Michael Jackson - Black or White

"Black or White" was the first single taken from Michael Jackson's album Dangerous, released in November 1991.

Written, composed, and arranged by Jackson with the rap lyrics by Bill Bottrell, it is a song promoting interracial romance, i.e. the lyrics "if you're thinking about my baby, it don't matter if you're black or white." The song features an introduction on guitar by guitarist Slash.

The song peaked at number one on charts in more than twenty countries.

Lead single from Michael’s album DANGEROUS, single and album both released in November 1991.

Fastest no.1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in the States since 1969, when Get Back by the Beatles also conquered the chart in just three weeks. No.1
for seven weeks, but stalled at no.3 on the R&B singles chart.

RIAA Platinum Record Award (USA million seller).

No.8 best selling single of 1991 in the States.

First single by an American to enter the UK singles chart at no.1 since Elvis Presley’s It’s Now Or Never in 1960. Spent two weeks in pole position.

Also no.1 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Cuba, Denmark, Finland, France, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Zimbabwe.

Series of remixes by Richard Clivilles and David Cole of the C&C Music Factory. Issued in January 1992, charted in their own right in the UK, achieving no.14.

The opening guitar was first recorded at Michael's Encino home. "That piece of music, the beginning part that Slash plays on, was recorded at Michaael's house," confirmed co-writer Bill Bottrell. "Michael asked me to dig it out of the vault in August of 1989. He had in mind to use it as the intro to Black Or White - it took a long time before we got Slash on it."

"For me, the best thing about Black Or White," said Bottrell, "was that his (Michael's) scratch vocal remained untouched throughout the next year (of work on Dangerous album), and ended up being used on the finished song."


[Teddy Riley's Words About The Song]
Again I didn't produce this. But again, I added the percussion to the track. I used wood percussion – cow bells, shakers and things like that. Producer Bill Bottrell had an EIII drum machine playing loops. I sat with the track for a while then I said, 'OK, this is a good track. But what it needs is instrumentation'. It had the guitars and Slash from Guns N' Roses on there but I felt if it was going to play live and acoustical, then we'd need to add some acoustical percussion. It was the case that I'd find the tracks very studio sounding and I wanted to add the live funk to them.


Credits
* Written and composed by Michael Jackson
* Rap lyrics by Bill Bottrell
* Produced by Michael Jackson and Bill Bottrell
* Recorded and mixed by Bill Bottrell
* Solo and background vocals: Michael Jackson
* Drums: Bryan Loren
* Percussion: Brad Buxer and Bill Bottrell
* Bass: Bryan Loren (moog) and Terry Jackson (bass guitar)
* Keyboards: Brad Buxer, John Barnes and Jason Martz
* Guitar: Bill Bottrell
* Heavy metal guitar: Tim Pierce
* Speed sequencer: Michael Boddicker and Kevin Gilbert
* Rap performed by L.T.B.


Black Or White - Lyrics

I Took My Baby
On A Saturday Bang
Boy Is That Girl With You
Yes We’re One And The Same

Now I Believe In Miracles
And A Miracle
Has Happened Tonight

But, If
You’re Thinkin’
About My Baby
It Don’t Matter If You’re
Black Or White

They Print My Message
In The Saturday Sun
I Had To Tell Them
I Ain’t Second To None

And I Told About Equality
An It’s True
Either You’re Wrong
Or You’re Right

But, If
You’re Thinkin’
About My Baby
It Don’t Matter If You’re
Black Or White

I Am Tired Of This Devil
I Am Tired Of This Stuff
I Am Tired Of This Business
Sew When The
Going Gets Rough
I Ain’t Scared Of
Your Brother
I Ain’t Scared Of No Sheets
I Ain’t Scare Of Nobody
Girl When The
Goin’ Gets Mean

(L. T. B. Rap Performance)
Protection
For Gangs, Clubs
And Nations
Causing Grief In
Human Relations
It’s A Turf War
On A Global Scale
I’d Rather Hear Both Sides
Of The Tale
See, It’s Not About Races
Just Places
Faces
Where Your Blood
Comes From
Is Where Your Space Is
I’ve Seen The Bright
Get Duller
I’m Not Going To Spend
My Life Being A Color

(Michael)
Don’t Tell Me You Agree With Me
When I Saw You Kicking Dirt In My Eye

But, If
You’re Thinkin’ About My Baby
It Don’t Matter If You’re Black Or White

I Said If
You’re Thinkin’ Of
Being My Baby
It Don’t Matter If You’re Black Or White

I Said If
You’re Thinkin’ Of
Being My Brother
It Don’t Matter If You’re
Black Or White

Ooh, Ooh
Yea, Yea, Yea Now
Ooh, Ooh
Yea, Yea, Yea Now

It’s Black, It’s White
It’s Tough For You
To Get By
It’s Black , It’s White, Whoo

It’s Black, It’s White
It’s Tough For You
To Get By
It’s Black , It’s White, Whoo