Earth Song

"Earth Song" by Michael Jackson

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

Analysis:



“Earth Song” by Michael Jackson calls out destructiveness of human kind. It relates to what is going on in today’s world, as we are still growing, building and expanding our horizons. It is particularly effective in showing that our actions have consequences. Everyday more and more is taken and less is put back. He uses rhetoric questions and literary elements to get across the point that our natural resources are deteriorating because of our own actions. This song makes me realize what I have and if I want to keep it that I need to take care of it. This song reminds me of how beautiful nature can be when it hasn’t been affected by human actions: pollution, construction, or anything else that can alter the appearance and habitat.

Michal Jackson personifies many aspects of nature throughout his song to point out how destructive mankind can be. Throughout the song he asks questions to address the issues within his song. It starts off asking “What about sunrise?/What about rain?/What about all the things/That you said we were to gain. . .Did you ever stop to notice/ This crying Earth, its weeping shores?” Thus putting the emphasis on what has happened to nature and how we have strayed from our peace and are starting to destroy our home. Michael Jackson asks, “What is nature’s worth/It’s our planet’s womb”, leading one to conclude nature isn’t worth much if it is not preserved. Our planet’s womb would be the natural resources it provides us, thus if it is being destroyed it is not producing much; therefore, it is not worth much when not in its original state. He uses questions cleverly to point out what we did wrong and asked rhetorical questions about why we didn’t stop it. He ends the song asking, “Do we give a damn” which makes it known that the much worse than what we let it on to be. He talks about animals and how we have lost their trust. Which their trust was most likely lost due to the destruction of their homes and/or sources of food. Michael Jackson uses figurative language to help us realize how the effects of what we are doing can destroy the world we know if we don’t change our ways. He also reinforces his theme through his subject matter. The theme of this song, the destructiveness of human kind, is supported throughout his work by use of personifying nature. He calls out deforestation and overfishing of the seas and alone these things cannot protect themselves only our actions can change the everlasting effects.

Sources:
video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAi3VTSdTxU
lyrics:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/michaeljackson/earthsong.html
Released: 1995