Man in the Mirror

Went out on a date with the wife last night and watched a concert.  I wasn’t really a fan of Color Me Badd nor their partner group All-4-One, though I did enjoy the concert.  Found myself singing to familiar “old school” tunes and was amazed on how loud my wife can scream at each song that she knows.  I believe I made a big deposit to my emotional bank account because of that date.  And times like those are of the most value in a relationship. 

But surprisingly I got the most value when the two groups performed their encore song.  The concert was also a tribute to Michael Jackson and they had a segment wherein the two groups alternatively sang a medley of MJ songs.  For the group’s encore performance, they sang “Man in the Mirror”, a 1987 song by the King of Pop.  Though this is a relatively old and popular song, it was only last night that the lyrics really struck me and then realized how beautiful it’s message is.  And that message to me is all packed in the following line, “ Take a look at yourself and make that change”. 

Let me share the lyrics and video of the song with you:

“Man in the Mirror” Live Performance 1988 Grammy Awards–Michael Jackson

 

"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 Favourite 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 Have Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change)
(Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na, Na Nah)

I've Been A Victim Of A Selfish Kind Of Love
It's Time That I Realize

That There Are Some With NoHome, 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 (Starting With Me!)

I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror (Ooh!)
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways (Ooh!)
And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change)
I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror (Ooh!)
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways
(Change His Ways-Ooh!)
And No Message Could've Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make That . . .
(Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make That . . .)
Change!

I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror, (Man In The Mirror-Oh Yeah!)
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways (Better Change!)
No Message Could Have 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 Close Your . . .Your Mind!
(Then You Close Your . . . Mind!)
That Man, That Man, That Man, That Man
With That Man In The Mirror (Man In The Mirror, Oh Yeah!)
That Man, That Man, That Man
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways (Better Change!)
You Know . . .That Man
No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na, Na Nah (Oh Yeah!)
Gonna Feel Real Good Now!

Yeah Yeah! Yeah Yeah! Yeah Yeah!
Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na, Na Nah (Ooooh . . .)
Oh No, No No . . .
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! Hoo!
(Man In The Mirror)
You Got To You Got To Not Let Yourself . . . Brother . . .Hoo!
(Yeah!-Make That Change!) You Know-I've Got To Get
That Man, That Man . . . (Man In The Mirror)
You've Got To You've Got To Move! Come
On! Come On! You Got To . . .
Stand Up! Stand Up! Stand Up!
(Yeah-Make That Change) Stand Up And Lift
Yourself, Now! (Man In The Mirror) Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Aaow!
(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.

(Lyrics via azlyrics)

Remember when you point a finger, you just have one finger pointing outwards and the rest pointing towards you.