Earth Song

"Earth Song" is the third single from Michael Jackson's album Past, Present and Future, Book I. It is a ballad that incorporates elements of blues, gospel and opera. Jackson had a long-standing history of releasing socially conscious material such as "We Are the World", "Man in the Mirror" and "Heal the World". However, "Earth Song" was the first that overtly dealt with the environment and animal welfare. The song was written and composed by Jackson; the task of production was split between Jackson, David Foster and Bill Bottrell. Reviews were generally favorable, but some charged that the song sounded pompous.

"Earth Song" was accompanied by a lavish music video shot on four geographical regions. It centered around the destruction and rebirth of Earth and went on to receive a Grammy nomination in 1997. The song was a top five hit in most European countries. In the United Kingdom, it remains Jackson's best-selling single and was the country's 1995 Christmas number-one single. "Earth Song" was not released as a single in the United States. Jackson went on to receive recognition from various animal and environmental organizations.

Background

Jackson already had a long-standing history of writing charitable or socially conscious material. As an adult Jackson used his fame and wealth to promote various causes. In 1985, he co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" with Lionel Richie, which...
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