knowledge to the reader of poetry, especially
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1Background of The Study
Literature is one is creative, an art ; the other, if not precisely a science, is a
species of knowledge or of learning (Wellek and Warren, 1942:3). Through this
statement, it can be stated that literature can make people to be creative to express idea or
feeling. One way to express idea or feeling is song.
…. Both poetry and song are literary poems that deal with emotion of a particular individual, regarding a particular situation. Furthermore, poetry verses and lines of song often follow a rhyming scheme, giving a sense of melody to the verses, even when the lines are merely recited. There are a number of different lyrics used in songs that derived from poetry. Take for instance, The Star Spangled Banner, which is the National Anthem of the United States. The lyrics of the song were actually derived from the poem of the same title, and written by Franciss Scott Key. (Poetry vs Song, www.differencebetwen.net, 22 December 2009)
From the statement above we can say that the song lyric is similar with poetry.
Songs have the same function as poetry does, because song consists of the stanzas that
are sung by people. Poetry has the stanzas; it has the same elements with song which also
has the stanzas that is called the lyrics.
Capability of effecting lyrics of songs happened because the author convey the
ideas and concept through word or sentence that are causing feelings of anger, hate,
happiness, depression, love, and all the things that lead to emotional intimacy. The
music, to the point that any distinction becomes untenable. This is perhaps recognised in
the way popular songs have lyrics.
The lyrics common methods of classification are by purpose, by style (dance, pop,
ballade, etc), or by time of origin (Renaissance, Contemporary, etc). Lyrics often contain
political, social, and economic themes as well as aesthetic elements and so can
communicate culturally significant messages. These messages can be explicit, or implied
through metaphor or symbolism. Lyrics can also be analyzed with respect to the sense of
unity, it has with its supporting music.
The reason for choosing this topic because if we look back to the history of
America, it remains a terribly memory. It about the slavery in 1619 and racial
discrimination in America. Then African American criticize their life by songs, they use
it to claim white people for their behavior because they only the slaves. In reading song
lyrics, the writer found that those lyrics are not only telling about his life but also about
the society. Michael Jackson is the famous African-American artist who have exquisitely
shared portrayals of historic events and individuals, cultural perspectives, and the
experiences and struggles of minorities through their artwork. Thus some his songs
iluminate the experience racial discrimination of African American.
Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, i
the eighth of ten children in an African-American working-class family who lived in a
3-room house in Gary, an industrial city near Chicago. As a black performer Michael
Jackson’s song communicated emotions far beyond the grasp of an adolescent man and
black America swooned. As a dancer and a performer, Jackson was an androgynous
He turned the music video into an art form, giving modern pop music a huge space in
which to flourish. His stage presence was extraordinary and he could create delightful
confusion about race, gender and age. He also influenced a new generation of black
musicians, including Usher, Ne-Yo and Kanye West, etc. This was the Jackson who
raised with, not just an American pop star but a global icon.
Michael Jackson is one of the famous figures who contribute the work to the
struggle of black people. He created the few songs that describe the struggle of black
people against social discrimination. Born just four years after segregation was outlawed,
he signed for Motown in 1986, the year Martin Luther King was assassinated and Detroit
burned to the ground. As such, he straddled the boundaries of what was legal and what
was possible, an artist with the potential to crossover in a country struggling with its
potential to integrate. There were so many actions done by Michael Jackson through his
songs to struggle the black’s right. For example, "Black or White" was written, composed
and produced by Michael Jackson and was picked as the first single from the album
The song was released on November 11, 1991. “Black or White” described
about racial harmony. Racist issue that presented through Black or White lyrics song,
about the discrimination of black people in American by the white people and to stop
struggling for justice to produce a society with true equality of opportunity. Then the
lyrics remembering of history and all important issue of race and reminds us how race
and racism have affected and continue to affect the popular presentation of the past and
how communities over the past century and a half treated issues of memory, racism and
Nowdays, the position of African American dominate in that continent and look
toward reaching the goal of a truly color blind society, we must begin with a clear view
of the vibrant history of the African American community and the diversity of African
American experience. At the beginning of the 21st century there are millions who
migrated to United State included Negro American. They came from the island of
Caribbean, continued a pattern that began the slavery era. That was the situation where
the black people supposed to have the lower status than white people and the white
people enslave them.
African American constructed from the savagery of slavery and segregation a
distinctive and dynamic culture with its own style, spirituality, speech, humor, music,
dance, and dress which sustained them psychologically through severe oppression and
now has deeply affected the character of American society. It has also lured mainstream
American capitalists who produce mass marketing of black urban styles and sounds
because of their enormous commercial potential. African themes have shaped the content
of black prose and poetry, but the African heritage has not directly affected the artistic
styles of black authors. Rather, their work has been distinguished by their focus on
1.2 Problems of The Study
In accordance with the title of this thesis, some questions are arranged which act
as the center of problems in this proposal. This thesis is about the social problems of
African Americans in the perspective of Michael Jackson songs. The discussion will be
more elaborated by not only finding the sense of devices but also exploring the social
problems of African Americans which expressed in those lyrics. Problems that the writer
would like to analyze are:
1. What are those social problems reflected in Michael Jackson’s songs?
2. What are those racial problems reflected in Michael Jackson’s songs?
1.3Objective of The Study
The analysis of these songs has definite objectives that must be achieved. The
objective of the analysis is to find out the answers of those questions, they are:
1. To describe the social problems which are reflected in Michael Jackson’s
songs.
2. To describe the racial problems which are reflected in Michael Jackson’s
1.4Scope of The Study
To limit the analysis, the writer selected six songs from Michael Jackson’s work
namely : “Black or White , They Don’t Care Abou Us, We are The World, Heal The
World, and Man In The Mirror.”These songs are selected because the theme of the songs
shows society of black people and their struggle to get the same right with white people.
1.5Significance of The Study
The significances of this analysis are as follow:
1. Theoretically, to understand more about the condition and the struggle of black
people in that period that is explained in this analysis.
2. This analysis practically could be used as a consideration for the readers who are
interested in learning the relationship of literary works and the social problems
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1 The Aspect of Poetry
Lyric, music, and melody, it has the same structure and characteristic with poetry.
Poetry has the stanzas; it has the same elements with song which also has the stanzas that
is called the lyrics. Songs have the same function as poetry does, because song consists of
the stanzas that are sung by people. The aspect of poetry will help us to understand it.
(Teaching Material compiled by: Martha Pardede)
The aspect of poetry are :
a. Sense
Sense is the subject matter of poem. What is the poem about. Very often,
but not always, a poem’s tittle will give you some indication of its general
meaning. Then by reading it over and over carefully we can catch it meaning.
b. Feeling
Feeling is the attitude of the writer toward the subject matter. By reading a
certain poem carefully, we could understand what the writer thinks about the
c. Tone
Tone is the attitude of the writer toward the reader, whether the writer in
good mood, pessimist or optimist, sad or happy. We understand it by giving our
attention to the words the poet used in his poem (diction).
d. Intention
Intention is undoubtedly a poet writes a certain poem for he has a special
intention. At least for himself, to express his feeling. But we have to know, good
poems are written because they have to be, not because their authors want them to
be.
2.2 The Poetical Technique 2.2.1 Structural Devices
Structural devices consist of repetition, contrast, and illustration.
a. Repetition
Poet often repeats single lines or a whole stanza at intervals to emphasize
a particular idea. Repetition is to be found in poetry which is aiming a special
b. Contrast
This is one of the most common of all structural devices. It occurs when
we find two completely opposite pictures side by side. Sometimes the contrast is
immediate obvious and sometimes implied.
c. Illustration
Illustration is the things that poet uses to represent his point of view about
something. Usually the poet uses the illustration to make his own idea clear.
2.2.2 Sense Devices
a. Imagery
Imagery is description which makes the readers imagie how things,
sounds, or even smell feel like. Imagery refers ro the pictures that the readers see
in their mind as they read. Good images are created by using specific details that
appeal to the sense and make a dominant impression. The ability to use imagery
stems from being a good abserver of the world.
b. Symbol
Symbol is a trope that combines a literal and sensuous quality with and
abstract or suggestive aspect. Symbol is not literal meaning, but uses that
meaning to suggest another. A symbol is something that is itself and also stands
c. Figure of speech
Figure of speech is phrases or words that compare one thing to another unlike
thing. Figures of speech can enchanted style and make ideas distinct. There
are some kinds of figures of speech, they are:
• Simile is generally the comparison of two things essentially unlike, on the
basis of a resemblance in one aspect. It is a figure in which a similarity
between two subjects is directly expressed. Most similes are introduced by
as or like or even by such a word as compare, liken, or resemble.
Example : * my love is the rose of my heart
• Metaphor
Metaphor is an analogy identifying one object with another and ascribing
to the first objects one more of the quality of the second. Metaphor refers
to one thing as if it were another unlike thing.
Example : - the captain cries, all hands on.
A material to signify a thing made of material.
- She was wearing cotton.
• Personification
Personification is the arbitrary of human qualities to inanimate object. It
refers to special kind of metaphor in which nonhuman thing or qualities
(such as animals, ideals, abstraction and other inanimate objects) are
describe as if they were human.
Example : the little dog laughs as if it were a person.
• Metonymy refers to a thing, person, or place by the name of something
closely associated with it. So when the readers speech of the statement
“coming from the white house”, they are using metonymy.
• Antithesis is a device for placing opposing ideas in grammatical parallel.
Example : - to err is human, to forgive is divine.
• Irony is a verbal device which implies an attitude quite different (and often
opposite to) literary expressed.
• Allegory is a figure of speech which consist an exaggerated statement
which is not meant to be taken literary. It is an abstractions represented in
concrete imagery, almost always the form of a humanized character.
• Euphemism is figure of speech in which a mild or vogue expression is
2.2.3 Sound Devices
Rhythm and Other Sound Effects
Rhythm is essentially a mother of repetition. We achieve rhythm by repeating
some combination of intervals between sounds or light and strong beats.
Another sound effects are masculine ending, feminine ending, alliteration,
assonance, onomatopoeia, euphony, cacophony.
2.3 Historical Background of African American
Essays on African American History, Culture and Society by William R. Scott and
William G. Shade (2005), this book figures about the history of African American. In
1619, the first African arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent settlement in
British North America. But it took just about a century for a stratified biracial society to
emerge in the colonies. The black population of the British mainland colonies was small.
It began to grew rapidly, however, at the end of 17th century when the British actively
managed the slave trade. The rising demand for forced labor to cultivate large scale cash
crops led to the mass importation of African slaves in the 18th century, along with the
natural increase of the slave population, produced a distinctive black presence in
provincial America.
Slaveholders in America realized little of the history of Africa, slaving and the
knowledge. At the time, masters saw only strange dark faces and imagined the thoughts
in the slaves heads through their own stereotyped fantasies of a savage continent. They
substituted invented “tribal,” almost racial, identities and characters, based on the ethnic
and cultural differences that African brought with them from their communities at home,
as substitutes for understanding the individuals they owned.
The treatment of slaves in the United States varied widely depending on
conditions, times and places. Treatment was generally characterized by brutality,
degradation, and inhumanity. Whippings, executions, and rapes were commonplace.
Slaves were punished by whipping, shackling, hanging, beating, burning, mutilation,
branding, and imprisonment. Punishment was most often meted in response to
disobedience or perceived infractions, but sometimes abuse was carried out simply to
re-assert the dominance of the master or overseer over the slave. Slave women in the United
States were at high risk for rape and sexual abuse. Many slaves fought back against
sexual attacks, and some died resisting. Others carried psychological and physical scars
from the attacks. Sexual abuse of slaves was partially rooted in a patriarchal Southern
culture which treated black women as property or chattel. Southern culture strongly
policed against sexual relations between white women and black men on the purported
grounds of racial purity but, before the late 18th century, man
2.4 The Discrimination of African American
From the book of Racism, Ethnicity and Social Policy by Ian Law (1996), the
concept of racial discrimination according to Ian Law (1996:4) the certainties of previous
decades are being swept away; the simple construction of black unity, the primary and
determinate effects of racist ideologies, the underlying liberalism of ‘race’ relations
policy, the evidence of black ‘underachievement’ and traditional representations of ethnic
identity have all been the object of critical reflection. As had been explained in previous
part that racism is not an issue that just like that appear. effect suppression to black
people for 365 years that disappear due to history in the past used by them as obstacle in
present. Thus the issue of discrimination continued, the position of African American in
today’s world and look toward reaching the goal of a truly color-blind society, some
African American still lived in a poor environment, uneducated, low salary, but that’s not
just happened with them. We must begin with a clear view of the vibrant history of the
African American community and the diversity of African American experience.
According to Vaughan (1995) in Earnest N. Bracey (2003 : p.9) goes on to define racism
or racial discrimination as the “unequal treatment of someone on the basis of his or her
presumed racial affilation.” The modern racism is often expressed in side comments,
"jokes", and stereotypes. Some people might laugh at a racist joke without thinking twice.
Some elements of racism are downplayed while others are considered shocking.
Discrimination against African Americans began when the United States was
developing. People from Africa were kidnapped and sold into slavery, then treated like
many of them were either worked or beaten to death. It is worth nothing that many
African Americans are not necessarily optimistic about their nation or their future.
African American’s strongest asset in a discriminatory environment was their willingness
to work harder, longer, and for less payment, simply because they had to if work was to
be had at all. By 1900, employment in the South was dominated by a pattern of
segregation wherein one race through economic competition, politics, or violence
essentially drove the other race from the industry or from many occupations within the
industry. The textile industry, which hardly existed in the South before the Civil War,
was nearly completely staffed by white men, women and children. Economic segregation
exhibited a preverse symmetry with black and white families involved in cotton
production largely separated by the refusal of textile employers to hire African
Americans.
Deeply rooted discrimination in the North as well as the South had relegated most
African Americans to unskilled, low-paying jobs and contributed to an extremely high
rate of poverty among African Americans. Discrimination and poverty (not to mention
inferior schools in black neighborhoods) undermined young African Americans’
incentive and ability to finish high school, thereby locking them into low-paying,
dead-end jobs. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had attempted to deal with the
economic problems of African Americans, prohibiting discrimination by private
employers and creating the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to
monitor compliance. The civil rights act and changing attitudes generated by the civil
rights movement had eliminated much of the most blatant (no colored need apply)
among African American during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Yet discrimination did
not disappear; it became more subtle, harder to detect, and more difficult to prove. Even
more troubling, those for whom past discrimination denied education, job training, and
employment experience continued to find the promise of economic opportunity and a
better life elusive.
Towards the end of the war, he realized that African Americans could become an
integral and equal part of this, after he had hesitantly begun to grant them civil rights as
well. And still it would be historically incorrect to call Lincoln the father of the Civil
Rights movement, though through his actions as war president the abolition of slavery
was made possible. He thus paved the way. One of the most prominent African
Americans of the 20th century, W. E. B. Du Bois, once remarked that Lincoln—despite
all his contradictions—was “big enough to be inconsistent.” His tendency to take cover
under the idea of “colonization” in order not to confront the young republic with the
severe test of full racial equality and integration might be one of those inconsistencies.
2.5 The Social Problem
Social Problems by James Coleman (1984), This book discusses social problems
around our life. This book contains the meaning, the kind, the cause and the example of
social problems in some places. This book helps the writer to understand about the social
problems. So, the writer can find the social problems appropriately in each poem.
Poverty, racism, war, violence, mental disorders, pollution are the list of social problems.
indeed be done if we first make the effort to study our problems systematically and then
act on our understanding. Sociology is a framework for sorting out all of these facts,
ideas, and beliefs. Use of the sociological of theory helps reduce confusion in the minds
of those who wish to participate in public discussions of these important issues.
Most people define a social problem as a condition that is harmful to society. But
the matter is not so simple, for the meanings of such everyday terms as harm and society
are not clear. According Robert K. Merton in Coleman (1987), social problem are created
by failure to close the gap between the way people want things to be and the way things
really are. Through this definition, racial discrimination is a social problem because we
believe that everyone should receive fair and equal treatment, yet certain groups are still
CHAPTER III
METHOD OF RESEARCH
3.1 Research Design
In analyzing the subject matter of the problems, the writer uses descriptive
qualitative method. According to Denzin and Lincoln in Wahyuni (2004), “qualitative
research is multi-method in focus, involving an intrepretive, naturalistic approach to its
subject matter. It means that qualitative researchers discussing about natural settings,
attempting to make sense of, or interpret phenomena in terms of the meanings people
bring to them. Qualitative research involves the study use and collection of a variety of
empirical materials-case study, personal experience, introspective, life story, interview,
observational, historical, interactional and visual texts, that describe routine and
problematic moments and meanings in individual’s live.” Through this method, will
describe about the influences of Jackson’s songs to the music industrial and also the
society in that era when the songs were written.
In obtaining the data, library research method is used. Through this method the
data relies on the materials, which considered to be determining or supporting sources of
analysis. The data which are going to be analyzed in this thesis are five songs of Michael
Scheme 1: The Steps of Analyzing Data
3.1.1 Data Collection
There are some methods of collecting data: they are interview, questionnaires and
surveys, observations, discussion, quotations, notes memorandum, and documents. The
data of this analysis are lyrics of the six selected songs by Michael Jackson as the data
sources. The titles of five songs are:
1. “Black or White”
2. “They Don’t Care About Us”
3. “Heal The World”
4. “We Are The World”
5. “Man In The Mirror”
The lyrics will be connected with the truth in his real life through his biography.
The process of collecting data in this analysis are as follows:
Researcher
Data Source : AlbumDangerous (1991) and History (1995) of Michael Jackson’s songs.
Data: Words, phrases from the six songs which indicates racial of discrimination African American.
Data Selected – Interpreted – Analyzed
Method : Qualitative
1. Listen to Michael Jackson’s songs and understand the lyrics.
2. Read the lyrics song and the books about Michael Jackson to know more
about his personal life in order to find the things that influence him.
3. Select the problem, determine data.
4. Evaluate.
3.1.2 Data Analysis
In analyzing the writer uses descriptive approach. There are some steps of
descriptive analytical method. The first step, the writer listen and read Michael Jackson’s
songs that are related to the struggle of black people to his withdrawal from his
background and his society. The second step, is reading those collected data, which
consist of the text of lyrics, books, journals and those are relevant to the thesis. According
to Wellek and Warren in Damono (1979:3-4) that literary works in wide or narrow sight
affects the readers of those works and ultimately; those works give a significant influence
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
4.1 Social Problems Reflected in Michael Jackson’s Songs
4.1.1 We Are The World
There comes a time when we heed a certain call When the world must come together as one There are people dying
And it’s time to lend a hand to life The greatest gift of all
We can't go on pretending day by day That someone, will soon make a change We are all a part of Gods great big family
There's a choice we're making We're saving our own lives Its true we'll make a better day Just you and me
Send them your heart so they'll know that someone cares And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stones to bread So we all must lend a helping hand
When you're down and out, there seems no hope at all But if you just believe there's no way we can fall well Let us realize that a change can only come
"We Are the World" is a song who recorded by th
1985. It was written by
single that raised money for impoverished people in Africa (the concept and name
was
in Haiti). The song was promoted with a critically received music video, a home video, a
special edition magazine, and several books, posters, and shirts. The promotion and
merchandise aided the success of "We Are the World" and raised over $63 million for
humanitarian aid in Africa and the US.
In the first stanza, and it’s time to lend a hand to life. It means that to give a help
for a people. Personification is used here because we can not literally give a hand of life
to a person. And saying lending a hand of life fits and helps the song to flow together
making it more inspirational and making people want to make a difference.
Then in second stanza we can see Jackson directly stated that we are just human
being are the same and God give us a love in our heart to help each other. We are all a
part of Gods great big family. The third stanza, we are the world, we are the children. In
this lyric Jackson are saying that both the world and the children are the world comparing
the two different things. Also, repetition is used in this song and it’s to emphasize that we
are the world and we are the children. It means that Jackson tells to the reader that he
wanted to emphasize and make his message more bold, that we are what make this world
(children) and this is our world.
The next four stanzas tell how Jackson wanted to the people to help each other.
because a heart can not be sent to anyone and the heart is an inanimate thing in this lyric,
it’s just trying to say sympathize with the less fortunate people in this world. Jackson
stated this clearly, in a way that people will feel bad and sorrowful want to make a
change. As God has shown us by turning stones to bread, it is a perfect comparison,
comparing something eatable to something not eatable, this lyric trying to say that it can
never happen in the real world and people starve. Metaphor was used, because it is
comparing to totally different things, which is they are comparing the stone and bread.
In the last stanza the lines means about world peace and how people should make
a difference especially the children of this generation, to make the readers think about the
people that are less fortunate than them and giving a help to them, we can do that by
working together and providing them the things they need to survive, because we are all
the same, equals together in this world, when we stand together as one.
4.1.2 The Man In The Mirror
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, turn up the collar on My favorite winter coat This wind is blowing my mind I see the kids in the streets With not enough to eat Who am I to be blind?
Pretending not to see their needs
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 have been any clearer If you want to 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
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 I'm asking him to change his ways No message could have been any clearer If you want to 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 You can't close your, your mind!
(Then you close your, mind!)
That man, that man, that man, that man With the man in the mirror
That man, that man, that man
I'm asking him to change his ways (Better change!) No message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place Take a look at yourself and then make the change
I'm gonna make a change. It's gonna feel real good! Chime on! (Change)
Just lift yourself. You know You've got to stop it. Yourself! (Yeah! Make that change!)
You got to, You got to not let yourself. Brother (Yeah! Make that change!)
You know, I've got to get
That man, that man (Man in the mirror) You've got to move! Chime on!
You got to stand up! Stand up! Stand up! (Yeah! Make that change)
Stand up and lift yourself, now! (Man in the mirror) You know it! (Change)
Make that change
“Man in the Mirror” is a song made popular by Michael Jackson. It peaked at number one in the United States when released as the fourth single in January 1988 off
his seventh solo 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 number 21 in the UK Singles
Charts in 1988, but in 2009, following the news of Jackson’s death, the song peaked at
number two, having re-entered the chart at 11 the previous week as his top song on the
singles chart. It also became the No. 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.
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. 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. 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
In the first and second stanza Jackson directly tell that he wanted to do something
different to make a better change, then he saw a kids on the street who are not well and
instead of blaming society he starts to think "what can I do to change this." He will
finally make a positive change in his life that will make him feel good about himself. As
I, turn up the collar on, My favorite winter coat. This wind is blowing my mind, Jackson
is saying that although he can remove himself physically from the problems he sees all
around him (Using his winter coat as a physical barrier) he can’t escape the torment of his
own mind, knowing that there is more he can do to change the world. You can’t just turn
a blind eye when you see children suffering. There is no way you can miss their
struggles.
In the next stanza, a broken bottle top, It’s means kind of like having a bottle with
its top left uncapped. This means metaphorically that those in need are starting to leak out
hope from their bodies. That’s why I want you to know, he uses the second person to
connect with his audience and show that he loves them all.
In the next stanza we can see the lines, I'm starting with the man in the mirror, it
means that Jackson want to change the world, he has to start with himself. Then
everybody who also the ‘man in the mirror’ (or woman) to changing you are, is the first
step to change things around you. If you’re looking to change the world, why not start
with yourself first then see how you can make a change.
In the next stanza, 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,
with a family who has loved him, and always had enough money to live. He knows that
some people are not so fortunate like him and some people don’t have any money to give.
Then the next stanza, They follow the pattern of the wind ya' see. 'Cause they got
no place to be. That's why I'm starting with me. It’s like people go through the same cycle
of hoping for a change, but never thinking to be that change in the world they want to see,
Jackson’s going to break that cycle and change the world. Take a look at yourself and
then make the change. You gotta get it right, while you got the time, it means that you
don’t have forever to make a change the world, the best time to start is now. If you don’t
do it, who will?
4.1.3 Heal The World
There's a place in your heart And I know that it is love And this place could be much Brighter than tomorrow And if you really try
You'll find there's no need to cry In this place you'll feel
There's no hurt or sorrow There are ways to get there If you care enough for the living
Make a little space, make a better place
Heal the world Make it a better place
For you and for me and the entire human race There are people dying
If you care enough for the living Make a better place
If you want to know why There's a love that cannot lie Love is strong
It only cares for joyful giving If we try we shall see
In this bliss we cannot feel Fear or dread
We stop existing and start living Then it feels that always
Love's enough for us growing
Make a better world, make a better world
And the dream we would conceived in Will reveal a joyful face
And the world we once believed in Will shine again in grace
Then why do we keep strangling life Wound this earth, crucify it's soul
Though it's plain to see, this world is heavenly Be God's glow
We could fly so high Let our spirits never die In my heart I feel You all are my brothers Create a world with no fear Together we'll cry happy tears See the nations turn
Their swords into plowshares We could really get there
If you cared enough for the living
Make a little space to make a better place
The album Dangerous was released on November 26, 1991. The album consists of
14 tracks with “Heal the World” as the seventh track. ‘Heal the World’ is a song that
describes a place where needy people need our help to save their live. This song was
idea to develop his voice to help the needy children in the lyric. This song tells a real
story to human being that there is a place in the world that needs our help.
In the first stanza, I assume this place refers to the world or something related to
the existence or relationship surrounding by creation, especially human. We can see that
Jackson hopes the world will be better more, more, and more in long extent. He uses
brighter than tomorrow not brighter than yesterday. If tomorrow is bright, so today must
be brighter. Tomorrow is a mystery. No one knows what will happen tomorrow. It could
be there is day for tomorrow or not. Afterwards, Jackson reveals that everything is
possible. Look in the line, And if you really try you'll find there's no need to cry. Phrase
“really try” means people should be much more seriously try to gain what people hope,
while phrase “there's no need to cry” means happiness. I think the use of conditional
clause if is to highlight that most of people are sad or not happy because they give up
before trying in many times. Sometimes, people give up in the peak of effort, while they
will get success in the one next step. In the next line, In this place you'll feel there's no
hurt or sorrow, this sentence fragment can be delivered the meaning that if people try to
help the needy children, there will be no sadness or regret for the loss of
someone or something loved. They need our care, our love, and our attention. The way
Jackson sings it is really impressive that remind people to willingly give their attention to
those people, keep continuing their life. In the line, there are ways to get there if you care
enough for the living, make a little space make a better place, shows that the way to gain
hope is so many, not only one. Nevertheless, people must keep other people and
can keep each other. Moreover, the narrator asks people to be close each other for better
life. It shows in the phrase ‘make a little space make a better place’.
In the second stanza, For you and for me and the entire human race, There are
people dying, it means that Jackson reveals with how many people feel ill, are injured and
going to die. However, many people do not care about this condition. Therefore, he
invites to make the world normal again. The peaceful is not only for other people, but
also for yourself. Moreover, the narrator asks to make a better relation to the whole of
human race. Thus, race is not a reason to be far with other people, all is same.
In the next stanza, Love is strong, means not easily broken and can support hard
problem. Moreover, there’s love that cannot lie. By giving love, there will be sincerity,
not lying, and love only delivers happiness and pleasure. Then, in this line, the Jackson
emphasize on how effort is really important. Then, you will get happiness after struggle
for something and no fear there. Afterwards, people start to get the real life, contact and
communicate each other, not only existence. By those are, people always feel there is
love to grow. Thus, the world become better and better.
In the next stanza, And the dream we would conceived in, Will reveal a joyful
face, it means that Jackson says that every dream, hope, and what people imagine will
come true. Besides, the world also will be normal and run well although step by step, not
directly as fold the hand. However, Jackson is questioning why people still kill others or
not in humanist way. However, Jackson believes that although live in non-humanist way
until died, he take a hope to the God from His Glow.
In the next stanza, We could fly so high, Let our spirits never die, In my heart I
had been dying, do not let the soul also die. And he also acknowledges all the people is
his brother, means that brother has sameness in the parent, religion, or nationality in the
larger area. Then, he invites to struggle together although there is sadness but the sadness
of happiness. And the important thing is there is no wound anymore, all is peace.
The repeated choruses again and again are sung by Jackson with groups of
people’s voices, which can be stereotyped as black voice character, creating the powerful
and strong accents. The chorus states, Heal the World; make it a better place, for you and
for me, and the entire human race. There are people dying. If you care enough for the
living, make a better place for you and for me. This statement directly assigned to
people or the other word ‘persuade’. To create a better place for human being themselves,
heal the world by helping those needy people especially in the place such as Africa. What
to say is that what you do is for you yourself not for others. The purpose of this action is
clearly sung by Jackson as his persuasion in the ending of the song again and again, you
and for me.
4.2 Racial Discrimination Reflected in Michael Jackson’s Songs
4.2.1 Black or White
“Black or White" is a single by American singer-songwrite
released by
studio album,
Black or White" entered the Billboar
platinum in the US, selling over one million copies and became the second best selling
single of the year.
I took my baby. On a saturday bang Boy is that girl with you
Yes we're one and the same
Now I believe in miracles. And a miracle Has happened tonight
But, if you're thinkin' about my baby It don't matter if you're black or white They print my message. In the saturday sun I had to tell them. I ain't second to none
And I told about equality
And it's true either you're wrong or you're right
I am tired of this devil I am tired of this stuff I am tired of this business So when the going gets rough I ain't scared of your brother I ain't scared of no sheets I ain't scare of nobody Girl when the
I'd rather hear both sides Of the tale
See, it's not about races Just places
Faces
Where your blood Comes from
Get duller
I'm not going to spend My life being a color
Don't tell me you agree with me When I saw you kicking dirt in my eye
But, if you're thinkin' about my baby It don't matter If you're black or white I said if you're thinkin' of
Being my baby, It don't matter if you're black or white
It's black, it's white It's tough for you To get by
It's black, it's white
Michael Jackson was an American entertainer that was widely beloved and, one
of the most influential artists of all time. Through his career he had sold an estimated 750
million records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles and became one of a handful of
artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1991, described by
Jackson's record company as "a rock 'n' roll dance song about racial harmony,” Black Or
White” was one of the biggest radio hits of the 1990s. The song includes instruments
such as a guitar, possibly electric and bass, drums and even a keyboard. A listener is
focused more on the vocals of the song, even though the instrumentals and the words
seem to be at the same volume. The tempo of the song is fast, I do believe, to catch the
listener's attention.
As one listens to this song, the readers will realize that Jackson was expecting his
audience to be both white or of color ethnicities. The common problem between many
ethnicities is racism. These lyrics describe his opinion on racism and how they have
We can see in the first stanza Jackson tell about Boy a racist term addressed to
African-American enslaved males in the South. Generally, it could be interpreted as a
term that is just to differentiate the genders spoken in this interaction. However, with
Jackson’s Yes, we’re one and the same, this term suggests and validates that the male is
of black color and the addressor of the question is speaking with a prejudice mindset.
Now I believe in miracles. And a miracle, Has happened tonight, The act of Jackson
telling the addressor of the question that both the black male and the white female are
together in unison and harmony, created a shift in culture and in rights. The togetherness
of race created a ‘miracle’.
Then in the second stanza that caught my attention were They printed my
message, In the Saturday Sun, I had to tell them, I ain't second to none. Here he states
that he is not no one, that he is a person, with equalities. Next stanza, Jackson wrote I told
about equality, An It's True, Either You're Wrong or you're right. In these few lines
Jackson is trying to say that everyone has their own opinion on what equality is. If
someone has a different opinion on equality, each person is right.
The next stanza we can see that the lines, I am tired of this devil, I am tired of
this stuff, I am tired of this business, So when the going gets rough, I ain't scared of your
brother, I ain't Scared of No sheets, I ain't scare of nobody, Girl when the goin' gets
mean. Jackson is stating that he is tired of the racism, which is described as a devil . Also,
he states that he is not scared of anyone when things get bad and will not let the racism,
that another person has for a different ethnicity, affect him. And sheets refer to the KKK
and the “sheets” they wear and to tabloids (which are printed on sheets of paper)
In this song Jackson put a rap. Within this rap he mentions how gangs, clubs and
nations are protected for their beliefs even though it's causing grief in human relations.
Racism is a war of races, land or turf as Jackson describes it and he would rather hear
both sides of people's opinions. Michael describes that racism in about places, faces,
where your blood comes from and where your space is. He also states that he's not going
to spend my life being a color. Jackson does not want the label of a different race, he
wants people to see him for his artistic abilities. And color or race that separates the
world and he would prefer that the world not be that way.
One of the last few verses of Jackson's song Black or White, he stated, I said if
you're thinking of being my brother, it don't matter if you're back or white. Jackson was a
very open minded person and was willing to accept many people. One's race didn’t
matter to this man. Through his song Michael Jackson opened up gates from many people
to realize that no matter what one's skin to tone is and he doesn’t pick his friends based
on their skin color as it doesn’t matter. Everyone one was equal, but if one was racist it
was okay because that was their choice as a human being. Even though he has passed
away, Jackson's music has been some of the most successful and known work produced
by an artist. Some of his words were for entertainment but others were to get a point or
4.2.2 They Don’t Care About Us
They don't really care about us All I want to say is that
They don't really care about us
Beat me, hate me You can never break me Will me, thrill me You can never kill me Do me, Sue me Everybody do me Kick me, strike me
Don't you black or white me
Tell me what has become of my life
I have a wife and two children who love me I am the victim of police brutality, now I'm tired of bein' the victim of hate You're rapin' me of my pride Oh, for God's sake
I look to heaven to fulfill its prophecy, Set me free
Skin head, dead head Throw your brother in jail
Tell me what has become of my rights Am I invisible because you ignore me?
I'm tired of bein' the victim of shame
They're throwing me in a class with a bad name I can't believe this is the land from which I came You know I do really hate to say it
The government don't want to see But if Roosevelt was livin'
He wouldn't let this be, no, no You can never trash me Hit me, kick me
You can never get me
Somethings in life they just don't want to see
But if Martin Luther was livin', He wouldn't let this be
Skin head, dead head
Don't you wrong or right me
All I want to say is that
They don't really care about us
They Don't Care About Us is the fourth single from
remains one of the most controversial pieces Jackson ever composed. In the US, media
scrutiny surrounding
higher-ranked people ignoring human rights. But it could be about Brazil, too, as one of the two
music videos (the other one took place in a prison) took place in there.
on June 15, 1995, just a day before the album's release. The publication highlighted the
lyrics, Jew me, sue me, everybody do me/ Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me.
Jackson responded directly to the publication, he stated “The idea that these lyrics could
be deemed objectionable is extremely hurtful to me, and misleading. The song in fact is
about the pain of prejudice and hate and is a way to draw attention to social and political
problems. I am the voice of the accused and the attacked. I am the voice of everyone. I
am the skinhead, I am the Jew, I am the black man, I am the white man. I am not the one
who was attacking. It is about the injustices to young people and how the system can
wrongfully accuse them. I am angry and outraged that I could be so misinterpreted.”
In the first stanza, Skin head, dead head. Everybody gone bad, Situation,
aggravation. Everybody allegation. In the suite, on the news. Everybody dog food. Bang
bang, shot dead. Everybody's gone mad, it means that everyone is indulging in bad
behavior. The situations that Michael was put in is aggravated by everyone believing in
the molestation allegations. Whilst in the hotel suite when touring (a common occurrence
for Michael), he witnesses things he deems to be disgraceful and unjust on the news.
Negative press and allegations regarding Michael Jackson are being fed to the masses
through propaganda streams and whether people want to believe it or not, it’s being
provided to them. The dog food reference may mean that the news is just poor journalism
that we, the public, are dog food to the high powers that be, who are the big dogs that call
the shots.
In the second stanza we can see from the lyric that Jackson stated either the U.S.
Government or higher authorities demonstrate a lack of care regarding the general public,
especially African Americans, all I wanna say is that they don’t really care about us.
Then in the next stanza, Beat me, hate me. You can never break me. Will me, thrill
me. You can never kill me. Do me, Sue me. Everybody do me. Kick me, strike me. Don't
you black or white me, it means that No matter how much you throw your hate at Michael
Jackson, he will never be broken. You can try to will him to do what you want, you can
try to scare him but you can’t kill him. Again Michael is speaking on a broad scale, about
oppressed peoples. He sees himself as one of them, despite his privilege and lifestyle.
This is why he is in the cell with the inmates in the video, though he had opportunity to
get out—he’s in the same place as the guys who ended up thugs. Why? Because they’re
all the same, they’re all oppressed. This line generated a lot of controversy. However, MJ
is not simply making a anti-Semitic remark like many people believed he was. With the
previous line “Jew Me” MJ is trying to get the point across that people can throw
whatever amount of hate they want to at him, hate as even horrible. Don’t ask if MJ is
black or white. MJ is a proud African American. Michael also, more broadly refers to the
tendency the media/society have of labeling people. He’s demanding that people be seen
as individuals rather than pigeon holing them or prejudicing them due to their color,
The next stanza tells that Jackson’s life has become just another headline for the
news to make money, then in this lyric I have a wife and two children who love me, as we
know Prince and Paris were not born yet when HIStory was released in 1995. Michael
Jackson is actually referencing his first wife, Lisa Marie Presley and his two stepchildren,
Danielle and Benjamin. I am the victim of police brutality, now. I'm tired of bein' the
victim of hate, it’s stanza describeabout the police have unjustly prosecuted him on false
allegations. This line comes from when they took nude photos of Jackson and also he is
tired of being hated for no reason. The next line I look to heaven to fulfill its prophecy,
Set me free, we can see Jackson stated in these lyric that he believes that heaven is the
only way he can be set free of the hatred bestowed onto him.
Tell me what has become of my rights, Am I invisible because you ignore me?
Your proclamation promised me free liberty, now, we can see that during the molestation
trials, Jackson was portrayed by the media to be guilty from the beginning. This directly
conflicts with the strong American value of “innocent until proven guilty.” The media
often only talked about the evidence against Michael Jackson, despite the overwhelming
evidence supporting his innocence. He says “Am I invisible because you ignore me?”
because he is frustrated by the media’s focus on getting a good story, rather than telling
the truth. I'm tired of bein' the victim of shame, at this point, Jackson had been given
awful, awful press for years. The vast majority of it was rumor and speculation, and the
media seemed to believe any source but Jackson. They're throwing me in a class with a
bad name, it means that Jackson referring to the allegations people accusing him of being
a pedophile, and for child harassment. Jackson telling everybody to stop labeling him as
really hate to say it, The government don't want to see, it means that Jackson is looking
back at his life and where he came from, Michael is African American and America is
supposedly the land of liberty and the free but that is not the case. The government do not
want you to see how much of a dictatorship we are actually in. But if Roosevelt was livin',
He wouldn't let this be, no, while Jackson references U.S. President Franklin D.
Roosevelt, it is actually unknown if “he wouldn’t let this be.” Roosevelt has been
of racism. Roosevelt was popular with African Americans because of his New Deal
policies (although there was never any New Deal program that was for the direct benefit
of the black community), but the reverse is less than true. Roosevelt’s wife, First Lady
Eleanor Roosevelt, was the one who stood up against racism.
Then in next stanza, somethings in life they just don't want to see, we can see
Jackson himself broke down racial barriers and social norms by
racist network”. He was unable to
achieve airplay because they deemed him “urban”. He had his struggles to deal with on
his way to fame. Even after opening that door and helping R&B, jazz and other music
associated mainly with African-American musicians onto the bigger screens and radios,
people still seek to shut him down at every opportunity. They just don’t want to believe
or accept what’s in front of them, which is that Michael was out there attempting to help
people and do good. They would rather belittle, criticize and even try to incriminate him
with falsities. It could additionally be argued that things took a turn for the worst for
Jackson whe
too influential for his own good. And this could even refer to the fact that people turn a
countries and areas even in America. Some people just choose to turn a blind eye to it
until it’s right on their doorstep and they’re forced into action. But if Martin Luther was
livin', He wouldn't let this be, Michael refers to Martin Luther King, Jr. who was a key
figure in campaigning against racism in America throughout his lifetime and the leader in
the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Michael’s echoing Martin Luther’s legacy
and in particular the ideas and statements proudly professed during his famous
campaigners went through in order to destroy racial barriers and bring society forward.
They would be ashamed to see what’s going on even in light of their trials and
tribulations decades ago. One of King’s speech is “one day living in nation where they
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
5.1 Conclusions
There are some protests about environment destruction, social problem,
racism, media distortion, war and injustice, Michael Jackson consistently used
music as a means to challenge the status quo and change the world. He stands
alongside musicians like Bob Dylan and John Lennon as one of the most astute
and powerful protest artist of the past century. Based on analysis, we can see
about the social and racial problem in songs of Michael Jackson.
1. The social problem which are reflected from Michael Jackson’s selected
songs, it is about making the world peace and how society or people to make
a difference especially the children of this generation, by working together,
to help each other to survive, and we could all be equal together in this
world. We all have the fundamental desire to create an ideal world, where
everyone is healthy, happy, and free of suffering. The habitual tendency we
all have is to look around us, find out what’s wrong with the world, and then
try to fix it. While it is true that horrible things happen around us everyday,
to transform the world we all experience, we have to start with ourselves. We
can only create change the world if we start with our own individual healing.
2. Racism had existed throughout human history. Racism and discrimination
have been used as powerful weapons encouraging fear or hatred of others in
skin color, language, customs, place of birth or any factor that supposedly
reveals the basic nature of that person.
5.2 Suggestions
Reading literature will enrich the literary knowledge of the readers.
Hopefully by reading and understanding this thesis, it will be a valuable thing for
the readers. It is also a potential thing for the readers who interest in the study of
the biographical literary works, African American, and lyrics to use more reliable
and accurate sources to make a better analysis of the African American viewed
from the lyrics.
To understand and also to be able to figure out the meanings we have to
read the whole lyric carefully and loudly. It can help us to get the meaning of
lyric, and the poetical technique can help us to know more about the lyric. Then
the biography of songwriter and historical background can help us to get the clues
about that songs.
By knowing the lyric, poetical technique, the biography of songwriter, and
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APPENDICES
Biography of Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, to an
African-American working-class family. His father, Joseph Jackson, had been a guitarist
but had put aside his musical aspirations to provide for his family as a crane operator.
Believing his sons had talent, he molded them into a musical group in the early 1960s. At
first, the Jackson Family performers consisted of Michael's older brothers, Tito, Jermaine
and Jackie. Michael joined his siblings when he was 5 years old, and emerged as the
group's lead vocalist. He showed remarkable range and depth for such a young performer,
impressing audiences with his ability to convey complex emotions. Older brother Marlon
also became a member of the group, which evolved into the Jackson 5.
Behind the scenes, Joseph Jackson pushed his sons to succeed. He was also
reportedly known to become violent with them. Michael and his brothers spent endless
hours rehearsing and polishing up their act. Their first album, Diana Ross Presents the
Jackson 5, hit the charts in December of that year. It's first single, "I Want You Back," hit
No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1970. More chart-topping singles quickly
followed, such as "ABC," "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There."
Now calling themselves the Jacksons, the group signed a new recording deal with
Epic Records. With 1978's Destiny, Michael Jackson and his brothers (which by now
