Michael Jackson and Diana Ross – A Brand New Day (The Wiz Video)

The Wiz is a 1978 American musical film produced by Motown Productions and Universal Pictures, and released by Universal on October 24, 1978. An urbanized retelling of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz featuring an entirely African-American cast, The Wiz is adapted from the 1975 Broadway musical of the same name with songs by Charlie Smalls and a book by William F. Brown. The film follows the adventures of Dorothy, a shy schoolteacher from Harlem, New York who finds herself magically transported to the wonderland of Oz — which resembles a fantasy version of New York City — during a snowstorm. Befriended by a Scarecrow, a Tin Man, and a Cowardly Lion, Dorothy travels through the world of Oz to seek an audience with the mysterious "Wiz", who allegedly has the power to take her home.

Produced by Rob Cohen, directed by Sidney Lumet, and written for the screen by Joel Schumacher, The Wiz stars Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Theresa Merritt, Thelma Carpenter, Lena Horne, and Richard Pryor. Upon its original theatrical release, The Wiz underperformed both critically and financially, to the extent that it marks the end of the resurgence of African-American films that began with the blaxploitation movement of the 1970s.

Starring

* Diana Ross (as Dorothy Gale)
* Theresa Merritt (as Aunt Emma)
* Stanley Greene (as Uncle Henry)
* Lena Horne (as Glinda, the Good Witch of the South)
* Michael Jackson (as Scarecrow)
* Thelma Carpenter (as Miss One, the Good Witch of the North)
* Nipsey Russell (as Tin Man)
* Ted Ross (as Cowardly Lion)
* Richard Pryor (as the Wiz)
* Mabel King (as Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West)

A Brand New Day – Lyrics

Everybody look around
‘Cause there’s a reason to rejoice you see
Everybody come out
And let’s commence to singing joyfully
Everybody look up
And feel the hope that we’ve been waiting for

Everybody’s glad
Because our silent fear and dread is gone
Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully
Just look about
You owe it to yourself to check it out
Can’t you feel a brand new day?
Can’t you feel a brand new day?
Can’t you feel a brand new day?
Can’t you feel a brand new day?

Everybody be glad
Because the sun is shining just for us
Everybody wake up
Into the morning into happiness

Hello world
It’s like a different way of living now
And thank you world
We always knew that we’d be free somehow
In harmony
And show the world that we’ve got liberty

It’s such a change
For us to live so independently
Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully
Just look about
You owe it to yourself to check it out
Can’t you feel a brand new day?
Can’t you feel a brand new day?

Everybody be glad
Because the sun is shining just for us
Everybody wake up
Into the morning into happiness
Hello world
It’s like a different way of living now
And thank you world
We always knew that we’d be free somehow
In harmony
And show the world that we’ve got liberty

It’s such a change
For us to live so independently
Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully
Just look about
You owe it to yourself to check it out
Can’t you feel a brand new day?
Can’t you feel a brand new day?
Can’t you feel a brand new day?
Can’t you feel a brand new day?