Remembering ‘Earth Song’ on MJ’s birthday

Today marks what would have been Michael Jackson's 63rd birthday. The King of Pop, the Moonwalker—his music still continues to speak the untold and inspire musicians and activists around the world. Besides his dance anthems like 'Billie Jean' or 'Smooth Criminal', and his ballads like 'You Are Not Alone' or 'She's Out of My Life', he dedicated several tracks evokes social awareness.

 The epic of the lot perhaps was the Earth Song. Rewinding through the chorus cry remains vivid in the auditory memory of the music enthusiasts.

The song that begins with a piano poses dreadful questions. MJ sends out a wakeup-call of sorts about the terrible condition that mankind has caused to the world, from war to the killing of animals and of the earth itself.

The song lands to a spiritual end of the song with chants to summon a force that heals the world. The music video has been equally provocative. Directed by photographer Nick Brandt, the film shows images of animal cruelty, deforestation, pollution, poaching, poverty and war in four geographic regions. The first location was the Amazon Rainforest, where a large portion had been destroyed a week after the video's completion.

The second scene sees a war zone in Karlovac, Croatia. The third location was Tanzania, featuring scenes of illegal poaching and hunting. The final location was filmed in Warwick, New York, where a safe forest fire was simulated in a corn field.

'Earth Song' was recorded for Michael Jackson's 1995 album HIStory, and was the third single taken from the album after 'Scream' and 'You Are Not Alone'. He penned the song in a hotel room in Austria. It is not only a work of art but goes beyond entertainment to raise awareness for an issue. Coincidently it was the last song Michael ever performed. He rehearsed it on June 24, 2009, while preparing for "This Is It", just hours before his death.