Michael Jackson’s live shows are remembered as historic events. A leaked video of Michael performing his controversial single “They Don’t Care About Us” live in Munich during the ’97 HIStory World Tour, epitomizes his legacy as an indomitable world star, while giving us glimpses of the man behind the mask.
Alchemizing silver and gold tin-foil tones into a cyborg body suit, Michael and his army of black-clad backing dancers march and jolt mechanically in military formations to a thick, dominating drum beat. We can’t tell how far into the full Munich gig this clip occurred, but Michael looks absolutely exhausted as he cuts shapes and commands the stage.
His pitch-perfect vocals are flawless, but momentary sloppiness and dazed, breathless looks reveal the pressures of an overworked star. Yet, he powers through the performance like a pro, voodoo guitar solo, flag waving and all.
“They Don’t Care About Us” found notoriety after being labeled as one of the most controversial songs from Michael Jackson’s entire discography soon after its release. This ’96 single was a Top 10 hit in most Western countries but shockingly peaked at just #30 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
This track takes an unforgettable stance against racism, supporting everyday people of all cultures while calling out human rights violations which resonate profoundly to this day, including the lines: “I am a victim of police brutality now, I’m tired of being the victim of hate,” and “Black man, blackmail, throw the brother in jail.”
But picking apart Michael’s lyrics, some interpreters suggested this song hid anti-Semitic sentiments within its rhymes, with one LA-based Rabbi even calling the track “deeply disturbing”. Michael was quick to hit back at these claims, stating, “I love all races of people, from Arabs to Jewish people […] When I say, ‘Jew me, sue me, everybody do me, kick me, kike me, don’t you black or white me’ [in the song], I’m talking about myself as the victim.”
Michael Jackson’s manager, Sandy Gallin, supported Michael’s side of the controversy, adding: “I’m Jewish […] and when I read the lyrics I thought, ‘How does Michael even know how awful it is for a Jew to be called a k*ke?’ I said that to him and he said, ‘What do you think it’s like being called a ni**er or a skinhead? It’s all horrible prejudice and accusations of people.’”
The official HIStory World Tour DVD (filmed during this ’97 Munich gig) was never released as Michael (aged 38 at the time) was allegedly suffering from laryngitis, leaving him “unimpressed” with the film’s final cut — making this rare, leaked clip of “They Don’t Care About Us” extra special to any MJ fans out there. It’s amassed over 167 million YouTube views in just over ten years!
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