Michael Jackson - Black or White Video and Lyrics

Black or White by Michael Jackson, Music Video and Lyrics

Black or White was the first single taken from Michael Jackson’s Dangerous album, released in November 1991.
The single is considered the biggest selling rock song of the 1990s.

Written, composed, and arranged by Jackson with the rap lyrics by Bill Bottrell, it is a song that promotes racial unity. The song’s introduction and main riff, reminiscent of that of “Hurts So Good” by John Mellencamp are performed by guitarist Slash and Bill Bottrell.

The video features along with Jackson, Macaulay Culkin, Tess Harper, and George Wendt. It helped usher in morphing as a new technology in music videos, pioneered by Godley & Creme’s “Cry” video in 1985. The video was directed by John Landis, who also directed Thriller.

A young Tyra Banks, just beginning her career as a supermodel, is seen dancing to the song in the ending of the video, as well as actress Peggy Lipton.

Here you can watch the official video.

Michael Jackson - Black or White Lyrics

I took my baby
On a Saturday bang
Boy is that girl with you
Yes were 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
An its true
Either you’re wrong
Or you’re right

But, if
You’re thinkin’
About my baby
It don’t matter if you’re
Black or white

I am tired of this devil
I am tired of this stuff
I am tired of this business
Sew 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

(l. t. b. rap performance)
Protection
For gangs, clubs
And nations
Causing grief in
Human relations
Its a turf war
On a global scale
Id rather hear both sides
Of the tale
See, its not about races
Just places
Faces
Where your blood
Comes from
Is where your space is
Ive seen the bright
Get duller
I’m not going to spend
My life being a color

(Michael)
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

I said if
You’re thinkin’ of
Being my brother
It don’t matter if you’re
Black or white

Ooh, ooh
Yea, yea, yea now
Ooh, ooh
Yea, yea, yea now

Its black, its white
Its tough for you
To get by
Its black , its white, whoo

Its black, its white
Its tough for you
To get by
Its black , its white, whoo

Song and Video Information

The full video, still shown regularly today, featured a montage of sequences in which Jackson is choreographed engaging in dances among people of different cultures of the world (African, South-East Asian (most likely Thailand), Native American, Indian, Russian).
At the end of the song, different people dance as they morph into one another (shown as “talking heads”), which is reminiscent of the earlier music video for the Godley & Creme song “Cry”. This technique, known as morphing, had been previously used only in films such as Willow and Terminator 2. The morphing visual effects were created by Pacific Data Images.

Released October 11, 1991
Recorded 1990
Genre Hard rock, Hip Hop, Rap rock
Length 3:22 (radio edit), 4:16 (album version)
Label Epic
Writer Michael Jackson
Producer Michael Jackson

Related posts

• Stan Walker - Black Box Lyrics and Video
• Mr Hudson - White Lies Video and Lyrics
• Athlete - Black Swan Song Video and Lyrics
• Maxwell - BLACKsummers’night Album Review
• Incubus - Black Heart Inertia Lyrics and Video
• The Kills - Black Balloon Video and Lyrics
• Taylor Swift - White Horse Lyrics and Video
• t.A.T.u. - Beliy Plashchik (White Robe) Video and Lyrics
• Sam Sparro - Black and Gold Video and Lyrics
• Amy Winehouse - Back To Black Album Review

(+5 rating, 5 votes)

 Loading ...