Black or White

Black or White by Michael Jackson is featured in Michael, the eleventh episode of Season Three. It is sung by the New Directions.

This is the last song performed in the episode. The New Directions sing it together in the auditorium and all of the Dalton Academy Warblers join in, except for Sebastian, who sits in the audience enviously watching.

Blaine is absent during this performance due to being slushied earlier in the episode by the Warblers. Sugar and Tina were absent for unknown reasons, but references in the following episodes hint at them being ill.

After the song, Sebastian explains that it will take a lot more than a Michael Jackson number to beat the Warblers at Regionals. Santana and Kurt reveal the tape with Sebastian's voice admitting to having put rock salt in the slushie that injured Blaine. The New Directions leave, with Artie hollering "School's out!".

Lyrics[]

Artie:
Ow, ow
I took my baby on a Saturday bang
But is that girl with you?
Yes, we're one and the same

Rachel:
Now I believe in miracles
And a miracle has happened tonight
Hee, ah

Artie with Rachel and New Directions:
But, if you're thinking about my baby
It don't matter if you're black or white

Artie:
Ooh

Kurt:
They print my message in the Saturday sun
I had to tell them I ain't second to none

Mercedes (with Rachel):
And I told about equality
Ain't it true, either you're (wrong or you're right)

Santana (Artie):
Woo (Uh)

Artie with Rachel and New Directions:
But, if you're thinking about my baby
It don't matter if you're black or white

Artie:
Hee
Don't bet

Rachel:
Heehee

Santana with New Directions:
I am tired of this devil
I am tired of this stuff
I am tired of this business
So, when the going get rough
I ain't scared of your brother
I ain't scared of no sheets
I ain't scared of nobody
Girl, when the going get mean

Artie:
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 is where your space is
I've seen the bright get duller
I'm not going to spend my life being a color

Kurt (with Mercedes):
Don't tell me you agree with me
When I saw you kicking (dirt in my eye)

Artie with Rachel, Santana, and New Directions:
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

Artie with Mercedes and New Directions:
I said if you're thinking of being my brother
It don't matter if you're black or white

Santana:
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Woo

Rachel:
Black or white

Artie with New Directions (New Directions):
It's black, it's white (Oh, oh, oh)
(with Santana: It's tough for you to get by) (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
It's black, it's white (Rachel: Yeah) (Artie: Woo)
(It's tough for you to get by) (Santana: Yeah, yeah)
It's black, it's white (Santana: Woo)
It's tough for you to get by (Yeah, yeah, yeah) (Rachel: Black or white)
It's black, it's white (Artie: Woo)
(It's tough for you to get by)
It's black, it's white (Santana: Woo, come on)
It's tough for you to get by (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
It's black, it's white (Artie: Woo) (Santana: Oooh)
(It's tough for you to get by)
It's black, it's white
It's tough for you to get by (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
It's black, it's white (Artie: Woo)

Trivia[]

Tina was absent in this performance despite being featured earlier in the episode during Bad.
This is one of the performance which is slightly similar to the official music videos. The others being:Vogue, I'm a Slave 4 U, Me Against the Music, Baby One More Time, Scream, It's Not Right But It's Okay, This Is the New Year, Nasty/Rhythm Nation, Take on Me and Thousand Miles.
Tyra Banks appeared in the music video of this song.
Adam Lambert covered this song on American Idol.
When Kurt sings his solo he uses his hand to cover up his right eye, which is the same eye that was injured by the slushie that hurt Blaine.