Black or White – English Lyrics

• By: Michael Jackson
• Album: Dangerous

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Michael Jackson's iconic "Black or White" to explore English that champions universal themes of equality and understanding. This song offers an engaging way to grasp everyday expressions and strong messages of unity, making language learning both relevant and inspiring through its powerful lyrics and global impact. What makes it special is its direct, heartfelt plea for racial harmony, presented with an energetic fusion of pop, rock, and hip-hop, along with its visually innovative music video that broke new ground in storytelling.

[English]

(Hey!) What?

(Turn it off) Dad, this is the best part!

(Turn it off) no!

(It's too late for this, turn it off)

Dad, this is the best part, come on

(No, turn it off now) no, this is the-, I wanna listen to it, okay?

You've got things to do tomorrow, turn it off now!

...

Right, too late? Sure, eat this

...

Aaow! (Ooh)

...

Aaow!

...

I took my baby on a Saturday bang

Boy, is that girl with you?

Yes, we're one and the same

Now, I believe in miracles

And a miracle has happened tonight, hee

...

But if you're thinking about my baby

It don't matter if you're black or white, ooh

...

They print my message in the Saturday Sun

I had to tell 'em, "I ain't second to none"

And I told about equality and it's true

Either you're wrong or you're right, hoo

...

But if you're thinking about my baby

It don't matter if you're black or white, hee

...

Gone wit' ya, babe

...

Hee-hee

...

I am tired of this devil

I am tired of this stuff

I am tired of this business

Go when the going gets rough

I ain't scared of your brother

I ain't scared of no sheets

I ain't scared of nobody

Go when the going gets mean

Protection for gangs, clubs, and nations

Causing grief in human relations

It's a turf war on a global scale

I'd rather hear both sides of the tale

See, it's not about races, just places, faces

Where your blood comes from, it's where your space is

I've seen the bright get duller

I'm not gonna spend my life being a color

Don't tell me you agree with me

When I saw you kicking dirt in my eye (hee-hee)

But if you're thinking about my baby

It don't matter if you're black or white

...

I said if you're thinking of being my baby

It don't matter if you're black or white

I said if you're thinking of being my brother

It don't matter if you're black or white

...

Alright, alright (ooh-ooh)

Alright (yeah, yeah, yeah), yeah, now

Alright, alright (ooh-ooh)

Shamone, don't (yeah, yeah, yeah)

Yeah, now, alright, ah

It's black, it's white

It's tough for you to beat, yeah (yeah, yeah, yeah)

It's black, it's white (it's white), hoo!

It's black, it's white

It's tough for you to beat, yeah (yeah, yeah, yeah)

It's black, it's white, hoo!

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
believe /bɪˈliːv/ B1	verb - to accept something as true
miracle /ˈmɪrəkl/ B2	noun - an extraordinary event
matter /ˈmætər/ A2	verb - to be important noun - a subject or issue
equality /ɪˈkwɑːləti/ C1	noun - the state of being equal
wrong /rɒŋ/ A2	adjective - not correct
right /raɪt/ A2	adjective - correct
tired /ˈtaɪərd/ A2	adjective - needing rest
devil /ˈdevəl/ B1	noun - an evil spirit
rough /rʌf/ B1	adjective - uneven or harsh
scared /skeərd/ A2	adjective - afraid
brother /ˈbrʌðər/ A1	noun - male sibling
nation /ˈneɪʃn/ B2	noun - a large group of people
relation /rɪˈleɪʃn/ B1	noun - connection
scale /skeɪl/ B2	noun - a range or level
bright /braɪt/ B2	adjective - shining, radiant
dull /dʌl/ B1	adjective - not bright or clear
color /ˈkʌlər/ A1	noun - hue

Key Grammar Structures

• You've got things to do tomorrow, turn it off now!

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense (You've got) + Imperative (turn it off)

  ➔ The Present Perfect 'You've got' indicates an experience or state resulting from a past action that is relevant to the present. The imperative 'turn it off' is a direct command.

• I told about equality and it's true

  ➔ Past Tense (told) + Relative Clause (it's true)

  ➔ The past tense 'told' describes a completed action. 'It's true' acts as a relative clause, providing additional information about what was told.

• I am tired of this devil

  ➔ Present Continuous Tense (am tired)

  ➔ The present continuous 'am tired' expresses a current state of feeling, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the tiredness.

• It's not about races, just places, faces

  ➔ Contraction (It's) + Parallel Structure

  ➔ The contraction 'It's' is a common feature of spoken English. The phrase uses parallel structure ('places, faces') to emphasize the focus on location and identity rather than race.

• Don't tell me you agree with me

  ➔ Negative Imperative (Don't tell)

  ➔ The negative imperative 'Don't tell' is a direct command prohibiting someone from expressing agreement.

• It don't matter if you're black or white

  ➔ Subject-Verb Agreement (don't)

  ➔ The use of 'don't' instead of 'doesn't' with 'it' is a colloquialism, common in informal speech and song lyrics. It's grammatically incorrect in standard English but accepted in this context.

• I've seen the bright get duller

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense (I've seen)

  ➔ The Present Perfect 'I've seen' indicates an experience that happened at an unspecified time in the past and has relevance to the present. It implies a change or observation over time.

• Protection for gangs, clubs, and nations

  ➔ Noun phrases in apposition

  ➔ The phrase uses a series of nouns ('gangs, clubs, and nations') in apposition to create a powerful image of widespread conflict and division.