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Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror Lyrics [1]
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Date: 2025-01
According to Songfacts, co-writer Siedah Garrett said in a 2017 interview with Songwriter Universe:
She also explained to SongTalk :
I have a book and when I hear things that I like, I write it down. I keep a pad in my car at all times.
We had the demo of the song done on a Friday evening. Knowing that Quincy Jones' offices were going to be closed until Monday, I called [Quincy] and said, ‘I can’t wait until Monday.’ He told me to bring the tape over. I did. Four hours later – four hours! – he called me. He said, ‘Baby, the song is great. It’s really good. But– ’ I said, ‘But what?’ And he said, ‘I don’t know. I’ve been playing songs for Michael for two years. And he has yet to accept an outside song.
Three days later I got a call from Quincy and he told me that Michael loved the song and wanted to cut it. I screamed! Couldn’t believe it.
Then he said that Michael had a great idea for the background; he’s gonna have the Winans and Andre Crouch an a choir. Then he said, 'and I might be able to squeeze you in on that.’ I said, ‘Q Babe! Thanks!’ [Laughs]
A few days before the session I got a call from Quincy. He told me Michael wanted to extend the bridge and needed some new lyrics for it. And he was trying to tell me the message that should be in these new lyrics. He would say, ‘Michael wants so-and-so,’ and then, in the background I would hear, [softly and high-pitched] ‘Mmmrrrmmrr…’ And it was Michael, you know?
This went on for a little while, with Quincy translating for Michael. Finally, Quincy says, ‘Hold on,’ and puts Michael Jackson on the phone, right? I’m home cooking dinner, right? And inside I’m like ‘OMIGOD!! It’s MICHAEL JACKSON!!’ But on the phone I’m like [softly and coolly], ‘Yes, Michael?’ Really cool, you know?
He said, ‘I love your song and I think you have a great voice.’
I said, ‘Wow. Thanks! Thanks for doing it, dude!’ [Laughs]
So Michael tells me what he wants and I take off to find the answer to his dilemma in the bridge. I came up with three different ideas for the part. But then the song turned out to be long anyway, that they never used it. So it’s pretty much as it was in demo form with the exception of the key change."
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[1] Url:
https://genius.com/Michael-jackson-man-in-the-mirror-lyrics
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