Michael Jackson - ''They Don't Care About Us''

We are recreating one of Michael Jackson's most controversial videos and songs: 'They Don't Care About Us' which is from his 5th solo album HIStory:Past, Present and Future. He created two versions of the video, the first version was banned due to footage of violence as it was seen to damage the government’s reputation, which Michael then decided to shoot the video in Rio de Janeiro, where he filmed shots of poverty in the streets of Brazil. The government attempted to ban the second version but was unsuccessful as there was no violence screened. Both videos aimed to indirectly blame the government for the injustices served within the world as he refers to two iconic legends: Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Martin Luther King, as he states that if they were both living, they wouldn't let it be. Michael also uses two words which are seen to be offensive to the Jewish Community: 'Jew me' and 'Kike me', this resulted in Michael Jackson having to write apologies within his album material but later stated in his defence that he refers to himself as the person being called the ‘Jew’ and the ‘Kike’ as some of his closest friends including Uri Geller and David Gest are Jewish. Our main aim is to interpret Michael Jackson’s lyrics and express the meaning to how it would be interpreted within this country, using a contrast of shots including homeless people: referring to the welfare state, to business people: implying the government only care for the middle class. We also intend to express words which Michael Jackson addressed to the audience, that this is how the media and the government made him feel. The words include ‘aggravation’, ‘police brutality’, ‘trepidation’, ‘free liberty’, ‘speculation’ and ‘segregation’. We also are expressing the racist words, however, are intending to make clear, who is being called the ‘Jew’, and the ‘Kike’. Overall, our intention is to raise awareness to how the media and the government have the power to victimise people, how they can use defamatory statements through the press, and ask the question: who do they really care for?