Earth Song” was written and composed by Michael Jackson as a passionate plea for environmental awareness in the face of unchecked global development. It was released on this date as the third single from HIStory: Past, Present and Future—Book I.
The song was produced by Michael and David Foster, and co-produced by Bill Bottrell, and reached No. 1 in seven countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy and Norway. “Earth Song” became Michael’s biggest-selling single in the U.K., where it sold more than 1 million copies, topped the singles chart for six weeks, and earned the Christmas No. 1 spot in 1995.
Michael’s short film for “Earth Song” was directed by Nicholas Brandt and features stark footage of Michael and native people around the world witnessing acts of natural devastation. The planet is magically restored as Michael sings the final verse of the song.
The short film earned the Doris Day Music Award in 1996 from the Humane Society of the United States Genesis Awards, and was nominated for a GRAMMY Award in 1997 for Best Short Form Music Video.
Michael Jackson explained the main inspiration for this song by saying, "I remember writing 'Earth Song' when I was in Austria, in a hotel. And I was feeling so much pain and so much suffering of the plight of the Planet Earth. And for me, this is Earth's Song, because I think nature is trying so hard to compensate for man's mismanagement of the Earth."
After previous socially-conscious Michael Jackson's songs such as "We Are the World", "Man in the Mirror" and "Heal the World", "Earth Song" was the first that dealt with the environment and animal welfare.
Andrae Crouch's Choir was featured on this song when they and Michael Jackson chant the anthemic call-and-response finale.
The music video for this track was filmed in four geographic regions (Americas, Europe and Africa): the first location was the Amazon Rainforest; the second scene was a war zone in Karlovac, Croatia; the third location was Tanzania; the final location was in Warwick, New York.
"Earth Song" is Michael Jackson's biggest hit in the UK. It was the nation's number-one Christmas single in 1995.
This was the last song ever performed by Michael Jackson because he died on the 25th of June 2009, just hours after rehearsing it in preparation for the This Is It tour.
Jackson explained: "I remember writing 'Earth Song' when I was in Austria, in a hotel. And I was feeling so much pain and so much suffering of the plight of the Planet Earth. And for me, this is Earth's Song, because I think nature is trying so hard to compensate for man's mismanagement of the Earth.
And with the ecological unbalance going on, and a lot of the problems in the environment, I think earth feels the pain, and she has wounds, and it's about some of the joys of the planet as well. But this is my chance to pretty much let people hear the voice of the planet. And this is 'Earth Song.' And that's what inspired it. And it just suddenly dropped into my lap when I was on tour in Austria."
This is Jackson's biggest hit in the UK, selling 1,038,821 copies. The single sold over three million copies worldwide. >>
Jackson performed this for the first time in November 1995 on the German celebrity game show Wanna Bet?. >>
Jackson produced this track with David Foster and Bill Bottrell.
The Lyrics
What about sunrise?
What about rain?
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain..?.
What about killing fields?
Is there a time?
What about all the things
That you said was yours and mine...?
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we've shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
This crying Earth, its weeping shores?
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
What have we done to the world?
Look what we've done.
What about all the peace,
That you pledge your only son?
What about flowering fields?
Is there a time?
What about all the dreams,
That you said was yours and mine?
Did you ever stop to notice,
All the children dead from war?
Did you ever stop to notice,
This crying Earth its weeping shores?
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don't know where we are
Although I know we've drifted far
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Hey
what about yesterday
(What about us)
What about the seas
(What about us)
The heavens are falling down
(What about us)
I can't even breathe
(What about us)
What about everything
(What about us)
I given you
(What about us)
What about nature's worth
(ooo, ooo)
It's our planet's womb
(What about us)
What about animals
(What about it)
We've turned kingdoms to dust
(What about us)
What about elephants
(What about us)
Have we lost their trust
(What about us)
What about crying whales
(What about us)
We're ravaging the seas
(What about us)
What about forest trails
(ooo, ooo)
Burnt despite our pleas
(What about us)
What about the holy land
(What about it)
Torn apart by creed
(What about us)
What about the common man
(What about us)
Can't we set him free
(What about us)
What about children dying
(What about us)
Can't you hear them cry
(What about us)
Where did we go wrong
(ooo, ooo)
Someone tell me why
(What about us)
What about baby boy
(What about it)
What about the days
(What about us)
What about all their joy
(What about us)
What about the man
(What about us)
What about the crying man
(What about us)
What about Abraham
(What was us)
What about death again
(ooo, ooo)
Do we give a damn
Aaaaaaaaah Ooooooooh