This article is about the song by Michael Jackson. For the charity, seeHeal the World Foundation. For the unrelated concept in Jewish moral philosophy, seeTikkun olam.
"Heal the World" is a song recorded by American singerMichael Jackson from his eighth studio album,Dangerous (1991). It was released on November 9, 1992, byEpic Records as the sixth single from the album. It was written and composed by Jackson, and produced by Jackson andBruce Swedien. It is a song steeped with antiwar lyrics and Jackson's wish for the humanity of making the world a better place.[2][3] The music video for the song was directed byJoe Pytka.
In a 2001Internet chat withfans, Jackson said that "Heal the World" is the song he was most proud to have created. He also created theHeal the World Foundation, a charitable organization which was designed to improve the lives of children. The organization was also meant to teach children how to help others. This concept of 'betterment for all' would become a centerpiece for theDangerous World Tour. In the documentaryLiving with Michael Jackson, Jackson said he created the song in his "Giving Tree" atNeverland Ranch.
An ensemble performance of "We Are the World" and "Heal the World" closedJackson's memorial service at theStaples Center in Los Angeles on July 7, 2009. The song was performed as rehearsed by Jackson at the venue just weeks earlier, in preparation for his plannedThis Is It concerts in London along with "Dirty Diana". R&B singerCiara sang the song as a tribute to Jackson at the2009 BET Awards.
The song was played at the funeral ofJames Bulger,[4] and Jackson also donated the song to be used as the anthem for the James Bulger Red Balloon Centre, a school for children to go to if they are being bullied or have learning difficulties.[5]
This song is written in the key ofA major (but later transitions toB major as a choir starts singing, and last more chorus inD♭ major from the end), and it spans from E3 to C♯5. It has a tempo of 80 beats per minute.[6]
The lyrics includes a reference toIsaiah 2:4: "See the nations turn their swords into plowshares."[7]
Chris Lacy from Albumism described the song as "a beautifully understated anthem whose lyrics call for universal improvement."[9]AllMusic editorStephen Thomas Erlewine called it "middle-class soft."[10]Larry Flick fromBillboard viewed "Heal the World" as a "oh-so-sweet call for peace and love". He added, "Although tune sounds a bit like 'We Are the World', the sincerity in his vocal cuts through a somewhat overblown arrangement and choir climax."[11] Randy Clark fromCash Box said that it's "musically about as close a jab at his previous 'Cry', 'Man in the Mirror' and 'We Are the World' as he could pull off withoutQuincy Jones and the superstar backing." He added that "the sing-alongballad features mostly Michael's vocals, bringing in a choir at the end for the full effect. The universal message is also the theme of his current world tour."[12]
After Jackson's death, the Daily Vault's Michael R. Smith wrote, "Certainly, message songs like 'Heal the World' and 'Gone Too Soon' have a striking and sad resonance now that Jackson is no longer with us, so in that way his legacy is preserved and his music does live on."[13]David Browne ofEntertainment Weekly praised the song, "And when his voice isn't competing with drum machines, it has rarely sounded stronger-achingly pure".[14]Rolling Stone's Alan Light was not satisfied, calling it "aHallmark-card knockoff of 'We Are the World'."[15] A more scathing criticism came from Bill Wyman ofVulture, who ranked the song the worst of Michael Jackson's entire output, criticising its "overweening vocalizings" and "unrelenting, almost sociopathickey changes".[16]
The accompanying music video for the song was directed byJoe Pytka and features children living in countries suffering fromunrest, especiallyBurundi. It is also one of only a handful that does not feature Jackson. The version of the video included onDangerous: The Short Films andMichael Jackson's Vision contains an introductory video that features a speech from Jackson taken from the special "spoken word" version of the track. This version was not included onVideo Greatest Hits – HIStory featuring the music video. Jackson performed the song in theSuper Bowl XXVII halftime show with a 35,000 person flash card performance.
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
The Brazilian singerXuxa Meneghel made a Spanish version namedCurar El Mundo in 1992.[80]
The Brazilian bandRoupa Nova made a Portuguese version namedA Paz in 2010.[81]
In 2016 Mumbai-based folk music duo Maati Baani (formed by Nirali Kartik and Kartik Shah) released a cover of the song featuring 45 child artists between the ages of 5 and 13 from India, South Africa, Russia, Canada, Japan and the United States, displaying an eclectic array of musical styles.[82]
^Lecocq, Richard; Allard, François (2018)."Dangerous".Michael Jackson All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London, England:Cassell.ISBN9781788400572.
