The Man in the Mirror
A gospel-infused pop anthem about personal change.
Man in the Mirror is a song by American singer Michael Jackson, released in January 1988 as the fourth single from his album Bad (1987).
Quick Facts
- Role
- Companion; Philosophical foil to the Nameless One
- Nature
- Sentient fragment of the Nameless One's soul, manifest as a mirror-glass humanoid
- First appears
- Planescape: Torment (1999)
- Developer
- Black Isle Studios
- Publisher
- Interplay
- Fate
- Can be permanently killed by the Nameless One, a major narrative choice
Lore & Background
The song was written by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett, and produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. It features the Andraé Crouch Choir and runs for 5 minutes and 19 seconds in the key of G major, with a key change to A-flat major after 2 minutes and 53 seconds.
Reader's Guide
The music video, directed by Don Wilson, is a montage of news events and famous people; Jackson appears only briefly near the end. The video includes clips of historical figures such as Adolf Hitler, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mother Teresa.
Did You Know?
- The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1988 and stayed there for two weeks.
- It was nominated for Record of the Year at the 31st Grammy Awards.
- Following Jackson's death in 2009, the song reached number 2 on the UK singles chart.
- An instrumental version was played at Jackson's memorial service.
More in Narrative Arcs & Philosophies
Elsewhere in Planescape Torment
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