"They Don't Care About Us" is the fifth single from Michael Jackson's album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, released on March 31, 1996. The song remains one of the most controversial pieces Jackson ever composed. In the US, media scrutiny surrounding allegations of antisemitic lyrics were the catalyst for Jackson issuing multiple apologies and re-recording the song with altered lyrics. The singer countered allegations of antisemitism, arguing that reviews had misinterpreted the context of the song, either unintentionally or deliberately.
The song was accompanied by two music videos directed by Spike Lee. The first was shot in two locations in Brazil, in Pelourinho, the historic city center of Salvador, and in a favela of Rio de Janeiro called Dona Marta, where the state authorities had tried to ban all production over fears the video would damage their image, the area and prospects of Rio de Janeiro staging the 2004 Olympics. Still, the residents of the area were happy to see the singer, hoping their problems would be made visible to a wider audience. The second video was shot in a prison and contained video footage of multiple references to human rights abuses.
Skin head
Dead head
Everybody
Gone bad
Situation
Aggravation
Everybody
Allegation
In the suite
On the news
Everybody
Dog food
Bang bang
Shock dead
Everybody's
Gone mad
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about us
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about us
Beat me
Hate me
You can never
Break me
Will me
Thrill me
You can never
Kill me
Jew me
Sue me
Everybody
Do me
Kick me
Kike me
Don’t you
Black or white me
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about us
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about us
Tell me what has become of my life
I have a wife and two children who love me
I am the victim of police brutality, no
I’m tired of bein’ the victim of hate
Your rapin’ me of my pride
Oh for God’s sake
I look to heaven to fulfill its prophecy
Set me free
Skinhead
Deadhead
Everybody
Gone bad
Trepidation
Speculation
Everybody
Allegation
In the suite
On the news
Everybody
Dog food
Black man
Black mail
Throw the brother
In jail
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about us
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about us
Tell me what has become of my rights
Am I invisible ’cause you ignore me
Your proclamation promised me free liberty, no
I'm tired of bein’ the victim of shame
They're throwin’ me in a class with a bad name
I can't believe this is the land from which I came
You know I really do hate to say it
The government don't wanna see
But if Roosevelt was livin’
He wouldn’t let this be, no, no
Skinhead
Deadhead
Everybody
Gone bad
Situation
Speculation
Everybody
Litigation
Beat me
Bash me
You can never
Trash me
Hit me
Kick me
You can never
Get me
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about us
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about us
Some things in life they just don’t wanna see
But if Martin Luther was livin’
He wouldn’t let this be, no, no, no, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Skin head
Dead head
Everybody's
Gone bad
Situation
Segregation
Everybody
Allegation
In the suite
On the news
Everybody
Dog food
Kick me
Kike me
Don't you
Wrong or right me
(They keep me on fire)
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about us
(They keep me on fire)
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about us
(I’m there to remind you)
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about us
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about
All I wanna say is that
They don’t really care about us
(written and composed by Michael Jackson)