Heal the World



"Heal the World" is a song from Michael Jackson's album Dangerous, released in 1992.

In a 2001 Internet chat with fans, Jackson said that "Heal the World" is the song he was most proud to have created. He also created the Heal 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 the Dangerous World Tour. In the documentary Living with Michael Jackson, Jackson said he created the song in his "Giving Tree" at Neverland Ranch.

An ensemble performance of "We Are the World" and "Heal the World" closed Jackson's memorial service at the Staples 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 planned "This Is It" concerts in London along with "Dirty Diana". R&B singer Ciara sang the song as a tribute to Jackson at the 2009 BET Awards.

The song was played at the funeral of James Bulger, and Jackson also donated the song to be used as the anthem for the charity the James Bulger Red Balloon Centre, a school for children to go to if they are being bullied or have learning difficulties.

Composition
This song is written in the key of A major, and it spans from E4 to C#6. It has a tempo of 80 beats per minute.

Reception
The song reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in December 1992, kept off the number one position by Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You". It peaked number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine called this song "middle-class soft." David Browne of Entertainment Weekly praised the song: "And when his voice isn't competing with drum machines, it has rarely sounded stronger-achingly pure on Heal the World," Rolling Stone's Alan Light was not satisfied, calling it "a Hallmark-card knockoff of "We Are the World."

Music video
The music video (directed by Joe Pytka) features children living in countries suffering from unrest, especially Burundi. It is also one of only a handful of Michael Jackson's videos not to feature Jackson himself, the others being "Cry", "HIStory" and "Man in the Mirror". (The clips for "HIStory" and "Man in the Mirror" only feature Michael Jackson in archival footage). The version of the video included on Dangerous: The Short Films and Michael 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 on Video Greatest Hits – HIStory featuring the music video. Jackson performed the song in the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show with a 35,000 person flash card performance.

Track listing

 * 7" single and cassette single:
 * 1) "Heal the World" (7" edit) – 4:32
 * 2) "She Drives Me Wild" – 3:41


 * 12" single:
 * 1) "Heal the World" (album version) – 6:25
 * 2) "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Brothers in Rhythm House Mix) – 7:40
 * 3) "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" (Rogers Underground Solution) – 6:18
 * 4) "Rock with You" (Masters at Work Remix) – 5:29


 * CD maxi:
 * 1) "Heal the World" (7" edit) – 4:32
 * 2) "Heal the World" (7" edit with intro) – 4:55
 * 3) "Heal the World" (LP version) – 6:25
 * 4) "She Drives Me Wild" (album version) – 3:41


 * CD promo:
 * 1) "Heal the World" (7" edit) – 4:32
 * 2) "Heal the World" (7" edit with intro) – 4:55


 * Live in Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour
 * 1) Live version


 * DualDisc single:
 * CD side


 * 1) "Heal the World" (single version) – 4:32
 * 2) "Will You Be There" – 7:39
 * DVD side


 * 1) "Heal the World" (music video) – 7:31

Personnel

 * Written and composed by Michael Jackson
 * Produced by Michael Jackson
 * Co-Produced by Bruce Swedien
 * Recorded and mixed by Bruce Swedien and Matt Forger
 * Michael Jackson: Solo and background vocals
 * Christa Collins: Ending solo vocal
 * Ashley Farrell: Playground girl
 * Rhythm arrangement by Michael Jackson


 * Orchestra arranged and conducted by Marty Paich
 * Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson and John Bahler
 * Choir arrangement by John Bahler, featuring the John Bahler Singers
 * David Paich and Brad Buxer: Keyboards
 * Michael Boddicker, David Paich and Steve Porcaro: Synthesizers
 * Jeff Porcaro: Drums
 * Bryan Loren: Percussion
 * Prelude composed, arranged and conducted by Marty Paich

Cover versions

 * Brazilian singer Xuxa recorded a Spanish version of the song called "Curar el Mundo", in 1992.
 * Brazilian soft rock band Roupa Nova recorded a portuguese version of the song called "A Paz", in 2007 in their Chistmas Album called "Natal todo dia". They played the song in the Roberto Carlos Christmas TV Special in 2007. The song appears also in their live album "Roupa Nova 30 anos", featuring the vocals from Padre Fábio de Melo.
 * Leif Bloms recorded the song on 1993 album Dej ska jag älska all min tid.
 * The song was covered as "Heal Massa God World" in a reggae style by Jamaican artist Wayne Wonder on his 2006 album Don't Have To.
 * Japanese R&B singer Misia covered the song on her 2011 album Misia no Mori: Forest Covers.
 * Filipino singers Lea Salonga and Charice Pempengco sang "Heal the World" as a tribute to Michael Jackson on the show A.S.A.P. on July 5, 2009.
 * Piccolo Coro dell'Antoniano, children's choir from Italy has it among its songs.
 * Zain Bhikha, a South African singer-songwriter, covered the song on his 2011 album "Hope", adding an African twist.
 * The students of City International School, Mumbai, India covered the song for the 2011-2012 ISA Project organised by The British Council. The award was later won by the same school.
 * Connie Talbot, a finalist from Season 1 of Britain's Got Talent, released a variation of the song in November 2011 on her album, Beautiful World.
 * 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.