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Did you manage to join in the tribute to Michael Jackson on the day he died, based on your timezone, no matter your location across the globe? 17 years ago, Michael Jackson passed on, and the news of his passing surely left a wound on a lot of fans’ hearts, considering he has an estimated 4.8 billion fans worldwide. If you’re active on social media, you would have known that there’s a tribute where fans all over will be playing “Heal the World”, hopefully to Jackson’s delight. Unfortunately, there’s still much healing to do, even with Michael Jackson now gone from our sights. “Heal The World” will always be etched in every concert goer’s memory, especially because Jackson actually uttered the words “Saya Cinta Malaysia”[I Love Malaysia, if you were to translate it literally.] and repeated the expression, during his History World Tour 1996, signalling he’s close to the end of a powerful, commanding, and an energetic show. News reports stated that Jackson had insomnia, as a result of the exhilarating tour (and even long after the tour), but, heck, I wouldn’t be surprised, would you?  If you weren’t there in person, there’s YouTube to relive that portion. I’m not sure I should be crying happy tears, like Jackson sings in the lyrics because… like many fans, I’m caught up in a mix of glee, sadness and anger (particularly if you were to take into account how he died at the hands of his most trusted doctor, who would speak at length about his credentials and being the best cardiologist), even if the recent Michael biopic helped reactivate a Michael Jackson craze for his music, film and perhaps, even merchandise and accessories. Few artists can still be the top, exploring different genres and still sounding exceptional and extraordinary, even after many years. Then again, that’s why, he’s the undisputed King of Pop.

Michael Jackson, if you’ve listened to more than enough interviews and read at length, had a penchant for children. Hence, he was always helping children, bringing joy to children when they’re sick or terminally ill. “Heal the World” was one of his ways of sending the message that we need to think rationally and logically in every decision we make so that the children born in the generations to come will enjoy their childhood, grow up healthily (with more than enough supply of love, care, food, nature, and safe and sanitary living conditions so that they know what’s worth taking care of and won’t have much to fear).

While many of us would be glued to the song’s chorus, the song’s bridge gets to me – every single time. Facilitated by a dramatic change in the key of the song, the song’s bridge, given the song’s tempo, is not only tricky to sing, but also transitions the song into a climactic plea about the state of the planet, with hopes that there will be an improved, brighter future for the children.

It’s no wonder (as revealed via an Internet chat with fans in 2001) Michael Jackson said he was the proudest to have created “Heal The World”, written while at Jackson’s secret writing spot, The Giving Tree, at the Neverland Ranch.

“Heal the World” was released as a single, part of Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous” (1991) album.

The complex A major song is not to be confused with “We Are The World”, also by Michael Jackson, which has a similar tune, with key messages that are not too far off from “Heal the World”.

Following the release of the song in 1991, as an aside, the Heal the World Foundation was established in 1992 to help realise Jackson’s mission of helping children by alleviating poverty, funding medical research and transplants, and extending disaster relief across borders. The organisation is said to have been defunct since the 2000s. However, this foundation had helped inspire lots more in showing compassion and the building of other similar organisations.

“Heal the World” was played alongside “We Are the World” at Jackson’s memorial service, held at the Staples Centre, Los Angeles on 7 July 2009, following his passing in June 2009.