Quincy Jones

Lore & Background

The creation of 'Man in the Mirror' began when Quincy Jones asked Siedah Garrett to write material for Jackson's next album. Garrett took this brief to her partner, Glen Ballard, who started playing a keyboard figure while she wrote the lyrics. They recorded a demo over one week with Garrett on vocals and delivered it to Jones, who called back within hours to give his approval. At Michael Jackson's specific request, the writers returned to modify the lyrics and write a longer middle eight section. To complete the sound, Jones brought in the Andraé Crouch Choir for the gospel vocals. The final song runs 5 minutes and 19 seconds, starting in G major before shifting up a semitone to A-flat major after 2 minutes and 53 seconds.

In Their Own Story

In the studio, the energy shifted as Jones oversaw the integration of diverse musical elements for 'Man in the Mirror.' He coordinated with Glen Ballard on rhythm arrangements and joined Ballard and Jerry Hey to finalize synthesizer arrangements. The session featured a unique blend of talents: Michael Jackson handled lead and background vocals, while Siedah Garrett contributed additional background vocals alongside The Winans. Musicians like Ollie E. Brown added claps and cymbals, Dann Huff played guitar, and Greg Phillinganes provided piano work. Ballard managed drum programming and synthesizers, while Randy Kerber also contributed to the synth textures. This meticulous assembly of personnel resulted in a track that Rolling Stone's Davitt Sigerson later praised as one of Jackson's best, noting its straightforward homily of personal commitment.

Reader's Guide

Quincy Jones' involvement with 'Man in the Mirror' demonstrates his method of curating talent and refining song structures to achieve commercial success. He acted as the bridge between the initial demo by Ballard and Garrett and the final polished track that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. His role extended to visual media, where he worked with Don Wilson to develop the music video idea featuring a montage of historical events rather than Jackson performing throughout. Jones also handled synthesizer arrangements and rhythm arrangements, ensuring the musical foundation supported Jackson's vocal performance. The song became Jackson's ninth number-one single in the US and was nominated for Record of the Year at the 31st Grammy Awards, validating Jones' production choices.

Did You Know?

• Quincy Jones told songwriters he invited to his home: 'I just want hits, that's all I want.'
• Jones approved the demo for 'Man in the Mirror' just a few hours after receiving it from Siedah Garrett.
• At Jackson's request, the songwriters modified lyrics and wrote a longer middle eight section before Jones enlisted the Andraé Crouch Choir.
• The instrumental version of the song played at Michael Jackson's memorial service was produced by Quincy Jones.
• Jones co-produced 'Man in the Mirror' with Michael Jackson and handled rhythm arrangements alongside Glen Ballard.