Man in the Mirror (Michael Jackson)

I'm Gonna Make A Change, For Once In My Life It's Gonna Feel Real Good, Gonna Make A Difference Gonna Make It Right . . .

The narrator seems to be indicating their desire to make a change and the change they plan to make is going to be one to overcome all the mess they've done in their life. It seems as though they're trying to correct a wrong committed, as they say they're "gonna make it right."
As I, Turn Up The Collar On My Favorite Winter Coat This Wind Is Blowin' My Mind I See The Kids In The Street, With Not Enough To Eat Who Am I, To Be Blind? Pretending Not To See Their Needs

Imagery is used here to show the narrator on a street seeing children who don't have enough food to satisfy their hunger. It's possible that they're physical hunger initiates a mental hunger in him that begins blowing at his mind, causing him to become unable to ignore the desires of the children or other people who are in need (physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally)

A Summer's Disregard, A Broken Bottle Top And A One Man's Soul They Follow Each Other On The Wind Ya' Know 'Cause They Got Nowhere To Go That's Why I Want You To Know

"A summer's disregard, a broken bottle top, and a man's one soul" are all correlated in the fact that they are easily forgotten. School is a summer's disregard for many children as they don't have to worry about it for about 3 months, a broken bottle top is useless because it can no longer fasten the bottle close and there is probably a man's soul who has been discarded by many and he feels as though it cannot be mended. They're all just "wafting in the wind" because they have no specific place to be and can merge to wherever is convenient

I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change (Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change) (Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na, Na Nah)

The narrator states that changing the person in which everyone sees in the mirror whenever they look into it is a step in the right direction when it comes to changing the world. Before one can convince others to change, he/she needs to convince him/herself. After said task is complete, advocating your cause for change to the world has gotten easier.

I've Been A Victim Of A Selfish Kind Of Love It's Time That I Realize That There Are Some With No Home, Not A Nickel To Loan Could It Be Really Me, Pretending That They're Not Alone?

The narrator's use of "victim" indicates he/she did not choose to become part of the self type of life, as if it were instinct to fall into it. This could be a symbolism for society's contribution to making the average person selfish and self-centered, indicating that we should live for ourselves and not others. Because of this blindness, the narrator is now saying that it's time to take off the blindfold and realizes that there are people who are not well-off, having no home or extra money to loan. Though there are many people like them, they often feel and are alone to fend for themselves.

A Willow Deeply Scarred, Somebody's Broken Heart And A Washed-Out Dream (Washed-Out Dream) They Follow The Pattern Of The Wind, Ya' See Cause They Got No Place To Be That's Why I'm Starting With Me (Starting With Me!)

A deeply scarred willow, a broken heart and a washed-out dream follow the pattern of pain and often irresponsibility on those who are supposed to take care of them. A willow's deep scars will not go away, neither will the pain and remembrance from a person's heart being broken or the hurt from having a dream not come true. These things are often forgotten (or so they wish to be, thus their having no place to really be. The narrator brings relevance to his/her theme by stating that they're starting with themselves, they'll keep those things symbolized by the willow, the broken heart and washed out dream from happening to others.

I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror (Ooh!) I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways (Ooh!) And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change (Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change)

I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror (Ooh!) I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways (Change His Ways-Ooh!) And No Message Could've Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make That . . . (Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make That . . .) Change!

I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror, (Man In The Mirror-Oh Yeah!) I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways (Better Change!) No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) (Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make The Change) (You Gotta Get It Right, While You Got The Time) ('Cause When You Close Your Heart) You Can't Close Your . . .Your Mind! (Then You Close Your . . . Mind!)

That Man, That Man, That Man, That Man With That Man In The Mirror (Man In The Mirror, Oh Yeah!) That Man, That Man, That Man I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways (Better Change!) You Know . . .That Man No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change (Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make A Change)

Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na, Na Nah (Oh Yeah!) Gonna Feel Real Good Now! Yeah Yeah! Yeah Yeah! Yeah Yeah! Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na, Na Nah (Ooooh . . .) Oh No, No No . . . I'm Gonna Make A Change It's Gonna Feel Real Good! Come On! (Change . . .) Just Lift Yourself You Know You've Got To Stop It. Yourself! (Yeah!-Make That Change!) I've Got To Make That Change, Today! Hoo! (Man In The Mirror) You Got To You Got To Not Let Yourself . . . Brother . . . Hoo! (Yeah!-Make That Change!)

You Know-I've Got To Get That Man, That Man . . . (Man In The Mirror) You've Got To You've Got To Move! Come On! Come On! You Got To . . . Stand Up! Stand Up! Stand Up! (Yeah-Make That Change) Stand Up And Lift Yourself, Now! (Man In The Mirror) Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Aaow! (Yeah-Make That Change) Gonna Make That Change . . . Come On! (Man In The Mirror) You Know It! You Know It! You Know It! You Know . . . (Change . . .) Make That Change.

The last few stanzas reiterate what the third stanza stated by making the change within oneself first. This repetition allows the beat and theme to stand out-change takes place in the heart first, then spreads to those around the. The repetition pumps the strength and truth of the words into the listener and while one does not realize it, it is this chorus that is often sang time and time again and is the most remembered part of the song/poem. It also reiterates a predominant theme and saying-change must first occur in the heart that wants the change to occur for it to have any affect on those around them.