Detailed Analysis Comparison: Michael Jackson - Will You Be There

The song ''Will You Be There'' features in Michael Jackson’s 4^th solo album ''Dangerous''. The title of the song is directed to his fans, asking them ‘Will You Be There?’ The song includes one of Michael Jackson’s most touching speeches which was played at Michael Jackson’s memorial service: ‘In our darkest hour, in my deepest despair, will you still care? Will you be there? In my trials and my tribulations, through our doubts and frustrations. In my violence and my turbulence. Through my fear and my confessions. In my anguish and my pain. Through my joy and my sorrow, and the promise of another tomorrow. I’ll never let you part, for you’re always in my heart.’ In this speech, Michael emphasizes his commitment to his fans by saying ‘I’ll never let you part, for you’re always in my heart’, and also asking for his fans to be faithful to him through his ‘darkest hours’, and his ‘deepest despairs’, and asks his fans the question ‘Will you still care? Will you be there?’ Also in the song Michael Jackson screams out ‘But they told me a man should be faithful, and walk when not able and fight to the end, but I’m only human’. This is a powerful quote which is followed by ‘Everyone’s taking control of me. Seems like this worlds got a role for me. I’m so confused will you show to me you’ll be there for me and care enough to bare me.’ These two verses are the base for the narrative of the song and music video as he uses a choir of children from the live performances of the song, long shots and extreme shots of Michael performing using sign language and dancing, and women dressed with angel wings which at the end of the video, a low angle shot is used showing the wings wrapped around Michael Jackson. The editing cut shots of Michael dancing, to him singing, to him using sign language which the mise en scene was Michael mostly on stage, puposely showing cuts of the amount of fans who attend his concerts, showing the role he has in the world which reflects his lyrics 'Seems like this worlds got a role for me'. The symbolic images in the video reflect the message Michael Jackson is portraying which in our video, we are using the same concept. There is also footage from the film ‘Free Willy’ which the song features in the films soundtrack. In the full version of the song, the Cleveland Orchestra appears at the start performing a well-known Beethoven symphony in the album version. Michael Jackson said the song was written in his Neverland ranch in a tree he often climbed, which he also wrote the song ‘Heal the World’ in. The video of the song is similar to ‘They Don’t Care About Us’ in the purpose of getting a message sent across to his fans however in a more peaceful approach, using children from choirs and children using sign language which adds to a more broad audience for the video.